6 Best Cheap Projectors Under $500 for Fun Movie Nights (2024)

Our pros were blown away by the clear HD picture quality this small, sleek projector was able to produce in low-light settings.

Unlike more expensive models, it's so compact that it should fit into most backpacks or travel accessories so you can bring it with you on your next adventure to project movies and shows on the go. We love that it features four hours of rechargeable battery life, making it a top choice for outdoor movie nights, camping trips or streaming anywhere in your home.

Our pros were impressed by the loud and crisp audio quality of the Capusle Max’s built-in speakers, which are so powerful that the device can double as a standalone Bluetooth speaker. In our tests, we found the set up and operation of the projector to be seamless, and the media interface powered by Android extremely intuitive to navigate.

With the Nebula Connect app streaming is made even easier; all you have to do is use your phone as a remote and decide which Netflix series to binge next. Though we do wish USB-C charging was supported, we appreciate that the included charger is compact and portable.

If you’re looking for superior picture quality and optimal brightness for the price, look no further than the latest XGIMI MoGo 2.

In testing, we found videos streamed via the XGIMI to be some of the most detailed and sharp on this list. The sound quality was just as impressive with built-in speakers that filled the room, and set up was a breeze. Because the projector runs on Android TV, you can expect an easy-to-navigate interface when you’re ready to start streaming.

Another feature we were fond of was the projector’s auto keystone correction, which did an excellent job at readjusting the image to avoid any obstacles and appear rectangular on the screen no matter how many times we moved it.

Though slightly larger than some of the mini projectors on this list, the XGIMI is an excellent choice for smaller rooms like your bedroom as it’s compact enough to fit comfortably on a nightstand but does unfortunately require a power source. If you do, however, want to use the projector in your backyard or outside your camping tent but there’s no outlet in sight, you can still power it up via USB-C as long as you have a power station or portable battery pack handy.

We love this budget projector for its compact size and ability to run off a rechargeable battery, making it extremely convenient and easy to throw in a purse to share slideshows, presentations and more from anywhere you go.

Unlike other budget projectors of this size, you can connect certain iOS, Android or Windows 10 devices wirelessly to project content via DLNA or Miracast. Best of all, it's powered by Android so the media interface makes it easy to stream straight from your favorite apps.

We found the Kodak app extremely intuitive to use and navigate, and we like that it enables you to use your phone instead of a remote. Though you’ll have to make some sacrifices when it comes to picture quality, this projector’s bells and whistles like built-in speakers and exceptional portability make it worthwhile.

Generally, we like Epson projectors for their great value and solid performance. Though you won’t get a 4K cinema experience, we were impressed by this projector’s picture quality as well as the screen’s brightness, meaning you should be able to get a clear picture even with some ambient light (though if you want even more brightness, consider this Epson projector with 3,600 lumens). Also, the screen can project up to 300 inches, making it one of the largest potential screen sizes on this list.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth aren’t supported so you won’t be greeted by a media interface featuring streaming apps, but it’s perfect for projecting presentations at the office, Zoom calls and streaming TV shows via your laptop or devices like Roku, Apple TV and more, which you can connect through the projector’s HDMI port. We also like that it comes equipped with a built-in speaker for when you need audio, though our pros found that the sound quality could be more robust.

We think this pick from Anker is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for an outdoor projector in particular. Not only is the resolution impressive at full HD, but the brightness is higher than most other budget projectors featured on this list.

We appreciate the built-in projector stand, which is convenient when you want to set up your screen and don’t have a tripod handy. Watching movies and shows is easy via HDMI or directly with Android TV 9, which offers more than 7,000 streaming apps. It also has a built-in battery that offers three hours of power cord-free, although it is slightly more expensive than our previous pick by Anker, currently unavailable.

For this story, the experts in the evaluated a variety of budget projectors for key criteria such as ease of set up, use and streaming, as well as portability, size, image quality, sound quality, brightness, contrast and connectivity. We also considered key features such as battery life and whether projectors support auto keystone correction.

We reviewed each projector's overall value and omitted any projectors over $500. Our Lab pros were able to test the majority of the models that ended up on our list, and we based any additional recommendations on our years of experience testing consumer electronics, previous categorical tests of home and outdoor projectors and similar models or brands that have performed well in the past.

When shopping for a budget projector, it’s important to set expectations and understand that you won’t be able to achieve the same results as with a more expensive 4K projector or even most mid-range flat-screen TVs.

However, there are important factors to keep an eye out for when selecting the best cheap projector for your home:

✔️ Portability: One of the key features to consider when it comes to cheap projectors is how portable they are. Do you want a projector that's small enough to throw in a backpack or one that's super lightweight so you can move it around from room to room or easily bring outdoors for a movie night? If opting for a portable projector, you should consider one with a rechargeable battery so you can use it without an outlet. A built-in projector stand is also a nice bonus to help adjust the angle of projection and eliminate the need for a tripod.

✔️ Brightness: A projector’s brightness or the amount of light it can produce is measured in lumens, which is important since there will likely always be some ambient light in the space you're in. While some brands list a projector’s brightness in lumens, others reference ANSI lumens. When possible, we recommend finding a budget projector with at least 1,500 lumens or 500 ANSI lumens to ensure you'll get a clear picture, though our pros warn that you might have to make sacrifices for size and portability. Higher lumens mean higher brightness, which is considered better for picture quality.

ANSI lumens are proportionally brighter than standard lumens. A key difference between lumens and ANSI lumens is that ANSI lumens are based on an industry-standard whereas others may use different approaches to measure and market lumens. We prefer when lumens are systematically measured, and ANSI lumen measurements provide that standardized approach to compare brightness.