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If you want a smartphone that just does the basics well, you need a budget phone.

Whether you want something cheaper because you barely use your phone, or you still require a high spec but want it to be more affordable, we’ve found the mobiles for you.

Even if you buy the cheapest phone on the market, you’ll still need to protect it with good mobile phone insurance. Gadget Cover can help you find insurance for mobile phones quickly and easily that won’t break the bank!

 

What are the top budget phones?

The phrase ‘budget phones’ can put people off, because in reality if you want a good phone these days it’s going to cost you.

While it’s wise to prepare to spend a bit on a mobile phone, it can be a good idea to shop around to make sure that you’re getting the best deal.

With modern technology making the top specifications available to almost all manufacturers, these are a selection of phones on the market that go above and beyond without costing the earth.

Just because you’re opting for a cheaper phone, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be insured. Even the budget handsets are still worth a decent amount, so make sure you get insurance for your mobile phone.

Brands are now creating phones that are just as brilliant as your average iPhone for a fraction of the price. They’ve noticed that many of us don’t need a phone with all the bells and whistles, and some people are happy with more basic models.

As phones continue to improve and evolve, it does beg the question, do we really need such advanced handsets, or would we be just as satisfied with simpler models?

If you’re willing to open your mind to the many budget phones on offer, then the best on the market at the moment are as follows:

 

1. Samsung Galaxy S10E

Hold on, hold on. Samsung isn’t a budget brand, we hear you cry! It’s true, Samsung are ahead of the game when it comes to the latest technology, their marketing and their overall company street cred.

However, the Samsung Galaxy S10E is regarded as the best budget phone in the world as it offers much of the same level of technology as their other competitors at a much cheaper price.

For example, this Samsung model comes in at around £522 full price whereas it’s competitors like the most recent iPhone comes in at over £1,000.

The price alone is enough to make you consider this phone, but when you take a look at why people love it so much it becomes a real winner.

The best things about the Samsung Galaxy S10E? The beautiful, slimline, lightweight finish.

The powerful hardware, that means you get a quick mobile phone at a fraction of the price of others on the market.

And, with a 3,100mAh battery and up to 256GB of internal storage, you’ll find that you’re hardly ever out of battery or storage space again.

2. The Honor Play

You may not have heard of this little pocket rocket, but this mobile phone is tipped for big things in 2019 and beyond.

It began as a gaming phone, however people quickly realised that this Android mobile is pretty powerful as an all-rounder.

With a quality camera, a 7.3-inch FHD+ screen and 64GB of internal storage it offers a lot more than you’d expect from a budget mobile phone.

The gaming performance is what makes this phone really stand out and if you’re into gaming this phone will blow you away.

Another key selling point of this phone is its price point, coming in at a tiny fraction of nearly all of its competitors at around £280 depending on the retailer.

This phone offers the opportunity to get your hands on a real bargain, especially if you’re a gamer.

 

3. Motorola Moto G7 Plus

Expandable storage is a real bonus with this phone, and the sleek design and quality finish make it a winner in its field.

Back in the day, Motorola used to be one of the favourite mobile phone manufacturers in the UK, however now it’s taken a backseat and gone for a more budget approach to making mobiles.

It no longer creates luxury mobiles that look pretty because they know that other phones on the market will win out on that basis.

The Moto G7 Plus is quick, affordable and comes with a dual-lens rear camera that is way beyond what you would expect of its price point.

Battery life and storage are also strong for the money and people rarely have anything to complain about regarding the hardware and speed.

At around £250 depending on the retailer, you won’t be disappointed by this mobile phone when it comes to price. It’s a great option for anyone looking for a mobile phone that delivers on spec without breaking the bank.

 

4. Huawei P30 Lite

The Huawei phones are known for their low price point and quality technology. They were created with the view of bringing amazing phone technology to consumers on a budget and they have succeeded.

Their manufacturing is now established and well-respected – minus the odd hacking scandal here and there! For the most part, Huawei have resisted much criticism and established themselves as a trusted brand.

The P30 Lite brings you everything you’d expect from a Huawei phone but at a lower price point.

The main difference you’ll notice between this budget phone and its sister models is that the top-end processors and camera aren’t included.

That is to be expected though, as this phone comes in at well under £300 and offers brilliant specs across the board. It’s a great all-rounder mobile.

5. Xiaomi Redmi Note 7

This is probably one of the best budget phones for performance when it comes to the camera and battery.

It has an incredibly long-lasting battery for the price and possesses a 48-megapixel camera that makes it great value for money.

Camera-wise there’s no budget phone camera that can compete with this phone as it has the same sensor as many phones that come in at a lot higher price point than this little guy.

The downsides are a slightly busy interface and a mono speaker that falls behind many of its budget competitors.

This is an ideal phone for someone who wants a mobile that’s an all-rounder but with a photo capture capability. As long as you expect this phone to live up to its £180 price point, you won’t be disappointed.

 

6. Vodafone Smart V10

If your budget is small and you want a mobile that does everything you need it to at a teenie tiny price, then this is the phone for you.

The hardware isn’t the best and it’s not a powerful phone but what can you really expect for £105 on pay as you go?

The easy Android install, great camera and usable interface will allow you to use this phone for everything that should be expected from a modern mobile.

The overall quality of the phone isn’t amazing, and if you like to game then this hardware might disappoint you. The phone is also locked onto the Vodafone network, which will come as no surprise.

However, on the whole, this is one of the best budget mobile phones on the market and represents astonishing value for money.

 

7. Apple iPhone 6S

OK, so Apple isn’t a budget brand – however when it comes to value for money the 6S is still up there with one of the best mobile phones you can buy on a budget in 2019.

Apple always drops the prices of their older phones significantly as soon as another one launches and because this phone is a little old now, the price has dropped massively.

However, that’s no reason to disregard the Apple iPhone 6S, in fact, we think it’s a reason to look into buying one.

Apple are one of, if not the, best mobile phone provider on the planet because they commit to quality. No matter the age of the phone, this is true of the 6S.

The 12-megapixel camera might disappoint photography lovers, when you compare it to some of the other budget camera phones on the market, however, the speed of this phone still holds its own today.

Most retailers will sell you this phone for less than £300 today and for that price it delivers as a budget phone.

8. The Honor 8X

If you have a need for speed then this mobile phone is likely to be the best option for you. It’s very pocket friendly at less than £250 and offers an amazing speed for that price.

With a full HD+ display and quality casing, this design makes it seem that the phone is worth a lot more than it actually is.

The battery life is amazing and the hardware is second to none for a budget mobile, though the camera kind of lets this phone down in some respects.

It’s acceptable for a phone in this price bracket, but some of the budget mobiles offer much better quality cameras for a similar price.

 

 

Why are they budget mobile phones?

It’s very hard to give one reason to this question, as each budget mobile will cut costs in different ways.

For example, the 6S will be cutting costs as it’s older and is using slower technology whereas some of the other budget phones discussed will be using less powerful hardware or providing a less powerful camera.

In essence, the reason that these mobiles are ‘budget’ is that they cut costs where the other more luxury phone manufacturers will seek to use the best-of-the-best technology and materials to create their phones.

Sometimes cutting costs can be as simple as replacing metal with plastic, whereas in other cases the cost-cutting can be done by minimising battery life and hardware.

To learn more, head to any retailer like Amazon, Carphone Warehouse or Curry’s to read real customer reviews.

 

What is the best budget phone 2019?

Another very difficult question to answer, as in 2019 there are loads of great budget phones to choose from. Moreover, it really depends on personal preference as to which budget mobile suits you.

If you love taking selfies and want a reliable camera on your mobile you might want to opt for the Xiaomi Redmi Note 7, whereas if you require a longer battery life then the Samsung Galaxy S10E will be the best budget phone for you.

The above phones are voted the best budget phones from across the board and offer a range of differing specialities. So you just need to pick the one that’s right for you!

What is the best phone for value for money?

Each phone listed above has different qualities in its own right, however, you cannot ignore the Vodafone £100 bargain when it comes to value for money.

It’s super cheap and offers everything that you really need from a mobile phone in 2019. It’s not extravagant, but then again it doesn’t claim to be.

The Apple 6S is also great value for money when it comes to the price drop. If you want to look at how much the tech behind the phone is worth, the Apple 6S is a clear winner as much of the technology was industry-leading when the phone was first released.

The Honor 8X is also amazing when it comes to the actual hardware behind the mobile and the speed of this phone won’t disappoint for the price.

 

Insurance for mobile phones

Plus, we’ve got more good news for you when it comes to insurance for mobile phones. The mobiles listed are often cheaper to insure due to a lower cost of the handset itself.

Insurance is in place to cover you for a multitude of accidents and issues that can come about when you have a mobile and cover is often cheaper with a budget mobile.

Although you may be looking to buy a budget mobile phone you will still need mobile phone insurance to cover you. To learn more about insurance for mobile phones and discover how much you could save, then get a quote today.

Alternatively, you can head over to our blog to find out which mobile phone provider is right for you!