Apple iPhone 11 Green 64GB

The iPhone 11 is outdated on paper, but it's still a killer budget iPhone in real life. For under $130, it's the best value in Apple's lineup—just don't expect 5G or a modern screen.

If you need a dependable iPhone without spending new-phone money, the iPhone 11 in 2025 is a shockingly good deal. Refurbished units are floating around for under $130, and even with a spec sheet that looks ancient next to recent flagships, this thing holds up where it counts. The A13 chip keeps iOS 18 humming for everyday tasks, the build quality is still premium, and the cameras produce sharp, natural-looking shots. You won't get 5G or a fancy OLED display, but for a phone that just works, the iPhone 11 crushes nearly everything in its price bracket.

I wasn't expecting much from a phone that's five years old, but the A13 Bionic chip genuinely surprised me. Apps open without lag, multitasking with 4GB of RAM is smoother than it should be, and iOS animation tricks make it feel faster than synthetic benchmark scores suggest. The 53rd percentile performance ranking sounds mediocre, but in real life it's perfectly fine for social media, streaming, and even light video editing. Just don't try pushing demanding games—the gaming score sits at a miserable 36.3 percentile, and you'll feel every dropped frame when things heat up.

For under $130 for a refurbished unit, this is one of the easiest recommendations I can make for a basic smartphone. If you can stretch to a 128GB model, do it—you'll thank yourself later when your photo library isn't holding a knife to your storage.

A used Pixel 7 or Galaxy S22 both cost around $150-$200 and give you OLED screens, 5G, and better cameras. But none of them run iOS. The iPhone 11 is the cheapest way into Apple's walled garden, and if you just want a reliable iPhone that does calls, texts, and social media, it's still the one to beat at this price. If you're open to Android, skip the iPhone 11 and grab a Pixel 7—the screen and camera upgrades are hard to ignore for a few extra bucks.

If you care about 5G, a modern high-refresh screen, or playing demanding games, the iPhone 11 isn't for you. Get a used Pixel 7 or a Galaxy S22 instead—they cost only a little more and feel like phones from this decade.

The iPhone 11 is the ultimate budget iPhone right now. It's not flashy, but it handles everything most people need for a fraction of what a new iPhone costs. If you're okay without 5G and don't mind an LCD, buy one before the refurbished market dries up. For a $100 phone, it's almost unfair how good this is.