Compare budget smartphones under €200

Budget smartphones are perfectly adequate for calls, WhatsApp, email, navigation, banking apps and daylight photos. The compromises lie in processing power for demanding games, photos in low light and the length of software support. Big batteries, on the other hand, are standard here too and often deliver very long battery life.

Alongside entry-level models from Samsung, Xiaomi/Redmi, Motorola or Nokia/HMD, this price range includes many devices from smaller Chinese manufacturers. Read their marketing claims with caution: specs such as “16GB+128GB/1TB” often mean that only part is real RAM, while the rest is virtual RAM borrowed from internal storage. “1TB” usually refers to the largest supported memory card, not the built-in storage.

Brand-name manufacturers generally provide security updates for longer and have service in Germany. For a device you use for online banking, that matters more than a few extra gigabytes on the spec sheet.

For the same budget, you can often get a refurbished mid-range or older flagship phone with a better camera and display. What matters is that the model still receives updates and that a commercial seller provides statutory warranty. You will find suitable offers on our refurbished smartphones page.

Before you buy a device in this price range, it is worth a quick check against the points that prevent the most hassle in everyday use. Above all, check whether the model supports the LTE frequencies used in Germany – this is not a given with imported devices. Customer questions and reviews on the retailer’s site are also helpful for spotting reception problems or missing updates.