It might be trendy to spend $1,000 on the newest flagship smartphone once they first get launched, however it’s not mandatory. You do not even should spend $500 immediately to get a good handset, whether or not it’s a refurbished iPhone or an inexpensive Android cellphone, as there are many choices as little as $160 that would suit your wants.
However navigating the funds cellphone market will be difficult; choices that look good on paper is probably not in follow, and a few handsets will find yourself costing you extra when you think about many include restrictive storage. Whereas we at Engadget spend most of our time testing and reviewing mid- to high-end handsets, we have examined a lot of the newest budget-friendly telephones available on the market to see which are literally value your cash.
What to search for in an inexpensive cellphone
For this information, our prime picks price between $100 and $300. Something much less and also you would possibly as properly go purchase a dumb cellphone or high-end calculator as an alternative. Since they’re meant to be extra inexpensive than flagship telephones and even midrange handsets, funds smartphones contain compromises; the cheaper a tool, the decrease your expectations round specs, efficiency and expertise ought to be. For that motive, the very best recommendation I may give is to spend as a lot as you’ll be able to afford. On this worth vary, even $50 or $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product.
Second, it is best to know what you need most from a cellphone. When shopping for a funds smartphone, you could have to sacrifice a good most important digital camera for lengthy battery life, or commerce a high-resolution show for a quicker CPU. That’s simply what comes with the territory, however realizing your priorities will make it simpler to seek out the proper cellphone.
It’s additionally value noting some options will be onerous to seek out on low cost handsets. As an illustration, you received’t want to look far for a tool with all-day battery life — however in order for you an amazing digital camera cellphone with glorious digital camera high quality, you’re higher off shelling out for one of many suggestions in our midrange smartphone information, which all are available at $600 or much less. Wi-fi charging and waterproofing additionally aren’t simple to seek out on this worth vary and overlook concerning the quickest chipset. On the intense aspect, all our suggestions include headphone jacks, so that you received’t have to get wi-fi headphones.
iOS can also be off the desk, for the reason that $400 Apple iPhone SE is probably the most inexpensive iPhone within the lineup. That leaves Android OS as the one possibility. Fortunately immediately, there’s little to complain about Google’s OS – and you could even choose it to iOS. Lastly, bear in mind most Android producers usually provide far much less sturdy software program options and help for his or her funds units. In some circumstances, your new cellphone could solely obtain one main software program replace and a 12 months or two of safety patches past that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola suggestions on our record.
For those who’d prefer to hold your cellphone for so long as attainable, Samsung has the very best software program coverage of any Android producer within the funds house, providing 4 years of safety updates on all of its units. That stated, if software program help (or system longevity total) is your most important focus, take into account spending a bit extra the $500 Google Pixel 7a, which is our favourite midrange smartphone and has deliberate software program updates by means of mid-2026.
Greatest low cost telephones
OnePlus
Display dimension: 6.72 inches | Storage capability: 128GB + microSD | SIM card sort: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 16MP | Rear digital camera decision: 108MP most important, 2MP macro | Weight: 6.8 oz | Battery life: 12 hours, half-hour
The $300 OnePlus Nord N30 5G presents the very best worth of any of the smartphones on our record. No different cellphone within the worth bracket incorporates a processor as quick because the N30’s Snapdragon 695 5G chipset. Furthermore, OnePlus has specced the N30 with 5G connectivity along with a beneficiant 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which means you in all probability received’t have to funds for a microSD card or cloud storage. It additionally comes with a 120Hz IPS show, a characteristic that’s nice for each gaming and on a regular basis use. Better of all, the N30 ships with a 50W energy adapter for quick charging, letting you get a full day of battery life in half-hour. The N30 can be virtually good if it had waterproofing and OnePlus had dedicated to pushing a couple of main Android OS replace to the cellphone. — Igor Bonifacic, Contributing Reporter
$230 at Amazon
SAMSUNG
Display dimension: 6.5 inches | Storage capability: 128GB/256GB + microSD | SIM card sort: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 13MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP most important, 5MP ultrawide, 2MP macro | Weight: 7.05 oz | Battery life: 2 days
For simply $200, the Galaxy A15 5G is a reasonably outstanding system. It has a 6.5-inch show with a barely slower 90Hz refresh price the Nord N30. Nevertheless, as a result of it options an AMOLED panel as an alternative of an LCD show, it boasts higher brightness and richer colours than principally all of its rivals. It may also be configured with as much as 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and its 5,000 mAh battery delivers lengthy battery life. Its digital camera system is strong for its worth, providing a most important digital camera that handles on a regular basis photographs properly and a selfie digital camera for video calls. And whereas its design isn’t too thrilling, the polycarbonate Samsung makes use of on the again has a pleasant matte end that feels extra like glass than low cost plastic. Lastly, the A15 comes with 4 years of safety updates and three years of OS upgrades, which is longer than most handsets on this worth vary. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter
$173 at Amazon
Motorola
Display dimension: 6.5 inches | Storage capability: 64GB + microSD | SIM card sort: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 8MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP | Weight: 6.53 oz | Battery life: 46 hours
For these on a extremely tight funds, the 2024 Moto G Play covers all of the bases properly. It has a speedy Snapdragon 680 processor together with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. And whereas that final quantity might sound small, the cellphone has a microSD card slot so you’ll be able to add more room if and once you want it. Its 6.5-inch LCD display screen can also be surprisingly sharp with a 90Hz refresh price. The Moto G Play even has an IP52 ranking for mud and water resistance. That isn’t a lot, however it’s adequate to guard towards an errant splash or two. Positive, the G Play is fundamental, however it’s fundamental in a great way. — S.R.
$110 at Amazon
Motorola
Display dimension: 6.5-inch | Storage capability: 64GB | SIM card sort: Nano-SIM | Entrance digital camera decision: 8MP | Rear digital camera decision: 50MP | Weight: 6.9 oz | Battery life: 20 hours
The $200 Motorola Moto G Stylus presents one thing not one of the different picks on this record do: a built-in stylus. For those who love doodling and jotting down notes, then that is a budget cellphone to purchase. Fortunately, it has just a few different issues going for it too. The Moto G Stylus sports activities an enormous and responsive 6.5-inch show and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery. Plus, it’s accessible in two beautiful colours: midnight blue and glam pink.
As with different choices on this worth vary, it will be good if the Moto G Stylus got here with a extra succesful digital camera, a quick charger and higher safety towards water. One phrase of recommendation: keep away from Moto G Stylus 5G. It doesn’t provide sufficient of an improve to justify costing $400. — I.B.
$178 at Amazon
