Affordable phones are better than ever. Sure, you can still find plenty of flimsy handsets with dated software, but if you do some digging, there are lots of excellent flip phones and smartphones that work far better than their low prices suggest. If you're buying on a budget, we're here to help. We've gathered the top phones you can generally buy for $200 or less at carrier stores and detail all the most important features to look for when shopping.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G

Pros	Cons
+ Handsome design	- Low-resolution display
+ Durable Gorilla Glass 5 display	- Mediocre speaker
+ 5G with C-band	- Backplate scratches easily
+ Capable cameras
+ Long battery life
+Impressive performance for the price
+ Excellent software upgrade policy

Why We Picked It

If you’re in the market for an inexpensive Android phone with 5G, Samsung has your back with the Galaxy A32 5G ($279.99). Excellent battery life, solid performance, and years of promised Android upgrades and security updates mean this inexpensive phone should keep you happy for a long time. A low-resolution display aside, there’s very little to dislike about the Galaxy A32 5G; it's an excellent value and a winner of our Editors’ Choice award for budget-friendly 5G phones.

Motorola Moto e 32GB Unlocked

Pros	Cons
+ Solid performances	- Mediocre camera performance
+ Long battery life	- Screen could be happier
+ Suprisingly good audio
+ Durable build

Why We Picked It

Though it's been mere months since Motorola released its budget-friendly Moto G Power ($249.99) and Moto G Stylus ($299.99) handsets, the company is back with an even more affordable model. At $149.99, the Moto e is the company's least expensive smartphone, with an attractive, durable design, a big display, and admirable performance for the price. Of course, Motorola makes some compromises to get the price this low, but it doesn't change the fact that the Moto e is the best affordable phone we've tested so far this year, and our Editors' Choice.

Moto G Power (2022)

Pros	Cons
+ Long battery life	- Ships with Android 11
+ Solid performance	- Noticeable pixelation on 720p display
+ 90Hz refresh rate	- Underwheling audio

Bottom line:

Why We Picked It

For years, Motorola’s G-series handsets topped our list of the best affordable phones, but its 2021 lineup fell short of expectations, while competing models from Samsung and TCL caught up. The first entry in the company's 2022 lineup, the Moto G Power sets Motorola back on track. The fast and affordable Moto G Power easily lasts for two days between charges and sports a display with a 90Hz refresh rate starting at $199.99. That said, if you can stretch your budget a bit more, the $279.99 Samsung Galaxy A32 5G is a more future-proof alternative that offers 5G connectivity and will get more software updates.

OnePlus Nord N20

Pros	Cons
+ Smooth and elegant software	- Limited camera capabilities
+ Sharp design	- No upgrade path to OxygenOS 13
+ Excellent battery life
+ Supports fast charging
+ Features headphone jack and microSD card slot

Why We Picked It

OnePlus has had its share of problems recently, but the company still makes some fantastic phones with some of the speediest charging speeds on the market. We like the Nord N20 because it comes with 33W charging, which is faster than most other budget smartphones.

Apple iPhone SE (2022)

Pros	Cons
+ Most affordable new iPhone	- Outdated body design
+ Speedy performance	- No Night mode in camera
+ Longer battery life thna the previous model	- Shortest battery life of any current iPhone model

Why We Picked It

Apple's 2022 iPhone SE is one of the fastest smartphones in the world, not to mention the smallest and most affordable iPhone that unlocks access to most of the latest 5G network bands—not bad considering it starts at $429. But you should demand a little more from your device, especially in terms of battery life, hardware design, and camera features. If you own an older model and want a more future-proof phone, or you simply don’t want to spend a lot more on a high-end handset, the new iPhone SE is definitely worth considering. But the admittedly pricier iPhone 13 ($799) remains our Editors’ Choice winner in Apple's current lineup.

Nokia 6300 4G

Pros	Cons
+ Dual SIMs	- Poor group text support
+ Speech-to-text support	- KaiOS is slow
+ Native WhatsApp client

Why We Picked It

I'm a little bit in love with the Nokia 6300 4G ($69.99), a KaiOS quasi-smartphone that's an ideal traveling companion. The 6300 looks like a candy-bar voice phone, and its form factor alone will keep you from getting sucked into the internet. But it has just enough smarts to help you navigate, play some music, and keep you connected around the globe. If you want to stay reachable while you keep your eyes on the sights around you, it's a perfect choice.

Nokia 225 4G

Pros	Cons
+ Small and light	- Lacks WiFi
+ East to use	- Lacks bands 71 support
+ Syncs contacts from Android	- Group texting is a mess

Why We Picked It

The early 21st century called, and that call feels right at home in this straightforward bar phone. The Nokia 225 4G ($49.99) is the least expensive, most basic reliable voice phone you can get. It has a classic design and comes from a trusted brand. If all you need is an inexpensive voice-only phone, it's a pretty good choice, but the Nokia 6300 4G has dual SIMs, better coverage, and a surprising number of apps for just $20 more.

---

What to Look For in an Affordable Phone

While budget-friendly phones don't have all the perks that come along with midrange or flagship models, that doesn't mean you can't find a perfectly capable device to suit your needs. Let's start with the features we believe are absolutely essential when choosing a cheap phone. Keep in mind that most of these recommendations are for smartphones, so if you're in the market for a flip phone, many of these tips don't apply.

Battery Life: There are lots of variables to consider when it comes to battery life, but ultimately, you want your phone to last at least until the end of the day. If you're shopping for a phone with a screen smaller than 6 inches, look for a battery capacity of 3,500mAh or higher. For phones with larger screens, look for a minimum battery capacity of 4,500mAh.

Chipset: In Qualcomm's busy processor line, avoid any number lower than a Snapdragon 480, unless it's a flip or voice phone. Mediatek's Dimensity 700 line is also good, though the company's Helio line is a bit less appealing.

Compatibility: Before you make a purchase, decide whether you're ready to jump on the 5G bandwagon or if you'd rather stick with LTE. No matter your choice, make sure your phone has the appropriate band support for your carrier. Search for 5G and LTE bands by the phone's model number, not its name. Once you have a list of bands, you can check out this handy article from Phone Scoop to make sure the phone works on your carrier. You should also figure out if the phone supports the bands that best suit your needs. For example, T-Mobile customers in rural areas should pick a phone with LTE band 71 support, while Verizon customers should look out for C-band coverage on 5G phones.

Connectivity: Connectivity has a huge impact on call quality and data speeds. For the most part, you should choose a phone with a Qualcomm X12 or higher modem. If you're looking at flip phones, make sure the modem has voice over LTE (VoLTE), voice over Wi-Fi (VoWIFI), and Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) for the best call quality. You also should check for 802.11ac Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 4.1 or later.

Operating System: The current version of Android is Android 12, but very few budget phones have that. Don't go back any farther than Android 10 for security and compatibility reasons. Also, don't assume a budget phone will ever get an Android version upgrade, no matter what the manufacturer says.

RAM: Simply put, the more RAM the merrier. For phones under $200, look for at least 4GB of RAM. If you're willing to spend more, make sure you get a minimum of 6GB.

Storage: Like RAM, you can't have too much storage. Look for at least 32GB of storage on phones under $200 and make sure the phone has a microSD slot. If you spend more, opt for a phone with no less than 64GB of storage, ideally with a microSD slot.

---

Not Essential, But Nice to Have

Once you verify the essential features, look for extra perks. Keep in mind that you won't find many of these features on the majority of budget-friendly phones, but we anticipate that some of these features will trickle down over time.

Multi-Lens Cameras: Most affordable phones have multi-lens camera stacks that allow you to capture wide-angle and macro shots. For the most part, these phones can capture solid images with their primary and wide-angle cameras if you have a steady hand and good light. The macro lenses are almost always awful.

NFC: NFC is slowly making its way to the affordable phone market. It's a great feature to have as contactless payments become more popular.

Stereo Speakers: A handful of budget-friendly phones have stereo speakers and even advanced features such as custom tuning and Dolby audio. Though no phone is going to sound as good as even an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, it's definitely an upgrade over a single driver.

Splash Resistance: Though we've yet to see a budget offering with an official ingress protection (IP) rating, a handful of affordable phones now feature splash resistance. They're usually treated with a nanocoating such as P2i and can withstand rain and other minor splashes, but not a drop in the pool.

Strengthened Glass: If you're spending more than $100 on a phone, it should have strengthened glass to protect the display from cracks and scratches. Gorilla Glass 3 seems to be the standard for most budget models, but we've seen a few with Gorilla Glass 5. In general, each generation of Gorilla Glass is softer than the last; phones with Gorilla Glass 5 displays are less likely to shatter when dropped, but they're also more likely to accumulate hairline scratches.

---

What's the Cheapest iPhone?

You may notice that we've made an exception in pricing here for the $429 iPhone SE. If you're looking for an affordable new iPhone, it's the one to get. If all you have is $200, that will get you a used iPhone 8. Don't go older than that, as older models will start to lose compatibility with new software in the next year or two. For more, see our in-depth explanation of which iPhone to buy.

The iPhone SE starts at $429, but it's the least expensive new iPhone you can buy

Finally, see our stories on the best cheap phone plans and how to get the best price on a new phone. We also have a few other affordable options in our story about the best phones for seniors. And we add new phones to this roundup as we review them, so make sure to check back soon.