Best Phones Under $150 – Top 10 List – Unlocked
Looking for the best phones under $150 in 2022? I created a list that contains the best Unlocked phones under $150 that can help you!
If you want a phone under $150, you need to know the best specs that you can get for that price range and the variety of brands that you can choose from.
Also, if you are on a very tight budget, unlocked phones can be generally cheaper compared to phones that are tied up to network plans. The latter can also be less than $150 but will require you to spend more on fixed monthly plans (e.g., postpaid internet) on a specific network provider only instead of being able to select the cheapest offers out there from any network and pay only when you need their service (e.g., prepaid internet). You may want to take that into consideration.
Now, let’s take a look at the Top 10 Best Phones under $150.
Updated the list on November 03, 2022.
Contents
I. Best Specs Rundown for a $150 budget
II. Top 10 – Phone Details Review
Best Specs Rundown for a $150 budget
RAM
The size of Random-Access Memory or RAM has a huge effect on the performance of the phone that you are going to buy. A larger RAM will allow you to run more applications simultaneously without experiencing lag compared to a smaller RAM. When you run an application or game, it consumes a specific amount of RAM until you close it.
If you have many applications in the background and your phone starts to lag, this means that you have to close some of your background running applications in order to free some RAM so that your phone will run smoothly again. For a budget under $150, you can already get a phone with 3GB to 6GB RAM.
CPU
CPU or Central Processing Unit also affects the performance of the phone. A phone CPU can be classified as low-range, mid-range, or high-range. Low-range CPUs are less fast compared to mid-range CPUs. You can expect phones under $150 to have a mid-range CPU. High-range CPUs are usually found in smartphones over $800.
The challenge with CPUs is that it is difficult for a normal buyer to identify the classification of the CPU of the phone they are buying. Even after identifying the classification, comparing phone CPUs under the same classification is also not easy. Information such as the number of cores and gigahertz (GHz) are numbers that can be confusing. In the Phone Details section of this article, I will identify them for you.
Most websites that review CPU performance of phones use tools and benchmarks to test CPU speed and compare it with other phones. However, after reading the results, most buyers will still find it difficult to understand the graphs without actually experiencing the use of any of the units that are used to compare those phones.
Moreover, the overall speed and performance of the phone are generally determined by the combination of RAM size, CPU specs, and the Operating System. You can get an idea of the level of performance by looking at the paper description of these specs, but the best way for you to know the performance of the phone is to read the comments from the people who already bought the phone.
Camera
The rear camera specs of phones under $150 may range from 8 to 16 MP which is pretty decent. You can also find phones that have quad-camera specs in this budget range. Quad-camera allows you to capture photos with better depth, wide-lens photos, and macro photos of small objects.
Display
The display technology that you can usually find in phones under $150 is an IPS LCD display. This display technology is very vivid and can also be found in more expensive phones like iPhones. This type of technology is also very energy-efficient.
When it comes to the display’s sharpness, you must consider the combination of the display size and display resolution because both affect the pixel density. Pixel density is measured in PPI or Pixels Per Inch. The higher the PPI, the sharper the screen display. However, you do not need a phone with a very high pixel density.
Even the older iPhones only settle at 326 PPI as compared to other high-end phones that have around 500 PPI. This is because a very high PPI will not make a difference due to the limit of what our eyes can see.
For phones under $150, you can expect up to 395 PPI. This range is already very decent and satisfactory.
OS
Almost all phones under $150 on the list have Android 10.0 or Android 11.0.
Battery
Although the length of battery life is affected by many factors such as display size, type, brightness, CPU efficiency, Operating System, background running applications, your own usage, and more, you can still have a clue by looking at the battery capacity of the phone which is measured in mAh.
A great battery capacity today will range from 4000 to 5000 mAh for display sizes between 5.5 inches to 6 inches regardless of the budget range. Since there are many factors affecting battery life, you can always check the review comments of the people who already bought the phone.
Storage
You can get up to 128 GB of internal storage for a phone under $150. This storage size is already big for most users. If you store a lot of videos and large files, most or all of these phones allow the use of a microSD card which can double or triple your storage.
Top 10 – Phone Details Review
1. Moto G Power (Highly recommended)
Display: 6.6 inches; 720 x 1600 pixels, 20:9 ratio (266 PPI); IPS LCD
OS: Android 10
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Camera: Triple-camera: 48 MP, f/1.7, (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro); 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
CPU: Qualcomm SM6115 Snapdragon 662 (11 nm); Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Kryo 260 Gold & 4×1.8 GHz Kryo 260 Silver)
Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 129.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
Motorola Moto G Power is one of my favorites on the list. With the specs and price point of this smartphone, you are getting more than what you paid for. At less than $150, it already has a Qualcomm mid-range processor which is pretty good.
Imagine the size of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, that’s almost the same size as the display of this smartphone. The battery capacity is big enough to last very long.
On Amazon.com, you can read up to 4,400 reviews for this smartphone to confirm if it can meet your needs. It’s a GSM / CDMA smartphone and compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T Mobile. It also works with prepaid carriers, including Cricket Wireless, Metro by T-Mobile, Simple Mobile, Total Wireless, Tracfone, Net10, Mint, Tracfone, and H2O.
2. Samsung Galaxy S10e (Renewed, Highly Recommended)
Display: 5.8 inches; 1080 x 2280 pixels, 19:9 ratio (438 ppi density); Dynamic AMOLED, HDR10+
OS: Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 12
RAM: 6 GB
Storage: 128 GB
Camera: Dual Camera: (1) 12 MP, f/1.5-2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55″, 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS; (2) 16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1/3.1″, 1.0µm, Super Steady video
Chipset: Qualcomm SM8150 Snapdragon 855 (7 nm); Octa-core (1×2.84 GHz Kryo 485 & 3×2.42 GHz Kryo 485 & 4×1.78 GHz Kryo 485)
Battery: Li-Ion 3100 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 132.45
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
Samsung is also one of my favorite brands. The brand is very popular like Apple and their handsets and customer service are superb.
This smartphone is a renewed version which is why it’s very cheap now. The camera is awesome, the RAM is stunning 6GB and there is a lot of storage space for your files. Not only that, it has a high resolution and an AMOLED screen!
It also has more than 10,000 reviews on Amazon.com that you can check out.
What should I expect to receive with my Amazon Renewed purchase and in what condition?
All Amazon Renewed purchases will come with accessories that may not be original but will be compatible and fully functional. No headphones or SIM card will be present. Amazon Renewed products will be packaged in either original packaging or in a new and clean cardboard box. The products will have batteries that exceed 80% capacity relative to new. The product will be restored to its original factory settings and will be in one of the following conditions:
Excellent condition
– Cosmetic condition: Excellent (Screen: no scratches. Body: no signs of cosmetic damage (scratches, dents, etc.) will be visible when the product is held 12 inches away).
– Functional condition: Fully Functional (exceeds 80% of original battery life, generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided).
Good condition
– Cosmetic condition: Good (Screen: no scratches. Body: light scratches, barely visible when holding the device 12 inches away and imperceptible to touch).
– Functional condition: Fully Functional (exceeds 80% of original battery life, generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided).
Acceptable condition
– Cosmetic condition: Acceptable (Screen: may have a small number of shallow scratches, invisible when the screen is turned on. Body: light scratches, clearly visible when holding the device 12 inches away and perceptible to touch).
– Functional condition: Fully Functional (exceeds 80% of original battery life, generic or OEM accessories and packaging provided).
3. Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (Highly Recommended)
Display: 6.53 inches; 1080 x 2340 pixels (395 PPI); IPS LCD
OS: Android 10, MIUI 12
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Camera: Quad-camera: 48 MP, f/1.8, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF; 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm; 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro), AF, 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
CPU: MediaTek Helio G85 (12nm); Octa-core (2×2.0 GHz Cortex-A75 & 6×1.8 GHz Cortex-A55)
Battery: Li-Po 5020 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 149.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
Xiaomi is a popular Chinese brand for releasing phones that have better specs at a lower price. An example of this is the Pocophone F1 smartphone that I got in 2018 which packs the same processing power (CPU and RAM) but costs almost four times less than the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 that was released in the same year.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, on the other hand, has a mid-range CPU. The display sharpness (395 PPI) is very close to the display sharpness of $800+ smartphones.
For less than $150, you can get 64GB of internal storage. This is twice the storage size of most of the phones on this list. It also has 3GB RAM.
Another amazing feature of this smartphone is the Quad-camera.
It has a wide-angle lens, primary lens, depth lens, and macro lens.
The primary lens is 48MP with an aperture size of f/1.8. That’s a very high resolution and large aperture size compared to the camera of the other phones on the list. The large aperture size allows more light to come in when you take a picture so that the photo quality is better even during nighttime.
The wide-angle lens allows you to capture wider images which are perfect for capturing photos of sceneries while traveling. The depth lens or sensor gives a shallow depth of field effect so that your captured images will not be just plain 2D photos. The macro lens will let you capture photos of small objects with great detail.
The battery capacity is also big. It can run up to 14 hours of video playback. It also supports 18W fast charging using a Type-C USB port.
The package comes with the unit, Power adapter (10W), USB Type-C cable, Soft Case, User Guide, and Warranty Card.
Although this phone is unlocked, you must know the list of network bands supported by this phone. The following is the list of network bands:
- HSDPA 850 / 900 / 2100
- LTE B1 (2100) B2 (1900 PCS) B3 (1800 +) B4 (1700/2100 AWS 1) B5 (850) B7 (2600) B8 (900) B20 (800 DD) B28 (700 APT) B38 (TD 2600) B40 (TD 2300)
You must check with your preferred carrier first if they support these bands before getting this phone.
4. OUKITEL WP5 Rugged (For the clumsy [cough], I mean for those with an Active Lifestyle)
(IP68 Waterproof, Dustproof, and Drop-proof)
Display: 5.5 inches HD
OS: Android 10
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 32 GB
Camera: 13MP+2MP+2MP Triple Rear Cameras & Dual SIM Cards OUKITEL WP5 smartphone is equipped with a 13MP + 2 MP + 2MP rear lens
CPU: Mediatek Helio A22 MT6761 processor
Battery: 8,000 mAh
Price: USD 149.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
Oukitel is a smartphone brand that is manufacturing phones since 2007. I included the Oukitel WP5 on the “under $150” top list because it has features that the other phones on the list are not offering.
The unique feature of this phone is that it is waterproof IP68 certified, dustproof (IEC 60529), drop-proof and shockproof.
You can use it underwater down to 1.5 meters for 30 minutes. It is also certified and can handle up to 1.2-meter drops. If you are into outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, surfing, or simply as clumsy as me, this phone is a good fit. It comes with a huge battery capacity so it will definitely last long while you are outdoors.
OUKITEL WP5 has a mid-range CPU and 3G and LTE network technology.
Despite the rugged feature, it is a fast phone that can handle complex tasks smoothly.
The battery of the WP5 rugged cell phone is 8000mAh. This smartphone can even act as a power bank! It can charge most smartphones over 3 times, and it can also charge tablets. Suitable for business trips or other outdoor activities.
OUKITEL WP5 is a global phone wide-use covering all major carriers in Asia, Europe, and America. It can work with GSM carriers such as T-mobile, Metro PCS, etc (does NOT support Sprint and Verizon).
The front camera can accurately identify the facial features when unlocking your phone. In addition, fingerprint recognition is also a quick way to unlock the phone. Featured with 4 LED Flashes and many outdoor tools, such as Compass, Noise Test, Magnifier, Hang Painting, Plumb, extremely convenient for travel, outdoor works, and sports.
5. Samsung Galaxy A10e (Renewed)
Display: 5.83 inches; 720 x 1560 pixels, 295 ppi density; PLS LCD
OS: Android 9.0 (Pie), upgradable to Android 11
RAM: 2 GB
Storage: 32 GB
Camera: 8 MP, f/1.9, AF w/ LED flash, panorama, HDR – Selfie Camera: 5 MP, f/2.0
CPU: Exynos 7884 (14 nm); Octa-core (2×1.6 GHz Cortex-A73 & 6×1.35 GHz Cortex-A53)
Battery: Li-Ion 3000 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 94.00
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
For its cheap price, the Galaxy A10e is actually a very nice phone. It has a decent low-range processor. And it also has a decent camera and a very good battery life.
You can read over 2,300 comments on Amazon to further check its performance.
The product is refurbished, fully functional, and in excellent condition. Backed by the 90-day Amazon Renewed Guarantee.
– This pre-owned product has been professionally inspected, tested, and cleaned by Amazon-qualified vendors.
– This product is in “Excellent condition”. The screen and body show no signs of cosmetic damage visible from 12 inches away.
– This product will have a battery that exceeds 80% capacity relative to new.
– Accessories may not be original but will be compatible and fully functional. The product may come in a generic box.
– The product will come with a SIM removal tool, a charger, and a charging cable. Headphones and SIM card are not included.
– This product is eligible for a replacement or refund within 90-days of receipt if it does not work as expected.
– Refurbished phones are not guaranteed to maintain their waterproof seal.
6. Motorola Moto G Stylus (Highly Recommended)
Display: 6.8 inches; 1080 x 2400 pixels, 386 ppi density; IPS LCD
OS: Android 10
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 128 GB
Camera: Quad Camera: (1) 48 MP, f/1.7, 26mm (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, (2) 8 MP, f/2.2, 118˚ (ultrawide), 1/4.0, 1.12µm, (3) 2 MP, f/2.2, (macro), (4) 2 MP, f/2.4, (depth)
CPU: Qualcomm SDM678 Snapdragon 678 (11 nm), Octa-core (2×2.2 GHz Kryo 460 Gold & 6×1.7 GHz Kryo 460 Silver)
Battery: Li-Po 4000 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 149.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
The Moto G Stylus has a mid-range CPU and one of the highest RAM and internal storage in the list. The camera is stunning and the battery capacity is big.
The pixel density is very high that it can compete with high-end phones in terms of display sharpness. This smartphone is highly rated on Amazon and you can read over 2,000 comments about it.
It is compatible with all major U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T Mobile. It also works with prepaid carriers, including Cricket Wireless, Metro by T-Mobile, Simple Mobile, Total Wireless, Tracfone, Net10, Mint, Tracfone, and H2O.
7. BLU G90 Pro (Highly Recommended)
Display: 6.5 inches; 1080 x 2340 pixels, 396 ppi density, IPS LCD
OS: Android 10.0
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 128 GB
Camera: Quad: (1) 48 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.0″, 0.8µm, PDAF, (2) 8 MP, f/2.2, (ultrawide), 1/4.0″, 1.12µm, (3) 2 MP, f/2.2, (macro), (4) 2 MP, f/2.2, (depth)
CPU: Mediatek MT6785 Helio G90T, Octa-core (2×2.05 GHz Cortex-A76 & 6×2.0 GHz Cortex-A55)
Battery: Li-Po 5100 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 149.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
With over 7,000 ratings on Amazon.com, you are missing out if you did not check out this phone.
It has a fast mid-range CPU that can smoothly run games like Fortnite, super high battery capacity, very high display resolution, and a very nice camera.
BLU is a US-brand smartphone that mostly caters to budget users. This smartphone is really worth the price. It is unlocked and ready to use with your preferred GSM Carrier. It is compatible with T-Mobile, Metro PCS, and others. It is NOT compatible with AT&T, Cricket, or with CDMA Networks like Verizon, Sprint, and Boost Mobile.
8. Xiaomi Redmi 9A (Highly Recommended)
Display: 6.53 inches; 720 x 1600 pixels, 269 ppi density; IPS LCD
OS: Android 10.0
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Camera: 13 MP, f/2.2, 28mm (wide), 1.0µm, PDAF
CPU: MediaTek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm), Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)
Battery: Li-Po 5000 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 125.00
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
This smartphone has a fast mid-range processor. The camera is decent and the storage is good. It is highly rated on Amazon.com with over 2,000 comments.
It is compatible with most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. It will NOT work with CDMA carriers such as Verizon, Sprint, Cricket, and Boost.
9. Ulefone Note 9P (Highly Recommended)
Display: 6.52 inches; 720 x 1600 pixels, 269 ppi density; IPS
OS: Android 10.0
RAM: 4 GB
Storage: 64 GB
Camera: Triple: (1) 16 MP, f/2.2, AF, (2) 5 MP, (macro), (3) 2 MP, (depth)
CPU: Mediatek MT6762 Helio P22 (12 nm), Octa-core (4×1.8 GHz & 4×1.5 GHz)
Battery: Li-Po 4500 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 129.99
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
This phone has a fast mid-range processor. The display screen is great, the battery life is good, RAM is high, and the phone runs smoothly. It has no bloatware that slows done smartphones and consumes battery life.
It has over 3,000 reviews on Amazon.com and a lot of them are actually positive.
It is compatible with most GSM Networks including T-Mobile, Metro PCS, and others. It is not compatible with AT&T or Cricket activations or with CDMA Networks like Verizon, Sprint, and Boost Mobile.
10. Nokia G10
Display: 6.52 inches, 720 x 1600 pixels, 269 ppi density, IPS LCD
OS: Android 11, upgradable to Android 12
RAM: 3 GB
Storage: 32 GB
Camera: Triple: (1) 13 MP, (wide), AF (2) 2 MP, (macro), (3) 2 MP, (depth)
CPU: MediaTek MT6762G Helio G25 (12 nm), Octa-core (4×2.0 GHz Cortex-A53 & 4×1.5 GHz Cortex-A53)
Battery: Li-Po 5050 mAh, non-removable
Price: USD 119.00
Check out the lowest price: Amazon.com
This is a very nice Nokia phone. It has a fast mid-range processor.
The big display is great for watching videos, browsing social media, playing games, and reading.
It’s upgradable to the latest Android OS. The battery capacity is very big and will definitely last longer. It’s value for money.
It is compatible with GSM carriers. The following mobile network providers are confirmed to be compatible at this time: AT&T, Boost, Cricket, H2O Wireless, Metro, Net10, Simple Mobile, T-Mobile, and Tracfone. Other GSM carriers cannot be confirmed to be compatible. Carrier network coverage is dependent upon the carrier’s service area. It is not compatible with Verizon.
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Hi Chris. I was blown away by some of the specs of the top 10 phones under $150. I always imagined thst the cheaper phones would not be worth buying. Couldn’t believe how wrong I was. Some if them had 128gb storage, a level that is usually only found in more expensive phones. I was particularly taken with #3, the Xiaomi Redmi note 3. For $150, this has an incredible camera, along with one very powerful battery of 5020 mAh. Thank you for sharing this fantastic review with us. I now know which phone I’m interested in Jim
Thanks for this informative article, I initially thought my budget, which co incidentally was around $150, would be able to get me a phone with nowhere near the specs listed in this review. What is your opinion about taking the said budget, and spending it on a second-hand phone with specs a little better, suspecting the phone hasn’t been re-engineered?
Thank you very much for this valuable information. It is not always easy to choose among the entry-level smartphones on the market, and I can say your analysis, comparison and selection provide one of the best unlocked phones under $150 in 2021.
I bought my son Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 and it is indeed great for that price. It offers fairly good quality finishes and is equipped with a well-calibrated 6.5-inch LCD screen, offering good definition and satisfactory brightness. In terms of performance, the phone is fluid in the vast majority of uses.
Thanks you for this post. It is a good resource for those searching to buy on a specific budget. I didn’t realize how many other brands are out there until I read the post. Great to see so much choice. What are your thoughts around the performance of these brands vs some of the more common brands such as Iphone?
Thanks for this, I’ve been looking for a way to compare like-for-like affordable phones and that’s exactly what you’ve done! You’re right, a lot of companies “dangle the proverbial carrot” to buy a “cheap phone” but catch you with expensive contracts.
I agree with your thoughts on the Motorola Moto G9 and think I have finally made up my mind. Thanks again!
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This is such an amazing article. Phones these days are expensive so this article helped me find the best phones for a good price. I would definitely recommend this article to everyone I know because everyone needs a phone but don’t want to spend too much money getting one. Beautiful article.