Not everyone can afford, or wants, the latest flagship iPhone or Galaxy. And when a top-end phone can cost £1,000 or more, there’s a lot to be said for one that does the important things well and leaves money in your pocket. In this guide we’ll look at the best budget phones you can buy right now.
Budget means different things to different people, so we’ve covered the full range, from capable 5G Androids around the £300 mark right down to rock-bottom basics under £100. Every one is brand new, and you’ll find them all on the Mozillion marketplace.
Before you buy, it pays to consider whether you’re set on a new phone, or whether you’re happy to save money on a reconditioned one. Buy new and you get the satisfaction that nobody’s ever touched your pride and joy, but it comes at a price.
While Mozillion can help you get a great deal on brand new, SIM-free budget phones, it’s always worth a look at what’s been previously owned too. You’ll pay less for the same phone, and a refurbished model can bring a far more capable handset within the same budget.
If you do go second-hand, think about the condition you’re prepared to accept. A pristine phone looks untouched but saves you less than one that’s lived a little and picked up a couple of minor scuffs. Age matters too: an older phone offers the biggest saving, but it may miss newer features, and its battery may not be what it was.
Whatever you decide, every new phone bought through Mozillion comes with its full manufacturer warranty, and all our refurbished phones are labs-inspected in a 90-point test and have had their data destroyed by a certified process, before we add the protection of our free 12-month warranty.
Why buy? The most phone for your money.
The Galaxy A57 5G is the pick of the budget bunch, and feels far pricier than it is. You get a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate and up to 1,900 nits of brightness, 5G, a 50MP main camera with optical stabilisation and a big 5,000mAh battery with 45W charging.
It is IP68 water resistant too, which is rare this cheap, and Samsung promises up to seven years of updates, so it will stay secure for years. It won’t keep pace with a flagship in heavy games, but for everyday use it is superb value from around £350.
Why buy? Nearly all of the A57, for less.
Step down to the Galaxy A37 5G and you keep most of what makes the A57 good while shaving the price. It has the same 6.7-inch 120Hz Super AMOLED, 5G, a 50MP main camera with optical stabilisation and a 5,000mAh battery with 45W charging.
You also get IP68 water resistance and six years of updates. The Exynos 1480 chip is a touch slower, but day to day you would struggle to tell. From around £290, it is one of the smartest budget buys going.
Why buy? A big, smooth screen and 5G for £250.
The Galaxy A27 5G brings Samsung’s budget formula down to the £250 mark. It still has a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED with a 120Hz refresh rate, 5G, a 50MP main camera and a 5,000mAh battery, so the essentials are all here.
Performance is modest and it loses some of the A37’s polish, but as a dependable, name-brand 5G phone with a lovely screen, it does the important things well for the money.
Why buy? The cheapest new Samsung with 5G.
If you want a brand-new Samsung with 5G for as little as possible, the A17 5G is it. It keeps a large AMOLED screen, a 50MP main camera and a big battery, covering calls, messaging, streaming and social apps without fuss.
The extras are pared back compared with its pricier siblings and performance is basic, but Samsung’s long update support means it will stay safe for years. From around £220, it is a lot of trusted brand for the money.
Why buy? 5G for just over £100.
TCL is the place to look when you want to spend as little as possible on a new 5G phone, and the 60R 5G is remarkable value from around £120. It pairs a big screen with 5G and a sizeable battery, handling everyday browsing, video and messaging comfortably.
You won’t get flagship speed or a standout camera, and the LCD screen can’t match an AMOLED, but as a no-nonsense new 5G phone at this price, it is hard to argue with.
Why buy? A big-screen smartphone on a tiny budget.
The TCL 605 strips things back to the basics of a modern smartphone at a rock-bottom price. Its 6.7-inch 90Hz LCD is big and reasonably smooth, there’s a 50MP main camera, and the large 5,200mAh battery goes the distance.
There’s no 5G and performance is strictly everyday, but if you want a cheap, full-size Android phone for calls, messaging and a bit of streaming, it delivers for very little.
Why buy? A proper smartphone for around £80.
At around £80 the TCL 406 is about as cheap as a usable smartphone gets. It has a big 6.6-inch screen, a 13MP camera and a 5,000mAh battery that will easily see out a day or two of light use.
It is slow and basic, with no 5G, but for a first phone, a child’s phone or a spare, it covers the essentials without costing much at all.
Why buy? A simple phone for calls and texts.
Not everyone wants a smartphone. The One Touch 4021 is a classic keypad phone with a small screen, a simple menu and a battery that lasts days rather than hours, with up to a week and a half on standby.
There are no apps and no touchscreen, which is exactly the point. As a backup, a festival phone or a phone for someone who just wants to call and text, it costs next to nothing at around £25.
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