The Best Cheap Tablets for 2023 (2023)

Some tablets are pro-level laptop replacements, while others perform humbler duties. Inexpensive tablets can serve as entertainment platforms for kids,ebook readers, and alarm clocks, or even work as digital signage. You don't need to spend $300 or more to get a simple slate that fulfills those functions. We list our favorite models below, along with some useful buying advice for the category.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

Buying Guide: The Best Cheap Tablets for 2023

What to Look For In a Cheap Tablet

There are a lot of cheap tablets on the market. You can find them stacked up behind the counter at CVS and Walgreens or sold under dozens of different names on Amazon. We can't recommend most of them: They tend to be slow, unreliable, have dim screens, and run old versions of Android that are full of security flaws.

When you're shopping, keep an eye on screen resolution. An 8-inch, 1,280-by-800 display enables you to comfortably watch 720p HD video and read magazines. The combination of this size and resolution works out to 189 pixels per inch (ppi), which is the minimum you should look for if you want to experience reasonably sharp pictures and text.

At $100 or less, there are a few inexpensive 10-inch tablets, but their screens generally have such a low pixel density that they look fuzzy and are difficult to read.

Apple iPad (2021)(Credit: Steven Winkelman)

Also, pay close attention to storage specs. Because Android often has trouble moving apps to microSD cards, we recommend at least 32GB of built-in storage for installing apps and storing multimedia. If you plan to play large games like Genshin Impact, you might even need 64GB because that game takes up almost 32GB by itself. Of course, a microSD card slot certainly can't hurt, especially if you want to download movies to watch on long trips.

If possible, look for 4GB of RAM or more. This will help you launch and run apps more smoothly, particularly if you have anything else running in the background.

Battery life is another factor to keep in mind, though you can always extend the life of your tablet on the go with one of ourfavorite backup battery packs.

Does Amazon Make the Best Cheap Tablets?

The best sub-$100 tablets we've tested come from Amazon. Amazon often subsidizes its tablets with ads on the lock screen and lots of promotions for Amazon content throughout the interface. They're relatively reliable, however, and they get security updates (even if only sporadically). Further, they have excellent customer support, which sets them apart from their sub-$100 kin.

The 2022 model of the Fire 7 Tablet is the least-expensive, decent-quality tablet on the market, at $59.99. Other tablets in this price range tend to have outdated versions of Android or are a complete roll of the dice in terms of quality assurance and support.

Amazon Fire 7 Tablet (2022)(Credit: Dave LeClair)

Amazon's tablets aren't only the best cheap options out there, they're also thebest kids' tabletswe've tested. Theyhave a simplified interface, strong parental controls, and Kids+, which is basically a giant bucket of content for kids. A Parent Dashboard lets you keep track of what your children are doing and restrict their screen time. You can put multiple user profiles on the tablets, as well. Other Android tablets also let you set up restricted kids' profiles and configure parental control settings, but Amazon's options are more comprehensive.

The one caveat with Amazon's tablets is that they use the Amazon Appstore, which doesn't have all the apps that are in the Google Play Store. If you want complete Google Play coverage with unrestricted access to thebest Android apps, you may need to give up some specs such as RAM, storage, or dual-band Wi-Fi on a non-Amazon tablet. Yes, you can sideload apps on Fire tablets, but this comes with risks.

If all of these choices feel underwhelming, take a look at our picks for thebest Android tablets overall.

Are There Cheap Tablets That Don't Run Android?

If you want a quality Apple or Windows tablet under $200, you're going to have to dip into the used market. In that case, we suggest you first check out manufacturers' certified refurbished sales or head to third-party sellers such as Gazelle, Glyde, and Swappa that buy used products and test them before reselling.

The least expensive new iPad is the outgoing 2021 model, and at $329, it's a great value. Now that the 2022 iPad is out, you might even be able to find the 2021 model for a discount. Over the past few years, Apple has made the iPad a decent replacement for a basic laptop, withaccessories such as the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard adding value.

We wouldn't call the iPad a cheap tablet, mind you, but there are some good reasons to invest in one. Most notably, you can likely stay current with software updates for at least three years. That's much longer than almost all the budget tablets on our list. If you get an older, used iPad, it's likely to get cut out of the software update cycle in a year or two.

In the Windows world, take a look at certified used devices at this price level. If your budget is a little more flexible, here's our list of thebest Windows tablets.

Finally, if budget buying feels too much like cutting corners, check out thebest tablets we've testedoverall. Just be prepared to spend a lot more than $100.

Steven Winkleman contributed to this story.