Prepaid carriers have come a long way over the last ten years, and now just about any unlocked phone will work with these wireless networks, from the most budget devices to feature-packed foldables. But if you're looking to get the best value for money, the Android phones under $350 below are the right place to start. The OnePlus Nord N20 has all of the right features with fast hardware, good cameras, and support for sub-6 5G.
The best phones for prepaid carriers under $350
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G feels like a return to form for OnePlus with hardware specs that exceed expectations for the price. Build quality also feels strong, with an attractive utilitarian design that makes it look like it costs more than it really does. The AMOLED display may only be 60Hz, but with a high 1080x2400 resolution, it looks sharp and vibrant.
The Snapdragon 695 CPU feels like the perfect fit, with enough power to keep things running smoothly, and the efficiency to make the 4,500mAh battery lasts all day with ease. Like Google's low-cost Pixels, the N20 reminds us that a cheap phone can still have excellent cameras with its 64MP main shooter, 2MP macro camera, and 2MP monochrome sensor. We were thoroughly impressed by the photos in our Nord N20 review.
Even if you're a proficient phone photographer who can put a battery through its paces, you can top up the battery in a snap with support for 33W charging with a charger in the box. Beyond that, this phone ships with Android 11 with the promise of an Android 12 release down the road, to keep it feeling modern for a bit longer. It supports sub-6 5G on T-Mobile's network which includes the vast majority of its coverage including the faster band 41.
When most folks are trying to choose a prepaid smartphone for less than $350, they often come down to the Samsung Galaxy A23 vs. the OnePlus Nord N20. While the latter earned the top spot on this list, the A23 follows close behind, thanks to some outstanding hardware and an accessible price tag.
The Samsung Galaxy A23 has the same Snapdragon 695 processor as the N20, along with a vibrant 6.6-inch 120Hz FHD display and a large 5,000 battery that’ll easily last a full day on a single charge. You’ll also get the benefits of Android 12 OS with support for up to two upgrades, which means you could be using your A23 for years before it becomes obsolete. It doesn’t come with as much RAM as the Nord N20 and the latter phone’s camera software is definitely superior, but the Galaxy A23’s expandable storage (to 1TB) and improved battery life makes choosing between the two phones a tough call.
Typically priced at around $299.99, the Galaxy A23 is a bit more expensive than the OnePlus Nord N20, but it’s important to note again that the phone is set to receive two updates beyond Android 12, which means you’ll be covered until at least 2024. If device longevity is important to you, the Galaxy A23 is a great phone to pair with a prepaid carrier.
Motorola has been one of the big supporters of 5G, with a handful of affordable 5G phones giving users the latest network tech without needing to buy a flagship phone. As we saw in our Moto G Stylus 5G review, this phone has impressive performance thanks to its Snapdragon 695 CPU from Qualcomm. This extra power is helpful for showing off the Stylus 5G's large 6.8-inch LCD with a responsive 120Hz refresh rate. Don't forget you can control this screen with the included stylus.
Motorola has included a large 5,000mAh battery which should keep most users humming along all day without needing to find a charger. Even so, it's worth noting that charging speeds on this phone are far from impressive with the underwhelming 10W charger in the box.
The 50MP main camera on the back isn't going to win any awards next to a flagship phone. Still, considering its price, it's a good package that can deliver some vibrant images, even in challenging lighting conditions. This praise, however, does not extend to the selfie camera, which was underwhelming in most situations. Overall, this is a good phone for someone looking for 5G compatibility, solid battery life, and a large responsive display.
It's nice that Nokia doesn't get carried away with changes to Android and opts to stick much closer to a stock experience. The G50 is powered by the Snapdragon 480 and while it isn't going to top any benchmarks, it has enough power to handle most Android apps with ease and can even do a bit of gaming if you keep your expectations in check. This CPU also sips power making the 5,000mAh battery that easily lasts all day, though the 18W charger means you'll need a bit of patience getting it up to 100%.
This phone will have Android 11 out of the box but can and should be upgraded to Android 12 first thing. Nokia sticks to a clean build of Android and that's a good thing. Nokia is also promising two years of OS updates and three years of security monthly security updates. We're not fans of the pre-installed apps on the phone, but for the price, it's not too much work to remove them.
This phone supports 5G with decent sub-6 band support, including n71, n5, n66, n41, and n78. This means that you'll get access to nationwide 5G on the major U.S. carriers with support for T-Mobile's faster 5G speeds. Wi-Fi 6 is also included unlike some other phones with this CPU.
The OnePlus Nord N200 5G is a lot of phone for the price with solid specs, good build quality, and a massive battery. Even in our in-depth Nord N200 review, its Snapdragon 480 CPU performed admirably. The large 6.49-inch, 1080x2400 IPS display refreshes at 90Hz making this phone feel even nicer to use. It only comes with 64GB of storage but with one of the best microSD cards, there's plenty of room to grow.
This phone comes with Android 11 out of the box, but you can immediately update it to Android 12. While we don't expect this phone's OS to be upgraded further, it will get three years of security updates so you can keep using it with confidence. And while you don't get pure Android, Oxygen OS is clean and fast enough for most people to be quite happy.
One clear sacrifice is the cameras. The main 13MP sensor failed to impress in our Nord N200 5G review with anything less than brightly lit scenes. Even so, images are serviceable as long as you're not nurturing a social media career from your phone. That's not to say it doesn't have the endurance with a massive 5,000mAh battery easily getting even heavy users to the end of the day. It still would have been nice to see faster charging than the included 18W brick can deliver.
The Samsung Galaxy A13 5G doesn't hit the mark on every spec, starting with a disappointing display rocking an old-fashioned PLS TFT LCD panel at just 720x1600 resolution. Luckily, this is where most of the harsh criticism ends. This phone is powered by the same MediaTek Dimensity 700 chipset found in other phones at this price range, so it will have enough power for most Android apps outside of 3D games.
It comes with a large 5,000mAh battery though its 15W charging speed is a bit lacking. The A13 5G's main 50MP camera can take some decent images in good lighting but will struggle in low light conditions.
Where this phone starts to make up some ground is in software. Samsung has promised two OS updates for this device so an Android 13 update should eventually make it to the phone. Perhaps more important is the four years of security updates and the Knox security platform. Samsung Knox security can keep sensitive information safe with multi-layered security in the event of theft or loss. This cheap phone punches above its weight in software and performance and can be a great pairing for a prepaid carrier.
What prepaid phone is best?
More and more people are looking to leave contracts behind, especially if they know how to switch carriers, and prepaid carriers offer a lot of value. In fact, most of the best cheap Android phones will work on just about any prepaid carrier. Most of these phones here will work on any carrier with LTE, but 5G compatibility can be a bit less predictable. Even so, the software has gotten a big boost on cheap phones, thanks to more manufacturers committing to multiple years of updates.
Overall, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G delivers the best overall experience with very little meaningful compromise. While it will only work on T-Mobile's network and must be purchased through its official prepaid brands, it's still an incredible value. This phone supports 5G on T-Mobile's fastest bands and the Snapdragon 695 shames other phones at this price. While it won't get OS updates beyond Android 12, three years of security updates mean you can keep using it with confidence.
- MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket
