You can now get no-contract Android phones for $100 or less with pretty decent features including a few 5G 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 most developers make apps for Android as well as iOS. So you can share your photos and videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok etc. So, unless you're set on an Apple iPhone, here are some pretty good options below.
Tracfone has offered Android phones for a few years now.
Here are some of the handsets available for under $100.
Samsung Handsets:
Motorola handsets:
Alcatel handsets:
Older Handsets (discontinued) 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 a little more.
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.
The line-up is essentially the same as the Tracfone line-up with some differences in pricing.
NET10 monthly plans start at $40 per month. They offer many of the same phones as Tracfone and Straight Talk:
Older Phones
Verizon offers a few basic smartphones under $100:
They have a couple of phones listed at less than $200 that are allegedly 50% off, however when I tested it, the discount didn't show up in the shopping cart. I went on to their customer chat to ask about the discount. They asked me to fill out their order form which asked for my SSN. I repeated my question. I was asked to wait a moment and then told to wait to connect to the "expert", i.e. someone designated to answer questions about their prepaid service. After a few minutes of research, I was told the discount only applies if you order the $65 per month 15GB plan. So if you're willing to spend that amount per month, you can technically also get the following phones for under $100:
As long as you sign up for at least the $15 per month 2GB plan, you can get these Boost Mobile phones for under $100:
Consumer Cellular now carries smartphones. They currently offer one Android phone that's under $100: the Avid 589 for $79.
The next lowest cost phone is the Motorola Moto g pure for $121. Consumer Cellular encourage you to pay on the installment plan. In addition to making it seem cheaper, it also means that you will probably stay on the plan until the phone is paid off.
With AT&T there are two sets of discounted phones. For some you need to sign up for at least the $30 per month plan and for the others you need to sign up for the $65 per month plan.
These phones require the $30 plan:
This phone requires the $65 plan:
Cricket offers many Android phones for under $100 as long as you sign up for a plan. Which plans you need to sign up for depend on the phone, on whether you're an existing customer or a new customer, on whether you want to keep your current number or get a new number etc. It's a pain. overall, some of the higher-end phones require the $55 or $60 per month plan, which a few of the lower-end phones only require the $30 a month plan. Still here's the list of phones that are technically available, but make sure you read the fine print.
Honorable Mention: Samsung Galaxy A32 5G $109.99
MetroPCS is available in many more areas now that it has been acquired by T-Mobile. They have several phones for under a $100, many even "free". This, however, includes an instant rebate, but it's not clear whether the amount of the rebate depends on whether you visit a store or order online. For switching numbers or upgrading your phone, you have to visit a store. For new numbers you can order online. These phones are listed below with their after-rebate prices:
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.
The Android robot is reproduced or modified from work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.