To help you find the best projector under $400,$300,$200 and $100 we have produced this guide, plus tips/tricks for finding a great projector on a budget!
Below is a list of affordable projectors under $400 dollars. For whatever use of the projector that you have in mind, here are some recommended best cheap projectors to buy.
At the bottom of this page you can find tips/tricks, and also what look for when looking for a projector.
Links on these articles leads to Amazon, WeaveMyMat gets a small cut for purchases that readers may make at no extra cost to you readers/buyers.
WeaveMyMat cannot guarantee that the projectors below are under $400 (no more than $400), do click on the “buy” link to confirm the prices
EUG Bluetooth Projector
This Bluetooth and Wifi projector boast 4400 lumens which I highly doubt, as with that brightness, it should cost a fortune, however this projector still needs to be in a dull room in order to give bright pictures.
This cheap projector has 1920*1200 of resolution which is really close to being a HD projector with 5000:1 of contrast
As for projection dstance, this one give an image of 50 to 200 Inch from a projector distance of 4.58ft-20.41ft.
This projector gives nice images, watching sports on this is fantastic. This projector works with Airplay and can stream from Apple devices.
The projector in question has an Android operating system and can mirror Apple devices.
This projector also has loud speakers and will do fine without external speakers.
What users said about this Bluetooth/Wifi projector
Users had said that this projector give good pictures, might not be the Highest of definition, but performs well for the price.
This projector has good internal speakers and won’t be needing a secondary speakers and when it’s running, the fan is quiet.
What we like
- Good images
- Quiet fan
What we don’t like
- No noticeable drawback
Check out this bluetooth/wifi projector on Amazon
AAXA Technologies P300 Pico Projector with Rechargeable Battery – Native HD resolution with 500 LED Lumens, For Business, Home Theater, Travel 
It is worth mentioning this projector, because it has gotten positive feedback from owners of this projectors for it’s portability, small enough to fit in your pocket, while having the capability of projecting on a screen size of 120″.
With a contrast of 2000:1, this projector is popular for cookie decorating, image tracing and designing in general as it can be mounted on a tripod and also run on batteries.
Light weight and can be taken everywhere.
What users said about the AAXA Technologies P300 Pico Projector
Users of this projector, mentioned how this projector is portable, light weight, good crispy image, good for cookie decorating.
The only drawback to this projector mentioned by users is how the projector’s fan is audible.
What we like
- Light weight
- Portable
What we don’t like
- Audible fan
Check out the AAXA Technologies P300 Pico Projector on Amazon
ViewSonic PA503 – 3600 Lumens SVGA High Brightness Projector for Home and Office with HDMI Vertical Keystone and 1080p Support (PA503S)
The Viewsonic PA503S has gotten really positive feedback from users and is one of the popular projector on the market.
In my personal opinion, this projector should be more expensive than it is. The Viewsonic PA503S is a 800 x 600 native resolution projector and has 3600 lumens (for sure this projector is bright).
In terms of contrast ratio this projector has 22,000:1 which is awesomely high, meaning that it gives a dark black and high bright giving it a rich and crispy look to the pictures.
This projector is the best for daylight viewing I can confidently say. When using this projector for PowerPoint presentation, this projector shows texts clearly.
What users said about the ViewSonic PA503S projector
This projector is popular for it’s ability to be used during daylight, it is by far the best projector for daylight viewing, when compared to other projectors, this projector has a really high contrast while really bright, but there was is a drawback to this projector according to users.
Major drawback to this projector is that is has a low audio volume, apart from that, this projector is an overall winner.
What we like
- Bright
- Crisp
What we don’t like
- Speaker is not the best
Check out the ViewSOnic PA503S on Amazon
Mini Projector, Vamvo Ultra Mini Portable Projector 1080p Supported HD DLP LED Rechargeable Pico Projector 
The Vamvo Mini Projector is mobile phone or powerbank sized and shaped projector, small and portable and fits in your pocket. This mini projector is a native 800 x 480 projector with a projection distance of 1.6-10ft.
This projector can also runs on a 5200mAh built in battery, which is very useful for use outdoors. This projector also averages 2 hours on battery.
This Vamvo mini projector is one of the popular projector in the Mini projector categories.
With 100 ANSI lumens and a contrast rating 1000:1 this projector if perfect for cookie decorating, image tracing.
What users said about the Vamvo Ultra Mini projector.
Users of this projector has said how they found this projector to be portable, light weight, bright for it;s size and also emits no fan noise.
Overall they have found this projector to be nearly perfect.
What we like
- Lightweight
- Portable
- No fan noise
What we don’t like
- No noticeable drawbacks
Check out the Vamvo Mini projector on Amazon
VANKYO Performance V630 Native 1080P Full HD Projector, 6500 LUX 300″ LED Projector
When out looking for projectors, keep a look out for the Vankyo brand name, Vankyo makes great projectors.
The Vankyo V630 is a native 1920 x 1080P which I doubt, it maybe 720P at best, regardless of the it’s native resolution, this projector is great at this price.
It has a contrast ratio of 5000:1 and gives a picture size of 300″ from 5.15ft-30.18ft, good enough for movies, presentations or whatever use that you have in mind.
This projector however, has 6500Lux, lux is a little lesser with the room a little dull, the V630 is also a good choice.
What users thought about the Vankyo V630 projector.
From users experience, the Vankyo V630 is a good projector, good images, just needs to have the curtains and blinds closed. Users are also surprised at how quiet this projector seems, for it’s low fan noise this projector is good for office settings
What we like
- No fan noise
What we don’t like
- Works better in a dull room
VANKYO Burger 101 Pico Projector, Rechargeable DLP Wireless Mini Projector Supports 1080P
In terms of looks, the Vankyo Burger 101 looks modern and stylish.
The Vankyo burger 101, also gives out 2600 Lux and supports up-to 1080P in resolutions and has a contrast ratio 1000:1, which is awesome for it;s size.
Picture quality is good for a projector this size, this projector has also been praised by cookie decorators as it has worked well for them.
It is pocket sized and has a 5200 mAh of battery and does not need to be connected to the power in-order to be used.
The 5200 mAh battery can give you up-to 3 hours of run time. it’s also possible for this projector to be used with a powerbank, so it can be used for watching movies during camps or outdoors in general.
The Vankyo burger 101 can be charged using the Android USB phone chargers.
What users thought about the Vankyo Burger 101 projector
The Vankyo Burger 101 has been highly praised by users for its protability, ease of use,light weight and also long battery life per charge.
Some of the most common uses for this projector are cookie decoration, image tracing and outdoor movies.
The Vankyo Burger 101 is also durable, as said by users.
What we like
- Small
- Lightweight
- Quiet (No fan noise)
What we don’t like
- Built-in speaker is not loud
Check out the VANKYO Burger101 Projector
Check Vankyo for latest deals!
CRENOVA Video Projector, 6000 Lux Home Movie Projector(550 ANSI) 200″ Display HD LED Projector
This next projector has 6000 LUX of bright and 550 Ansi lumens and can make from 60″ to 200″ of picture size. As for contrast ratio, it has 6000:1 of contrast ratio.
The Crenova Home projector is really light in weight and portable and makes a good projector for someone who travels alot.
This projector has good picture quality ( may not be same as the 800 dollar projector) but for it’s capability to support 1080P resolution, it has good picture quality for the price.
The Crenova Home projector can also play multimedia such as movies, music etc directly from a USB drive.
What users thought about the Crenova Home Projector
For this projector, users mentioned how this projector is quality in terms of it;s build, looks great and the material feels good.
In terms of picture quality, users said how it is crispy and vivid. Apart from all that, users highly admired how the speakers are loud, louder than average.
The Crenova Home Projector however has a few drawbacks according to users, the one and only drawback to this projector is how the power cable is really short.
What we like
- Sound is really good
- Good picture quality
What we don’t like
- Short power cable
Check out the Crenova Video projector on Amazon
Mini Projector, GooDee G500 HD Video Projector 4000 Lux with 50,000 Hrs, 200 inch Home Theater Movie Projector
The GooDee G5oo Mini projector is a 4000 Lux projector and supports 1080P and can give image sizes from 44″-200″ With distance of 5ft-15ft.
The GooDee G500 is 1280*720p native and has good picture quality for the price.
Looking at this projector, it has a nice and modern design, kind of like Apple product designs, This projector deserves an A+ in terms of product design.
This projector has good picture clarity and color definition. The GooDee projector is also not bulky and easy to set up.
What users thought about the GooDee G500 Projector
With regards to picture quality, this projector is good, however users mentioned that for optimum performance, this projector is best used in a dark to dull room, in this conditions the pictures are great.
Secondly, users said how the speakers are not that loud and may need a secondary pair of speakers for the best experience and lastly, the fans are not loud at all like most other projectors.
What we like
- Good picture quality
- Quiet fan
- Easy to set up
What we don’t like
- Works better in a dull room
- Speaker not loud
Check out the GooDee G500 Projector on Amazon
YABER Native 1080P Projector 6000 Lux Upgrad Full HD Video Projector
It is 6000 Lux bright and can project a distance of 50″ to 300″ The recommended viewing distance is (5 – 30ft) and 10ft.
The Yaber Projector is light weight and would be recommended as a travel projector, this projector can be used for presentations of movies while out of the house.’
Although it is a decent projector, a dull room works best for this projector.
What users thought about the Yaber projector
Users had said that the Yaber projector gives good pictures for the price (not the best in the world) but decent, users also said how this projector is easy to set up and also light in weight that it will be easy to carry it around.
One thing that this projector stood out from the rest as mentioned by the users, is how this projector has an efficient cooling system.
The Yaber projector according to users, has a really good cooling system that the fan is not distracting.
What we like
- Easy to install
- Loud speakers
- Low fan noise
What we don’t like
- Recommended for dull rooms
Check out the Yaber projector on Amazon
AAXA Technologies KP-101-01 AAXA LED Pico Micro Video Projector – Pocket Size Portable Mobile Mini Projector 
The Aaxa Pico projector is palm sized and has everything a projector would have, except that this projector has more, it has an in built battery (which can give you 1 hour and 20 minutes of fun).
Bigger projectors don’t have batteries so that is a good advantage of Pico projectors over the large ones.
This projector supports 1080P and is 720 native in terms of resolution, at that resolution it gives you upto 60″ of pictures, with a contrast ratio of 1000:1.
Can be used with a powerbank, so with a tripod a powerbank, this can be used as an outdoor mini cinema projector.
What users thought about the Aaxa Pico Projector
Users of this projector mentioned how user friendly and easy to use this projector is, with good colours. Secondly, user also mentioned how light weight this projector is (obviously)
The only drawback to this projector is that the speakers aren’t loud enough and would need an additional speakers.
What we like
- Easy to use
- Good pictures
- Has internal batteries
- Lightweight
What we don’t like
- Speakers not loud enough
Check out the Aaxa Pico projector on Amazon
Movie Projector – Artlii 4000 Lux Full HD 1080P Support Projector, LED Projector with HiFi Stereo, Home Theater Projector
It might truly be a 1080P projector, regardless of it’s resolution, it is a good projector, picture wise.
This Artlii projector can give you a projection size of up-to 200″ with a contrast ratio of 3000:1
What users thought about the Artlii 4000 Lux projector.
Users had said how the Artlii projector is good for the price, users also said that there are plenty ports for your connections.
There is no zoom function available on this projector, so you will need to physically move the projector to change image size.
Although you will need a dull room for optimum performance of this projector, the speaker is loud and you won’t be needing an external speaker.
What we like
- Loud speakers
- Easy to set up
What we don’t like
- No zoom function
- Needs a dull room
Check out the Artlii projector on Amazon
Features, Specs and other things to look for in a projector (Buying guide)
In this guide of best projector under 400 dollars, here are somethings that you must look for when buying a projector
Things to look for:
Lumens
No matter what the price range of the projectors are, the first thing that a projector consumer should consider is how many lumens a projector has, lumens is a measurement of how bright a projector is.
Depending on size and price lumens of a projector may range from 50 to 4000 lumens.
Some projector brightness are measured in Lux, which is a watered down version of Lumens.
External Speakers
Depending on the intended use of the projector you’d want to get an external speakers (which is more practical than having to rely on external speakers of the projector)
Size and weight
Depending on the use, do consider the weight and size of the projector, a heavy projector will be burdensome for users having to carry them around if it will be a travel projector.
Connectivity
What medium is going to be use to feed your movies, images, music or PowerPoint presentation onto the projector?
Check projectors if they have the connection port for the medium that you have in mind. eg HDMI, USB, WiFi, Bluetooth, SD Card etc
Additional Tips
Buy branded products
First and foremost advice when getting a projector, is to get a branded projector, preferably from well known projector makers like ViewSonic, Acer, Epson, Sony Etc.
Branded projectors like everything else, may be pricy, but they come with product support, parts availability and a community behind these projectors and last but not least, quality, they are more likely to be the best of quality.
Blurry corners
Some projectors, this is mostly for cheaper projectors, they tend to have a little bit of a blur on the corners of the images when using the keystone features, playing movies on the projector will work fine, but users should expect a little blur on the corners of the image.
Mounting or Positioning
Projector audio/speaker
For low priced projectors, do not expect really good built in speakers to come with the projector, low priced projectors often have projector volume that’s low and often time don’t have bass to them. But they do have Aux Audio out and HDMI audio extractor which can be used to connect to a speaker for audio playback, which should be useful for movies, presentation or music listening.
Match the computer resolution with projector
For maximum clarity of the projection image, match the resolution of the computer and the projector, if your computer has a resolution of 1280 x 720, it is also advisable to get a 720P projector so that they match.
Buying projectors for PowerPoint presentations
Powerpoint presentation projectors often needs alot of lumens (3000+) and a lot of resolutions as the more the resolutions a projector has, the more pixels it also has, so details standout. When buying a projector that will be used for powerpoint presentation, it is advisable to get a 720P, 1080P native resolution or even better a 4k projector. Text displays may need projectors with good native resolution because low resolution projectors often give out blurry texts which are hard to read unless your fonts are big.
Keystone and focus adjustments on large screens
For low priced projectors, poor keystone and focus adjustments are to be expected, more manual adjustments will be made with these projectors, on the brighter side, they are portable
More resolution is equal to more weight.
The more the resolution a projector has, the weight it will also carry, so if you need a light weight projector, do sacrifice a little bit of resolution, components that give it more resolution also give it more weight.
