Best cheap phones in 2020

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020 steezy 0 Comments Smartphones

The best cheap phones deliver a user experience that’s well above their low price tags. Based on our testing and reviews, you can get a very good smartphone for under $400 with all the features most buyers need.

Those on a budget will find that the best cheap phones offer capable cameras, big-enough displays for watching video and playing games and enough battery life to get you through most of the day.

You do need to make some trade-offs in this price range, as you won’t always find the most powerful processors or the biggest screens or features like 5G and 120Hz displays, but overall you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what cheap phones deliver.

It’s a great time to find a good cheap phone. The iPhone SE 2020 is now on sale for $399 and it’s powered by the same processor found in the more expensive iPhone 11 lineup. The Moto G Power is available, too, delivering a huge 5,000-mAh battery, triple cameras and Snapdragon 665 processor for $249. And, last but not least, Samsung’s Galaxy A51 offers a big 6.5-inch OLED display and a quad-camera system for $399.

What are the best cheap phones?

The best cheap phone you can buy right now is the iPhone SE 2020. For just $399, you get Apple’s blazing fast A13 processor, very good rear and front cameras and a bright and colorful 4.7-inch display. And it’s all wrapped up in a compact design.

The new iPhone SE has a few other perks that most other cheap phones lack. It has a premium glass-and-metal design (instead of plastic) and it’s water resistant. Plus, the iPhone SE supports wireless charging.

If you prefer Android, we’d recommend the Moto G Power, which features the longest-lasting smartphone battery we’ve tested for less than $300. The phone’s other features are pretty impressive for a budget model, too, with three rear cameras and good-for-the-price performance. You’ll get similar features (though not as much battery life) from the slightly more expensive Moto G Stylus.

The Google Pixel 3a has been among our favorite cheap phones since it debuted last year. Even with a single lens you’ll get photos that rival much more expensive phones. Just don’t expect an ultrawide lens. With the Pixel 3a, you’ll not only enjoy the latest version of Android, you’ll get OS updates as soon as they’re available.

The best part about the Pixel 3a is that the price has dropped all the way to $299 as we await the arrival on the new Google Pixel 4a. The Pixel 4a promises a bigger display and better performance, but it may not launch until as late as October, based on rumors. The OnePlus Z is another cheaper phone to keep an eye on, but that’s expected to be more of a mid-range device under $500.

See all the best cheap phones you can buy below.

The best cheap phones you can buy today

Best cheap phones: iPhone SE 2020 — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

1. iPhone SE

The best cheap phone overall

Very affordable

Fast A13 Bionic performance

Supports wireless charging

Big bezels

No camera night mode

The iPhone SE 2020 is what happens when you make a cheap phone that isn’t cheap. For $399, this iPhone offers the same fast performance as the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, thanks to is A13 Bionic processor. And that same chip gives the iPhone SE photography capabilities that most budget Android phones lack. This includes Portrait Mode for the front and rear cameras, Smart HDR and extended dynamic range when shooting videos.

With its 4.7-inch display, the iPhone SE is best for those who prefer smaller phones, but the screen is bright and colorful. You also get a Touch ID button for unlocking the device, Apple Pay and entering passwords, as well as a water resistant design. The new iPhone SE supports wireless charging as well.

The new iPhone SE is well made with its glass and aluminum chassis, but the bezels are on the big size. Plus, you don’t get the Night mode for the camera offered by the iPhone 11. But overall this is easily the best cheap phone yet.

Read our full iPhone SE review.

Best cheap phones: Moto G Power — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

2. Moto G Power

The cheap phone with the best battery life

The best battery life we’ve tested

Low price tag

Good performance and photos for the price

Screen isn’t very colorful

No optical zoom

A really long-lasting phone endures for over 11 hours on our battery test. The Moto G Power blows them all away with a runtime of 16 hours and 10 minutes. It’s the best phone battery life we’ve ever seen and is really remarkable when you consider the Moto G Power costs under $250. But that’s not the only reason this Android phone made our best cheap phone list.

The Moto G Power also features a large 6.4-inch display with ful- HD resolution, pretty good performance from its Snapdragon 660 processor and a solid 64GB of storage. And while the triple rear cameras aren’t best in class, we appreciate that there’s an ultra-wide shooter on board here.

At 7 ounces, the beefy 5,000 mAh battery inside the Moto G Power certainly contributes to its weight. And the screen on this phone could be more colorful. But overall the Moto G Power more than lives up to its name.

Read our full Moto G Power review.

Best cheap phones: Google Pixel 3a — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

3. Google Pixel 3a

The best cheap Android phone

Powerful camera

Sub-$400 Price

Long battery life

No wireless charging

Display could be brighter

The $399 Pixel 3a delivers the same great camera as Google’s pricier phones but at a much lower cost. This includes Google’s amazing Night Sight feature for low-light shots. The Google Pixel 3a is available directly through Verizon and T-Mobile. You can also buy the Pixel 3a unlocked from Google’s online store, and take it to any network you like.

The Pixel 3a also delivers the best battery life ever from a Google phone, lasting nearly 12 hours on our test. You will make some trade-offs on processor speed and the brightness of the OLED display with the 3a, but if you want the best unlocked phone, this the cheap phone to buy.

Google reportedly has a successor in the works, with the Pixel 4a expected to come out this summer with a larger display and faster processor. But right now the Pixel 3a is the best cheap phone around.

Read our full Pixel 3a review.

Best cheap phones: Moto G stylus — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

4. Moto G Stylus

A low-cost phone with its own built-in stylus

Comes with a stylus

Long battery life

Triple rear cameras

Colors aren’t very vibrant on screen

No optical zoom or ultra wide angle lens

You don’t have to spend big bucks for a phone like the Galaxy Note 10 to get a stylus with your handset. The Moto G Stylus costs $299 and there’s a handy stylus tucked right into the bottom right corner of the phone. While you won’t get S Pen levels of functionality, you will be able to remove the stylus and start jotting down notes on the Motorola phone’s screen, all without having to unlock your device. The stylus also can help you take screenshots and edit photos.

In many ways, the Moto G Stylus is exactly like the Moto G Power. They’ve got the same screen size and processor, though the G Stylus comes with more storage and a bigger main camera sensor. The biggest tradeoff, though, is battery, where the Moto G Stylus makes do with a 4,000 mAh power pack. Even with the smaller battery, the G Stylus still lasted more than 12 hours on our battery test, making this a long-lasting phone for people who want a productivity-boosting stylus.

Read our full Moto G Stylus review.

Best cheap phones: Samsung Galaxy A51 — (Image credit: Future)

5. Samsung Galaxy A51

A decent Pixel 3a alternative

Excellent display

Sleek design

Versatile quad-lens camera

Underwhelming performance

Camera struggles in low light

After last year’s successful Galaxy A50, Samsung’s new Galaxy A51 adds even more value for under $400, with its 6.5-inch AMOLED display, quad-lens camera that includes ultrawide, depth and macro shooters, as well as a generous 128GB of storage built in. We especially like the A51’s design; it’s made of plastic, but feels well built, and its full-screen proportions and slim bezels make a for a more attractive midrange offering than even the new iPhone SE.

Well, at least until you try to use those cameras to take shots in low light. The Galaxy A51 is a very pretty looking phone, though it suffers with camera quality and performance. Apps can sometimes take too long to open, and the device can get flustered when you’ve got a lot of things going on at once. Samsung’s latest budget offering isn’t quite as compelling all-around as the iPhone SE, Pixel 3a or Moto G Power, but it is a respectable choice nevertheless, especially if you want a large AMOLED screen for under $400.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A51 review.

best cheap phones: tcl 10L — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

6. TCL 10L

A cheap phone with a great display

Excellent display

Good design

Cameras struggle with color

Won’t work on CDMA networks

A cheap phone doesn’t have to look cheap. The TCL 10L features a design that plays down its bargain price while also sporting one of the better displays you’ll find on any phone. The TCL 10L’s 6.53-inch LCD panel showcases a wide array of colors, and TCL’s Nxtvision technology enables welcome features such as dynamic adjusting the screen’s color temperature and brightness.

Other parts of the TCL 10L don’t live up to the stellar example set by its display. Performance is about what you’d expect for a phone powered by a Snapdragon 665 chipset and battery life is average. That would be all right, but the similarly priced Moto G Power lasts more than 6 hours longer in our test. The TCL 10L’s four rear cameras also struggle with color.

Still, this is a very good looking phone, especially if you can get the TCL 10L in Mariana Blue. And at $249, you won’t have to pay big bucks to add a little style to your smartphone.

Read our full TCL 10L review.

Best cheap phones: ZTE Blade 10 Prime — (Image credit: Tom’s Guide)

6. ZTE Blade 10 Prime

Solid performance for the price

Good performance

Low price

Decent cameras

Short battery life

Camera can be unresponsive

The ZTE Blade 10 Prime delivers a surprising amount of phone for under $200. You get a dual-lens rear camera, a big 6.3-inch display with slim bezels and a water drop notch, 64GB of storage and a microSD card slot that supports up to 2TB. The MediaTek’s Helio P60 processor combined with 3GB of RAM keeps things running smoothly on this Android phone.

The biggest strike against the Blade 10 Prime is the short battery life; this handset lasted just over 7 hours on our web surfing battery test. But overall this is one of the best cheap phones you can buy. If you want to run the ZTE Blade 10 Prime on Verizon’s Visible network, you’ll pay just $216 up front or $9 per month if you want to spread the payments out over time.

Read our full ZTE Blade 10 Prime review.

Best cheap phones: Galaxy A20 — (Image credit: Future)

7. Samsung Galaxy A20

Great battery life for the money

Outstanding battery life

Low price

Good cameras for budget phone

Laggy performance

Design isn’t that durable

The Samsung Galaxy A20 costs just $250 and gives you pretty good features for the money. This includes a 4,000 mAh battery that lasted a very impressive 13 hours and 46 minutes our battery test, a roomy 6.4-inch AMOLED display and solid dual rear cameras with Live Focus mode. Another plus is 15-watt fast charging; the Galaxy A20 got to 30% in just 30 minutes.

The Samsung Galaxy A20 is available through multiple carriers, including Verizon, Boost and Republic Wireless. However, there are some drawbacks at this price, including a design that can scratch easily and somewhat laggy performance from the Samsung Exynos 7904 CPU.

It won’t be out until this summer, but keep an eye out for the Galaxy A21, which will feature a 6.5-inch screen and quad-lens camera system.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A20 review.

How to choose the best cheap phone for you

Picking the best cheap phone can be tricky, because it’s really all about figuring out which trade-offs you’re willing to live with. But it’s important to start with the basics. Do you prefer a bigger screen? Opt for a cheap phone with a display over 5.5 inches. Those who want to use a phone comfortably with one hand will likely prefer a phone under 5 inches.

Next up is the camera. Budget phones will typically feature one or two lenses, but that’s starting to change. The megapixel count doesn’t matter that much; pay more attention to the capabilities of the camera. See if the phone can shoot ultra-wide shots, which is becoming more common on cheap phones. But don’t expect optical zoom; digital zoom is the norm under $400.

As for storage, 32GB is okay but 64GB is preferred for budget phones. And if possible see if that handset offers a microSD card slot for expansion. Battery life is a huge concern regardless of price, so check the battery capacity on the phone. In general, anything above 4,500 mAh is preferred.

Do not expect 5G speeds on phones under $400. For now, these handsets will be 4G LTE only. But that’s pretty reasonable. Lastly, check to see which carriers the phone supports. Ideally, the handset should work with both GSM and CDMA networks all the big four providers in the U.S.

How we test cheap phones

We evaluate budget-priced phones the same way we do flagships. We perform real-world testing and synthetic benchmarks over several days to evaluate it’s performance and value. This includes our own battery test, which involves continuous web surfing over cellular at 150 nits of screen brightness. The devices that make our best phone battery life list tend to last over 11 hours.

In terms of performance, we use Geekbench 5 to measure overall speed and compare versus phones in the same price range. And the same thing goes for GFXBench for graphics testing. We also perform our own video editing/transcoding testing using the Adobe Premiere Rush app to gauge real-world speed.

For evaluating cameras on cheap phones, we will take multiple photos in different conditions and will use other affordably priced phones in the same scenarios in order to make side-by-side comparisons.

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