What Is The Best Unlocked Phone For The Money

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The Best Unlocked Phones for 2022

Tired of the restrictive carrier payment plans that come with new cell phones? Unlocked phones aren't tied to a carrier, offering you more freedom and less bloatware. Check out the best unlocked phones we've tested.

In the US, many phones are sold locked to a wireless carrier—through a software lock that prevents you from using the phone on other carriers, a payment plan that doesn't permit you to leave that carrier, or hardware frequency restrictions that exclude other carriers' transmission bands. Unlocked phones, paid for up front, are different. The day you buy an unlocked phone, you can use any carrier it's compatible with, and switch carriers at will.

These are our picks for the best unlocked phones available in the US, from inexpensive basic handsets to powerful flagships. Most are 5G phones, including the Apple iPhone 13 series, the Google Pixel 6 line, the OnePlus 9 Pro, and Samsung's flagships. Those run on every form of US 5G, including high-speed millimeter wave and the upcoming C-band spectrum.

Why Buy Unlocked?

With an unlocked device, you can trade up or sell your phone whenever you want, without waiting for the end of a leasing or installment plan. You can own multiple handsets and swap your SIM card between them. If you travel internationally, you can pop in a local, pay-as-you-go card overseas and never pay horrendous international roaming charges. You can also take advantage of super-cheap prepaid plans from virtual operators in the US piggybacking on compatible networks (for the best carrier where you live, see our story on the Fastest Mobile Networks). If you go with a prepaid carrier, make sure it will support the phone you want; we've heard several stories of MVNOs not offering support for phones that theoretically work on their networks.

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At the same time, there are a few downsides to going the unlocked route. If you change SIM cards overseas, you won't have your US phone number while you're traveling. Most of the phones on our list work on all three major carriers, but you'll want to check out our reviews before you buy, since a few may not connect to all the carriers' 5G networks.

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AT&T doesn't permit Wi-Fi calling on many unlocked phones, and it's difficult to nail down which phones can do it and which can't. This is annoying. If you want Wi-Fi calling on an unlocked AT&T phone, stick with iPhones, Google Pixels, and the Nokia 6300 4G.

And with the growing number of phones with electronic SIMs (eSIMs), changing carriers is easier than ever. Simply select your carrier from a menu or by scanning an online QR code, and you won't need to wait for a physical SIM to arrive in the mail. On this list, the Pixel 6 series and iPhones support eSIM and dual SIM, which let you have two lines attached to one phone. The Nokia 6300 4G has two physical SIMs. Dual SIM is great for having a work line and a personal line, or lines for two different countries.

You can quickly add and remove eSIMs on the Pixel 6 (Photo: Steven Winkelman)

Where to Buy Unlocked Phones

Shopping for an unlocked handset can be a bit tricky, since carrier stores don't stock them. If you're looking for one, Amazon, the Apple Store, Best Buy Mobile, and manufacturers' online stores are good bets. In some cases, you can even unlock the phone you already own, though the particulars depend on the handset and carrier.

Our most recent picks for unlocked devices in each major price category include the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the Google Pixel 6 Pro at the high end, the Google Pixel 6 and the iPhone 13 in the midrange, and the Nokia 6300 4G and the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G for inexpensive options. Our top choice for an unlocked voice phone is the thoughtful and simple Sunbeam F1.

Ready to break free? Pick up one of these handsets and don't feel tied to your carrier any longer.

And if you're looking to get the best deal, check out our 9 tips for getting the best price on a new phone and our picks for the best cheap phones and best cheap phone plans.

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