The perfect low-cost telephones for 2025

It might be modern to spend $1,000 on the newest flagship smartphone once they first get launched, but it surely’s not mandatory. You do not even should spend $500 at present to get an honest handset, whether or not it’s a refurbished iPhone or an inexpensive Android telephone, as there are many choices as little as $160 that might suit your wants.

However navigating the finances telephone market may be difficult; choices that look good on paper will not be in observe, 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 numerous the newest budget-friendly telephones available on the market to see which are literally value your cash.

What to search for in an inexpensive telephone

For this information, our high picks price between $100 and $300. Something much less and also you may as effectively go purchase a dumb telephone or high-end calculator as an alternative. Since they’re meant to be extra inexpensive than flagship telephones and even midrange handsets, finances smartphones contain compromises; the cheaper a tool, the decrease your expectations round specs, efficiency and expertise needs to be. For that purpose, the most effective recommendation I can provide is to spend as a lot as you possibly can afford. On this value vary, even $50 or $100 extra can get you a dramatically higher product.

Second, you need to know what you need most from a telephone. When shopping for a finances smartphone, you might must sacrifice an honest fundamental digital camera for lengthy battery life, or commerce a high-resolution show for a sooner CPU. That’s simply what comes with the territory, however figuring out your priorities will make it simpler to seek out the precise telephone.

It’s additionally value noting some options may be laborious to seek out on low-cost handsets. For example, you received’t want to go looking far for a tool with all-day battery life — however if you need an incredible digital camera telephone with wonderful digital camera high quality, you’re higher off shelling out for one of many suggestions in our midrange smartphone guide, which all are available at $600 or much less. Wi-fi charging and waterproofing additionally aren’t straightforward to seek out on this value vary and neglect concerning the quickest chipset. On the intense aspect, all our suggestions include headphone jacks, so that you received’t must get wireless headphones.

iOS can also 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 at present, there’s little to complain about Google’s OS – and you might even desire it to iOS. Lastly, have in mind most Android producers sometimes supply far much less sturdy software program options and assist for his or her finances gadgets. In some circumstances, your new telephone might 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 listing.

For those who’d wish to hold your telephone for so long as doable, Samsung has the most effective software program coverage of any Android producer within the finances area, providing four years of security updates on all of its gadgets. That mentioned, if software program assist (or machine longevity total) is your fundamental 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 mid-2026.

Finest low-cost telephones

OnePlus

The $300 OnePlus Nord N30 5G affords the most effective worth of any of the smartphones on our listing. No different telephone within the value bracket encompasses 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 most likely received’t must finances 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 could be virtually excellent if it had waterproofing and OnePlus had dedicated to pushing multiple main Android OS replace to the telephone. — Igor Bonifacic, Contributing Reporter

$230 at Amazon

SAMSUNG

For simply $200, the Galaxy A15 5G is a fairly outstanding 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 mainly all of its rivals. It can 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 stable for its value, providing a fundamental digital camera that handles on a regular basis pictures effectively 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 value vary. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

$173 at Amazon

Motorola

For these on a extremely tight finances, 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 may appear small, the telephone has a microSD card slot so you possibly can add more room if and if 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 score for mud and water resistance. That isn’t a lot, but it surely’s ok to guard towards an errant splash or two. Positive, the G Play is primary, but it surely’s primary in a great way. — S.R.

$110 at Amazon

Motorola

The $200 Motorola Moto G Stylus affords one thing not one of the different picks on this listing do: a built-in stylus. For those who love doodling and jotting down notes, then that is a budget telephone to purchase. Fortunately, it has a couple of different issues going for it too. The Moto G Stylus sports activities a giant 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 value vary, it could 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: 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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