Sadly smartphone innovation isn't cheap – and most of it is reserved for high-end contract handsets. There is however such a thing as a good smartphone on a budget, and ever so gently all those amazing features from the flagship devices are slowly trickling down to the cheaper phones.
Here's a selection of our favourite budget phones that cost under £200. If you're looking to pick up a decent handset for not much cash, these are the best cheap phones out there.
1. OnePlus X
OnePlus has gone below £200 and it has paid off
Weight: 160g | Dimensions: 140 x 69 x 6.9mm | OS: Android 5.1 | Screen size: 5-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 1920 | CPU: Snapdragon 801 | RAM: 3GB | Storage:16GB | Battery: 2525mAh | Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: 8MP
OnePlus caught our eye with its first phone last year, but this new addition is even more jaw dropping as it has managed to go below the £200 mark.
It can be difficult to get your hands on the OnePlus X because of the invite only system, but once you do you won't be disappointed.
It's not just an impressive spec either. OnePlus has created a gorgeous design for its new budget range and it's beautiful to hold. If you can go through all the pain of getting a phone from OnePlus, go for this one.
2. Wileyfox Storm
A newbie has jumped into second place
Weight: 155g | Dimensions: 156 x 77 x 9.2mm | OS: Android 5.1 | Screen size:5.5-inch | Resolution: 1080 x 1920 | CPU: Snapdragon 615 | RAM: 3GB |Storage: 32GB | Battery: 2500mAh | Rear camera: 20MP | Front camera: 8MP
Great screen
Snappy performance
Average battery
Weedy buttons
Wileyfox has jumped into second place with its first ever phone, the Storm. Much like OnePlus has done, it blows all the previous competition away.
Here you get an incredible 5.5-inch Full HD display, 32GB of storage and a stunning 20MP camera. Put in an 8MP selfie snapper and it's a very impressive set up considering it costs less than £200.
If you want high-end specs like OnePlus offers but don't want to fight tooth and nail for an invite, this will be the best choice for you.
3. Sony Xperia M4 Aqua
This is the mid-range waterproof marvel we wanted
Weight: 136g | Dimensions: 145.5 x 72.6 x 7.3mm | OS: Android 5.0 | Screen size: 5-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Snapdragon 615 | RAM: 2GB |Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2400mAh | Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: 5MP
Great waterproof design
Very good battery life
Poor performance in some areas
Only 8GB internal memory
Sony's latest mid-ranger is a big improvement on the M2 Aqua, but a lot of competition has jumped in and knocked it down to third place.
That said, this is still a cracking phone. It's the only one on the list you can take in the bath with you as it has IP68 waterproof technology that means it won't frazzle the internals.
There's also a great 720p 5-inch screen and some of the best battery life we've seen on a mid-range phone for quite some time. If you like Sony phones, this is the best you can get for under £200.
4. Moto G (2015)
Motorola's best cheap phone is back and better than ever
Weight: 155g | Dimensions: 142 x 72 x 11.6mm | OS: Android 5.1 | Screen size:5-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Snapdragon 410 | RAM: 2GB | Storage:8GB | Battery: 2470mAh | Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: 5MP
Smart water resistance
Great performance
Bulkier design
Pricer than older Moto Gs
What's this, a Moto G not at the top of our budget "best of" list? Your eyes don't deceive you, the almighty Moto G has been knocked back to fourth even though it's still an awesome phone.
The 5-inch display is high quality despite being only 720p, the quad-core processor is adept at handling most tasks and it can be upgraded to the latest version of Google's Android.
This time it comes with 4G packed inside as well - but there's still no sign of NFC just yet, a big shame. But otherwise, it's a top notch smartphone.
5. Acer Liquid Jade S
Weight: 116g | Dimensions: 143 x 69 x 7.8 mm | OS: Android 4.4.4 | Screen size: 5-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: 1.5GHz octa-core | RAM: 2GB |Storage: 16GB | Battery: 2300mAh | Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: 5MP
Impressive performance
Light, curvaceous design
Disappointing cameras
Mediocre battery life
If you can see past its flaws, the Liquid Jade S offers some of the best performance and build quality of any affordable dual-SIM smartphone.
Thanks to the octa-core processor and Acer's minimal software tweaks, the performance of the Liquid Jade S is simply stellar. Design is another major high point with the lightweight, curvaceous build resulting in a solid and comfortable in-hand feel.
That being said, there are still a few key areas where it suffers in comparison to other mid-range offerings, and as a result, the Liquid Jade S may not be at the top of everyone's wish list.
6. Sony Xperia T3
An even larger budget phone from Sony
Weight: 148g | Dimensions: 150.7 x 77 x 7mm | OS: Android 4.4 | Screen size:5.3-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Snapdragon 400 | RAM: 1GB | Storage:8GB | Battery: 2500mAh | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: 1.1MP
Slim body
Attractive UI
Disappointing resolution
Limited storage
We don't like the Xperia T3 as much as the Xperia M4 Aqua, but it's still a good little phone and would suit some people better than the M range does.
For one thing, this comes with an even bigger screen as well as a slim body that shows off some of the best Sony can do.
Even though the spec may not be as high as others on this list, the Sony Xperia T3 is one of the best all round packages you can buy right now
7. Motorola Moto E (2015)
The new Moto E packs LTE and a few sweet upgrades
Weight: 145g | Dimensions: 129.9 x 66.8 x 12.3mm | OS: Android 5.0 | Screen size: 4.5-inch |Resolution: 540 x 960 | CPU: Quad-core 1.2GHz | RAM: 1GB |Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2,390mAh |Rear camera: 5MP | Front camera: VGA
Solid design
Great low price
Some display issues
Not enough storage
The second generation Moto E shows that Motorola isn't messing around when it comes to budget smartphones, as it continues the legacy of its predecessor as one of the best affordable handsets you can buy.
A whole host of new features have been added to the Motorola Moto E (2015) including 4G LTE connectivity and a decent – though not exactly premium design.
It also ships with Android 5.0 Lollipop, making it one of the cheapest smartphones to come with Google's latest mobile operating system straight out of the box.
The Motorola Moto E (2015) isn't quite as good as the slightly more expensive Motorola Moto G (2014) which, spoiler alert, appears later on in this list, but for the low, low price you'll be hard pressed to find a better smartphone.
8. Nokia Lumia 735
Cheap, cheerful and perfect for selfies
Weight: 134g | Dimensions: 134.7 x 68.5 x 8.9mm | OS: Windows Phone 8.1 |Screen size: 4.7-inch | Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Quad-core 1.2GHz | RAM:1GB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2,200mAh | Rear camera: 6.7MP | Front camera:5MP
Decent front facing camera
HD Screen
Feels a little sluggish
Frustrating keyboard
The second Windows Phone entrant in our top ten is everything that a selfie lover could wish for, with a fantastic 5MP front-facing camera and a brightly coloured design that makes it stand out from the crowd.
Even if you're not too keen on plastering the internet with close up photos of your face, there's still a lot to like about the Lumia 735.
The 4.7-inch 720p screen looks particularly good, though the quad-core 1.2GHz processor and 1GB RAM sometimes strain compared to other budget smartphones when it comes to performance.
Barring the odd performance hiccup, the Lumia 735 is a decent budget smartphone that will appeal to the younger selfie generation
9. Wileyfox Swift
A budget handset that's anything but
Weight: 135g | Dimensions: 141.1 x 71 x 9.3mm | OS: Android 5.1 | Screen size:5-inch |Resolution: 720 x 1280 | CPU: Snapdragon 410 | RAM: 2GB | Storage:16GB | Battery: 2500mAh |Rear camera: 13MP | Front camera: N/A
Great screen
Good camera
Sometimes complicated OS
Uninspired design
Wileyfox has jumped in and torn up our best cheap phone list - this latest addition is the Swift and it's almost as impressive as the Storm.
This phone comes with a smaller screen and slightly less powerful processor than the Storm, but it may be perfect for you if your prefer the design.
We especially liked the camera on the back, that's a 13MP shooter, as it comes out with some truly stunning images.
10. EE Harrier Mini
4G speeds and Wi-Fi calling for under £100
Weight: 124g | Dimensions: 138 x 67.9 x 9.5mm | OS: Android 5.1 | Screen size:4.7-inch | Resolution: N/A | CPU: 1.2GHz quad-core | RAM: 1GB | Storage: 8GB | Battery: 2000mAh | Rear camera: 8MP | Front camera: N/A
Compact design
Easy Wi-Fi calling
Build could be better
Low internal storage
EE has been making phones for a few years now, and this is the best yet. The EE Harrier Mini is an impressive set up for those on a budget of £100 or less.
The best bit is you get 4G internet and access to EE's very exciting Wi-Fi Calling feature that means you can use your phones normal functions when you haven't got signal.
If you're on a Wi-Fi connection you can still ring up anyone you like. It's really smart and paired with some OK spec and a nice design, the EE Harrier Mini is one of our favourite budget phones right now
Best of the rest
Not a fan of anything in this list? Here's a selection of our favourite budget phones that may be a better choice for you.
Microsoft Lumia 550
Microsoft's latest budget phone choice is one of the only three phones in the world that is running the Windows 10 software. It costs £99, which makes it one of the cheaper devices on this list and has an impressive spec list along with a 4.7-inch 720p screen and a quad-core 1.1 GHz processor.
Vodafone Smart Speed 6
If price is your main concern, the Vodafone Smart Speed 6 is a great choice that also packs 4G LTE connectivity and stock Android Lollipop software. It all comes for only £50, but you're restricted to the red network. There are issues as the camera isn't particularly great and the design doesn't really excite most people, but for that price it's difficult to complain.
Honor 4X
One of our favourite phones from Chinese brand Honor may be a good choice for you as well. This comes with a 5.5-inch 720p screen, a 3000mAh battery, 13MP camera and Android Lollipop software with the aim to update to Android Marshmallow in the future. All of this costs £150, and it should be easy enough to find on networks as well as the official Huawei store.
