The 7 Best Cheap Phones For Every Budget

SMARTPHONES ARE RIDICULOUSLY expensive, but U.S. wireless carriers like T-Mobile and Verizon go out of their way to make them seem affordable. Why not buy a $1,000 Samsung Galaxy Note 9 if you only have to pay $0 down and $30 a month for it?

What you may not realize is that you’re still blowing hundreds of dollars you could use to save for something that will likely be just as valuable to you. Your pricey new phone will also keep you from switching carriers until you pay it off. Once you do own it outright, the device is probably locked to that particular network, making it more difficult to shop around for a plan that suits you and your needs.

Why pay $800 - $1,000 when you can get a seriously great, cheap phone for a fraction of the price? We’ve tested dozens of phones this year to find the best cheap smartphones. Our top pick is as good as almost any device you can buy, and our other picks strike a great balance between price and luxury.

Updated on August 16, 2018: We’ve refreshed the entire list for autumn, swapping a number of phones for newer models.

1. BEST OVERALL OnePlus 6 ($529)

ONEPLUS

(Works on AT&T and T-Mobile) The OnePlus 6 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of our favorite Android phones at any price, much like the OnePlus 5T was last year. It has the chops (and chips) to go up against any device, but costs $200-$500 less than its rivals. You don’t see devices with top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processors, AMOLED screens, 6GB of RAM, and 64GB of internal storage for $529.

Our only real complaints were that the camera has a few quirks (it's still mostly good), and the snazzy glass-backed design makes this phone more delicate. It’s also only splashproof instead of waterproof, and then there's OnePlus's checkered history when it comes to software updates. It also only works on GSM carriers like AT&T and T-Mobile. Bottom line: It’s a comfortable, pleasant, speedy phone at the best price around.

2. BEST UNDER $500   Moto Z3 Play ($450)

MOTOROLA

(Works on all four carriers) The Moto Z3 (7/10) is a little more expensive than some Motorola phones, but you get a lot for that extra money. It has a respectable mid-range processor and performance to match, and connects to any of Motorola’s many magnetic Moto Mods, which can add capabilities like speakers, a Hasselblad point-and-shoot camera, or even a photo printer to the back of the phone. This model even comes with a battery Mod in the box, which adds up to 16 extra hours of juice to the Z3 when you slap it on.

Like other Z phones, there is no audio jack (thankfully, a USB-C adapter is included), Motorola’s cameras are decent, but not industry leading, and the glass back does add some fragility. But it’s hard to argue with that bonus battery.

3. BEST UNDER $400 LG G6 ($380)

LG

(Works on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) The LG G6 is right up there with the best, most powerful Android phones from 2017. It has a top-notch processor, camera, and screen and amenities like waterproofing and even a headphone jack. It should cost hundreds more, but it’s been available at a very affordable price for nearly a year now, probably thanks to the release of its younger brother, the LG G7 ThinQ.

LG is not always the fastest at updating its phones, but the G6 has gotten the Android Oreo OS update, which is a positive sign. This year-old LG handset may be the best deal going right now.

4. BEST UNDER $300 Moto X4 ($260)

MOTOROLA

(Works on all four carriers) The Moto X4 (8/10 WIRED Recommends) is the perfect example of an Android phone that has it where it counts, with some mild compromises to keep costs down. It has a beautiful, waterproof metal and glass design that’s comfortable to hold and well sized. The HD screen is so nice I initially thought it might use fancy OLED technology. Its dual rear cameras and 16-megapixel front camera also get the job done better than many Motorola cameras of old.

You will get an occasional dash of lag from the Android operating system, but its slowdowns are predictable and far less annoying than most phones at this price. You also may want to buy a MicroSD card (they’re cheap) to amp up the 32GB of onboard storage.

5. MOST UP-TO-DATE BUDGET PHONE Nokia 6.1 ($257)

NOKIA

(Works on AT&T and T-Mobile) Today, Nokia phones are among the best Android phones you can buy. The Nokia 6.1 is possibly the most sturdy, best-built phone at its price point, with a solid metal frame with sleek orange accents. The camera and overall performance here isn’t as quick as the Moto X4 or higher priced phones, but it also won't leave you hanging, unlike other cheap phones.

The real star is its Android One certification. That means it gets operating system updates directly from Google, so it should get Android Pie this year along with all of Google’s monthly security updates—even $800 Android phones often don’t get updates for months, if ever, which makes this Nokia a fantastic investment.

6. ANOTHER GREAT BUDGET PHONE Motorola Moto G6 ($250)

MOTOROLA

(Works on all four carriers) Motorola’s G phones kickstarted the wave of affordable, decent smartphones several years back and the Moto G6 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) continues that trend. It’s not the fastest or sexiest phone you can buy, but it’s incredibly affordable and performs every essential phone function well enough that you won’t go nuts taking a photo or waiting for an app to load.

This phone is almost competitive with the Moto X4, but lags behind in processor speed, waterproofing, and a few other areas. But if you’re on a budget, it will do the trick, and is more than adequate for a teenager or casual phone user. There is a 64GB and 4GB of RAM option that’s worth it if you can afford another $50.

7. BEST CHEAP IPHONE iPhone 7 ($550)

APPLE

(Works on all four carriers) Let’s get real here—the iPhone is awesome. I still prefer iPhone to most Android devices because of its stability, app selection, and camera quality, among other reasons. Problem is, it’s expensive, and since Apple only releases 2-3 iPhones a year, selection is limited.

If you want to spend less than $500 on an iPhone, try an iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is should last you at least a couple years before it’s too weak to keep up. Both the iPhone 6S/SE are also fine, but be aware that both are getting a bit old even if iOS 12 is set to give them a little performance boost later this year.

SHOULD YOU BUY NOW?

It’s a decent time to buy an affordable phone. Most of the entries on this list were already refreshed for 2018 this spring and summer. Expensive devices come out toward the end of the year, like the new Google Pixels and next iPhone, so older models will get cheaper around Sept/Oct, but these picks should be OK through the new year.

AVOID THESE PHONES!

If a phone isn't listed here, or if it's refurbished, be careful. It's easy to waste money or time when you're shopping for affordable phones. It's hard to get a sense of how a cheaper phone will act in the long-term when you use it in a store for five minutes, and retail employees may not be much help. Make sure you read reviews online. For instance, in the last couple months we were not thrilled with the affordable HTC U11 Life or the Honor 7X.

For whatever reason, big manufacturers like Samsung like to keep selling their old pre-2016 devices, like the Galaxy S5. Avoid any device that originally came out before 2016 (try for 2017). It probably won't continue to get software and security updates for long, if it's even supported now.

Lifted from https://www.wired.com/story/best-cheap-phones/