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Cell Phone Radar

Updated Nov 6, 2026

Data from Nov 6, 2026. First edition of this segment.

Best cell phone up to $250 dollars today

21 models, median of $159.

Planning to spend with a price up to $250? See what that money gets you.

We compare the 21 models on sale today. See where each one stands on price and score.

See today’s picks

Today’s picks

Today’s price, Nov 6, 2026. We searched 1 store: Amazon. Below, the lowest price we found today at the stores above.

Today no model on this list has both a current price and a score, so there are no picks. The full list is below.

Partner store links: the Radar may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money

How we choose: the score is the spec score (0 to 10) and the price is the lowest we found today, using the upfront-payment price when the store offers a discount for it. See how we pick.

All models: Cell phones up to $250

See the 21 modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Ulefone Note 23 4G3 GB RAM · 32 GB$80at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$91at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Ulefone Armor X126 GB RAM · 32 GB$115at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Amazon Renewed Tcl Nxtpaper 70 Pro8 GB RAM · 512 GB$119at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Straight Talk Galaxy A16 5G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$120at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Pure3 GB RAM · 32 GB$125at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A14 5G4 GB RAM · 64 GB$129at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Fossibot F109 5G24 GB RAM · 256 GB$132at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Play4 GB RAM · 64 GB$137at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A054 GB RAM · 128 GB$150at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 4G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$159at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G15 4G4 GB RAM · 256 GB$160at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$170at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Szv 17 Pm 1212 GB RAM · 512 GB$170at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Blackview Fort 112 GB RAM · 128 GB$188at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G 5G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$189at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Ulefone Rugking 4 Pro16 GB RAM · 256 GB$190at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Ulefone Armor X3112 GB RAM · 128 GB$195at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tcl 60 Xe Nxtpaper 5G2 versions · 128 GB a 256 GB$230at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G578 GB RAM · 256 GB$235at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Nuu B40 5G8 GB RAM · 256 GB$250at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

Cell phones up to $250 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 21 phones cost up to $159; the range with the most models is from $100 to $125, with 4.

How many models there are in each price range, from $75 to $250. Half cost up to $159; across the whole catalog, the median is $448.2 models between $75 and $1004 models between $100 and $1254 models between $125 and $1504 models between $150 and $1754 models between $175 and $2003 models between $225 and $2502444403$75$125$175$225
  • half cost up to $159
  • whole catalog: $448 →

Cheapest $80 Ulefone Note 23 4G

Most expensive $250 Nuu B40 5G

See the table by price range
Cell phones up to $250 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Under $2001818
$200 to $30039
$300 to $500018
$500 to $1,000025
Over $1,000016
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This is the first check with history for this segment. Radar checks prices every day: from the next one on, this section shows what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Brands

9 brands have a model here; Motorola has the most, with 6 models.

and 4 brands more

Against the whole catalog

  • −64%median price below the catalog’s
  • 24%of the catalog: 21 of 86 models
See the full table
Cell phones up to $250 against the whole catalog
IndicatorCell phones up to $250Whole catalogDifference
Models218624% of the catalog
Median price$159$448−64%
Median scoreno scoreno score
Lowest price$80$80igual
Highest price$250$2,599−$2,349

What the numbers say about cell phones up to $250

  • Memory versions: 1 model has more than one version within the cut, and storage ranges from 32 GB to 512 GB. The model’s price is that of the cheapest version; the others appear on the card and in the list.

How to read these numbers

On November 6, 2026, the Radar tracks 21 models of cell phone with a price up to $250: median price of $159, 64% below the catalog’s ($448). Prices range from $80 to $250.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read every day through an open source or an affiliate program: the Radar collection, the Amazon catalog and the factory price database. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each phone on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to Cell phones up to $250.

See on the chart

Frequently asked questions

How much does a cell phone with a price up to $250 cost?

In the Nov 6, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 21 models in the segment is $159, and prices range from $80 to $250. The final price is the one at the store.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Models with at least one version whose lowest collected price is $250 or less are included. Each model counts once: if it has more than one memory version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

What changes between "up to $250" and the neighboring ranges?

The range is cumulative: everything that costs less is in it too. To see only what costs between two values, use the price range table on this page or the chart’s price filter.

How does the Radar choose the phones on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the phone that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which phone to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 6, 2026.

Read next

Cell phones up to $200: median of $143Cell phones up to $300: median of $170Cell phones with 128 GB up to $250: 9 models, median of $170All Radar overviewsOverview of new cell phones: price, score and brandSee on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product on Amazon.com, shipped to New York 10001, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure real-world photos or durability.

Data from Nov 6, 2026.