The best cheap tablets can't match the very best tablets for performance, but they do offer great value for money in all the areas that matter.
Right now, the best cheap tablet for most people is the Apple iPad 11-inch (2025), which impresses in the display, performance, and longevity departments. The Lenovo Idea Tab Pro and Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023), meanwhile, are equally attractive options for those who prefer Android or Fire OS software, respectively.
For creative types, those Apple and Lenovo tablets offer support for accessories like the Apple Pencil and Lenovo stylus, though if you're planning on running demanding software, you'll want to consider one of the best iPads or best Android tablets (think the iPad Pro 2024 or Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Plus).
In this guide, we've highlighted the best cheap tablets to buy in 2025. Every device included below has been subjected to a full TechRadar review, so you can rest assured that our recommendations are based on real-world judgments.
Quick List
It's not cheap by many standards, but Apple's most affordable iPad is streets ahead of the budget tablet competition in all the areas that matter.
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The Lenovo Idea Tab Pro is a worthy adversary to the iPad, offering powerful specs and a giant 12.7-inch screen for not all that much money.
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The Amazon Fire HD 10 doesn't exactly set the tablet world on fire, but for casual streaming, gaming, and web browsing, it's a more-than-capable budget device.
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I'm TechRadar's Phones Editor, and have been reviewing and writing about the best mobile devices (tablets included) for several years. Based in the UK, I handle news and feature coverage for the phones section of the site, and regularly edit TechRadar's phones-related reviews and buying guides. You'll find my byline on over 1,500 TechRadar articles.
The best cheap tablet in 2025
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The best cheap tablet overall
We'll be the first to admit that Apple's latest entry-level iPad, the iPad 11-inch (2025), is not cheap by many buyers' standards, but it is the most affordable iPad available as new at the time of writing, and it blows away the competition at the lower end of the tablet market.
Put simply, the iPad 10.9 (2025) delivers plenty of high-end features for the money, and it'll remain supported for many years to come (you'll get updates until at least 2020), so it's worth the extra investment in our eyes.
Specifically, Apple's newest base model offers a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display – even though Apple inexplicably markets the screen as 11 inches – a powerful A16 chipset, at least 128GB of storage, and a long-lasting battery.
That battery will net you up to 10 hours of battery life, and while you might find longer battery life in comparable Android or Amazon models, the experience of using the iPad 10.9 (2025) is so much more impressive than almost anything else you'll find at this price range.
If you really can't stretch to the iPad's $349 / £329 / AU$599 asking price (and it's not currently on sale), then the still-excellent iPad 10.9-inch (2022) is worth considering too. It's harder to come by in 2025, but if you can find one for a decent price and you're happy to settle for lower base storage and fewer years of update support, it's still a better option than cheaper models from other manufacturers.
Read our full iPad 11-inch (2025) review
The best cheap Android tablet
When it comes to affordable Android tablets, there are plenty more options available outside of the US than in it – the OnePlus Pad Go, for instance, is an excellent choice for UK buyers – but for this entry, we've opted for a globally available model from Lenovo: the Idea Tab Pro.
Yes, it's true that the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro has a much higher starting price than its lower-specced sibling (and indeed many other cheap tablets), but you can currently pick up this premium-feeling Android slate for much less than its advertised $349.99 / £379.99 / $AU699 RRP. For that reason – coupled with the fact that we're still waiting on a new Galaxy Tab A from Samsung – we think it qualifies for a spot on our best cheap tablets list.
In short, the Idea Tab Pro is the best Android-powered alternative to Apple's iPad 11-inch (2025). It's got a larger 12.7-inch, 120Hz display, a longer-lasting 10,200mAh battery, and a Mediatek Dimensity 8300 chipset that can easily handle streaming, gaming, and light productivity tasks.
Lenovo's tablet doesn't beat the iPad on software – iPadOS is still the gold standard for app integration on tablets – but if you're someone who prefers to use Android, wants a big screen for consuming media content, and needs the security of a long-lasting battery, the Idea Tab Pro is an excellent choice.
Read our full Lenovo Idea Tab Pro review
The best cheap Amazon tablet
Amazon's best Fire tablet isn't the cheapest Fire tablet around, but it's fairly solid if you're not fussed about having an extensive ecosystem to dig into. Nevertheless, you get some reasonable specs for not a lot of money with this device, including a Full HD 10.1-inch display that we found is well-suited for watching movies and playing games.
In testing, we recorded a very respectable 13 hours of battery life with the Fire HD 10, so you needn't worry about its endurance when you're on a lengthy trip. Its tough design should make it weather any bumps and knocks on said trip, too, just don't expect it to win many admiring looks, as its design is rather dated.
There are, of course, some caveats here, including the fact that you're limited to playing within Amazon's walled garden of Fire OS, which includes lots of unremovable apps. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Fire HD 10 also can't compete with Apple's latest base iPad nor the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro on the performance front.
Still, if you simply want a tough and no-frills tablet for light streaming and web browsing, the Fire HD 10 is definitely still worth considering in 2025.
Incidentally, Amazon announced new Fire HD 8 tablets – which are essentially budgeted versions of its mainline HD series – in October last year, and we're currently putting them through our full review process. As such, one of them could dethrone the Fire HD 10 (2023) as the best cheap Amazon tablet, but the jury is out.
Read our full Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) review
Also consider
None of the above options take your fancy? If you're willing to spend a bit more money, or are looking for a different type of tablet, we've highlighted some alternative options below.
Best iPad 11-inch (2025) alternative – iPad mini 8.3-inch (2024)
It's slightly strange that Apple's smallest iPad, the iPad mini, is not its outright cheapest model, but by settling for a smaller 8.3-inch screen, you'll benefit from a more powerful A17 Pro chipset and Apple Intelligence compatibility.
Best Lenovo Idea Tab Pro alternative – OnePlus Pad Go
For a truly cheap Android tablet, the OnePlus Pad Go is our go-to recommendation, though it's currently only available in the UK. It boasts a big, bright display and a reasonably powerful chipset, but it can't rival the Lenovo for battery life or raw performance.
Best Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) alternative – Amazon Fire HD 8 (2024)
Despite its age, the Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) is still the newest 10-inch Fire HD model from Amazon, but the company did recently release the Fire HD 8, which is even cheaper. It's an 8-inch model with a smaller battery, so we think the Fire HD 10 (2023) still offers better value for money, but the newer tab is worth considering if you're after the cheapest possible Fire slate.
FAQs
What is the best cheap tablet?
The best cheap tablet on the market right now is the Apple iPad 11-inch (2025). It's not as affordable as other budget models, but you'll benefit from a gorgeous 10.9-inch screen, great update support, and more than enough power for most everyday tasks. If you're looking for an Android device, then we recommend the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro.
How to choose the best cheap tablet
There are always compromises on cheaper products, so in choosing one of the best cheap tablets, it's important to identify where corners have been cut, and whether those things matter to you. Equally, if a particular feature is very important to you – be it the battery, screen, or anything else – make sure that the tablet you're considering performs well in that area.
There are also variables that apply no matter how much money you're spending. For example, you might want something relatively small, light, and portable, such as an 8-inch screen and a weight of under 400g. Or maybe you want a big, immersive 10-inch display. Operating systems are worth considering, too, with the options typically including Apple's iPadOS, Android, and Amazon's Fire OS.
You're not going to get a master of all trades at a low price, but it's very possible to find the balance you need.
How we test
In this best cheap tablets guide, we've only included tablets that we've fully reviewed. That means that we've used every entry extensively and delivered a final verdict on them. That process includes testing every key feature and using them as our main tablet, just like a typical buyer would.
This allows us to easily rank and compare different tablets, factoring in their specs, performance, price, value, age, screen quality, battery life, and any other factor worth considering.
With that information, we know exactly which ones to include and which to exclude, and whenever a new cheap tablet is released, we'll compare it to the other entries in this list before deciding if or where it should be placed.
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