At a glance
1. Best overall
2. Best runner-up
3. Best with stylus
4. Best under $200
5. Best mid-range
6. Best for visual comfort
How to choose
With one of the best prepaid cell phones, you're basically getting an unlocked phone that'll work without issues with most (if not all) of the many no-contract service providers and MVNOs operating in the country. Although these smartphones are available at all price points, we suggest sticking to options that cost around $400 to get the maximum value for money. You'll also get all the essentials like solid everyday performance, good battery life, long software support, and even some top-of-the-line features such as wireless charging.
Namerah enjoys geeking out over accessories, gadgets, and all sorts of smart knickknacks. After writing about consumer tech for nearly a decade, she has become an expert in the Android accessories space. She spends her free time guzzling coffee, writing some more, casual gaming, and cuddling with her furry best friends.
At a glance
Best overall
The Samsung Galaxy A26 5G offers all the basics, such as a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel, reliable everyday performance, and years of OS and security updates, all for just under $300.
Best runner-up
Offering a stunning vegan leather back panel, dependable camera quality, clean software, and all connectivity features, the Moto G 2025 is among the best budget phones out there.
Best with stylus
With the Moto G Stylus 2025, you get an all-rounder smartphone that features a gorgeous display with stylus support, NFC, a 3.5mm audio port, and even wireless charging.
Best under $200
Priced at just under $200, the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G is perfect for anyone on a budget. It features a Super AMOLED panel, good battery life, and up to six years of OS and security updates.
Best mid-range
If you want flagship-like features and quality without paying a premium, go for the Samsung Galaxy A36 5G. It gives you a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, an IP67 rating, great camera performance, and feature-laden software.
Best for visual comfort
The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER features a one-of-its-kind display that has a matte finish and can be used for a long time without causing eye strain. Overall performance is decent, too.
Best overall
Offering a well-rounded set of features at a fairly reasonable price, the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G is ideal for anyone who wants a simple and reliable phone for everyday use. Priced at just $300, it comes with a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, and the screen is secured with a layer of Corning's Gorilla Glass Victus Plus
The Galaxy A26 5G is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 1380 SoC and features 6GB of RAM, along with 128GB of internal storage. These are modest specs that make the phone capable of handling basic tasks with ease. You also get an expansion slot that can take microSD cards of up to 2TB in size, so you can take your entire media library with you. Running Android 15 (with One UI 7) out of the box, the Galaxy A26 5G is set to receive up to six years of major OS and security updates, so you can keep using this thing for a long time.
As far as cameras are concerned, there's a 50MP primary sensor that can capture good photos in decent lighting conditions. That said, the 8MP ultrawide module is just about alright, and the 2MP macro unit is plain useless.
All essential connectivity and I/O options, such as dual-band Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, are included in the mix. You also get stereo speakers and a 5,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging support.
Best runner-up
Motorola is renowned for making smartphones that offer unreal bang for the buck(s), and the Moto G 2025 might be among the finest offerings yet from the company. This is a device that ticks a lot of boxes, all while costing well under $200. If you're planning to go prepaid with one of the best MVNO carriers and want a solid everyday smartphone, don't miss this one.
Featuring a vegan leather rear panel, the Moto G 2025 belies its affordable price tag. Up front, you get a 6.7-inch IPS LCD screen that comes with a 120Hz refresh rate, even if the resolution isn't exactly the best. The smartphone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 chipset, along with 4GB of RAM and up to 128GB of internal storage. As you'd expect, overall performance is decent, and there's also an expansion slot if you need more storage. You get Android 15 (with Motorola's Hello UI custom overlay) out of the box, and the device is guaranteed to receive two years of OS and three years of security updates.
There's a dual-lens camera setup at the back, but only the 50MP primary sensor is the only one worth considering. Camera quality is excellent, with good dynamic range and low-light performance, as noted by Android Central's Nicholas Sutrich in his review of the smartphone. All essentials such as NFC, stereo speakers, and even a 3.5mm audio port are included in the mix. The entire package is backed by a 5,000mAh battery with support for 30W wired charging.
Best with stylus
Take one look at the Moto G Stylus 2025, and you'll immediately realize why Motorola reigns supreme when it comes to value for money smartphones. Featuring a gorgeous 6.7-inch pOLED screen and a versatile integrated stylus, it's one of the best Android phones under $400 that you can buy.
The Moto G Stylus 5G 2025 has an incredible in-hand feel, thanks to its vegan leather back panel that's available in two funky colors. You get Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset under the hood, along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. Oh, and there's also an expansion slot in case you need more storage. With this hardware, the mid-range smartphone can handle everyday usage with ease. The software is Android 15 with Motorola's Hello UI custom overlay, and the smartphone will receive two years of OS and three years of security updates.
The Moto G Stylus 5G 2025 comes with a dual-lens primary camera system, comprising a 50MP primary module and a 13MP ultrawide unit. You also get all the connectivity and I/O basics, including NFC, and even a 3.5mm audio port. Oh, and did we mention the 5,000mAh battery with 68W wired and 15W wireless charging support?
Best under $200
If you're on a limited budget and just want a well-rounded smartphone that can get the job done, we suggest checking out the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G. Having a price of under $200, it sports a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 90Hz refresh rate. The display works well for things like web browsing, multimedia consumption, and even some gaming.
Among the best cheap Samsung phones available out there, the Galaxy A16 5G is powered by Samsung's own Exynos 1330 SoC and 4GB of RAM. As such, the device is suitable for lightweight everyday tasks. You also get 128GB of onboard storage and a microSD slot for storing all your music, photos, and all other files. The software support is arguably the biggest highlight of this affordable smartphone, as the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G will receive up to six years of major OS and security updates over the Android 14 that it comes with out of the box. If you like to use your devices for a long time, this could be the smartphone for you.
You also get a triple-lens camera setup at the back, but only the 50MP primary sensor can click decent pictures in good lighting conditions. Don't expect much from the 5MP ultra-wide module, and the 2MP macro unit is best ignored altogether. Other notable additions include NFC, IP54 rating, and a 5,000mAh battery with support for 25W wired charging.
Best mid-range
Want a Samsung smartphone that offers a premium user experience without spending a fortune on a top-tier flagship? Look no further than the Galaxy A36 5G, which packs a 120Hz 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen, IP67 certification, and many other perks at a reasonable price of just under $400.
Even though the Galaxy A36 5G has a plastic frame, the front and back are made of glass. The smartphone is driven by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, along with 6GB of RAM, up to 256GB of internal storage, and microSD expansion support. Sure, this is not the fastest hardware out there, but it's more than enough for web browsing, multimedia streaming, and light gaming. The device runs Android 15 (with One UI 7 custom overlay) out of the box, and thanks to Samsung's excellent update policy, the Galaxy A36 5G will get up to six years of OS and security updates.
There's a triple-lens primary camera setup at the back, with a 50MP primary sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide module, and a 5MP macro lens. You can expect to shoot some very good photos and videos with these cameras, even in dimly lit conditions. The Samsung Galaxy A36 5G also comes with stereo speakers, NFC, as well as a 5,000mAh battery with 45W wired charging support.
Best for visual comfort
Even though modern-day smartphone displays are a treat to look at, using them for long periods of time strains our eyes quite a lot. Thankfully, phones like the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER exist to tackle (at least, to some extent) that issue. If you use your smartphone for activities like reading and web browsing, you're going to love this thing.
The biggest visual differentiator of the 60 XE NXTPAPER is its 6.78-inch IPS LCD panel, which uses TCL's NXTPAPER technology (hence the name) to improve visual comfort. The display comes with a matte finish that not only reduces glare but also keeps away smudges and fingerprints. As noted by Android Central's Derrek Lee in his review, it's like having an integrated screen protector. There's also a multi-layer that's claimed to filter up to 60% more blue light than other devices. Oh, and that's not all. The phone comes with a physical button on the side that transforms the display to be like that of an e-reader, allowing you to read eBooks and comics with ease.
Talking about hardware, the MediaTek Dimensity 6100 Plus SoC and 8GB of RAM are alright for basic usage, but don't expect much. You also get a triple-lens rear camera system with a 50MP primary unit, a 5MP ultra-wide lens, and a 2MP depth module. The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER is backed by a 5,010mAh battery with support for 18W wired charging.
How to choose
Which prepaid smartphone will work the best for you?
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.
With the growing popularity of no-contract service providers and the flexibility they offer when it comes to switching carriers, more and more consumers are now opting to go the MVNO route. If that includes you, you might want to get one of the best prepaid cell phones that'll work flawlessly with just about any prepaid carrier operating in the country. Even though all the options listed above are fully compatible with 5G, you can expect solid LTE coverage even in areas where 5G connectivity is not yet that good. The majority of these smartphones are quite affordable and include practical features such as good battery life and years of software and security updates.
Our top vote goes to the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G, which includes a big Super AMOLED display, feature-rich software with long software support, and great battery endurance. You can also consider the Moto G 2025, which packs several improvements over its predecessor and looks far more premium than what its humble price tag might have you believe. If modern-day smartphones and their displays make your eyes feel tired, we recommend the TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER. It might not have the best hardware specifications, but the matte-finished display with e-ink modes makes it stand out from the crowd.
- MVNO deals: Mint Mobile | Visible | Boost | Tello | Cricket
