The perfect low-cost telephones for 2025

It might be trendy to spend $1,000 on the most recent flagship smartphone after they first get launched, nevertheless it’s not essential. You do not even need to spend $500 immediately to get an honest 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 tough; choices that look good on paper is probably not in apply, 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 plenty of the most recent budget-friendly telephones in the marketplace to see which are literally price your cash.

What to search for in an inexpensive cellphone

For this information, our prime picks value between $100 and $300. Something much less and also you would possibly as effectively 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 cause, the very best recommendation I may give is to spend as a lot as you may afford. On this value vary, even $50 or $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product.

Second, you must know what you need most from a cellphone. When shopping for a funds smartphone, you might must sacrifice an honest foremost digicam for lengthy battery life, or commerce a high-resolution show for a quicker CPU. That’s simply what comes with the territory, however figuring out your priorities will make it simpler to search out the suitable cellphone.

It’s additionally price noting some options will be arduous to search out on low-cost handsets. As an example, you gained’t want to go looking far for a tool with all-day battery life — however if you would like a terrific digicam cellphone with wonderful digicam high quality, you’re higher off shelling out for one of many suggestions in our midrange smartphone guide, which all are available in at $600 or much less. Wi-fi charging and waterproofing additionally aren’t straightforward to search out on this value vary and overlook in regards to the quickest chipset. On the intense aspect, all our suggestions include headphone jacks, so that you gained’t must get wireless headphones.

iOS can be off the desk, for the reason that $400 Apple iPhone SE is essentially 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 might even desire it to iOS. Lastly, take into accout most Android producers usually supply far much less strong software program options and help for his or her funds units. In some circumstances, your new cellphone might solely obtain one main software program replace and a yr or two of safety patches past that. That applies to the OnePlus and Motorola suggestions on our record.

If you happen to’d wish to hold your cellphone for so long as doable, Samsung has the very best software program coverage of any Android producer within the funds area, providing four years of security updates on all of its units. That mentioned, if software program help (or machine longevity general) is your foremost 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.

Finest low-cost telephones

OnePlus

The $300 OnePlus Nord N30 5G provides the very best worth of any of the smartphones on our record. No different cellphone within the value bracket contains 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, that means you in all probability gained’t must funds for a microSD card or cloud storage. It additionally comes with a 120Hz IPS show, a function 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

For simply $200, the Galaxy A15 5G is a fairly exceptional machine. 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 will 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 digicam system is strong for its value, providing a foremost digicam that handles on a regular basis pictures effectively and a selfie digicam 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 value vary. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

$173 at Amazon

Motorola

For these on a extremely tight funds, the 2024 Moto G Play covers all of the bases effectively. 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 may add extra space if and if you want it. Its 6.5-inch LCD display can be surprisingly sharp with a 90Hz refresh price. The Moto G Play even has an IP52 score for mud and water resistance. That isn’t a lot, nevertheless it’s ok to guard in opposition to an errant splash or two. Positive, the G Play is primary, nevertheless it’s primary in a great way. — S.R.

$110 at Amazon

Motorola

The $200 Motorola Moto G Stylus provides one thing not one of the different picks on this record do: a built-in stylus. If you happen to 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 obtainable in two pretty colours: midnight blue and glam pink.

As with different choices on this value vary, it will be good if the Moto G Stylus got here with a extra succesful digicam, a quick charger and higher safety in opposition to water. One phrase of recommendation: avoid Moto G Stylus 5G. It doesn’t supply sufficient of an improve to justify costing $400. — I.B.

$178 at Amazon

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