Cheap Android phones in April
If you're one of the over 42% of Americans who are hooked on the Android experience (StatCounter) you may wonder how to get the best Android phone deals.
Luckily for you we've got the answer. So before you head off to your carrier store to drop $1000 on the latest and greatest device, read the following guide.
It will save you hundreds on your phone - and your wireless plan.
Best Android phone deals
Galaxy A71
Galaxy S20
Galaxy Note 20
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Note20 (Unlocked) | $749 |
| Samsung Galaxy Note20 (AT&T) | $749 |
Screen Size | 6.7" |
Screen Resolution | 2400 x 1080 pixels |
HDR Screen | Yes pixels |
Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 Plus pixels |
Internal Memory | 128GB |
Operating System | Android 10 |
Back Camera | 12MP Ultra Wide, 12MP Wide-angle, 64MP Telephoto |
Front Camera | 10MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | HD, FHD, 4K UHD, 8K |
Wireless Charging | Yes |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Talk Time | Up to 34 hours |
Standby Time | Up to 11.8 days |
Dimensions | 161.6 x 75.2 x 8.3mm |
Weight | 194g |
Splash Proof | IP68 |
Water Resistant | Yes |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | nano |
eSIM | Yes |
Pros
Cons
Best cheap Android phones
Galaxy A11
Screen Size | 6.3" |
Screen Resolution | 720 x 1560 pixels |
HDR Screen | Yes pixels |
Internal Memory | 32GB |
Operating System | Android 10 |
Back Camera | 13MP, 5MP, 2MP |
Front Camera | 8MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | FHD |
Wireless Charging | No |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Dimensions | 161.4 x 76.3 x 8mm |
Weight | 177g |
Splash Proof | No |
Water Resistant | No |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-A115UZKAVZW |
Pros
Android 10.0 OS
Triple rear camera
3.5mm headphone jack
MicroSD slot
Cons
Not waterproof
No LED flash on front camera
No wireless charging
Galaxy A21
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy A21 (Unlocked) | $279 |
| Samsung Galaxy A21 (Verizon) | $279 |
Screen Size | 6.5" |
Screen Resolution | 720 x 1600 pixels |
HDR Screen | No pixels |
Internal Memory | 32GB |
Operating System | Android 10 |
Back Camera | 48MP, 8MP, 2MP, 2MP |
Front Camera | 13MP |
HDR for Photos | No |
Video Resolution | FHD |
Wireless Charging | No |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Dimensions | 163.7 x 75.3 x 8.9mm |
Weight | 192g |
Splash Proof | No |
Water Resistant | No |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-A215UZKAVZW |
Pros
Large 6.5" screen
Amazing quad camera
Powerful battery
Excellent front camera
Cons
No Gorilla glass protection
No wireless charging
Plastic body
Galaxy A51
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy A51 (Refurbished) | $279.99 |
| Samsung Galaxy A51 (Unlocked) | $379 |
| Samsung Galaxy A51 (T-Mobile) | $379 |
Screen Size | 6.3" |
Screen Resolution | 1080 x 2400 pixels |
HDR Screen | Yes pixels |
Processor | Exynos 9611 pixels |
Internal Memory | 128GB |
Operating System | Android 10 |
Back Camera | 48MP, 12MP, 5MP, 5MP |
Front Camera | 32MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | UHD 4K |
Wireless Charging | No |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Talk Time | Up to 28 hours |
Dimensions | 158.5 x 73.6 x 7.9mm |
Weight | 172g |
Splash Proof | No |
Water Resistant | No |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Pros
Compact and light
Excellent camera
Super AMOLED display
Dedicated microSD slot
Cons
Camera performance in low light
No video stabilization in 4K
Average battery life
Compare Android phone prices
Phone | AT&T | Verizon | T-Mobile | Unlocked | - | $169 | $169 | $169 | - | $279 | - | $279 | - | - | $379 | $379 | $749 | - | - | $749 | $549.99 | $799 | $799 | $549.99 | $749.99 | $999 | $999 | $749.99 |
|---|
Best cheap refurbished Android phones
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy A10e (Refurbished) | $112.99 |
Screen Size | 5.8" |
Screen Resolution | 720 x 1560 pixels |
HDR Screen | Yes pixels |
Processor | Exynos 7884 pixels |
Internal Memory | 32GB |
Operating System | Android 9.0 (Pie) |
Back Camera | 8MP |
Front Camera | 5MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | FHD |
Wireless Charging | No |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Talk Time | Up to 23 hours |
Dimensions | 147.3 x 69.6 x 8.4mm |
Weight | 141g |
Splash Proof | No |
Water Resistant | No |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-A102UZKATMB |
Pros
Great battery life
Stylish design
Cons
Lacks good performance
Poor sound quality
No fingerprint sensor
Not water-resistant
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (Refurbished) | $179.99 |
Screen Size | 5.5" |
Screen Resolution | 2560 x 1440 pixels |
HDR Screen | No pixels |
Processor | Snapdragon 820 pixels |
Internal Memory | 32GB |
Operating System | Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) |
Back Camera | 12MP |
Front Camera | 5MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | HD, 4K |
Wireless Charging | Yes |
Voice Commands | No |
Talk Time | Up to 27 hours |
Dimensions | 150.9 x 72.6 x 7.7mm |
Weight | 157g |
Water Resistant | Yes |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-G935V |
User Manual |
Pros
Good battery life
Improved camera
Water resistant
MicroSD support up to 200GB expandable memory
Fast focusing camera
Cons
Expensive
Glass design makes it fragile
Glass back is a fingerprint magnet
Touchwiz is not fully optimized
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S8 (Refurbished) | $155 |
Screen Size | 5.8" |
Screen Resolution | 2960 x 1440 pixels |
HDR Screen | No pixels |
Processor | Snapdragon 835 pixels |
Internal Memory | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
Operating System | Android 7.0 (Nougat) |
Back Camera | 12MP |
Front Camera | 8MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | HD, 4K |
Wireless Charging | Yes |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Talk Time | Up to 20 hours |
Dimensions | 148.9 x 68.1 x 8mm |
Weight | 155g |
Splash Proof | IP68 |
Water Resistant | Yes |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-G950U |
User Manual |
Pros
Excellent camera
Large and amazing display
Headphone jack
MicroSD Support
Cons
Poor Battery life
Badly placed fingerprint sensor
Fragile
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy Note8 (Refurbished) | $230 |
Screen Size | 6.3" |
Screen Resolution | 2960 x 1440 pixels |
HDR Screen | No pixels |
Processor | Snapdragon 835 pixels |
Internal Memory | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB |
Operating System | Android 7.1.1 (Nougat) |
Back Camera | 12MP |
Front Camera | 8MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | HD, 4K |
Wireless Charging | Yes |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Talk Time | Up to 22 hours |
Dimensions | 162.5 x 74.8 x 8.6mm |
Weight | 195g |
Splash Proof | IP68 |
Water Resistant | Yes |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-N950U |
User Manual |
Pros
Two cameras take fantastic pictures
MicroSD expansion
6GB of RAM
Amazing design and build
Cons
Badly placed fingerprint reader
Quite big and heavy
Speaker is weak
| Device | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S9+ (Refurbished) | $213 |
Screen Size | 6.2" |
Screen Resolution | 2960 x 1440 pixels |
HDR Screen | Yes pixels |
Processor | Snapdragon 845 pixels |
Internal Memory | 128GB |
Operating System | Android 8.0 (Oreo) |
Back Camera | 12MP |
Front Camera | 8MP |
HDR for Photos | Yes |
Video Resolution | HD, 4K |
Wireless Charging | Yes |
Voice Commands | Yes |
Dimensions | 158.1 x 73.8 x 8.5mm |
Weight | 189g |
Splash Proof | IP68 |
Water Resistant | Yes |
WiFi & 4G Calling | Yes |
GPS | Yes |
SIM Card | Nano |
eSIM | No |
Model Number | SM-G965U |
User Manual |
Pros
Long battery life
Great display
Camera performance
High-end build
Wireless charging
Cons
Expensive
Fragile all glass design
No major upgrades
Refurbished Android phone benefits
Whether you're on a super tight budget or you just don't see the sense in paying the outrageous retail prices that brand-new smartphones go for, buying used is the ideal alternative.
Going this route offers you several advantages:
Big savings: Pay half the price or less for a high-end smartphone that's maybe a model or two old.
Great bang for the buck: The changes from version to version are typically small compared to the price jump. You might get slightly increased battery life, increased camera quality, or the OLED displays may differ a bit. Overall though, you won't see many life-altering innovations at this stage of the smartphone development game.
Repairs are easy: There are so many phone repair stores these days. Fixing any issues that happen - like a cracked phone screen or broken port - is affordable and fast.
Own your phone - and your freedom: Financing your phone means committing to your carrier for at least a year, typically two. When you buy a used smartphone you can switch carriers any time you want.
Key considerations when buying a refurbished phone
Warranties: You don't have to buy a brand-new phone like the Samsung Galaxy S9 or Samsung Galaxy Note8 in order to get the peace of mind that comes with a warranty. Reputable sellers offer warranties ranging from 30 days (like Glyde) to a full year (from Decluttr).
Return policy: What if you need to return your phone for some reason? Seller sites have differing policies but most offer you some protection. Read the fine print so that you know how long you have to return merchandise.
Certified pre-owned: A certified phone has been thoroughly inspected and tested to ensure that it's in full working condition.
Device compatibility: Of course your new phone will have to be compatible with your wireless network. You want to buy an unlocked Android phone - this ensures that your new device is released from its prior carrier and ready to activate on yours. Also check your carrier's website to make sure it will work on their network.
Timing: Looking for the absolute lowest price on last year's model? Buy right around the time the new gen comes out - prices drop in that time period as people sell their flagship phones so they can afford the next one. For example, the price tag on the Galaxy S8 dropped as soon as the S9 came out.
Payment options: Some sellers, like Gazelle, partner with third-party phone financing companies in order to offer monthly installments. Interest varies according to your credit score.
At MoneySavingPro our goal is to put everything in one place so you don't have to scour the internet trying to find the best prices on your next smartphone.
Check out the best places to buy a used phone, then see the best cell phone deals to get the absolute lowest price on the device you want.
Switch to a cheap cell phone plan
There's no reason to spend more than you have to - on your device or your cell phone plan. Here are a couple more tips to put more money back in your pocket.
If you've heard of alternative wireless carriers like Boost Mobile or Metro by T-Mobile then you already know about MVNOs - or Mobile Virtual Network Operators.
MVNOs are smaller mobile providers that rent bandwidth on the big four networks - AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint. Because MVNOs have lower overhead and advertising costs (operating mostly online as prepaid carriers) they can sell you service on the same networks you love - for lower prices.
MVNO benefits
Up to 50% cheaper than the major carriers
Same reliable 4G LTE service you're used to
Custom plans - only pay for what you need
Solid customer service
Bring your own phone and keep your number
COMPARE NOW: Cheap Cell Phone Plans
Sell your old Android phone for cash
Sell your phone online to get the most money back for it. Phone buyback sites make it simple - all you really need to do is ship your phone off and wait to get paid!
You may be tempted to take your old phone to your carrier. The problem is that trading in your eligible device only gives you store credit, and typically much less than you'd get by handling the sale yourself.
Recap
Keep your beloved Android OS and your fast, reliable cell phone service without paying too much:
Get the lowest price on top phones like the Samsung Galaxy series.
Switch to a cheap cell phone plan with an MVNO.
Sell your old phone online for cash.
On an even tighter budget? Compare the best cheap Android phones for under $200!
