Best cheap phones

Just because you don't want to spend loads on a new phone doesn't mean you can't get something good and that's why we've put together our T3 guide to the best cheap phones. Here we list the best mid-range and budget smartphones that, in terms of bang for your buck, deliver massively.

Our choices pack quality screens, fast internal hardware, and good camera systems. Yes, they may miss out on one or two high-end features, such as reverse wireless charging, but they absolutely don't compromise on core functionality and, as a result, have scored well on review.

As such, no matter if you are looking for the best cheap phones running Android, the best cheap iPhone, or the best cheap phone for photography, then this guide to the best cheap smartphones is a great place to start your research.

And, speaking of research, we've also included some very handy buying advice to help you find the best cheap smartphone for you. These tips range from how to decide which phone is right for you, through to up-to-date pricing and contact information.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e isn't a budget blower, with its price point right now placing it firmly in the mid-range in terms of financial outlay, however it is in our mind the very best non-flagship level phone in the world in 2019. So if you can afford to stretch to it then you really won't be disappointed.

Indeed, T3 loved the S10e on review, granting it a maximum score of five stars and concluded that, "when you weigh it up against the other phones we've seen, it certainly holds its own in terms of performance and design, and won't let you down with battery life, software, or camera quality, either."

And, for a phone that costs under half many other flagships, we think that competitiveness is simply remarkable and something that Samsung should be well and truly proud of.

The thing we arguably love most about the Samsung Galaxy S10e, though, is that in an industry where screen-size wars seem to be getting well and truly out of hand, with each maker constant making phone screens bigger and bigger across their entire ranges, the modestly sized and pocket friendly 5.8-inch, 19:9, 438 ppi, 2,280 x 1,080 resolution display on the handset is such a breath of fresh air. Along with Samsung's impeccable levels of fit and finish, this device truly is an ergonomic and aesthetic joy.

Wrapping up the S10e package, of course, is a powerful internal hardware suite that includes a Exynos 9820 CPU, up to 8GB of RAM and a 3,100mAh battery, plenty of internal storage (up to 256GB) and what is probably the most slick OS skin on the market running on top of Android 9.0 Pie.

A truly fantastic smartphone package, and one that is available at far from a flagship asking price.

The Motorola One Action is one of the most exciting budget smartphones to have launched in ... forever. There's a massive 6.3-inch LCD screen on the front with a 21:9 aspect ratio (translation: the screen is small and thin, so you can fit even more on the screen when reading an email or sending a message), it runs the coveted Android One version of Android 9 Pie and it's no slouch when it comes to performance.

Best of all, there's a tri-camera on the rear à la Apple iPhone 11 Pro and Huawei P30 Pro. The three sensors work together to deliver some impressive features, including "Action" — a unique shooting mode squeezes up to four times more scene into a frame, letting you film landscape footage holding the device upright. It also records video in 4K Ultra HD, which is a nice touch for such a cheap handset.

In our review, we stated that the "Motorola One Action is one of the best budget smartphones money can buy" and we stand by that. There's more than enough built-in storage (128GB), a camera that won't disappoint, a screen that's fantastic, and it'll last a full working day on a single charge. 

The expression "cheap and cheerful" perfectly encapsulates Google's cheapest Pixel device. If you're unfamiliar with the brand, it's basically Google's way of setting the trends for the rest of the Android manufacturers, showing what could be if they put their minds to it. While the others in the lineup are really expensive, the 3a just, well, isn't. 

The 64GB model, which is the only one you can buy, will set you back around £399 which, considering you're guaranteed at least three years of Android updates, is certainly good value. This phone is so good, in fact, that we included it on our list of the best Android phones in general. 

But what do you get? Well, besides the Android updates – which can be hard to come by – you get a best-in-class camera, snappy performance, and free Google Photos cloud storage, alongside a great display. It doesn't get much better than that... 

The Honor Play, despite being pitched as a mobile gaming powerhouse, is actually just a fabulous all-round Android phone that delivers a stunning package.

Seriously, you get some incredibly tasty technology in the Honor Play, including the rapid Kirin 970 CPU, 4GB of RAM, and a very spacious 6.3-inch FHD+ screen. Solid if not spectacular dual rear cameras and a single selfie camera are partnered with 64GB of internal storage space, while the phone's in-built GPU Turbo tech means that mobile games run incredibly well, too.

And, with immersive 7.1 Histen audio and a 89 per cent screen-to-body ratio in play, enjoying those games, or any other media, really is a super enjoyable experience. 

Simply put, the Honor Play seriously makes you question why anyone would spend more on a mobile phone, which in some flagships means a price 3 or 4 times that of this phone.

This handset builds on the excellent Xiaomi Mi 9 to add even more in the way of functionality and features – and it ditches the front display notch to give you even more in the way of screen (the 20MP selfie camera is moved to a motorised pop-up unit).

Like its predecessor, the Xiaomi Mi 9T Pro combines flagship-level specs with a design that's guaranteed to turn heads wherever you get this phone out. Combine that with a very appealing price and it's a fantastic all-round package from Xiaomi – one that's well worth a place on our best cheap phones list.

Admittedly we do get some cutting of corners, like the lack of waterproofing and wireless charging, but at this sort of price it's difficult to grumble. Xiaomi continues to outdo itself and give Apple, Samsung and Google plenty to worry about.

If you can live with Xiaomi's rather haphazard take on Android then this is a phone that's going to give you several years of top-notch performance. The camera is another point in the positives column too, giving you very decent results most of the time (even in low light).

The OnePlus 6T is no longer the newest phone on the OnePlus block, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be considered for your next phone purchase: it remains one of the best cheap phones on the market, with a gorgeous 6.41-inch screen, some nippy internals, and a stylish design.

You don't get wireless charging or IP68 waterproofing with the OnePlus 6T, and this year's OnePlus phones have better cameras, but this is an excellent option if you're shopping down at the cheaper end of the market. We're big fans of the OxygenOS software OnePlus makes too.

iOS is without a shadow of a doubt the most fluid, straightforward mobile operating system in existence. Pair that with the durable, capable hardware found on the iPhone XR, and you have one of the best affordable smartphones money can buy.

Performance is fantastic, fuelled by a 6.1-inch LCD screen, Apple's A12 Bionic CPU, 3GB of RAM and a 2942mAh battery that supports wireless charging. You're also getting Face ID (face recognition) for authentication instead of Touch ID (a fingerprint reader).

The camera isn't half bad, either. 

While it comprises of a lone 12-megapixel sensor on the rear, it's much larger (in physical size) than anything Apple had used at the time – letting in more light and offering a wider viewing angle than earlier iPhone models. The result? More detail.

Rest assured, you aren't sacrificing a feature-rich experience by opting for a cheaper iPhone versus a higher-end variant like the iPhone 11 or iPhone 11 Pro – all the basic features you'd expect to use are there, including FaceTime and iMessage.

The Samsung Galaxy A9 could tempt those who’ve resisted plumping for a second-hand flagship Galaxy.

The star of the show on the Samsung Galaxy A9 is its rear-mounted quadruple camera system, which delivers a 24-megapixel primary sensor with f/1.7 aperture, a depth-sensing 5-megapixel camera, an 8-megapixel telephoto sensor for long-range shooting, and finally a 10-megapixel ultra wide angle 120-degree sensor for capturing breathtaking panoramas and tall landmarks.

Oh, and that's not forgetting that the A9 also comes with a 24-megapixel front selfie camera as well - that's a five sensor camera system on a phone that costs just over £300. Madness!

It's not just about the camera, though, on the Samsung Galaxy A9, with the handset also coming loaded with a 6.3-inch FHD+ screen, solid Snapdragon 660 processor, a generous 6GB of RAM, and a well-sized 3,800mAh battery, too.

You can rely on Nokia for some excellent value-for-money phones, and the Nokia 7.2 certainly fits into that category: it's not a stand-out phone in any particular department, but the combination of design, specs, and camera quality mean that you get a decent amount of bang for not much buck.

The battery life on this 6.3-inch handset can stretch well into a second day, so it has the edge over most modern smartphones there, and it's part of the Android One program – that means a lightweight, bloat-free operating system, and guaranteed updates for two years.

If the Huawei P30 and Huawei P30 Pro are too rich for your blood, may we recommend the Huawei P30 Lite? Huawei's well-established manufacturing abilities are still present and correct, you just don't get the top-end processors or cameras of the more costly models.

The 6.15-inch screen gives you plenty of space, the specs (including 6GB of RAM) are very competitive at this price point, and you do get a triple-lens rear camera thrown in as well – the cameras on the other P30 models outperform it, but it's still a very capable snapper.