Cheapest phones to own (TrueCost) — July 2026
Data last verified 2026-07-20 · re-ranked automatically on every update
TrueCost is our signature number: street price divided by the months of software support a phone has left — the real cost per month of safe ownership. It's the metric that exposes the used-phone trap (a $149 flagship with eight months left costs $18/month) and crowns unglamorous winners (a $100 iPhone SE 3 at $3/month). Phones whose support has already ended are unrankable — division by zero is the point. Prices come from major US retailers and Swappa market data, re-verified monthly, and this list re-ranks itself on every site update.
- #1Samsung Galaxy M07$802025◆ Buy-by Oct 20292031
$1.28 per month of safe use — $80 with support until 2031.
- #2Samsung Galaxy A07$1002025◆ Buy-by Aug 20292031
$1.64 per month of safe use — $100 with support until 2031.
- #3Xiaomi Redmi 15C 4G$1152025◆ Buy-by Aug 20292031
$1.91 per month of safe use — $115 with support until 2031.
- #4Xiaomi Redmi 15C 5G$1402025◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031
$2.27 per month of safe use — $140 with support until 2031.
- #5Samsung Galaxy M17e 5G$1552026◆ Buy-by Mar 20302032
$2.29 per month of safe use — $155 with support until 2032.
- #6Xiaomi Poco C71 4G$752025◆ Buy-by Apr 20272029
$2.32 per month of safe use — $75 with support until 2029.
- #7Samsung Galaxy F16 5G$1352025◆ Buy-by Mar 20292031
$2.43 per month of safe use — $135 with support until 2031.
- #8Samsung Galaxy F17 5G$1552025◆ Buy-by Sep 20292031
$2.52 per month of safe use — $155 with support until 2031.
- #9Samsung Galaxy A07 5G$1752026◆ Buy-by Jan 20302032
$2.67 per month of safe use — $175 with support until 2032.
- #10Samsung Galaxy M16 5G$1502025◆ Buy-by Feb 20292031
$2.72 per month of safe use — $150 with support until 2031.
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Rankings are computed from our verified database — no sponsorships, no affiliate reshuffling. Phones with under 18 months of support left are excluded from every list. Methodology.