Quick Top Picks: The Best Budget Smartphone Under £100

The Best Budget Smartphone Under £100

Are you currently strapped for cash and looking to purchase a new mobile phone without worrying about performance issues? Or are you someone looking for a great entry-level handset, perfect enough to cover all your daily needs at an affordable price?

Whatever your reasons, a range of budget phones are ready for the taking. Keep reading to discover the best devices currently out there.

Afterwards, why not also explore our range of refurbished phones? At UR.co.uk, you can receive a top-of-the-range device at a great price.

• Refurbished options open up a whole new range of high-quality handsets, otherwise considered unaffordable if bought brand new.

• The best place to begin is by exploring the refurbished Google Pixel range if you want to purchase a great budget phone.

• Are you an iPhone enthusiast wanting to stay within the Apple ecosystem? Try exploring older options.

The problem with more inexpensive devices is discovering which ones are worth buying.

Time and time again, brands proclaim to offer the next best budget smartphone with all the nifty features of a high-end device. And yet, time and time again, they fall short of fulfilling this promise, instead providing handsets with poor battery life and performance, quality only lasting six months at best.

To overcome these shortcomings, we've scoured various collections to provide you with a list of the best budget smartphones for under £100 that will last you for years.

This includes handsets from brands such as  Samsung, Google, and Apple, so you can choose from a variation based on your personal preference.

Considering its price point is just under £100, the refurbished Google Pixel 4A offers some fantastic features.

This affordable smartphone boasts a curved polycarbonate construction and a lightweight frame, making it perfect for holding in the hand for long periods without straining your wrist.

The device has a nearly bezel-less screen, which is rare in affordable handsets, and a rear-mounted fingerprint scanner that allows easy accessible to your device with a single tap. 

What sets this compact phone apart from the rest is its camera system. The refurbished Pixel 4A features a single 12.2MP rear main camera and an 8MP front camera, designed to capture fantastic images in various lighting conditions. Read more here.

Plus, with the refurbished Google Pixel 4A 128GB model, you'll have ample storage space to keep them.

Verdict: This budget phone is your best bet if you want a cheap smartphone with great features. 

The refurbished Samsung Galaxy A21s is only a slight step down from the Pixel 4A.

The Pixel 4A's display is slightly better than that of the A21s, with its 1.64x higher pixel density and a 2.19x higher resolution, designed to provide a crisper, punchier visual experience. Despite this, the Galaxy A21s comes with some great features.

In benchmark tests, the A21s has decent battery life performance, lasting 22 hours and 48 minutes when playing looped videos in flight mode. Read more here.

And if you enjoy a great camera for snapping photos when out and about, you won't be disappointed with this budget phone either.

The A21s has a triple camera system on the back, consisting of a 48MP main lens, an 8MP wide-angle lens, and a 2MP macro lens, each taking sharp, bright images, surprisingly so for a smartphone of its price range.

Verdict:  Although the Pixel 4A slightly outshines the A21s in certain aspects, the refurbished Samsung Galaxy A21s 32GB remains one of the best budget phones currently available from this brand.

The refurbished iPhone 8 is, without a doubt, a much older model than the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy mentioned above.

But if you want an affordable phone within the Apple range, either as an entry-level device or for basic daily needs, the refurbished iPhone 8 will be your best bet.

Although not powerful enough to handle intense tasks, it offers reliable performance when undertaking basic activities, like texting, emailing, calling, and scrolling through social media, with ease years after its original release in 2017.

It also comes with the much-beloved Apple iPhone features like the Apple App Store and Apple Pay, alongside wireless charging to ensure you're never tethered to a plug again.

Plus, the iPhone 8 also has a decent camera on the back, suitable enough to take noise-free snapshots to capture moments with friends for a quick social media post.

Verdict:  Truthfully, if you want better features, it's best to go with the budget phones mentioned above. However, if you want a simple entry-level Apple handset, either for yourself or your kids, the refurbished iPhone 8 64GB is the one to go for.

Have you also considered extra costs?

Purchasing a budget phone within your price range is fantastic, but the added extras can bump the price to nearly unaffordable. We're talking about delivery costs, insurance, and much-needed accessories to make your mobile experience even more enjoyable.

The good news is that you don't have to worry about these things when you shop at UR.co.uk. Here's what we can offer you when you purchase one of these phones from us today.

• FREE UK Delivery:  All our affordable phones come with FREE UK Delivery, saving you an extra £5 or so on transport costs.

• FREE Insurance:  You'll also receive FREE insurance to protect your gadget from various unfortunate incidents, like accidental loss, damage, and more.

• FREE £45 Worth of Accessories:  You'll also gain £45 worth of accessories with your purchase on selected Apple devices.

Above, we offer a few options that guarantee fantastic performance at an affordable price.

The Pixel 4a is an excellent phone overall, both in terms of performance and camera quality. Yet, if you're a Samsung or Apple enthusiast, you'll be more than happy with the Galaxy A21s or the iPhone 8. Which one you decide to choose depends on the features you value most.

Also, when you purchase from UR.co.uk, you contribute to a sustainable initiative. Check out our commitment to sustainability to discover more.

Let's make the future brighter for all, one phone at a time.