Written November 2025
A budget of $100 for your next phone is very limiting, but finding your next phone under this budget is still very much possible. Pretty much your only option here would be the buy used or refurbished, however, new options at this price point do exist (albeit much slower and with more compromises than their used/refurbished counterparts in the same price range), which I will be sharing in case you really want to go for the factory new phone (again, not recommended at this price point).
Powerful phone for everyone: Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G
Key Specs:
- Snapdragon 888 (or Exynos 2100 in some markets) processor & 6-8 GB RAM
- 6.4″ FHD+ 403 PPI 120Hz Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 1200 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass Victus protection, 177g weight
- 12MP Wide + 8MP 3x Telephoto + 12MP Ultrawide + 32MP selfie camera
- 4500 mAh battery with 25W wired charging, 15W wireless charging
- Android 12 with 4 major Android updates
- IP68 dust and water resistance
The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G, with a bit of digging, can be found on eBay in good/very good used or refurbished condition for around the $100 mark. At this price point, you shouldn’t be worrying about some scratches on your screen, as long as the phone is perfectly functional. This phone has a decently premium-feeling build quality, with metal sides and Gorilla Glass Victus protection for the screen, and is very comfortable to hold. What gives it its amazing value for the price is its modern flagship features. The S21 FE packs a competent camera setup, including a 3x telephoto lens, which is a luxury at this cost; its Snapdragon 888 processor, which will give you amazing performance with minimal lag, enabling the phone to score an astounding ~900K on the AnTuTu benchmark test, which is great for the price; and its high-quality 120Hz AMOLED display, which I actually once had the pleasure of seeing in person (friend’s phone), and it’s beautiful. It even has a somewhat quality build, with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass Victus screen, and IP68 dust and water resistance, a bonus you don’t usually see with phones at this price. Despite this phone’s age, it will be receiving the OneUI 8 update as well, which actually runs smoothly due to this phone’s relatively fast processor. It checks all the boxes for a quality phone and will serve you well for years to come, going beyond peoples’ idea of a laggy $100 phone.
| Cons: | -Major software updates only supported until next year (IMO shouldn’t be a problem with such a budget phone) -Many users have problems with green lines on their screen |
For camera-heavy users and an iOS-like experience: Google Pixel 6a
Key Specs:
- Google Tensor processor & 6GB RAM
- 6.1″ FHD+ 429 PPI 60Hz OLED display with 875 nits peak brightness, Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 178g weight
- 12.2 MP Wide + 12 MP Ultrawide + 8 MP selfie camera
- 4410 mAh battery with 18W wired charging (no wireless charging)
- Android 12 with 5 major Android updates
- IP67 dust and water resistance
I wanted to recommend the Google Pixel 6 or 7a for this price range, but unfortunately I couldn’t find readily available models of those anywhere for less than $100. If you are willing to shell out a bit of extra money, I would highly recommend either of those phones. The first thing that sets this phone apart from the competition and one of the main reasons you would get this phone are its amazing cameras. The Pixel 6a takes crisp and good-looking shots, the colors look really good with skin tones being accurate as well, and this phone is capable of filming in 4K60 quality. This phone is powered by the Google Tensor processor, the same one found in the more expensive Pixel 6 Pro, and it is actually very capable, and will get you through your daily tasks easily, and even some gaming too. As for build quality, you get an aluminum frame and plastic back with Gorilla Glass 3 protection for the screen, and even the plastic back feels premium as its finish makes it look strikingly similar to a glass back. The screen, despite being 60Hz, is a beautiful OLED panel, with a compact size of 6.1″, making for an easier experience one-handing the phone. Its OS is very close to stock Android and, due to general ease of use, is said to be similar to Apple’s iOS. Other flagship-like features include a fingerprint sensor built into the screen and impressive sounding stereo speakers. It does have its problems, which I will list in the cons section, but for $100 it’s a competent phone that will do whatever you need it to.
| Cons: | -Due to a battery manufacturing problem, Pixel 6a batteries have the potential to start overheating and swelling after around 400 charge cycles, so when you hit that mark, Google automatically limits your battery’s performance, decreasing your battery life. According to Google, some users with impacted Pixel 6a phones are eligible for a battery replacement free of charge, however, some users report not getting the free battery change despite their device being impacted. – Many users have reported problems and glitches with their 6a phones, the most common being battery/overheating issues. -60 Hz display |
Best brand new unlocked phone: Moto G Play 2024
Key Specs:
- Snapdragon 680 processor & 4 GB RAM
- 6.5″ HD+ 1600×720 269 ppi 90Hz IPS LCD display, up to ~500 nits brightness, Gorilla Glass 3 protection, 185g weight
- 50 MP Wide rear + 8 MP selfie camera
- 5,000 mAh battery with 15W wired charging
- Android 13 with 1 major Android update + security updates
- IP68 / IP69 water resistance (water-repellent design)
The Moto G Play 2024 is a simple phone, yet functions well for a brand new unlocked phone, and gives you all the essentials you need in a modern smartphone. This phone, despite obviously being a budget phone, look and feels premium on the exterior, with its plastic back having a robust feel and a shimmer that makes it look like frosted glass, and a fingerprint scanner on the side button. It also has many nice-to-haves that modern flagships don’t, like a headphone jack and an SD card slot, as well as dual speakers that have been said to sound very good for the price. It also has a 90Hz refresh rate for a smoother feel. The Moto G Play’s Snapdragon 680 processor is not necessarily fast, but adequate for basic tasks and helped by the fact that Motorola’s operating system is relatively lightweight and 4GB RAM + RAM Boost. One thing Motorola has always been great at is their phones’ battery life, as the Moto G Play’s 5000mAh battery provides enough juice to easily last a full day and maybe even more, especially with a brand new battery as opposed to a used battery when buying refurbished. The camera is as simple as it gets, but in a good way, as it will not leave you impressed but you will not be disappointed either, as the Moto G Play’s camera is adequate for daily use, which is exactly what you want in a phone at this price. Overall, this phone is great for the price it is, and it can even be found locked to certain carriers brand new for as low as $29, but on Amazon, unlocked for any carrier and brand new, it is currently $95. This price will only continue to decrease as Motorola’s new G Play 2026 gets settled into the market, solidifying this phone into my life of good phone to buy for under $100.
| Cons: | -LCD display with low PPI -No major updates past Android 14 |