The best cheap phone 2021 will cause you to wonder why people spend $800 or more on a replacement smartphone. supported our testing, you’ll get a really good phone for under $400 with all the features most buyers need. Whether you’re an iPhone fan or prefer Android.
Those on a budget will find that the simplest cheap phones offer capable cameras, big-enough displays for watching videos and playing games, and much battery life to urge you through most of the day.
You do get to make some trade-offs during this price range, as you won’t always find the foremost powerful processors. The most important screens, or 5G connectivity. But overall you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what the simplest cheap phones deliver. Read on for our top picks under $400.
Best Cheap Phone 2021: Which have Included
The best cheap phone 2021 you’ll buy immediately is the Google Pixel 4a. It’s one of the best cameras you will find on any phone, and at $349, it’s $50 cheaper than the iPhone SE. a more modern Pixel 5a is reportedly on the way. But its release date is uncertain. If you would like a 5G phone for less than $400, we recommend the TCL 10 5G UW. Which is out there on Verizon within the U.S.
The Phone SE is another great option for a cheap handset. Apple’s $399 phone includes a blazing fast A13 Bionic processor, excellent rear and front cameras, and a bright and colorful 4.7-inch display. And it’s all bound up during a compact design that’s waterproof and supports wireless charging.
If you would like to spend even less on your phone, get the new Moto G Power. Which features outstanding phone battery life for less than $200. We’re also keeping an eye fixed on Samsung’s new A-Series phones for the U.S. and therefore the new Moto G20. Which features a 5,000 mAh battery and 90Hz display.
1. iPhone SE-one of the best cheap phone 2021
Specs:
Display: 4.7-inch LCD (1334×750 )| CPU: A13 Bionic | RAM: Unknown | Storage: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB / No | Rear camera: 12MP (ƒ/1.8) | Front camera: 7MP (ƒ/2.2) | Weight: 5.22 ounces
+ Very affordable
+ Fast A13 Bionic performance
+ Supports wireless charging
– Big bezels
– No camera night mode
The iPhone SE 2020 is what happens once you make an inexpensive phone that may not be cheap. For $399, this iPhone offers equivalent fast performance to the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro, because of its A13 Bionic processor. which same chip gives the iPhone SE photography capabilities that the majority of budget Android phones lack. This includes Portrait Mode for the rear and front cameras, Smart HDR, and elaborate dynamic range when shooting videos.
With its 4.7-inch display, the iPhone SE is best for those that prefer smaller phones, but the screen is bright and colorful. you furthermore may get a slight ID button for unlocking the device, Apple Pay, and entering passwords, also as a water-resistant design. The new iPhone SE supports wireless charging also.
The new iPhone SE is well made with its glass and aluminum chassis, but the bezels are an enormous size. Plus, you do not get the Night mode for the camera offered by the iPhone 11. But overall this is often easily the simplest cheap phone yet.
2. Samsung Galaxy A51
Specs:
Display Size: 6.5-inch OLED (2400×1080) | CPU: Exynos 9611RAM: 4GB | Storage / Expandable: 128GB / Yes | Rear camera: 48MP wide (ƒ/2.0), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 5MP depth (ƒ/2.2), 5MP macro (ƒ/2.4) | Front camera: 32MP (ƒ/2.2) | Weight: 6.07 ounces | Battery Life (Hrs:Mins): 9:16.
+ Colorful, bright OLED display
+ Good build quality
+ Dual-SIM
+ Expandable storage
– Sluggish performance
The Galaxy A51 is perhaps the best cheap phone 2021 mid-ranger you’ll get from Samsung. It sports an excellent display and an incredible build quality, considering the worth of the phone. It also has dual-SIM capabilities and 4 rear cameras that take decent photos.
The Cell Phone comes equipped with a headphone jack and a microSD card slot. The battery features a capacity of 4,000mAh and will get you through the day. Other specs and features worth mentioning contain a punch-hole display, Android 10 with Samsung’s One UI on top, and 128GB of storage.
However, the performance of the device isn’t the simplest. Additionally, the in-display fingerprint scanner is slow and sometimes unreliable. Despite these drawbacks, the Galaxy A51 remains one of the simplest cheap phones you’ll get.
It also provides a comparatively affordable entry-point to 5G, with the special edition Galaxy A51 5G. it’ll cost you around $100 more but remains much more affordable than other current 5G-capable phones.
3. Google Pixel 4a
Specs:
Display: 5.81-inch OLED (2340×1080) | CPU: Snapdragon 730G | RAM: 6GB | Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No | Rear camera: 12.2MP (ƒ/1.7) | Front camera: 8MP (ƒ/2.0) | Weight: 5.04 ounces
+ Best-in-class camera
+ Bright OLED display
+ 128GB storage
+ Attractive design
+ Low price
– iPhone SE outperforms it
– Battery life could be better
At $349, you won’t find a far better value than the Google Pixel 4a. Google’s latest budget phone recaptures all the items that made the Pixel 3a so successful, but during a device that costs $50 less in best cheap phone 2021
There’s just the one 12.2-megapixel rear camera as before, but Google augments that with some software smarts like Super Res Zoom and Live HDR+. Many of the photographic features you’ll find within the costlier Pixel 4 are on display here, and therefore the results are a number of the simplest photos you’ll see from a phone at any price.
The Pixel 4a can’t match the performance of the iPhone SE, except for most smartphone users, Google’s phone has enough processing power from its Snapdragon 730G chipset to handle most tasks. contribute a beautiful design, a bright OLED screen, and 128GB of storage, and you’ve got a phone within the Pixel 4a that delivers tons for a coffee price.
4. Moto G Power 2021
Specs:
Display: 6.6 inches (1600 x 720)| CPU: Snapdragon 662 | RAM: 3GB, 4GB | Storage / Expandable: 32GB, 64GB / Yes | Rear camera: 16MP wide (ƒ/1.7); 8MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2); 2MP macro (ƒ/2.2) | Front camera: 16MP (ƒ/2.0) | Weight: 7 ounces.
+ All-day battery life
+ Low price including a sub-$200 model
+ Attractive design for a budget phone
+ Helpful Moto gestures
+ Only one Android software update
+ Ho-hum performance
A very long-lasting phone endures for quite 11 hours on our battery test. The new Moto G Power blows them away with a battery runtime of 14 hours and 4 minutes. That’s among the simplest phone battery life we’ve ever seen, which is basically remarkable once you consider the Moto G Power costs under $250. (And there is a $199 version if you’ll accept less RAM and storage.) But that’s not the sole reason this Android phone made our best cheap phone 2021 list.
The Moto G Power also features an outsized 6.6-inch display with full HD resolution, and fairly capable cameras with triple lenses, including a 48MP main camera, a 2MP macro lens, and a 2MP depth sensor.
At Most 7.3 ounces, the beefy 5,000 mAh battery inside the Moto G Power for sure contributes to its weight. and therefore the screen on this phone might be brighter. But overall the Moto G Power is definitely one of the simplest cheap phones around.
5. OnePlus Nord N10 5G
Specs:
Display size: 6.49-inches | CPU: Snapdragon 690 | RAM: 6GB | Storage: 128GB | Rear cameras: 64MP main (f/1.8); 8MP ultrawide (f/2.25) | Front camera: 16MP (f/2.05) | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:48 | Weight: 6.7 ounces.
+ Tall screen with 90Hz refresh rate
+ Good battery life
+ Fast charger in the box
– No telephoto lens
– Sometimes sluggish performance
There are tons to love about the OnePlus Nord N10, which became available within the US last month. The handset supports 5G networks, features a 90Hz display, sports solid cameras for the worth, and is extremely affordable.
You also get dual-SIM support. Also a headphone jack and a 4,300mAh battery with 30W fast charging. Unlike on OnePlus’ flagship phones, the Nord N10 comes with a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner.
The phone runs Android 10 out of the box and can get updated to Android 11 sometime this year. However, this will be the primary and only Android OS update it’ll receive.
6. Moto G Stylus- Best cheap phone 2021
Specs:
Display: 6.4-inch LCD (2300×1080) | CPU: Snapdragon 665 | RAM: 4GB | Storage / Expandable: 128GB / Yes | Rear camera: 48MP main (ƒ/1.7); 16MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2); 2MP macro (ƒ/2.2) | Front camera: 16MP (ƒ/2.0) | Weight: 6.8 ounces | Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 12:13
+ 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 do not need to spend a lot on a phone just like the Galaxy Note 10 to get a stylus together with your handset. The Moto G Stylus costs $299 and there is a handy stylus tucked right into the rock bottom right corner of the phone. While you will not get S Pen levels of functionality, you’ll be ready to remove the stylus and begin jotting down notes on the Motorola phone’s screen, all without having to unlock your device. The stylus can also assist you to take screenshots and edit photos. one of the best cheap phone 2021.
In some ways, the Moto G Stylus is strictly like last year’s edition of the Moto G Power. They have an equivalent screen size and processor, though the G Stylus comes with more storage and a much bigger main camera sensor. The most important tradeoff, though, is the battery, where the Moto G Stylus makes do with a 4,000 mAh electrical converter. Even with the smaller battery, the G Stylus still lasted quite 12 hours on our battery test, making this a long-lasting phone for people that need a productivity-boosting stylus.
7. Samsung Galaxy A20
Specs:
Display Size: 6.4-inch AMOLED (1560×720) | CPU: Exynos 7904 | RAM: 3GB | Storage / Expandable: 32GB / Yes | Rear camera: 13MP wide (ƒ/1.9); 5MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2) | Front camera: 8MP | Weight: 5.8 ounces | Battery Life (Hrs:Mins): 13:46.
+ Outstanding battery life
+ Low price
+ Good cameras for a budget phone
– Laggy performance
– Design isn’t that durable
The Samsung Galaxy A20 costs just $250 and provides you pretty good features for the cash. This includes a 4,000 mAh battery that lasted a really impressive 13 hours and 46 minutes on 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 needs to be 30% in only half-hour.
The Samsung Galaxy A20 is out there through multiple carriers, including Verizon, Boost, and Republic Wireless. However, there are some drawbacks at this price, including a design that will scratch easily and somewhat laggy performance from the Samsung Exynos 7904 CPU.
It won’t be out until this summer, but keep an eye fixed out for the Galaxy A21, which can feature a 6.5-inch screen and quad-lens camera system.
How to Do Choose Cheapest Budgeted Best Phone
Picking the best cheap phone 2021 is often tricky because it’s really all about deciding which trade-offs you’re willing to measure. But it is vital to start out with the fundamentals. Does one prefer a much bigger screen? choose an inexpensive phone with a display over 5.5 inches. Those that 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 beginning to change. The megapixel count doesn’t matter that much, pay more attention to the ability of the camera. See if the phone can shoot ultra-wide shots, which is more common on cheap phones. But don’t expect optical zoom; the digital zoom is that the norm under $400.
As for storage, 32GB is okay but 64GB is preferred for the best budget phones. And if possible see if that smartphone offers a microSD card slot for expansion. Battery life may be a huge concern no matter the price, so check the battery capacity on the phone. Generally, anything above 4,500 mAh is preferred.
While the OnePlus Nord N10 5G UW means 5G compatibility is coming to phones under $400, don’t expect 5G speeds, as a rule, the best cheap phone 2021. That’s likely to vary within the coming year, now that 5G modems are included on chipsets aimed toward cheaper phones. Lastly, check to ascertain which carriers the phone supports. Ideally, the handset should work with both GSM and CDMA networks all the large four providers within the U.S.