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These are the best Android tablets you can get under $100

There are quite a few Android tablets on the market at all different price points, but there are only a few that are worth the money, especially when you get under $100. However, when you have options like the Amazon Fire HD 8, the decision can be pretty easy to make. Here are the best Android tablets under $100.

Best Overall: Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon does a fantastic job at producing tablets for those in need of a budget-friendly device. The Fire HD 8 is one of our favorites with its 10 hours of battery life, 8-inch HD display, and easy access to the world of Amazon services.

The Fire HD 8 has access to hands-free Alexa, meaning it can act as a smart speaker of sorts if you have questions. Plus, you will be able to clearly hear Alexa's answers with the dual Dolby Atmos speakers built-in.

As one would expect, Amazon's Fire Tablet runs a modified version of Android, without out-of-the-box access to the Google Play Store. Instead, you'll need to rely on the Amazon App Store, or sideload the Play Store onto the Fire HD 8.

Pros:

  • 16GB or 32GB of storage
  • Hands-free Alexa
  • Four color options
  • Dual Dolby Atmos speakers

Cons:

  • Only 1.5GB of RAM
  • 2MP front and rear cameras
  • No access to Google Play Store

Best Overall

Amazon Fire HD 8

A great tablet for consuming Amazon content

The Fire HD 8 is a fantastic option for a budget-friendly tablet, especially if you love everything Amazon has to offer.

Best for a Big Screen: Vankyo MatrixPad Z4

When it comes to budget tablets, there are some concerns that the manufacturer will throw too much bloatware onboard. That's not the case with the Vankyo MatrixPad Z4, as there is no bloatware to be found, providing a near-stock Android experience.

This 10.1-inch tablet makes media consumption a breeze, along with the 32GB of onboard storage. There is also an 8=mgeapixel rear-camera if you like taking pictures with a huge viewfinder. Plus, there is a microSD card slot to hold a lot of your favorite content, or pictures and videos.

While there is microSD card support onboard, it has been limited to supporting cards up to 128GB. This is an upsetting inclusion, as you will end up running out of space if you plan on loading up movies and TV shows. The six hours of battery life likely won't last you throughout the day, so you will want to keep a portable charger nearby.

Pros:

  • 10.1-inch HD display
  • Near-stock Android
  • 32GB of onboard storage
  • 8-megapiel rear camera

Cons:

  • MicroSD card support limited to 128GB
  • Only available in Black
  • Mediocre battery life

Best for a Big Screen

Vankyo MatrixPad Z4

Get a big screen for the best media consumption

Vankyo's MatrixPad Z4 is a surprisingly good tablet for the price point with its 10.1-inch HD display, and solid spec sheet.

Best for the Kids: Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition

It can be tough to keep the kids occupied, whether you are at home, on the road, or at a friends house. The Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition helps to do just that with access to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited. This provides a slew of content and games to not only teach your kids lessons, but let them have some fun at the same time.

Amazon also provides a two-year "worry-free" guarantee, meaning that if anything happens to the Fire 7 Kids Edition, the company will replace it. This is in addition to the built-in Kid-Proof case which has a kickstand on the back, so it will be safe from the eventual accidental drops.

For better or worse, there is only a single speaker included with the Fire 7 Kids Edition. If your child is hard of hearing, this may not be the best solution, but it will be serviceable for most. While Amazon touts the inclusion of a front and rear camera, they are only 2-megapixel sensors, and will end up being even more blurry.

Pros:

  • Two-year warranty
  • Includes Amazon FreeTime Unlimited
  • MicroSD card support up to 512GB
  • Includes Kid-Proof Case

Cons:

  • Only 1GB of RAM
  • Single speaker
  • Poor front and rear cameras

Best for the Kids

Amazon Fire 7 Kids Edition

Keep the kids occupied

With the included Amazon FreeTime Unlimited access and included Kid-Proof case, the Fire 7 Kids Edition is fantastic for the little ones.

Best for Durability: CHUWI Hi8 SE

There are a lot of sub-10 inch tablets available on the market, with some offering plastic builds and subpar performance. With the CHUWI Hi8 SE, many of those concerns should be quelched, as this provides a great combination of design and specs.

The Hi8 SE comes with a metal uni-body design, which not only looks good but will stand up against you throwing it in your bag every day. This 8-inch tablet comes with 2GB of RAM, 32GB of expandable storage, and ships with Android Oreo Go for a lightweight, stock Android experience.

As we mentioned, there is a microSD card slot built into the Hi8 SE, however there's a catch. The tablet will only work with up to 128GB, removing the option for larger microSD cards. Additionally, this may not be the best tablet to use for pictures, as it's only equipped with a 5-megapixel rear camera.

Pros:

  • 32GB of onboard storage
  • Metal uni-body design
  • IPS HD display

Cons:

  • Weak rear camera
  • Ships with Android Oreo
  • MicroSD card support limited to 128GB

Best for Durability

CHUWI Hi8 SE

Get a lightweight and durable experience along with stock Android

The CHUWI Hi8 SE is a great pick for an 8-inch tablet with a stock Android experience and decent spes for the price.

Best Value: Amazon Fire 7

Year after year, the Amazon Fire 7 tablet continues to be one of the most popular tablets available. Maybe it's the price point, or maybe it's the combination of price and access to Amazon's suite of digital content.

This 7-inch tablet offers seven hours of battery life, up to 32GB of expandable storage, and provides access to Amazon Alexa with just your voice. There is even dual-band WiFi support, making it easy to use this wherever your travels take you.

On the other side of the fence, you will have to deal with a subpar display coming in at a resolution of just 1024x600. And while the processor has been updated, Amazon only included 1GB of RAM, so don't expect to do heavy gaming or multi-tasking.

Pros:

  • Seven hours of battery life
  • Expandable storage up to 512GB
  • Alexa hands-free

Cons:

  • Only 1GB of RAM
  • 2-megapixel front and rear cameras
  • Lower density display

Best Value

Amazon Fire 7

Great entry-level tablet to pair with Amazon's services

The Amazon Fire 7 is a fantastic entry-level tablet with access to Amazon's content, but the specs could be better.

Bottom line

If you are looking for the best sub-$100 tablet, you can get any better than the Amazon Fire HD 8. The 8-inch HD display will show off all of your favorite content beautifully, while transforming into a super-powered e-reader if the opportunity arises.

You get access to all of Amazon's content in a lightweight and portable package that will continue to be a joy to use. This, combined with the 10 hours of battery life and you are sure to use this tablet throughout the day, and then some.

We just warn you that this is not a traditional Android tablet, as it has Amazon's Fire UI overlay pre-installed with the Amazon App Store. You can get the Google Play Store, but it will take a little bit of work and should not be done by just anyone.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Andrew Myrick is a regular freelancer at Android Central and iMore. He has been a tech enthusiast ever since the original iPhone was released and continues to flip-flop between devices. You might as well hook him up to an IV filled with coffee to get him through the day. If you have any questions, you can find him on Twitter, and he'll get back to you.


by Andrew Myrick