No Contract Android Phones for $100 or Less

You can now get no-contract Android phones for $100 or less with pretty decent features including a few 4G phones. One downside is that some of these companies don’t let you move the phone to another company. On the upside, here’s a way to limit your spending if you’re unfamiliar with their service.

While these aren't always the latest phones, you can still do pretty much what you need with them. Nowadays developers seem to make apps for Android as well as iOS. So you can share you photos via not just Facebook, but also Instagram and Vine. So, unless you're set on an Apple iPhone, here are some pretty good options below.

Tracfone

Tracfone now offers Android phones. Handsets available include the ZTE Valet, Huawei Glory, a few LG phones: the Optimus Dynamic, the Optimus Fuel, and the Ultimate 2. Also available are the Unimax MaxPatriot, the Samsung Galaxy Centura, and the Moto e.

The other smartphones available from them cost just a little more.

Straight Talk

Straight Talk Wireless has one of the most attractive unlimited no-contract plans at $45 per month. This includes unlimited data. They have a pretty good line-up, and you can choose which major network you will use, by choosing the phone you buy.

These smartphones qualify:

• LG Optimus Black
• LG Optimus Dynamic & Dynamic II
• LG Optimus Fuel
• LG Optimus Logic
• LG Optimus Q
• LG Optimus Quest
• LG Optimus Showtime
• LG Optimus Zip
• Samsung Galaxy Centura
• Samsung Galaxy Precedent.
• Samsung Galaxy Discover
• Huawei Ascend II
• Huawei Ascend Y
• Huawei Inspira
• ZTE Illustra
• ZTE Whirl
• ZTE Valet
• ZTE Merit
• ZTE Midnight

Net10

NET10 monthly plans start at $40 per month. They offer many of the same phones as Straight Talk:

• LG Optimus: Dynamic, Dynamic II, Fuel,
• Moto e
• Samsung Galaxy: Ace, Centura, Discover, and Precedent
• Huawei: Inspira, Glory, Ascend Y and Ascend II
• ZTE: Majesty, Midnight, Savvy, and Valet

Verizon No-Contract Phones

With the new $45 Allset plan, Verizon now offers a good selection that fits the bill:

• LG Transpyre, Optimus Zone 2, and Optimus Exceed 2
  
• Moto G and Luge
  
• Nokia Lumia 928 (Certified Pre-owned)
  

In addition, you can also get the older iPhone 4 with for under $100 as well.

Virgin Mobile USA

Virgin Mobile also has a few smartphones under that magic number. However, they frequently run sales so different models can cost less than $100 depending on the sale. Here's a list from 01/20/2015:

• Samsung Galaxy Ring
• LG Tribute (4G LTE)
• ZTE Awe
• ZTE Reef
• Kyocera Rise
• Kyocera Event
• HTC Desire 510

Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile has a few models that meet the criterion such as

• HTC One SV and Desire 510
• Kyocera Hydro Icon, Hydro Edge, Hydro, and Milano
• LG Realm, Tribute, and Venice
• Moto G
• Samsung Transform Ultra
• Samsung Galaxy Rush & Prevail 2
• ZTe Warp Sequent and Speed

Freedom Pop

Freedom Pop is the latest to come out with a set of attractive phones and plans. In particular, the plan offers the ZTE Force at varying price points, but all at less than our target price here. This handset is a 4G LTE phone.

Kajeet

Kajeet specializes in phones with parental controls for kids. Smart blocker technology addresses problems such as abusive text messages to go with attractive unlimited texting plans. The data packages do cost extra. The lineup of smartphones often includes one or two on sale at prices near the $100 mark. When I checked, these phones qualified:

• Motorola Admiral

This model has an upright QWERTY keyboard.

Consumer Cellular

Consumer Cellular now carriers smartphones. They offer the Huawei Vision 2 and the Moto G at $100. A couple of other phones are listed as starting at $100, but those require additional payments. Note, they do not have a plan that includes unlimited data, so you will have to choose based on how much of your network use will be while you have access to a WiFi network.

AT&T GoPhone

The GoPhone options include these phones:

• ZTE Avail 2 14.99 (refurb)
• ZTE Radiant 24.99 (refurb)
• Nokia Lumia 520 34.99 (refurb)
• ZTE Z998 44.99 (refurb)
• ZTE 667 49.99
• Nokia Lumia 635 69.99
• ZTE Compel 69.99

T-Mobile

T-Mobile offers these Android phones:

• LG Optimus F3 $79.99 including $30 refill plus $15 SIM kit - $94.99
• ZTE Zinger $49.99 plus $15 SIM kit plus initial $30 refill card = $94.99

Cricket

Cricket offers the

• Kyocera Hydro & Hydro Plus
• Samsung Galaxy Discover
• ZTE Source & Engage MT

MetroPCS

MetroPCS is available in many more areas nowadays. Phones they offer include:

• Alcatel OneTouch Fierce & Evolve
• Huawei Valiant & Vitria
• Kyocera Hydro XTRM
• LG Optimus F3, F6 & L70
• Nokia Lumia 521
• Samsung Galaxy Exhibit

Summary:

You have a lot of choices in no-contract Android phones even when you limit the price to $100. so pick a plan and choose your phone.

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