The best cheap phones you can buy

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The best cheap phones you can buy
  • Budget phones have never been this good or this affordable.
  • After lots of testing and research, we found that the Google Pixel 3a is the best phone you can buy for $400 with its sharp screen, great cameras, and clean Android software.
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Although most people in the US tend to buy their smartphones directly from cell service providers like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and Sprint, bargain hunters and tech geeks are starting to buy their phones unlocked online.

Amazon offers a large selection of unlocked phones from brands big and small. Some of these phones are very cheap, and Amazon is making a small selection of great budget devices even cheaper with Amazon Prime Exclusive phones, which are subsidized with advertisements. You can also get unlocked phones at Best Buy and directly from phone manufacturers.

We've rounded up the very best unlocked phones you can buy for as little as $220 or as much as $550. Affordable unlocked phones are much more powerful than they used to be, and any of our top picks would make an excellent first smartphone for a kid or young student who just needs a reliable cheap phone.

We've personally tested some of these phones, and the ones we haven't yet tested are in this guide based on current reviews of the phones, their price, and their spec sheet.

Here's what you need to know about buying unlocked phones:

Buying a phone unlocked can be intimidating the first time - especially if you've always bought your phone from a carrier like AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, or Sprint.

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  • When you buy an unlocked phone, you'll pay the full price all at once. When you buy from your carrier, the company often offers to let you buy the device on a payment plan so you can pay a little bit each month. Good news, though - all of the phones in this guide cost between $220 and $550.
  • Some unlocked phones may not work on Verizon or Sprint. Sprint and Verizon use a special kind of network called CDMA, but most unlocked phones use the more standard GSM network that both T-Mobile and AT&T use. Don't worry, though - we've noted the carriers whose services work on each phone.
  • Amazon offers discounts on some phones for its Prime subscribers. These Prime Exclusive phones are subsidized by Amazon so you pay a lower price, but the phones have Amazon apps pre-installed on them.

Here are the best cheap phones in 2019:

Updated on 07/22/2019 by Malarie Gokey: Added all new phones.

Keep scrolling to check out our top picks.

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The best overall

The best overall
The Google Pixel 3a is the best smartphone you can buy for less than $400 with its excellent camera, solid processing power, and clean Android experience.

If you want a truly stellar phone for less than $400, the Google Pixel 3a is your best bet. I've been using the phone since it came out, and it truly is exceptional. It takes better photos than many flagship phones I've used and it doesn't feel underpowered at all. The Pixel 3a can work on any network, too.

Not only do you get timely software updates and a pure Android experience, but you also get most of the same specs you'd find on Google's flagship Pixel 3 phone.

The Pixel 3a has a 5.6-inch OLED screen with a 2,220 x 1,080-pixel resolution and 441 pixels-per-inch. Although it may not look as fancy or modern as those gorgeous edge-to-edge screens you'll find on the Galaxy S10, this screen is no slouch. It's crisp and clear, with deep blacks and excellent color reproduction.

The black edges along the sides of the screen may be a little thicker, but that's one of the few tradeoffs here. The other main style difference is that the 3a is encased in plastic rather than metal or glass. However, this is hardly a bad thing — in fact, it actually makes the Pixel 3a more durable, as glass tends to shatter.

Inside, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 670 processor and 4GB of RAM power the Pixel 3a, making for a seamless experience. It may not have the sheer power and speed of a flagship phone, but you probably won't notice the difference. You also get 64GB of storage, which is more than enough for most people.

Best of all, you get Google's amazing camera tech. Just like the standard Pixel 3, the 3a takes superb photos that rival or indeed exceed the quality of iPhone photos. This is thanks to a 12.2-megapixel dual-pixel camera on the back with a ƒ/1.8 aperture optical image stabilization, and an impressive Night Mode that illuminates even the darkest shots. On the front, you get an 8-megapixel selfie cam.

If you prefer big phones and can swing it, the Pixel 3a XL is just $80 more.

Pros: Affordable, great cameras, pure Android, made by Google, timely security updates, solid processing power

Cons: Not as cheap as some others

The best for $300

The best for $300
The Moto G7 is the best budget phone for people who want to spend less than $300 with its solid camera and clean Android software.

Motorola's Moto G series has produced excellent budget phones year after year since it first launched. The competition may be fiercer and the Moto brand may have been bought by Lenovo, but the Moto G series is still great. The new Moto G7 is an impressive budget phone that ticks all the boxes and costs less than $300. It can also work on any major carrier network.

The Moto G7 isn't a showstopper in the looks department, but it is actually made out of glass and metal, which isn't something you can say about most budget phones. It looks and feels good in your hands, though some may find it a bit slippery and glass is fragile. We recommend you buy a case for it.

Its 6.2-inch screen is sharp and clear with a 2,270 x 1,080-pixel resolution, the Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor is fast when paired with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage is decent as is the option to expand it via a Micro SD card up to 512GB. The phone also has a fingerprint sensor and face unlock for security.

The G7 has an improved 12-megapixel and 5-megapixel dual-lens camera setup, which is quite good, and selfie-takers will be pleased with the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The battery should last you a full day, and it charges up quickly with Motorola's TurboPower charging, which promises to give you six hours of use after 15 minutes of charging.

If you buy the Amazon version, just note that a few Amazon apps are pre-installed, including Amazon Shopping, Amazon Music, Audible and Amazon Alexa. You can get it Amazon-app free from Motorola if you prefer.

Pros: Amazing low price, decent cameras, metal design, fingerprint sensor for security, and quick Android updates

Cons: Glass is fragile and slippery, Prime Exclusive version has Amazon apps

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The best with Stock Android

The best with Stock Android
The Nokia 7.1 is as close to Stock Android as you can get without spending $400 on the Google Pixel 3a, and it only costs $249.99.

If you care about having Stock Android and regular updates on your smartphone, but you don't want to spend $300 or more, you're in luck: The Nokia 7.1 is the phone you seek. So long as your cellular network is GSM like T-Mobile and AT&T, you can use this phone. Verizon and Sprint won't work.

The Nokia 7.1 has a great 5.84-inch, Full HD screen with a 2,220 x 1,080-pixel resolution that looks great encased in the glass body of the phone. There's a fingerprint sensor on the back of the phone for security.

The Nokia 7.1 looks and feels high-end when you hold it, though the glass is fragile and we recommend getting a case. Inside, it has a decent Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 processor and 4GB RAM, as well as 64GB of storage, which is expandable up to 400GB with a MicroSD card. It charges up with a USB-C cable.

Finally, the 12-and-5-megapixel dual rear cameras take great photos, as does the 8-megapixel front camera.

However, the best thing about the Nokia 7.1 isn't its good spec sheet or even its low price — it's the promise of regular security patches and Android updates. Because Nokia has gone with near Stock Android and joined Google's Android One program, you can rest assured that your phone will always be up to date.

Before you buy, just make sure you have T-Mobile, AT&T, or another GSM carrier.

Pros: Pure Android, great screen, strong build, good battery, low price

Cons: Doesn't work on Verizon, Sprint, or other CDMA networks

The best for $250 or less

The best for $250 or less
The LG Stylo 4 has a big 6.2-inch screen, comes with a stylus, and costs very little.

If you have been looking for a phone that costs $250 or less, you're in luck. The LG Stylo 4 costs just $139.99 at Best Buy if you activate it with Sprint or $189.99 if you activate it with another carrier. If you want the unlocked version, it's $214.99 on Amazon. The unlocked version will work with any major carrier network.

The LG Stylo 4 is a bit older, as it launched in 2018, but it's still a decent budget phone. It comes with a stylus, has a big 6.2-inch screen with a 2,160 x 1,080-pixel resolution. For added security, the phone has both facial recognition and a fingerprint sensor. It's a simple plastic-backed phone that looks nondescript.

On the back, you get a 13-megapixel camera that takes decent shots, and there's a 5-megapixel wide-angle selfie camera on the front. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 chip inside isn't the most powerful, but it will be able to handle most tasks, thanks to the 3GB of RAM inside.

The phone has 32GB of internal storage, which is low, but you can add up to 2TB of storage via a MicroSD card.

You should get at least a full day of battery life, as the Stylo 4 has a 3,300mAh battery inside. Once it runs out of juice, you can charge it up with USB Type-C fast charging.

As a Prime Exclusive phone, you'll get a few Amazon apps pre-installed on the phone if you buy it from Amazon.

Pros: Decent price, large Full HD screen, stylus, fingerprint sensor and facial recognition, okay cameras

Cons: Amazon apps pre-installed, boring design

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The best for $550

The best for $550
The OnePlus 6T is perfect for anyone who wants a high-powered device, but doesn't want to spend more than $600 on a phone.

If you have a little bit more to spend, the $549 OnePlus 6T is a great buy. Although it costs significantly less than other high-end flagship phones, it boasts nearly all the same features. It should work with T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon.

The OnePlus 6T boasts a beautiful 6.41-inch AMOLED screen with almost no bezels. It just has a small space on the front for the 16.megapixel selfie camera Inside, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 chip and 6, 8, or 10GB of RAM power the phone.

The phone's battery life is impressive, and OnePlus' Dash charge tech will give you a full charge in just 30 minutes. But alas, there's no wireless charging.

The dual-lens camera on the back has two sensors — one 16-megapixel and one 20-megapixel — which take excellent pictures and produce the coveted blurred background effect in photos. The camera is on par with other great flagships in most settings, though Samsung's Galaxy S10 and the Pixel 3 XL still best it in low-light conditions.

The back of the phone is made from glass and a slick metal band runs around the phone's edges. It feels great in the hand, though it is fragile, so we recommend popping a case on it.

Pros: A 6.41-inch AMOLED screen, Face Unlock, dual-cameras, affordable, quick charge

Cons: More expensive than other budget phones

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