Best smartphones for under $100 (roundup)
Jessica Dolcourt picks her latest favorites that cost less than a Benjamin.
Jessica Dolcourt Senior Director, Commerce & Content Operations
Jessica Dolcourt is a passionate content strategist and veteran leader of CNET coverage. As Senior Director of Commerce & Content Operations, she leads a number of teams, including Commerce, How-To and Performance Optimization. Her CNET career began in 2006, testing desktop and mobile software for Download.com and CNET, including the first iPhone and Android apps and operating systems. She continued to review, report on and write a wide range of commentary and analysis on all things phones, with an emphasis on iPhone and Samsung. Jessica was one of the first people in the world to test, review and report on foldable phones and 5G wireless speeds.
Jessica began leading CNET's How-To section for tips and FAQs in 2019, guiding coverage of topics ranging from personal finance to phones and home. She holds an MA with Distinction from the University of Warwick (UK).
Expertise Content strategy, team leadership, audience engagement, iPhone, Samsung, Android, iOS, tips and FAQs.
2 min read
When it comes to picking out a smartphone that'll cost you less than $100, there's plenty of good news to go around. Constant sales on older-model phones mean that carriers are giving away great handsets in exchange for your two-year contract commitment.
Thanks to pitched smartphone and carrier competition, more excellent handsets launch at less than $100, too, and I'm not talking about phones labeled $99.99, even though many of those, like the Nokia Lumia 900, offer great value in their own right.
Here's my current crop of favorites, in no particular order.
We all wondered if Nokia was making the right decision when it introduced the $50 Lumia 710, a budget smartphone, as its first U.S. Windows phone. The company's strategy seems to have paid off, since the Lumia 710 isn't just a likeable phone, but also a moderate hit.
A front-facing camera, 4G (HSPA+) speeds, a decent 3-megapixel main camera, and Android 2.3 Gingerbread for only $30? Not bad, T-Mobile! Sure, you can only nail down the price after a $50 mail-in rebate, and the handset may never see an Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich update, but that's a pretty decent little package for not a lot of dough. Read the full review of the Samsung Exhibit 4G II.
Two colors -- red and titanium -- and a horde of features make the $50, 4G LTE-ready Burst the cell phone country's best value Android phone. It has a beautiful 4-inch Super AMOLED display, a dual-core 1.5GHz processor, a great 5-megapixel camera, and a front-facing camera to boot. Read the full review of the Pantech Burst.
Another $50-at-launch phone with a Super AMOLED screen, the Focus Flash is a terrific budget Windows Phone with the complete package: dual cameras, a fast 1.4GHz processor, and a surprisingly strong speakerphone. I also like the classy design and the support for HSPA+, which was AT&T's fastest data network before it launched LTE, after the phone's release. Read the full review of the Samsung Focus Flash.
Pantech knows how to create some solid design and good value. The Breakout's LTE-capability proves that a little can go a long way. There are some problems with the camera on the Android 2.3 Gingerbread phone, but the call quality is a plus. Read the full review of the Pantech Breakout.
Looking for specs and pricing? Compare these phones head-to-head.
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