Some of the latest flagship phones push well past the $1,000 mark, but you don’t need to spend nearly that much to get a quality device. Here, we’ve compiled the best options for under $300 to help you stay on budget. You can rest assured that all our recommendations are worth buying. After all, PCMag has been writing about cell phones for more than 30 years and reviewing them for just about as long. Among our Editors’ Choice winners are the affordable Samsung Galaxy A17 5G and the classic-style TCL Flip 4 5G. And even though it exceeds the $300 cutoff, we’ve included the entry-level iPhone 17e for Apple fans.
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The Best Cheap Phones for 2026
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Your Selections
| Our Pick |  Samsung Galaxy A17 5G |
 Samsung Galaxy A25 5G |
Bark Phone |  TCL Flip 4 5G |
 Motorola Moto G Play (2026) |
 Apple iPhone 17e |
Samsung Galaxy A17 5G | Samsung Galaxy A25 5G | Bark Phone |
| Rating | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent | 3.0Average | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent | 4.0Excellent |
| Best For | Best for Most People | Best Camera Phone | Best for Kids | Best Basic Voice Phone | Best Battery Life | Most Affordable iPhone | Best for Most People | Best Camera Phone | Best for Kids |
| Operating System | Android 16 | Android 14 | Android 12 | KaiOS | Android 16 | iOS 26 | Android 16 | Android 14 | Android 12 |
| CPU | Samsung Exynos 1330 | Samsung Exynos 1280 | Exynos 850 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 4s Gen 2 | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 | Apple A19 | Samsung Exynos 1330 | Samsung Exynos 1280 | Exynos 850 |
| Dimensions | 6.47 by 3.07 by 0.30 inches | 6.34 by 3.01 by 0.33 inches | 6.50 by 3.01 by 0.35 inches | 4.29 by 2.34 by 0.84 inches | 6.58 by 3.01 by 0.33 inches | 5.78 by 2.82 by 0.32 inches | 6.47 by 3.07 by 0.30 inches | 6.34 by 3.01 by 0.33 inches | 6.50 by 3.01 by 0.35 inches |
| Screen Size | 6.7 | 6.5 | 6.6 | 3.2 | 6.7 | 6.1 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 6.6 |
| Screen Resolution | 2,340 by 1,080 pixels | 2,340 by 1,080 pixels | 1,080 by 2,408 pixels | 240 by 320 pixels | 1,604 by 720 pixels | 2,532 by 1,170 pixels | 2,340 by 1,080 pixels | 2,340 by 1,080 pixels | 1,080 by 2,408 pixels |
| Camera Resolution (Rear; Front-Facing) | 50MP, 5MP, 2MP; 13MP | 50MP, 8MP, 2MP; 13MP | 50MP, 5MP, 2MP, 2MP | 5MP | 32MP; 8MP | 48MP; 12MP | 50MP, 5MP, 2MP; 13MP | 50MP, 8MP, 2MP; 13MP | 50MP, 5MP, 2MP, 2MP |
| Battery Life (As Tested) | 15 hours, 45 minutes | 13 hours, 10 minutes | 7 days | 20 hours | 15 hours, 45 minutes | 22 hours, 2 minutes | 15 hours, 45 minutes | 13 hours, 10 minutes | 7 days |
Buying Guide: The Best Cheap Phones for 2026
What Do You Need in a Cheap Smartphone?
Although budget-friendly phones don’t have all the perks of 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 essential. Keep in mind that most of these recommendations are for smartphones; if you’re in the market for a feature phone, some of these guidelines don’t apply.
Battery Life:When it comes to battery life, there are several variables to consider. 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 (if you can find one!), look for a battery capacity of 3,800mAh or higher. For phones with larger screens, look for a minimum battery capacity of 4,500mAh—or, better yet, 5,000mAh.
Chipset:In Qualcomm’s extensive processor lineup, aim for a phone with its current entry-level system-on-chip (SoC), the Snapdragon 4 Gen 2, or a comparable alternative. MediaTek’s Dimensity 6000 line is also good, although the company’s Helio line has slightly less horsepower. You can look up how Samsung Exynos or Apple A-series chips compare with the Qualcomm and MediaTek hardware. For the latter, make sure the chip is relatively recent. Performance generally improves by up to 20% each generation in our experience, so chips from the last year or two dramatically outperform older ones.
Compatibility:Before making a purchase, ensure your phone supports the appropriate cellular bands for your carrier. Search for 5G and LTE bands by the phone’s model number, not its name. Keep in mind that feature phones mostly do not have 5G.
Connectivity:Connectivity has a significant impact on call quality and data speeds. For the most part, you should choose a phone with a Qualcomm X12 (for LTE) or X60 (for 5G) modem, or a newer one. If you’re considering flip phones, ensure the modem supports Voice over LTE (VoLTE), Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi), and Enhanced Voice Services (EVS) for optimal call quality. You should also check for Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.0 or later.
Operating System:The current version of Android is Android 17, but few budget phones ship with the latest build. For security and compatibility reasons, don’t go back further than Android 14. Don’t assume a budget phone will ever get an Android version upgrade unless the manufacturer commits to it.
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, consider upgrading to 6GB if possible.
Storage:Like RAM, you can’t have too much storage. Look for phones with at least 128GB of storage under $200, and try to find one with a microSD slot. You likely don’t have to worry about expandable storage on phones with 128GB of space or more.
Once you have verified the essential features, look for additional perks.
Dust and Splash Resistance:Although many budget offerings forgo an official ingress protection (IP) rating, a handful of affordable phones can resist some level of dust and water ingress. Look for a number like IP55 or IP67.
Multi-Lens Cameras: Most affordable phones feature multi-lens camera stacks that enable you to capture both wide-angle and macro shots. If you have a steady hand and good light, these phones generally take decent images with their primary and wide-angle cameras. However, the macro lenses are almost always awful.
NFC: NFC is making its way to the affordable phone market. It’s a useful feature because contactless payments (such as Apple Pay and Google Pay) are more popular than ever.
Stereo Speakers: A handful of budget-friendly phones feature stereo speakers and advanced features, including custom tuning and Dolby audio. Although no phone will sound as good as even an inexpensive Bluetooth speaker, it’s definitely an upgrade over a single-driver speaker.
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 less apt to break than the last; phones with Gorilla Glass 5 displays are less likely to shatter when you drop them, but they’re also more likely to accumulate hairline scratches. Note that some devices use Dragontrail glass instead.
What’s the Cheapest iPhone?
You might notice that we’ve made an exception in pricing here for the $699 iPhone 17e. If you’re looking for an affordable new iPhone, it’s the one to get. If you have only $200, consider trying a used model from a third-party reseller. Don’t upgrade to anything earlier than the iPhone 14; older models will likely lose compatibility with new iOS versions within the next year or two. For more, see our in-depth explanation of which iPhone to buy.
Finally, visit 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. We continually update this roundup as we review new phones, so be sure to check back soon.
