Best Tablets Under $300 in 2026: iPad, Galaxy Tab and Budget Picks
The best tablets under $300 right now, from the A16 iPad on sale to Samsung's Galaxy Tab A11+ and a $75 Fire tablet, with prices and who each suits.
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You don’t need to spend $500 to get a good tablet. Under $300 you can get an iPad when it’s on sale, a Samsung tablet with seven years of updates, or a perfectly good streaming screen for under $100. Here are the five best options right now, and how to choose between them before Black Friday.
Quick comparison
| Tablet | Price (late Oct 2026) | Screen | Chip | Storage | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple iPad (A16, 11th gen) | $349 list, often $299 on Amazon | 11” Liquid Retina, 2360 x 1640 | Apple A16 | 128GB | Best overall if you can catch the sale |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ | $249.99, often near $200 | 11” LCD, 1920 x 1200, 90Hz | MediaTek Dimensity 7300 | 128GB or 256GB + microSD | Best Android tablet |
| Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ | $219 list, often $130 to $150 | 11” LCD, 1920 x 1200, 90Hz | Snapdragon 695 | 64GB or 128GB + microSD | Best under $150 |
| Lenovo Tab M11 | around $150 | 11” LCD, 90Hz | MediaTek Helio G88 | 64GB or 128GB + microSD | Note-taking on a budget |
| Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) | $154.99 list, often under $100 | 10.1” LCD, 1920 x 1200 | Octa-core MediaTek | 32GB or 64GB + microSD | Streaming, reading and kids |
Prices move a lot in the weeks before Black Friday, so check the current price before you buy.
1. Apple iPad (A16): best overall
The 11th-generation iPad launched in March 2025 at $349 for 128GB, and Amazon regularly drops it to $299, as it did in May this year according to MacRumors. At that price, nothing else here comes close. The A16 chip handles games, video editing and split-screen apps easily, and the 11-inch screen is sharp and bright.
You also get Touch ID, USB-C, a 12MP front camera in landscape position for video calls, and support for the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and Magic Keyboard Folio. iPads also get software updates for many years, so this one should stay useful for a long time.
The downsides are small but real. It doesn’t support Apple Intelligence, the screen isn’t laminated, and Apple’s accessories add a lot to the price. A new base iPad is also rumoured, but MacRumors says there’s no confirmed date or sign of a price change.
Best for: students, families and anyone who already uses an iPhone.
2. Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+: best Android tablet
Samsung’s newest budget tablet went on sale in the US in January at $249.99. It’s a big step up from older Galaxy Tab A models, thanks to the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, which Android Authority found smooth for everyday use and light gaming.
It has an 11-inch 90Hz screen, quad speakers, a headphone jack, a microSD slot and a 7,040mAh battery with 25W charging. The biggest selling point is support: Samsung promises up to seven years of software and security updates, which is rare at this price.
What you don’t get: S Pen support, a fingerprint reader, or a high-end display. The panel is a basic LCD with 480 nits of brightness, fine indoors but dim in sunlight.
Best for: Android users who want a tablet that will keep getting updates for years.
3. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+: best under $150
The Galaxy Tab A9+ is older, but it’s now so cheap that it’s still worth a look. Its list price is $219, and it often sells for $130 to $150. For that you get an 11-inch 90Hz screen, quad speakers and a Snapdragon 695 chip that handles streaming, browsing and casual games well.
Its main weaknesses are slow 15W charging, weak cameras and only 64GB of storage on the base model. If you plan to download lots of shows, get the 128GB version or add a microSD card.
Best for: a cheap second screen for Netflix, YouTube and browsing.
4. Lenovo Tab M11: best for note-taking on a budget
The Lenovo Tab M11 costs around $150 at Walmart and Newegg, and some versions come with Lenovo’s Tab Pen in the box. That makes it the cheapest way to get a tablet you can write on. It has an 11-inch 90Hz screen, a microSD slot, a headphone jack and a 7,040mAh battery that Lenovo rates at about 10 hours of video.
The Helio G88 chip is the slowest here, so expect some lag with heavy apps and games. Lenovo also hasn’t published a clear update policy, so it won’t stay current as long as the Samsung tablets.
Best for: students who want to handwrite notes and annotate PDFs without paying for an iPad and Apple Pencil.
5. Amazon Fire HD 10: best for streaming and kids
If you mostly want to watch shows, read and video call, the Fire HD 10 is hard to beat on price. It lists at $154.99, but Amazon cuts it often. During its October Prime Day sale it dropped to $72.99, according to TechRadar.
It runs Amazon’s Fire OS, not standard Android, so there’s no Google Play Store, and many Google apps aren’t officially available. Performance is basic, and it shows lock-screen ads unless you pay extra to remove them. TechRadar also reports that Amazon is preparing a new, more expensive Fire tablet that may run full Android.
Best for: a low-cost tablet for Prime Video, Netflix, Kindle books and kids’ apps.
What to check before you buy
Software updates. A tablet without updates gets slower and less secure over time. Apple and Samsung are the safest choices here. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A11+ promises up to seven years.
Storage. 64GB fills up quickly once you download shows and games. Choose 128GB if you can, or make sure the tablet has a microSD slot.
Apps. Fire tablets use the Amazon Appstore, which has fewer apps than Google Play or Apple’s App Store. If you need Google apps or school apps, choose an iPad or a Samsung or Lenovo tablet.
Accessories. A case, keyboard or stylus can add $50 to $150. Check whether a pen is included, and which pens the tablet supports, before you buy.
Tip: Black Friday is on November 27 this year, and tablets are among the most heavily discounted gadgets. If you don’t need one right now, add your pick to a wish list and compare its price with the last few months before you buy.
Related reading: Best Laptops for College Students Under $700 · Best Budget Phones Under $300 in 2026
The bottom line
For most people, the Apple iPad (A16) is the best tablet under $300, as long as you buy it during one of its frequent $299 sales. If you prefer Android or want to spend less, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ is the best choice, with a capable chip and seven years of updates. For a cheap streaming screen, get the Galaxy Tab A9+ or wait for the Fire HD 10 to drop under $100. If handwriting notes matters most, the Lenovo Tab M11 with its pen is the cheapest option.
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