Best Cheap Android Phones – January 2018
In our Android Phone Guide, we rank the top 10 best phones you can buy. These rankings are constantly updated when new phones are released. It’s a great place to look if you’re trying to find the best of the best, but what if you don’t need the absolute best? What if you just want an affordable phone that won’t make you pull your hair out?
As a companion to the Best Android Phones, we’ve created a list for the Best Cheap Android Phones. These phones won’t break the bank, but they will provide a pleasant experience.
1. ZTE Axon 7
For $399, ZTE is bringing the first Daydream-ready smartphone on the market, which means it can take advantage of Google’s latest vision for VR. That’s not just marketing speak, either, as Daydream phones have some serious requirements to be called such, the most consistent of which are the inclusion of a Snapdragon 820 chipset, 4GB of RAM, and a 5.5-inch 2560 x 1440 display.
Price: $399
Key Features:
- Beautiful design
- Great internals
- Daydream-ready
Buy at Amazon
2. Honor 7X
Sexy design, slick hardware features, and an insanely low entry fee will draw in consumers. At this price point, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a smartphone with 2 rear cameras, as well as all the other qualities — such as a great display, metal build, and fingerprint sensor — that are apparent in the Honor 7X.
Price: $249
Key Features
- Awesome display
- Dual-rear cameras
- Fingerprint sensor
3. Nexus 5X
Android fans have been begging for a sequel to the Nexus 5 for years. They finally got it with the Nexus 5X. It’s not quite as handsome as the original, but LG has improved upon nearly everything that made the Nexus 5 so loved. The camera has been improved, and battery life is much better. The Nexus 5X isn’t the cheapest phone on this list, but it’s still one of the most affordable ways to get Android Marshmallow in your hands.
Price: $240-299
Key Features:
- Much improved camera
- Android Marshmallow
- Fingerprint scanner
Buy at Amazon
4. Nokia 6
Nokia’s return to Android starts off with cheap and most budget phones, but that doesn’t mean those phones can’t be good. The Nokia 6, in particular, comes with great efficiency in the Snapdragon 430 chipset and a nice 16MP camera without the hefty price tag of a flagship. Its 5.5-inch 1080p display is also pretty sweet.
Price: $199
Key Features:
- Nice Camera
- Big Display
- Stock Android
5. Moto G5
The original Moto G was one of the first phones to show that affordable devices don’t have to be bad. Motorola followed up that phone with another great device. The Moto G5 has a nice 1080p display, capable 13MP camera, an Octa-Core Snapdragon 430, and it runs a nearly stock version of Android Nougat.
Price: $149-199
Key Features:
- Good battery life
- Stock Android
- Stereo speakers
Buy at Amazon
Honorable Mention: ZTE ZMax Pro
While we believe this $99 smartphone provides an extreme amount of value for what you’re getting, there’s one thing that keeps it from being charted: it’s only available on one carrier in one country. As great a value as it is, it’s worthless if you can’t actually buy it. We’ll revisit its place on our list when or if ZTE ever confirms an unlocked model.
Price: $99 (after MetroPCS rebates)
Key Features:
- Great display
- Nice audio
- Impressive battery life