Not everyone wants to spend hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds on a flagship smartphone.
Some people just want a simple, decently-priced phone for making calls, sending texts, browsing the web and downloading a few apps.
Lots of cheap smartphones are powered by the Android operating system and won’t break the bank, with the most affordable models giving you change from a £50 note.
The best cheap Android phones offer not only affordable price tags but also decently sized displays, advanced camera systems, fingerprint scanners, decent performance, stylish designs and many other great features.
By choosing an Android smartphone, you’ll be able to download all your favourite apps from the Google Play Store, customise your home screen using a huge variety of free wallpapers and themes, and access features like Google Assistant.
Who is a cheap Android phone good for?
For elderly users who want to keep things simple, as well as children old enough to have a phone but still young enough for it to run into accidents in the playground, a cheap phone with useful features is a low investment that will still give you peace of mind on their safety and whereabouts.
From Motorola to Samsung, many of the biggest smartphone manufacturers offer affordable Android phones worth considering. And lesser known brands like Honor, Oppo and OnePlus also sell some of the best cheap Android phones.
But ultimately, which model should you choose? To help you make a well-informed decision, we’ve rounded up the best Android phones costing less than £300.
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Samsung Galaxy A14
The Samsung Galaxy A14 is one of the South Korean tech giant’s most affordable smartphones, offering a modern design and decent specs.
It boasts a triple-camera system comprising a 50-megapixel main camera, a 5-megapixel ultra-wide lens and a 2-megapixel macro camera, as well as a flash and a 13-megapixel front camera. With these cameras, you can take pretty decent pictures and videos.
While the A14 is powered by an octa-core processor, performance is pretty slow - particularly when opening apps. From a design perspective, the A14 offers a sleek, modern design that feels solid to hold.
Other top features include a 6.6-inch 1080 x 2408 touchscreen, a 5000mAh battery, 64GB of expandable storage, 4GB of RAM, a dual SIM, a USB- C charging port, Bluetooth 5.3. Android 13, a fingerprint sensor and lots more. It comes in an array of colours, including Black, Light Green, Silver and Dark Red.
Buy now £149.00, AO
Alcatel 1
The Alcatel 1 is one of the cheapest Android mobile phones available on the market today, with the Vodafone-locked version currently costing just shy of £40.
What do you get for that super affordable price tag? Rather a lot: think a 5-inch 480x960 touchscreen display, a five-megapixel rear camera, a two-megapixel front camera, an LED flash, 720p video recording, 16GB of internal storage, a memory card slot, a 1.28GHz quad-core processor, 1GB of RAM, a 2000mAh battery and the Android 11 Go Edition operating system. Phew!
Buy now £39.99, Argos
Honor 90 Lite
The Honor 90 Lite is an affordable Android smartphone that doesn’t compromise on features and design, despite its low cost.
Its 6.7-inch 2388x1080 display is perfect for watching movies on the go, although the 4500mAh battery is slightly smaller than the one powering the Samsung Galaxy A14. Under the hood, there’s an octa-core processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage.
There’s also a triple-camera system consisting of a 100-megapixel main camera, a five-megapixel wide and depth camera and a two-megapixel macro camera, along with a 10x digital zoom, a flash and a 16-megapixel selfie camera. In terms of software, the device runs on Honor’s custom Android 13 operating system called MagicOS 7.1. A fingerprint sensor, along with facial unlock, will ensure the device is always secure.
You can get the Honor 90 Lite in a range of colours, including Cyan Lake, Titanium Silver and Midnight Black.
Buy now £179.99, Honor
Oppo A78 5G
The Oppo A78 5G is another affordable Android smartphone that provides great value for money. In terms of specifications, it offers a 6.56-inch 1612×720 touchscreen display, a 90Hz refresh rate, an octa-core processor, a 5000mAh battery, a USB C port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, 128GB of storage, ColorOS 13, 5G support, a fingerprint sensor and facial recognition.
One of the best things about the Oppo A78 5G is its sleek, lightweight design, which comes in Glowing Black, Glowing Purple and Glowing Blue. On the back of the phone, you’ll find a 50-megapixel main camera, a 2-megapixel black-and-white camera and a flash. Meanwhile, there’s an 8-megapixel front-facing camera.
Buy now £199.00, Oppo
Motorola g13
Motorola may be famed for its old-school, clamshell Razr mobile phones of the 2000s, but today, the brand offers one of the best cheap Android phones in the form of the Moto g13.
Priced for budget shoppers, it sports a 6.5-inch 90Hz HD+ display, a MediaTek Helio G85 processor, 128B of internal storage, 4GB of RAM, a 5000mAh battery and Android 13.
The rear camera setup includes a 50-megapixel main camera, a two-megapixel macro camera and a two-megapixel depth sensor, as well as an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. Thanks to a fingerprint sensor and facial recognition, you won’t need to worry about unwanted parties getting into your phone.
Style-wise, you can choose from Matte Charcoal, Rose Gold and Blue Lavender. In short, there’s a Moto G13 for everyone.
Buy now £99.99, Argos
Motorola e22
Another great option from Motorola is the e22, which currently costs just £79.99.
For that bargain price, you get a 6.5-inch HD+ display, 64GB of onboard storage, a MicroSD card slot, a 2.3GHz octa-core MediaTek Helio processor, 4GB of RAM and Android 12. Its 4020mAh battery provides up to 535 hours of standby time and 1473 minutes of talk time, so you can leave your phone charger at home without worry.
Thanks to a fingerprint scanner, you’ll be able to access the phone securely and quickly. What’s more, there are two rear cameras; one is 16 megapixels, while the other is two megapixels. And the front-facing five-megapixel snapper should be fine for the occasional selfie. You can purchase the Motorola e22 in either black or blue.
Buy now £79.99, Argos
Nokia C32
Nokia is an iconic phone manufacturer that offers great Android phones, with the C32 being one of its cheapest models. It boasts a sizeable 6.5-inch 1600 x 720 touchscreen display, an octa-core processor, 64GB of onboard storage, 256GB of expandable storage, a 5000mAh battery, Android 13, a USB-C charging port and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Facial recognition technology and a fingerprint sensor provide added security, and on the back of the phone, there’s a dual camera system comprising a 50-megapixel main camera and a 2-megapixel secondary camera. There’s also an 8-megapixel camera that should be sufficient enough for taking selfies and making video calls.
The Nokia C32 dons an impressive-looking glass and metallic frame, making it look far more expensive than its £100 price-tag would suggest.
Buy now £99.00, Amazon
Doro 8100
If you’re looking for a simple smartphone that won’t break the bank, Doro 8100 has your back.
With a sub-£200 price tag, it offers a range of features designed for elderly and disabled people, including an emergency assistance button, hearing aid compatibility and a simple user interface based on the Android 11 Go operating system.
While the 8100 has an easy-to-read user interface, it still provides access to typical Android features like the Google Play Store and Google Assistant. Other top features include a 6-inch touchscreen, a triple rear camera system, a five-megapixel selfie camera, a calendar, a calculator, a web browser, a QR code reader, a USB charging port, a 3.5mm headphone jack, Bluetooth, 4G mobile connectivity and lots more.
Buy now £157.99, Amazon
Google Pixel 6a
Google, the creator of the Android operating system, also makes its own smartphones, and the Pixel 6a is currently its cheapest model in the family.
For the modest price (sub-£300 depending on how lucky you get with sales), you get a 6.1-inch 1080 x 2400 display, an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM, 128GB of onboard storage, stereo speakers, 5G connectivity and water resistance.
When it comes to photography, you get a 12.2-megapixel main camera, a 12-megapixel ultra-wide camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing camera. But the best thing? Battery life. Google claims that the Pixel 6a can last for more than 24 hours or 72 hours if you switch on the Extreme Battery Saver feature.
You can get the phone in three colour choices: Charcoal, Chalk and Sage.
Buy now £288.74, Amazon
OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is a sub-£300 Android phone that offers both style and functionality. On the front of the phone, you’ll find a large 6.72-inch touchscreen with a resolution of 2400x1080 pixels and a 120HZ refresh rate.
If you’re looking for a cheap Android smartphone with impeccable photography credentials, you won’t be disappointed with this device’s huge 108-megapixel main camera. Additionally, there’s a two-megapixel macro camera, a two-megapixel depth camera and a 16-megapixel selfie camera. In terms of other features, the Nord CE 3 Lite 5G offers a 5000mAh battery, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G processor, 128GB of internal storage, 8GB of RAM, Android 13, a fingerprint sensor and lots more.
Colour options include Chromatic Gray or surprise everyone with your choice of Pastel Lime.
Buy now £199.00, OnePlus
Verdict
If you’re looking for a cheap Android phone from a trusted manufacturer, the Samsung Galaxy A14 would be a good option as it offers a sizeable screen, a large battery, an advanced triple-camera system, a sleek and stylish design, and many other great features for less than £150.
And costing £39.99, the Alcatel is the cheapest Android handset on our list and would be ideal for a child’s first phone.
