20 Brilliant iPhone Alternatives That Won't Break Your Bank Balance

Time was, buying a smartphones would saddle you with a two year contract, adding up to a £600 spend and a feeling of resentment toward any sign of slow-down or battery bleed.

But you don't have to throw money at the latest iPhone or Samsung in order to get a good handset. With components becoming cheaper, faster and smaller every year, there's now an impressive array of affordable smartphones that'll keep you connected and (say it quietly) outlast the big boys.

On the back of former Apple CEO John Sculley revealing his company's new, low-cost Obi Worldphones, we've rounded up the most impressive 'budget' (under £200) smartphones. 

Their cameras might not take the best selfies in the world, but they'll still order you a pizza at 2am on a wet Friday night.

Obi Worldphone SF1

Best bits

• 5-inch HD screen
• Quick-charge, easily replaceable battery
• Dual SIM

Price: $199 (£128), UK release date to be announced

Obi Worldphone SJ1.5

Best bits

• High definition video recording
• 5-inch HD screen
• Light polycarbonate unibody

Price: $129 (£83), UK release to be announced

DOOGEE F1 TURBO mini

Best bits

• 5MP selfie camera
• Superb price for fast hardware

Price: £89.99

Elephone P5000

Best bits

• Fingerprint scanner
• 16MP camera
• MASSIVE battery

Price: £155

Ulefone BeTouch 2

Best bits

• Fast processor for its price
• 5.5-inch HD display
• No extra, unnecessary software pre-installed

Price: £187.99

Microsoft Lumia 640

Best bits

• Easy operating system
• Clear 5-inch screen
• Comfortable to hold (no, really)

Price: £109.95

Moto G 4G

Best bits

• 4G connectivity
• Micro SD card slot
• Tough water-resistant build

Price: £138

Sony Xperia M2 Aqua

Best bits

• Waterproof
• Quick processor
• HDMI output 

Price: £169.99

Vodafone Smart Prime 6

Best bits

• Great price
• 5-inch screen
• Micro SD card slot

Price: £80

EE Kestrel

Best bits

• 4G connectivity
• Solid build
• Easy interface

Price: £109

Microsoft Lumia 435

Best bits

• Small build (good backup/emergency phone)
• Solid build
• Incredible price

Price: £55

Acer Liquid Jade S

Best bits

• 13 megapixel camera
• Dual sim
• Comfortable feel

Price: £159

Umi Emax

Best bits

• 13 megapixel camera
• Slim body design
• 5.5-inch screen

Price: £134.50

HTC Desire 510

Best bits

• 4G connectivity
• Dot review case (they're awesome)
• Impressive screen

Price: £146.54

Vodafone Smart ultra 6

Best bits

• Micro SD card
• Very quick
• Rich 5.5-inch screen

Price: £125

Huawei Ascend G510

Best bits

• Micro SD card
• Strong audio
• Thin build

Price: £80

Microsoft Lumia 535

Best bits

• 5 megapixel front and rear cameras
• Microsoft Office apps
• Responsive touch-screen

Price: £71

EE Rook

Best bits

• Speedy processor
• 5 megapixel camera
• 8GB internal memory

Price: £59

LG G2 Mini

Best bits

• Smooth design
• Bright screen
• Clever features (plug your headphones in, it'll open the music app. Neat)

Price: £124.99

Samsung Galaxy S5 Mini

Best bits

• Pricier than the others, but better performance as a result
• Superb screen
• Waterproof

Price: £199.99