Best Cheap Android Phones Android Central 2020

As high-end phones get more expensive, cheap Android phones are getting better. It's 2020, and flagship smartphones are all nearly a thousand dollars or more, so why not spend a little less? We've researched and ranked all of the best cheap Android phones you can buy, and with our buyer's guide, you'll find the perfect phone for you — like the Moto G Power, our best overall pick.

Year after year, Motorola stands out as one of the best companies to watch for delivering good, cheap Android phones. 2020 saw the release of the Moto G Power, and if you're in the market for an affordable smartphone, it's hard to do much better than this. The Power name is a reference to the phone's best feature — battery life. With a 5,000 mAh battery crammed inside, you can easily get two or three days of use on a single charge. In a world where it's the norm to throw your phone on the charger every single night, being able to go a few days without worrying about that is a dream come true. Outside of the legendary battery life, the rest of the G Power's hardware is just as good. The 6.4-inch Full HD display is easy on the eyes, performance is plenty fast thanks to the Snapdragon 665 processor and 4GB of RAM, and graphical performance in mobile games is vastly improved compared to last year's Moto G7. The G Power also has a trio of solid cameras, which allow for a wide variety of different types of shots you can take with the phone. Image quality is also pretty good considering how cheap the G Power is.

Tying all of this together is Motorola's excellent software. The user interface is nearly identical to what you'd find on a Pixel, meaning it's clean, pure Android as Google intended it. Motorola throws in a few software tweaks to further enhance your experience, such as Moto Display and Moto Actions. The former is arguably the best always-on display out there, with the latter allowing you to move the phone in a chopping motion to turn on the flashlight or twist it to open the camera. There are two complaints we have about the Moto G Power, the first of which is its lack of NFC. Contactless payment solutions like Google Pay are becoming more and more commonplace with every day that passes, and buying a phone in 2020 that doesn't support this feels kind of silly. There's also the fact that Motorola only promises one major OS update for the G Power, meaning it likely won't be updated beyond Android 11 — a potential deal-breaker if you plan on keeping the phone for a long time. If neither of those two things bothers you, however, the Moto G Power is a wonderfully complete package that we think a lot of people will be overly happy with. Pros: Great build quality and design

Three rear cameras are a lot of fun

Up to three-day battery life

Moto Display and Moto Actions are great

Compatible with all major U.S. and international carriers Cons: Moto G line isn't known for swift software updates

Lacks NFC

2. Google Pixel 4a Best Upgrade Pick

Google didn't change much about the Pixel 4a over its predecessor, the Pixel 3a; it kept the plastic body, the austere design, and the no-nonsense approach to Android. But what it did change, it improved on a wide scale: it's faster, it has more RAM and memory, a nicer display, and three additional years of Android platform and security updates to soothe even the most critical of users. The Pixel 4a limits user choice, though: it only comes in one color, black, and in one storage variety, 128GB. It's also only available in one size, a 5.8-inch model that's easy to hold and use in one hand. Where the Pixel 4a excels is in the basics. Its 3,180mAh battery lasts all day, thanks to the power-sipping properties of its upgraded Qualcomm Snapdragon 730 processor. Its 5.8-inch OLED display goes edge-to-edge, with only the slightest hint of a bezel and a camera cutout near the top left. There's only a single camera on the back, too, but that 12MP sensor combines with Google's best-in-class post-processing for the best photos you'll find in a phone at this price point. It's so good, in fact, you'll have a hard time telling the difference between photos produced on the Pixel 4a and those from the much more expensive Pixel 4. So where does the Pixel 4a cut costs? There's no wireless charging or water resistance, and the plastic body, despite a premium matte finish, can feel a little less premium than its metal-and-glass counterparts. Otherwise this is a near-perfect phone for its very reasonable price, and should be at the top of your list if you can spring the extra money over the Moto G Power. Pros: Incredible camera

Excellent build quality with polycarbonate shell

Three years of updates

Clean Android build

Has a headphone jack Cons: Lacks wireless charging

Lacks water resistance

Only available in one color and size option

Best Upgrade Pick Google Pixel 4a The uncontested budget photography king Thanks to a lower price over the Pixel 3a, this is the best phone on this list if you can swing it in your budget. $350 at Amazon

$350 at Best Buy

3. Moto G Fast Best Value

If the Moto G Fast looks eerily similar to the Moto G Power, that's because it's identical to the phone in more ways than one. It strips down a couple of features in favor of an even lower price, making this one of the best values the Android market has to offer right now. In regards to similarities, the Moto G Fast has the same Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 processor, Adreno 610 GPU for competent gaming, and support for expandable storage along with a headphone jack. You'll also find the exact same rear camera setup, consisting of the 16MP primary camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, and 2MP macro camera. The G Fast does cut a few corners in order to reach its lower price, but it doesn't take too much away from the overall user experience. The 6.4-inch display is lowered from Full HD+ to HD+, but in-day-to-day use should be perfectly fine for most people. It also has just 3GB of RAM and 32GB of internal storage, along with a 4,000 mAh battery. The smaller RAM count could prove to be an issue in a couple of years as you load the phone with apps, games, movies, and more, but it's still a decent amount for a phone this cheap. Factor all of that together with how you can use the Moto G Fast on all major carriers in the U.S., and you end up with a value proposition that's nearly impossible to argue with. Pros: Snapdragon 665 processor is plenty fast

Large HD+ display

Fingerprint sensor

Motorola's software is excellent

Compatible with all major carriers Cons: Small amounts of RAM and storage

Lacks NFC

4. Samsung Galaxy A71 Best Cameras

Samsung's lineup of mid-tier Android phones has gotten a lot better in recent years, with one of the latest examples being the Galaxy A71. This is at the higher-end of Samsung's more affordable Galaxy phones, and it should absolutely be on your shortlist. As hinted at above, this is the cheap Android phone to get if you care about cameras. The heart of the Galaxy A71 is its 64MP primary camera, and photos taken with it look excellent. There's a lot of detail, good dynamic range, and vibrant colors. To help expand the types of pictures you can take, the A71 is also equipped with a 12MP wide-angle camera, 5MP macro camera, and a 5MP portrait camera. Outside of the camera department, the Galaxy A71 is just as impressive. It delivers a gorgeous 6.7-inch AMOLED display, fast performance thanks to the Snapdragon 730 processor, and a beefy 4,500 mAh battery that allows for long endurance. Tie all of that together with USB-C charging and a headphone jack, and you end up with quite the package. U.S. buyers take note: The version on Amazon U.S. is an international model and won't work on Sprint or Verizon or any of their MVNOs. It will work perfectly on AT&T and T-Mobile. It also has no U.S. warranty. Pros Stunning design

Best camera system in its class

AMOLED display is excellent

Snappy, reliable performance

Long battery life Cons Doesn't come with a U.S. warranty

Only compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile

Best Cameras Samsung Galaxy A71 An excellent camera package, regardless of price Samsung went all out with the Galaxy A71's cameras, giving you a 64MP primary lens and three other ones to play around with. $375 at Amazon

$400 at Walmart

5. Nokia 5.3 Best Under $200

Nokia makes solid Android phones that don't cost too much, and the Nokia 5.3 continues that tradition of high quality hardware with clean Android One-based software. The phone's design is striking, too, with a tall-and-thin 20:9 aspect ratio that makes the metallic-looking body easy to grasp and use in one hand. And because the Nokia 5.3 runs Android One, it will get platform updates until 2022 and security patches until 2023. On the hardware front, the Nokia 5.3 packs some serious power. The Snapdragon 665 processor and 4GB of RAM allows for reliable performance, the 4,000 mAh battery provides up to two days of use per charge, and you get a total of four cameras for endless picture-taking possibilities, including a very good 13MP main sensor. Throw in smaller features like NFC, USB-C charging, and a dedicated Google Assistant button, and you end up with a really complete package. Pros: Fast processor

Quad-camera system

Two-day battery life

Fingerprint sensor

NFC for Google Pay Cons: Display is only HD+

Best Under $200 Nokia 5.3 Nokia delivers the goods The Nokia 5.3 shines as an excellent low-cost Android phone. It has four rear cameras, a Google Assistant button, and clean software. $199 at Amazon

$200 at Walmart

6. Samsung Galaxy A51 Best Budget Samsung Phone

Samsung has a lot of decent budget offerings in 2020, with one of its better options being the Galaxy A51. You'll find a lot of specs to keep you interested, including an AMOLED display, a 4,000 mAh battery for long endurance, and an Exynos 9611 processor. It's a decent chipset, but on the A51, it results in some laggy performance every now and then. The A51 is touting a total of four sensors on its backside. There's a 48MP primary camera, 12MP ultra-wide camera, 5MP macro camera, and a dedicated 5MP portrait camera. Not only does this setup allow for virtually endless possibilities with the kinds of photos you can take, but the 48MP primary camera is a fantastic shooter that captures wonderful detail and dynamic range. Pros Good-looking hardware

Vibrant AMOLED display

Four rear cameras

Large 4,000 mAh battery Cons So-so processor

7. TCL 10L Best Features

TCL has been at the helm of phones under the Alcatel and BlackBerry brands, but with the TCL 10L, the company is finally entering the Android space with a device under its own name. Surprisingly, it's one of the most feature-rich cheap handsets you can buy right now. Starting with its display, the TCL 10L offers a 6.53-inch LCD display with the company's own NXTVISION screen technology — offering true-to-life colors, great viewing angles, and support for HDR video content. If you want to use the display to showcase games, the Snapdragon 665 processor with 6GB of RAM offers more than enough horsepower to keep everything running smoothly. Also offered are four rear cameras, including a 48MP primary camera, 8MP ultra-wide camera, 2MP macro camera, and 2MP depth camera. Actual image quality isn't the very best we've ever seen, but the fact that you have so many sensors to work with allows for lots of shooting possibilities. Rounding out the feature list is a 4,000 mAh battery, USB-C charging, NFC for Google Pay, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The phone does not work with Sprint, but it's perfectly fine to use on AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon. Pros 6.53-inch display looks great

Snapdragon 665 paired with 6GB of RAM

Four rear cameras

Has a headphone jack and USB-C

NFC for Google Pay support Cons Generic design

Camera quality could use some work

Best Features TCL 10L One phone, so many features Whether you want a vibrant display, lots of cameras, or Google Pay support on a budget? The TCL 10L does it all. $250 at Amazon

$250 at Best Buy

8. Nokia 7.2 Best Build Quality

The Nokia 7.2 is the successor to the ultra-successful (see what we did there?) Nokia 7.1, and it's better in every way. It continues the company's legacy of outstanding build quality with a super-strong polycarbonate frame — that green colorway is even nicer-looking in real life — that feels like metal but can withstand scratches and drops far better. The hardware has been given a nice boost over the 7.1, too: a Snapdragon 660 processor powers the Nokia 7.2, along with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which ensures it's going to last well into the 2020s. Nokia also puts Android One on all of its phones, providing at least two platform updates and regular security patches — something the company has over our top pick, the Moto G Power. But the real reason to look into the Nokia 7.2 is its triple-camera setup, which includes a massive 48MP primary camera. You can also choose to use the ultra-wide camera for incredible landscape shots, or grab some impressive portrait photos with the dedicated depth sensor. Pros: Great build quality

Awesome big screen

Triple camera is super useful

Android One software is unbeatable

Works on Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T Cons: Snapdragon 660 is already quite dated

Doesn't work on Sprint

9. Moto G Stylus Best With a Stylus

The Moto G Stylus is an interesting device. It released alongside the Moto G Power mentioned above, offering a very similar experience but with a couple of feature tweaks and a higher price. It's not an easy general recommendation, but for some people, it could be a great fit. Compared to the G Power, the G Stylus has a lot in common. You get the same 6.4-inch Full HD+ display, Snapdragon 665 processor, 4GB of RAM, USB-C charging, 3.5mm headphone jack, and support for every single U.S. carrier. The biggest difference is that the Moto G Stylus comes with, well, a stylus. It's not as advanced as something like the S Pen you get with the Galaxy Note 10, but it still works great for taking handwritten notes, drawing, or easier navigation. When you aren't using it, the stylus stores neatly inside the phone. Motorola also switched up the cameras, giving the G Stylus a 48MP primary camera, 2MP Macro Vision camera, and 16MP Action Cam. That Action Cam is pretty unique, as it allows you to hold the phone vertically and record horizontal video. Just like the Moto G Power, you're still missing NFC on the Moto G Stylus and need to put up with Motorola's disappointing software updates. Pros: Included stylus for writing/drawing

Action Cam is pretty unique

Good all-around specs

Works with every U.S. carrier Cons No NFC

Only one promised OS update

10. Moto E (2020) Best Under $150

Year after year, Motorola's Moto E series stands out as being home to some of the most affordable Android phones on the market. However, while they are undoubtedly cheap, they don't deliver a bad user experience. In fact, with the new Moto E for 2020, the formula is better than it's ever been. For being as cheap as it is, the Moto E has a good design. The glossy plastic isn't anything to write home about, but the 6.2-inch HD+ display with slim bezels and a waterdrop notch looks right at home here in 2020. You'll also find two cameras on the back, along with a fingerprint sensor — both firsts for a Moto E handset. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 632 processor and 2GB of RAM certainly won't knock your socks off, but for basic apps and possibly some light games, it should get the job done just fine. You'll also find 32GB of expandable storage, a 3,550 mAh battery, Micro-USB charging, and a headphone jack. Motorola's out-of-the-box software with Android 10 is top-notch, but it comes with a catch. Unlike Moto G phones that are promised one major OS update, the Moto E is confirmed to not get any. That means it won't ever move beyond Android 10 to Android 11 or anything else, which is something to consider before throwing your money down. Pros: Extremely affordable

Large display with respectable bezels

Great out-of-the-box software

Has a headphone jack

Expandable storage Cons: Charges with Micro-USB

Won't get any OS updates

11. OnePlus Nord Best International Phone

2020 has seen the release of plenty Android phones, with one of the most noteworthy being the OnePlus Nord. The Nord marks OnePlus's return to truly affordable smartphones, and in just about every regard, it's a home run. On the hardware front, the OnePlus Nord packs a big punch. The 90Hz AMOLED display looks fantastic, giving you rich colors, a crisp Full HD+ resolution, and buttery smooth animations. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 765G allows for fast performance, battery life is reliable, and OnePlus's 30W wired charging continues to be one of the best on the market. We're also quite fond of the new Blue Marble color, which is downright beautiful. In regards to software, the OnePlus Nord ships with OxygenOS based on Android 10. We've said it before and we'll say it again — this is one of the best Android interfaces on the market. OxygenOS strikes a near-perfect balance of offering a lot of extra features while retaining a clean user interface, and it's something we cannot get enough of. There is a catch to all of this, however. The OnePlus Nord is not available in North America. That's a bummer for us in the U.S., but if you live in a country where it is being sold, it's no-brainer purchase. Pros: AMOLED display with 90Hz

Excellent performance

Long battery life

30W wired charging

OxygenOS software Cons: Not available in North America

Best International Phone OnePlus Nord Not available in the U.S. If you happen to live outside of North America, the OnePlus Nord is one of the very best cheap phones to get in 2020. £379 at Amazon UK

₹27,999 at Amazon IN

12. Xiaomi Mi Note 10 Lite Best Design