Best Cheap Phone of 2024: Most Value for the Money
We round up the best inexpensive phones we've reviewed from Apple, Samsung and Google Pixel. Our list of affordable phones should help you save money, with the cheapest starting at $160.
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Written by
Mike Sorrentino
Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.
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Mike SorrentinoSenior Editor
Mike Sorrentino is a Senior Editor for Mobile, covering phones, texting apps and smartwatches -- obsessing about how we can make the most of them. Mike also keeps an eye out on the movie and toy industry, and outside of work enjoys biking and pizza making.
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CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.
What to Consider
iOS or Android
If your family and friends are on Apple services like iMessage and FaceTime, stick with an iPhone. If you’ve been deep on Samsung, stay on Android. Know that switching between the two has never been easier.
Size
Phones are big in general with the smallest ones having a 6.1-inch screen and large models topping out at 6.8 inches. That makes visiting a store and trying a phone out before you buy it quite important.
Cameras
Phone cameras have gotten better over the past five years, but don’t be fooled by how many cameras a phone has; more is not necessarily better.
Software support
Phone-makers promise varying lengths of long-term software and security support ranging from just one year to as many as seven. These updates not only ensure you get many of the latest features but also keep your phone secure.
The best cheap phones on the market offer all the smartphone essentials without the hefty price tag of flagship competitors, like the Galaxy S24 or the iPhone 15. The lowest price you'll find in our list of top picks is $160. The more advanced models will run you $500, but that's still significantly cheaper than the superior models from Apple, Google and Samsung. If there is a specific budget you're adhering to, you can take a look at our rundowns of the best phones under $200 and the best phones under $500.
The $349 Google Pixel 6A is our favorite cheap phone. Google delivers all the big features that matter, like top-of-the-line cameras, a peppy processor and years' worth of software support. Google makes smart compromises to keep costs low; most notably a display that looks dim under direct sunlight.
The Pixel 6A provides a lot for less. Sure, Google's Pixel 7A, priced at $500 (and often less), is also a great value, but 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.
The Pixel 6A (left) and the iPhone SE.
Patrick Holland/CNET
Best cheap phones of 2024
Pixel 6A review</a>, CNET's Lisa Eadicicco called it the "best Android phone under $500," noting that it keeps the same Tensor chip as the $339 Pixel 6, and many of the 6's best features. Plus, the 6A is often discounted to $299, at which price it becomes an amazing <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-phones-under-300/">phone for under $300</a>, thanks to its excellent software support.</p><p>The phone is slightly smaller than the Pixel 6, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display and a refresh rate of 60Hz. It also has a similar camera system as the Pixel 5A, which includes a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Tensor chip brings additional benefits you won't get with the Pixel 5A, such as Real Tone for more equitable skin tones, Face Unblur; Night Sight for low-light photography; and the Magic Eraser for removing unwanted elements from a photo.</p>" page-position linktext linkurl like="~Great camera ~Affordable price ~Premium design for a middle-tier phone ~Among the first to get new Android updates" dislike="~Somewhat dim display ~Not as many years of guaranteed Android updates as Samsung ~Video quality isn't as good as still photos" can-collapse="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="{"id":"bf866447-431e-451b-b9df-7bec2128a27d","label":"Google Pixel 6a","slug":"google-pixel-6a","edition":["us"],"imageId":"e0416fa8-8e97-43ba-adc2-ebc603d9552a","imgUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/1c8cc465b0d1e3792f9e49b45cb80517e85c31db/hub/2022/07/20/e0416fa8-8e97-43ba-adc2-ebc603d9552a/6509966-sd.jpg?auto=webp&width=300&height=300&fit=crop","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Series","objectType":"content_product_series","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"bf866447-431e-451b-b9df-7bec2128a27d","slug":"google-pixel-6a","name":"Google Pixel 6a","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"EZMONEY","mod":1717200390262}" overridecredit="Lisa Eadicicco/CNET" overridecaption="<p></p>" imagegroup="{"imageData":{"id":"99a98e08-2f11-4c1b-969a-081945dc7162"},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-07-18","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" usepricing="true" ng-block="{"id":"cq9hdtqogjbn15j","type":"cross-content-listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cross_content_listicle__dd2a0f86-dc75-451b-b3de-434058227215" contenttype="Best List - Precap" pagelayout="FAQ Markup + BL Precap" tagslugs="android-12,ios-16,5g,hv28,android-13,google,samsung,samsung-galaxy,apple" isbestlistredesign="true" imagecredit="Lisa Eadicicco/CNET" class="c-bestListProductListing">
The $349 Pixel 6A holds its value well, even after Google's release of the Pixel 7A. In her Pixel 6A review, CNET's Lisa Eadicicco called it the "best Android phone under $500," noting that it keeps the same Tensor chip as the $339 Pixel 6, and many of the 6's best features. Plus, the 6A is often discounted to $299, at which price it becomes an amazing phone for under $300, thanks to its excellent software support.
The phone is slightly smaller than the Pixel 6, featuring a 6.1-inch OLED display and a refresh rate of 60Hz. It also has a similar camera system as the Pixel 5A, which includes a 12.2-megapixel main camera and a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera. The Tensor chip brings additional benefits you won't get with the Pixel 5A, such as Real Tone for more equitable skin tones, Face Unblur; Night Sight for low-light photography; and the Magic Eraser for removing unwanted elements from a photo.
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Samsung's Galaxy A03S</a> at $160 (£126, roughly AU$244) includes great features and could be a fit for someone in need of a cheap phone that can handle essential tasks. The phone's 6.5-inch screen, capped at 720p resolution, is great for reading the news, watching videos and playing games. Despite some performance lag during our review, the phone is good at multitasking. The tiny 32GB of storage space could fill up fast, so if you're considering this phone, you might want to expand the storage with a microSD card.</p><p>Samsung also plans to support this phone with at least four years of security updates, which in this price range is as good as it gets. On the software side, it's less clear how many Android versions are scheduled, but the phone initially ships with Android 11.</p>" page-position linktext="Read our Samsung Galaxy A03S review" linkurl="https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/galaxy-a02s-a03s-a12-review-samsungs-under-200-phones-do-more-than-i-thought/" like="~3GB of RAM helps phone multitask ~Blue color option ~Includes fingerprint sensor" dislike="~Very little onboard storage ~Some noticeable lag ~Indoor photos are challenging" can-collapse="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="{"id":"a6324b46-c42f-452a-a794-2043a5dd0d96","label":"Samsung Galaxy A03s","slug":"samsung-galaxy-a03s","edition":["us"],"imageId":"5eec890b-516d-4c64-ab76-d86b5c3b9f38","imgUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/baeec6dbba4a343d7bfe697371eaf9911a03cb5d/hub/2022/03/30/5eec890b-516d-4c64-ab76-d86b5c3b9f38/uk-galaxy-a03s-a037g-sm-a037gzbneua-505689434-684-547-png.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&width=300&height=300&fit=crop","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Series","objectType":"content_product_series","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"a6324b46-c42f-452a-a794-2043a5dd0d96","slug":"samsung-galaxy-a03s","name":"Samsung Galaxy A03s","productType":"SERIES","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1717200390276}" overridecredit="Mike Sorrentino/CNET" overridecaption="<p></p>" imagegroup="{"imageData":{"id":"2fbadd8b-f80f-4727-bb0e-e29e8cd1bbb5"},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-03-31","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" usepricing="true" ng-block="{"id":"yl5eum37vao4wrh","type":"cross-content-listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cross_content_listicle__e9162c7c-4937-4ed2-9bcd-8fd93b85703c" contenttype="Best List - Precap" pagelayout="FAQ Markup + BL Precap" tagslugs="android-12,ios-16,5g,hv28,android-13,google,samsung,samsung-galaxy,apple" isbestlistredesign="true" imagecredit="Mike Sorrentino/CNET" class="c-bestListProductListing">
Samsung's Galaxy A03S at $160 (£126, roughly AU$244) includes great features and could be a fit for someone in need of a cheap phone that can handle essential tasks. The phone's 6.5-inch screen, capped at 720p resolution, is great for reading the news, watching videos and playing games. Despite some performance lag during our review, the phone is good at multitasking. The tiny 32GB of storage space could fill up fast, so if you're considering this phone, you might want to expand the storage with a microSD card.
Samsung also plans to support this phone with at least four years of security updates, which in this price range is as good as it gets. On the software side, it's less clear how many Android versions are scheduled, but the phone initially ships with Android 11.
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iPhone 12</a>, and get a bigger screen and Face ID.</p><p>The phone also includes only one, 12-megapixel main camera, which doesn't support night mode. Most other phones in this roundup include multiple cameras along with features like night mode, making the omission noticeable. Photos make up for this by including the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/iphone-11-deep-fusion-camera-now-available-for-you-to-try-with-ios-13-2-public-beta/">Deep Fusion photo-processing technique</a> to enhance medium- to low-light photos, and Smart HDR4 processing for improving color and contrast. CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland did find that <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fd5d4oDfPY%22>video shot in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second</a> is particularly good on the iPhone SE, but it won't include the Cinematic Mode seen on the iPhone 13.</p>" page-position linktext linkurl like="~Affordable ~Home button and Touch ID FTW ~Good battery life ~Camera takes good photos and videos" dislike="~Lacks night mode for photos ~Screen could be brighter ~Bezels above and below screen look dated ~Selfie camera not on par with rear camera ~20-watt USB-C charger not included" can-collapse="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="{"id":"f40f3596-03dc-4ba3-83ee-7dec9d71e347","label":"Apple - iPhone SE (3rd Generation) 64GB (Unlocked) - Midnight","slug":"apple-iphone-se-3rd-generation-64gb-unlocked-midnight","edition":["us"],"imageId":"be116edc-8274-4cd7-8ba9-7f65c37f6e73","imgUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/651f17de70704a3c422ab94c82b97e4516dba72e/hub/2023/04/06/be116edc-8274-4cd7-8ba9-7f65c37f6e73/6507470-sd.jpg?auto=webp&width=300&height=300&fit=crop","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"f40f3596-03dc-4ba3-83ee-7dec9d71e347","slug":"apple-iphone-se-3rd-generation-64gb-unlocked-midnight","name":"Apple - iPhone SE (3rd Generation) 64GB (Unlocked) - Midnight","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"EZMONEY","mod":1717200390234}" overridecredit="Patrick Holland/CNET" overridecaption="<p></p>" imagegroup="{"imageData":{"id":"6e83f014-0821-4020-adcf-ea25760680da"},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2022-03-12","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" usepricing="true" ng-block="{"id":"axm8zunil5ei8v2","type":"cross-content-listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cross_content_listicle__3598f733-e843-4c1f-81aa-3467c39c392f" contenttype="Best List - Precap" pagelayout="FAQ Markup + BL Precap" tagslugs="android-12,ios-16,5g,hv28,android-13,google,samsung,samsung-galaxy,apple" isbestlistredesign="true" imagecredit="Patrick Holland/CNET" class="c-bestListProductListing">
The $429 iPhone SE is a mix of an older design with the latest smartphone features, including Apple's A15 Bionic chip and 5G support. It's also one of the few phones on the market that includes a smaller, 4.7-inch screen.
It's that throwback design that could be what you love or dislike most about this phone. If you want a larger iPhone in this price range, you can also consider a refurbished iPhone 12, and get a bigger screen and Face ID.
The phone also includes only one, 12-megapixel main camera, which doesn't support night mode. Most other phones in this roundup include multiple cameras along with features like night mode, making the omission noticeable. Photos make up for this by including the Deep Fusion photo-processing technique to enhance medium- to low-light photos, and Smart HDR4 processing for improving color and contrast. CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland did find that video shot in 4K resolution at 60 frames per second is particularly good on the iPhone SE, but it won't include the Cinematic Mode seen on the iPhone 13.
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read our Pixel 8A review</a> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-pixel-8a-review-a-clear-choice-over-the-pixel-8/">here. We're still finishing up some testing, but if you're buying a Pixel 7A make sure it's on discount.</p><p>Google's budget phone took a leap forward in 2023 with the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/pixel-7a-review-basically-googles-pixel-7-for-100-less/">Pixel 7A</a>, which offers many of the same benefits as the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-pixel-7-review-slightly-better-pixel-599-price/">Pixel 7</a> but at a cheaper price. Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google's Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A's 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that rival the Pixel 7's in quality. </p><p>While we still like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A's lower price makes it a better deal for most people. Otherwise, the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href=https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/best-cheap-phone/"https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/google-pixel-7a-vs-pixel-7-vs-pixel-6a-see-how-they-compare/">main differences</a> between the Pixel 7 and 7A come down to the former's more durable build, slightly faster charging and its ability to wirelessly charge compatible accessories. The Pixel 7 also has a larger camera sensor that's more sensitive to light, according to Google, but CNET's Lisa Eadicicco didn't notice much of a difference.</p>" page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse="true" can-truncate="true" truncate-on-page-load="true" offer="{"id":"166d97a2-55bd-44df-b452-a4c84bb06918","label":"Google Pixel 7a (128GB, Snow)","slug":"google-pixel-7a-128gb-snow","edition":["us"],"imageId":"ff947bed-c726-4925-9901-77cc80a6055c","imgUrl":"https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/b631cc28cf26b8240d1038caaf7af43fa1a2531c/hub/2023/05/11/ff947bed-c726-4925-9901-77cc80a6055c/6539923-sd.jpg?auto=webp&width=300&height=300&fit=crop","imageHeight":0,"imageWidth":0,"typeLabel":"Product","objectType":"content_product","icon":""}" techobjectinfo="{"uuid":"166d97a2-55bd-44df-b452-a4c84bb06918","slug":"google-pixel-7a-128gb-snow","name":"Google Pixel 7a (128GB, Snow)","productType":"PRODUCT","updateType":"PRISM","mod":1717200390247}" overridecredit="James Martin/CNET" overridecaption="<p>The Pixel 7A</p>" imagegroup="{"imageData":{"id":"31dfdcf2-1ac3-4320-b40c-4c356300f06e"},"size":"","float":"","lightbox":false,"imageDoNotCrop":false,"imageDoNotResize":false,"imageWatermark":false,"imageDateCreated":"2023-05-04","imageParallax":"","imageCrop":"","imageEnlarge":false}" usepricing="true" ng-block="{"id":"g62w1pyqs2lj6wg","type":"cross-content-listicle"}" edition="us" data-key="cross_content_listicle__56713c32-32e8-4219-a960-2ecf8302a445" contenttype="Best List - Precap" pagelayout="FAQ Markup + BL Precap" tagslugs="android-12,ios-16,5g,hv28,android-13,google,samsung,samsung-galaxy,apple" isbestlistredesign="true" imagecredit="James Martin/CNET" class="c-bestListProductListing">
Editor's note: Google recently released the Pixel 8A, also $500. You can read our Pixel 8A reviewhere. We're still finishing up some testing, but if you're buying a Pixel 7A make sure it's on discount.
Google's budget phone took a leap forward in 2023 with the Pixel 7A, which offers many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 but at a cheaper price. Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google's Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A's 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that rival the Pixel 7's in quality.
While we still like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A's lower price makes it a better deal for most people. Otherwise, the main differences between the Pixel 7 and 7A come down to the former's more durable build, slightly faster charging and its ability to wirelessly charge compatible accessories. The Pixel 7 also has a larger camera sensor that's more sensitive to light, according to Google, but CNET's Lisa Eadicicco didn't notice much of a difference.
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Other phones to consider
At $600, the iPhone 13 isn't necessarily considered cheap. Compared to the iPhone 14, 15 and 15 Pro, it's much more affordable. In 2024, the iPhone 13 is still one of the best Apple phones you can buy. It has a 6.1-inch screen, great dual-rear cameras and an outstanding battery life. It's worth a look if you can work it into your budget.
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. 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 account for 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.
Try it before you buy it: It's one thing to ogle over a phone, but it's another to actually try it out in a store.
Decide on Android or iPhone: Do you have a lot of iPhone apps and Apple subscriptions? Stick with an iPhone. Likewise, if you've invested in loads of Android apps, you'll want to stay on that side of the fence. Otherwise, it's simple enough to switch platforms.
Pick the most important feature: Is it screen size? Camera quality? Battery life? This will help narrow down your choices.
Yes, many of the cheap phones included in this list are available at a discount during shopping events. For instance, the Google Pixel 6A's price can drop as low as $300 - $350 when its on sale. If you have a phone in mind but also have the flexibility to hold off for a shopping event like Black Friday, it may be worth it to wait for a price reduction.
Yes, many cheap phones are available unlocked by the manufacturer. This allows you to use the phone with nearly any wireless carrier by inserting your SIM card. If you want the flexibility to switch carriers, make sure you buy an unlocked model.
Buying a cheap phone could be a great option when shopping for a kid or teenager, but that doesn't mean the phone is customized to have a kid-friendly experience. Parents should still set up any necessary parental controls, restrictions or apps on an iPhone or Android to make sure it's appropriate for kids.
