You don’t need to splurge on the iPhone 14 or Galaxy S23 to get the latest version of iOS or Android, or perks like multiple cameras, photography tools and access to your favorite apps and games. When it comes to the basics, the best cheap phones provide plenty of value but cost noticeably less than their flagship competitors.
Our top picks come as cheap as $160, while more advanced models will run you $500 — which is substantially cheaper than top-of-the-line models from Apple, Samsung and Google. If you have a specific budget in mind, you can also check out our best phones under $200 and best phones under $500 lists for other affordable phone options.
What is the best cheap phone?
Even without discounts, you can find brand-new phones for less than $200. But when a phone’s regular price is set under $400, you’ll start to notice concessions a company makes to offer a more affordable phone. That’s why the $349 Google Pixel 6A is our favorite best cheap phone. Google delivers all the big features that matter, such as a peppy processor, great cameras and years worth of software support. And to keep the price low, Google makes smart compromises, most notably a display that looks dim under direct sunlight.
The Pixel 6A accomplishes its intended purpose of providing a lot for less. Even though Google’s Pixel 7A at $499 is also a very good value, the Pixel 6A still takes crisp and colorful photos for its price. You also get the same eye-catching design and Pixel-specific software features like Magic Eraser and Live Translate.
Best cheap phones of 2023
How we test phones
Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. We use the phone, test the features, play games and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. And if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you about it.
We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:
- Display
- Design and feel
- Processor performance
- Battery life
- Camera quality
- Features
We test all the phone’s cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: from outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and nighttime scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We have a series of real world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.
We take into account additional phone features like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays and other useful extras. We weigh all our experiences and testing against the price so you know whether a phone represents good value or not.
Read more: How we test phones