It may seem like your choices are slim to none if you’re looking for a reliable phone for $200 or less. But there are a few budget smartphone options available that we wholeheartedly recommend — like handsets from Motorola’s Moto G series and one phone from its even more affordable E series. Upcoming and newly announced devices from Samsung and Xiaomi also look compelling not only because these phones comes from well-known companies and sport sub-$200 price tags, but also because they have decent specs (hello, good camera) and an elegant design. <\/p>\n
To see our picks, check out the list below. A few of them have been fully reviewed by CNET editors, while others we hope to get in our hands soon (and we’ll update this roundup once their respective reviews are up as well). Note that we’ve linked to the unlocked version of each smartphone, and they should run on most of the big four US wireless carriers, unless specified otherwise. <\/p>\n
Important: If the price of the phone shown here or at the vendor is more than $200, it’s because inventory and pricing (often from third-party resellers) has shifted since we originally published this story or the review linked herein. <\/p>\n
Read more<\/strong>: Best phones under $300: Moto G Power, Galaxy A50, LG K40 and more<\/span> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Samsung<\/span><\/p>\n The newly announced Galaxy A11<\/a> features a 6.4-inch display and three cameras: a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, a 5-megapixel wide-angle shooter and a 2-megapixel depth camera. It also offers a sizeable 4,000-mAh battery and expandable storage. It doesn’t have wireless charging, but it does have an oft-coveted headphone jack. Not too shabby for a cheap smartphone. <\/p>\n Read our Galaxy A11 first-take<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Sarah Tew\/CNET<\/span><\/p>\n The\u00a0often discounted<\/a>\u00a0Moto G7 Play<\/a> is a favorite affordable Android smartphone.\u00a0It has a 5.7-inch display, a water-repellent coating and a single 13-megapixel rear camera. For those who like to take a lot of selfies, on the front of the phone you’ll find a selfie camera flash to brighten up all those memorable moments.<\/p>\n Read more about the Moto G7 Play<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Samsung<\/span><\/p>\n As the cheapest of Samsung’s new A series of phones, the Galaxy A01<\/a> surprisingly offers a lot for the price. That includes a fast-charging 3,000-mAh battery, a 5.7-inch display and two rear cameras. We’re linking here to a version at Amazon bundled with a microSD card.<\/p>\n Read our Galaxy A01 first take<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Lori Grunin\/CNET<\/span><\/p>\n Launched in July 2019, the Moto E6<\/a>\u00a0smartphone is now widely available for under $150. It features a 13-megapixel camera, a headphone jack and a 5.5-inch display. Oddly enough, it also has a Micro-USB port for charging (rather than the newer USB-C).\u00a0<\/p>\n Read our Moto E6 first take<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Andrew Hoyle\/CNET<\/span><\/p>\n Available for under $200, the midrange LG K40<\/a>\u00a0Android phone debuted in 2019 and features a 5.7-inch display, a fingerprint sensor and a 13-megapixel camera. The phone is powered by an octa-core processor and a 3,000-mAh battery.<\/p>\n Read our LG K40 hands-on<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Josh Miller\/CNET<\/span><\/p>\n Our favorite budget phone of 2018 is now a whole lot cheaper. The $150\u00a0Moto G6<\/a>\u00a0Android smartphone features a near-stock version of Android Oreo and solid dual rear cameras. It also charges fast.<\/p>\n Read our Motorola Moto G6 review.<\/p>\n \tMore phone advice
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