What are the Best Phones Under $100 Dollars in 2023?

You can buy the best phones under $100 right now with a big screen, a long-lasting battery, and pleasant cameras that can handle anything.

List of Best Phones Under $100 dollars 2023

1. Samsung Galaxy A03 Core

The Galaxy A03 Core is one of Samsung’s best low-end smartphones. It is one of the few inexpensive phones under $100 that are well-made and feel good.

It has a 6.5-inch TFT LCD with HD+ resolution expected in this range. The brightness is moderate, and the color is suitable for media consumption. Don’t expect the advantages of high-end AMOLEDs like the S-series flagships. But at 270 PPI, text, icons, and images look sharp enough.

It is the UniSoc SC9863A SoC that powers the A03 Core. It’s a pretty old processor but still prevalent in mid-range phones.

Fortunately, the solution is the Android 11 (Go) operating system with a streamlined One UI experience. Android Go is essentially a version of Android that puts a lot less strain on the hardware.

Smartphones can easily handle basic tasks such as streaming Netflix, web browsing, or casual gaming, thanks to their lightweight software. The device only starts to shake when playing intensive games or trying to run heavy apps.

Moreover, Samsung has a high-capacity 5000mAh battery for easy all-day use. It also has dual SIM slots, a microSD card slot, Bluetooth, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. In short, there are no complaints with the connected department.

If there’s one aspect the A03 Core doesn’t impress, it’s the camera. Both the front and rear cameras lack detail and depth. You can also run into strange exposure issues if the lighting is inconsistent. Forget about taking good pictures at night.

This should be your choice if you don’t care too much about clicking pictures or shooting videos. Otherwise, you can check out more options below.

2. Blue G51S

The BLU G51S is easily recommended for most users. It’s full of features and probably the most excellent phone in this budget.

The 6.4-inch HD+ display is one of the most beautiful screens in this price range, released in 2023. It’s the ideal size if you like a big phone or need extra space for extra productivity or entertainment.

The bezels are also skinny, adding a modern aesthetic. BLU decided to equip it with a punch-hole selfie camera. Thankfully, despite the large screen and large 4000mAh battery, the device is not too heavy (about 200gm) and is suitable for one-handed use.

There is also a fingerprint sensor here. It works correctly and makes the phone more secure. This is one of the few phones under $100 with a dual camera setup. It has a 13MP native sensor and a 0.3MP macro/depth sensor that produces decent-quality images and video. The 8MP selfie camera works well too.

BLU does not specify the exact chipset used, but it is a 1.6GHz octa-core processor based on the Cortex A55 core. In practical use, the device works very well. Opening and switching apps are fluid, and you can even play popular games on low-to-medium graphics settings.

All in all, it’s one of the best Android phones under 100 dollars for those who love features. Look no further if you need a big screen, an elegant look, and an excellent camera.

3. Samsung Galaxy A01

The Samsung Galaxy A01 has a 5.7-inch screen with a decent resolution and small bezel size thanks to the V-display notch that provides a 78.8% screen-to-body ratio. This phone works with most GSM carriers but not CDMA carriers like Sprint Nextel, nTelos, Verizon, or Virgin Mobile.

The internal storage can be expanded to 512GB using the micro SD slot next to the SIM. The A01 has a good 12MP and 5MP front camera and uses AI facial recognition to log into the phone.

The Samsung Galaxy A01 phone runs Android 10 and One UI with OEM installed. The 3000mAh battery is suitable for a day’s use, and 2GB of RAM means you can run multiple apps simultaneously without any noticeable slowdown.

4. TCL A30

Now there is something more suitable for performance-oriented people. The TCL A30 is perfect if you need a powerful MediaTek Helio P22 SoC at an affordable price.

This is a 12nm chip that is far superior to the 28nm chips in other phones, easily outperforming the UniSoc SC9863A in terms of raw performance and benchmarks.

This, along with 3GB of RAM, gives you plenty of free space for gaming or multitasking. You may not be able to catch PUBG or Call of Duty on high graphics, but you can play most mid-range and high-end games on low settings.

Not only that, but its great internals mean it runs the full version of Android 11 and isn’t limited to the Go edition. This is an advantage over the Android Go phones you can usually find at this price.

The phone has an excellent 3000mAh battery lasting up to 6 hours. However, gaming sessions drain the battery much faster.

Since this is a performance-oriented device, some cost savings have been achieved in other respects. There is no fingerprint scanner, and TCL provides a face unlock feature. It’s not the safest way because it uses your phone’s front camera.

Another minor drawback is the single speaker. It’s not the best, and it has a pretty narrow soundstage. It’s much better to plug in headphones.

This is a single SIM device. Compatible with popular LTE networks such as AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. CDMA is not supported.

If you’re looking for a solid rig for everyday use and a great budget gaming experience, the TCL A30 is worth considering.

5. ZTE Blade A5

The ZTE Blade A5 is a solid all-rounder for $100 and has several improvements over its predecessor. You get 6.01 inches of the much larger screen provides a better entertainment and gaming experience. It is an IPS LCD panel, so the colors are transparent, and the viewing angle is good.

The battery capacity has also been increased from the previous model’s 2600mAh to 3200mAh, giving you hours of use while watching YouTube or playing games.

Another feature that has not changed is the Unisoc SC9863A processor inside. It is an octa-core chip with four 1.6 GHz high-performance cores and four 1.2 GHz efficient cores.

The smartphone has a 13MP rear camera with a highlight LED flash. In brightly lit scenarios, color and saturation are appropriate. The stability when shooting video is also satisfactory. For selfies, you can get one of the better cameras at this price, the 8MP front camera. If your camera is your top priority, you should seriously consider the Blade A5.

This phone comes in 32GB and 64GB storage variants, with 2GB of RAM. You can also insert a microSD card, so storage space is not an issue.

6. Alcatel 1B

The Alcatel 1B is another tremendous unlocked phone with everything you need for a basic smartphone. It has a 5.5-inch HD+ display. The viewing angle and color are good as it is an IPS LCD panel. And thanks to the high resolution of 293 PPI, your videos and games will look very sharp and clear.

Build quality is good, but no exception. It holds up pretty well with everyday use and can even be accidentally knocked over or bumped into. It has an 8MP rear camera, LED flash, and a 5MP front camera. Photography is allowed in broad daylight, but noise and color fade may occur in low-light conditions.

It can record Full HD video, but its stabilization is not very good. Like the other Android phones on this list, this Alcatel uses Android 10 Go Edition. Its clean UI and 1.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 215 processor keep your daily tasks running smoothly. As expected, it struggles when running demanding games.

The supplied 3000mAh battery provides about 6-7 hours of use. Very interestingly, this battery is removable. You won’t see much in 2023. The speaker doesn’t sound the best, but it’s deafening so that you won’t miss any important calls or notifications.

The Alcatel 1B is a versatile, lightweight smartphone with a simple interface. For those who need a phone for basic tasks like web browsing, HD video streaming, and networking with friends.

This phone works well with most GSM networks. However, it will not work with CDMA carriers like Verizon, Sprint, or Virgin Mobile.

7. Nokia 2.1

The Nokia 2.1 Android Pie Edition is a good low-end phone if you want a primary phone. The 4,000mAh battery offers excellent battery life and good performance, and the 5.5-inch screen has large bezels on the top and bottom of the screen, giving it a screen-to-body ratio of 69.82%.

It is a light phone with 174g, but at 9.67mm, it feels heavier than other low-cost phones. This phone is not dust-proof, waterproof, or shock-proof, so be careful not to drop it as the screen may break.

The 2.1 has dual SIM slots and accepts micro SD cards up to 128GB so that you can install a few apps. 1GB RAM can be an issue if you use multiple apps simultaneously.

8. Motorola Moto E5

Motorola has always been a leader in unlocked low-end smartphones, and the Moto E5 is the best low-cost phone under $100 you can buy in 2023.

It is priced at $89.99 and has a rating of 4.4 out of 5, which is the device’s specs. For everything else, it’s also the only Moto phone in this budget. Motorola phones are also significant contenders for long-lasting, battery-backed phones.

9. Oukitel C16

The Oukitel C16 is a slim phone that looks great. It works with GSM carriers but not CDMA carriers like Sprint Nextel, nTelos, Verizon, or Virgin Mobile. Running Android 9.0 Pie, the Oukitel C16’s 5.71-inch screen has minimal bezels and a screen-to-body ratio of 79.33%.

The dual SIM slot allows you to expand the storage space to 128GB using a micro SD card. It has a 2,600mAh removable battery.

The phone has a face and fingerprint unlock function. The camera also has image manipulation features to help you take the best selfies.

What to expect from a $100 phone in 2023?

Under 100 dollars price tag, here’s what to expect on mobile:

1. Processor

Mostly quad-core or rarely Octa-core SoC processor

2. RAM and Storage

2 or 3 GB RAM with 32 GB/64 GB or rarely 128 GB.

3. Display

Every phone in this price range has a display with HD+ resolution. Chinese phones at this price point can offer full HD displays.

4. Cameras

In terms of mobile cameras in this range, you can expect a dual rear camera setup and up to a 13-megapixel front camera setup.

5. Battery life and charging

You can expect a battery capacity of up to 4000mAh. Fast charging hasn’t arrived for under $100 mobiles, but we can see a USB Type-C port.

Conclusion: Best Phones Under $100 Dollars

Many bits and pieces of Android phones are available in the under $100 price range. But we have selected some of the best phones with good specifications and features you can buy for everyday usage.