These are the best cheap tablets that won't break the bank
There are a lot of cheap tablets out there, but only a few are worthy of being called the best cheap Android tablets. The Android tablet market, on the whole, is a bit of a mess once you look outside of Amazon or Samsung, but there are some solid and viable options if you want to spend less than $300. We've rounded up some of our favorites, and while they vary in features and uses, all of the best cheap Android tablets are worthy of claiming the title of being your next couch tablet.
Best cheap Android tablet overall: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7
It's no surprise that Samsung offers the best cheap Android tablet, as the company provides options for every corner of the Android market. Even with newer tablets like the Galaxy Tab S7 and S7+, the Galaxy Tab A7 is no slouch and includes many features you will want.
Starting with the design, this is a slim aluminum slab with glass on the front, which makes for quite a gorgeous form factor. With the Galaxy Tab A7, Samsung decided to include S Pen support. Unfortunately, that will need to be purchased separately. However, the thin and light design of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 makes it great to hold for more extended periods and will make it easier to get some work done. Speaking of getting work done, the Galaxy Tab A7 works seamlessly across other Galaxy devices like the Samsung Galaxy S21 to keep all of your efforts connected.
Regardless of what kind of device you are looking for, battery life is always a part of decision-making. You won't be disappointed with this one as you'll get excellent battery life out of the 7,040mAh battery that charges up quickly with the included USB-C fast-charger. So you'll have plenty of time to sit back and take advantage of the quad speakers with Dolby Atmos support for those times you just want to chill out with a movie.
If you want to go "all-in" with Samsung's tablet, you'll probably want the first-party keyboard. Like the S Pen, Samsung does not include the keyboard case with the Galaxy Tab A7, so that should be considered when you're picking up a new tablet. Biometrics is where we would have liked to see a bit more effort, as the Galaxy Tab A7 does not feature a fingerprint scanner. Instead, you'll need to rely on the good ole' passcode to unlock or the inferior face scanning.
Pros:- Fantastic metal design design
- S Pen support
- Quad speakers with Dolby Atmos
- Great battery life with fast charging
- Keyboard supported
- S Pen must be purchased separately
- No fingerprint scanner
Perfect for everyone
The Galaxy Tab A7 has great specs, a gorgeous design, and a quad-speaker setup with Dolby Atmos. What more could you want?
Best cheap Android tablet with Google Assistant: Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus
Sure, you could go pick up a Nest Hub if you want Google Assistant ready, but that has to be plugged in at all times. So instead, the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus includes a dock that allows the tablet to turn into a Google Assistant-powered smart display when docked. This makes it possible to use the Tab M10 Plus as a digital photo frame, listen to music, or manage your smart home. Then, when it's time to hit the road or just go to another room, you can take the tablet with you.
The speakers won't disappoint you, as there are two Dolby Atmos-tuned speakers on either side, immersing you in whatever content you are enjoying. Those who tend to travel will enjoy the 128GB of built-in storage to go along with the microSD card slot, which can house much of your video library. When it's time to keep the little ones occupied, just turn on Google Kid Space and let the children have fun without accessing apps that they shouldn't be using.
However, the Smart Tab M10 Plus is designed more for media consumption or as a Google Assistant display and not for those who need to be productive. Despite the pogo pins at the bottom of the tablet for docking, there are no keyboards that can be attached for easier setup or integration. We also would have liked to see a bigger battery since the Tab M10 Plus is limited to nine hours of battery life when it's not docked.
Pros:- Transforms into Google Assistant smart screen when docked
- Dock for Google Assistant is included
- Dual-Dolby Atmos Speakers
- 128GB of expandable storage
- Includes Google Kids Space
- No first-party stylus or keyboard support
- Slower processor than others
- Limited to nine hours of battery life
Get a tablet and a Google Assistant display
The Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus is a great cheap tablet with an included dock for Google Assistant Ambient mode.
Best cheap Android tablet for movies: Lenovo Tab P11 Plus
Lenovo is leaning heavily into the industrial design with this minimalistic style on the Tab P11 Plus Two-tone dual-material of rubber and aluminum to give this tablet a sleek and slim design that looks good while being light enough to not tire you out if you hold or carry it for a while.
When it's time to throw a movie or YouTube video on, you'll get (close to) room-filling sound with the four speakers with Dolby Atmos certification. You can expect excellent picture quality on the 11-inch 2K display. Expand your storage up to 512GB with a microSD card to fill this tablet up with your favorite content, perfect for when there's no Wi-Fi. With up to 15 hours of battery life, the Lenovo Tab P11 Plus will keep chugging along throughout the day.
Unfortunately, when securing your tablet using biometrics, you'll have to settle for an inconsistent Face Unlock as there is no fingerprint reader. The Tab P11 Plus is also sans a 3.5mm headphone jack, so you will need to use a USB-C audio adapter or pick up an excellent set of wireless earbuds. The tablet is compatible with the Lenovo Stylus when you want to doodle or jot something down.
Pros:- Minimalistic design
- Expandable storage
- Quad Dolby Atmos Speakers
- Up to 15 hours of battery life
- Stylus is purchased separately
- First-party keyboard is pricey
- Inconsistent Face Unlock feature
Perfect for almost everyone
Lenovo's Tab P11 Plus gives you a clean design, long battery life, and expandable storage in an almost perfect package.
Best cheap tablet for kids: Amazon Fire 7 Kids (2019)
The kids need something for some entertainment, too, right? But you don't want them navigating the World Wide Web all on their own when you can't stand over their shoulders. That's where the Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet excels, thanks to the expansive parental controls.
With a free year of Amazon Kids+, your children will access over 10,000 books, movies, and games. You can then set time limits and watch what they are playing, watching, and doing on the tablet. It also has a two-year worry-free warranty. So should anything happen to the device, Amazon will send you a new one - no matter what.
Under the hood, Amazon includes just 2GB of RAM, which shouldn't present issues, but your kids could run into some bottle-necking when trying to switch between apps quickly. With the Fire 7 Kids tablet, you are provided with a durable, kid-friendly bumper cover available in three fun colors.
Pros:- Includes bumper case
- Fantastic parental controls
- Includes Amazon Kids+ for a full year
- Expandable storage
- Limited RAM and built-in storage
- No access to Google Play Store
Keep the kids occupied
This is the tablet to get with its durable case, two-year worry-free warranty, lots of content, and excellent parental controls.
Best for a small screen: Lenovo Tab M8 HD
Sometimes you just want a device larger than your phone but smaller than a full-size tablet, and Lenovo provides just that with the Tab M8 HD. This 8-inch tablet sports a 1280 x 800 resolution, which is just fine for a screen this size. Under the hood, you'll get 2GB of RAM and 32GB of onboard storage.
When you need to upgrade the storage, Lenovo has included a microSD card slot that supports up to 2TB, if properly formatted. This will give you more than enough content to view while taking advantage of the 18-hour battery life and the 3.5mm headphone jack. There's even a Kids Mode built into the software so you can let your kids have some fun.
One potential issue with this tablet is that it is only equipped with a single Dolby Audio-tuned speaker. As a result, those wanting to use the M8 HD for media consumption may be better suited to relying on the built-in headphone jack or some Bluetooth headphones. And those hoping to get rid of those Micro-USB cables will have to keep hoping, as you won't find USB-C on the Tab M8 FHD.
Pros:- Built-in Kids Mode
- Up to 18 hours of battery life
- Features 3.5mm headphone jack
- Storage expandable up to 2TB
- Headphone jack
- Dated design
- Just one speaker
- Micro-USB for charging
Lightweight surfing
The Tab M8 FHD may not have the highest resolution, but it's perfect to pick up and surf the web or read a book from the couch
Best cheap Android tablet for the Amazon Ecosystem: Amazon Fire HD 10
It's no secret that Amazon's ability to provide serviceable tablets is unmatched, especially in the budget market. The Fire HD 10 is the king of the Fire HD lineup, with a 10.1-inch display and 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage. In fact, you can add up to a 1TB microSD card, which should be more than enough for your needs.
Add in the 12 hours of battery life and four different colors, and you really have a no-brainer tablet option. There's even USB-C on board and a new octa-core processor for more power than ever before in a Fire tablet.
Keep in mind that the Fire HD 10 runs an Amazon-centric version of Android, and it doesn't have access to the Google Play Store. That's not to say you can't still download apps. You just have to take advantage of Amazon's own App Store. We also don't want folks to expect a high-quality build either, as Amazon had to cut costs, and it did so in the overall build, which is made from plastic.
Pros:- Great value for the size
- Four colors to choose from
- Expandable storage up to 1TB
- 12 hours of battery
- No access to Play Store
- Cheap-feeling build
Amazon on a big screen
Amazon's Fire HD 10 may not have access to the Play Store, but you'll still have access to many popular apps in a great package.
Amazon on the small screen: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus
If you want to get started with the Amazon ecosystem, the Fire HD 8 Plus is a great way to do so. You'll get a solid Full HD display with either 32GB or 64GB of expandable storage and up to 12 hours of battery life.
However, the Fire HD 8 has an extra trick up its sleeve with hands-free Alexa. This turns your tablet into another Echo Dot, and you can even get a stand to use it as a smart display. Amazon also introduced a wireless charging dock for the HD 8 Plus, making it possible to turn this into an Amazon Echo Show-like device, but one that you can grab and take with you. There's even wireless charging available now, along with Amazon finally making the from MicroUSB to USB-C.
Unfortunately, the Fire HD 8 Plus isn't as great as other options on the market, as you will need to purchase the dock separately if you want to turn your tablet into a smart display. The 2MP front and rear-facing cameras are also not great to use and won't cut it in 2020. Finally, you will have to deal with Amazon's version of Android and won't have access to the Google Play Store.
Pros:- 12 hours of battery life
- Hands-free Alexa
- Wireless charging
- Expandable storage up to 1TB
- No access to Google Play Store
- Dock must be purchased separately
- Cameras are not good enough to be useful
Amazon's best, but smaller
Those who want an Amazon tablet but don't want a big screen will love the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus with its great battery life and more.
Best cheap Android tablet for the family: VANKYO MatrixPad S30
If you're looking for the best cheap Android tablet with multi-user support, you're in luck. While this is a rare feature, the VANKYO MatrixPad S30 includes multi-user support, making it possible for everyone in the family to have their own profile, even the kids. It also comes with Family Link, which provides all of the parental controls one could need, keeping the children locked into the content and games they are allowed to use.
Although the display panel isn't the greatest, it is Full HD, and VANKYO went the extra mile to help keep your eyes in tip-top shape. Eye Comfort is built-in, which reduces eye strain, even when the surrounding light is not the greatest. Those concerned with battery life can rest a bit easier with the MatrixPad S30, as this tablet will provide up to 15 hours of juice before you need to reach for a charger.
While the MatrixPad S30 will be just fine for most content consumption, you shouldn't expect to load your entire video library on it. VANKYO included just 32GB of storage, and while there is a microSD card slot, you are limited to using a 512GB card. Those looking for a multi-tasking beast may also want to look elsewhere, as the included MediaTek processor won't do the greatest job at multi-tasking.
Pros:- Multi-user support w/ Family Link
- Eye Comfort helps to reduce eyestrain
- Up to 15 hours of battery life
- Just 32GB of storage
- Slower processor than others
Multiple user profiles
The best part about the VANKYO MatrixPad S30 is the ability to create and use multiple user profiles.
Bottom lineFinding the best Android tablet in the "budget" market is a bit odd. This is partly because our smartphones come close to the size of a smaller tablet, and a budget-minded tablet can't hold a cup of tea to the flagship smartphones. With a slight discrepancy between the two, it's tough for users to spring for another device when they can already do everything the tablet can and, in most cases, in a better capacity. Plus, the market is eclipsed in part by Apple's iPad, which is ahead of the curve in terms of tablet technology.
While a few things could be improved, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 is our favorite "cheap" Android tablet. You get a great design, a beautiful display, and fantastic battery life in a slim and lightweight package. Samsung has even included quad-Dolby Atmos speakers that will fill the room and give you the "punch" that you need. Plus, those looking to get some work done will love that Samsung has included S Pen and keyboard support!
Credits - The team that worked on this guide
Andrew Myrick is a regular freelancer at Android Central and iMore. He has been a tech enthusiast ever since the original iPhone was released and continues to flip-flop between devices. You might as well hook him up to an IV filled with coffee to get him through the day. If you have any questions, you can find him on Twitter, and he'll get back to you.
Chris Wedel is a fan of all things tech and gadgets. Living in rural Kansas with his wife and two young boys makes finding ways to get and stay online tricky. By utilizing his years of experience with the tech and mobile communications industries - success is assured. When not conquering connectivity challenges and testing new gadgets, Chris enjoys cruising a gravel road in his UTV with some good tunes.