This is not a spec-sheet shootout. Let me rephrase that: it is not only a spec-sheet shootout. I am a procurement manager at a 140-person telecom distribution company, and I have managed a device budget of about $340,000 per year for the last six years. When someone asks me whether to buy a used ZTE Z981 or a used ZTE Axon 10, I start with total cost of ownership, not the number on the price tag.
Here is the framework I use for any phone comparison: unit price, hidden costs, performance headroom, hardware quality, network compatibility, and expected useful life. And because I buy in small batches and large lots, I will also flag which vendors make the process painful for small buyers.
Before jumping in, one quick context line: the ZTE Z981 is a mid-2010s budget device. The ZTE Axon 10 is a later flagship. They do not compete on paper. But in the used market they sometimes sit at the same price, so a budget buyer ends up choosing between them.
Price vs. Total Cost: The Z981 Trap
On the surface, the Z981 is cheaper. I have seen used listings anywhere from $35 to $70 as of January 2025. The Axon 10 typically sits between $80 and $150. That gap looks meaningful. Then you add the details.
Total cost of ownership includes:
- Unit price
- Battery condition
- Charger and cable
- Shipping and returns
- Warranty or return policy
- Labor cost of issuing a device, only to replace it next quarter
Last year I requested quotes for a five-unit trial. One vendor quoted $52 per Z981, then added a $15 'small-lot handling fee.' I crossed that vendor off. A buyer ordering five units is not wasting anyone's time, and a fee like that is usually a sign of how they will treat you later.
The Z981 uses an older battery and an older charging port. In my experience, a Z981 that has been stored since its original release is likely to need a battery replacement within 6 to 12 months. The Axon 10 is newer, so it has a better chance of arriving with a usable battery. That alone can erase the price difference.
To be fair, a new battery for the Z981 is cheap. But the labor, shipping, and downtime are not zero. If you are buying one phone for yourself, that might not matter. If you are buying phones for a small team, it matters a lot. And before anyone calls me anti-ZTE, I am not. I have bought ZTE CPE and mobile hotspots for years. The lesson is not avoid ZTE. The lesson is avoid paying a large price for a small order.
Performance: The Axon 10 Wins on Useful Life
The Z981 was acceptable in 2015. In 2025, it is a basic utility device. It can handle calls, messaging, a light web browser, and mobile hotspot duty, but it will struggle with larger apps, maps, and multitasking. The Axon 10, with a newer chipset and more RAM, has enough headroom for a few more years of daily use.
According to GSMArena, the Axon 10 lineup shipped with a Snapdragon 855 and up to 8GB of RAM. The Z981 was entry-level by comparison. You can find full specs online; my point is simpler: the Axon 10 is more likely to feel usable in 2027 than the Z981.
The unexpected part is that lower performance is also a financial cost. A slow phone gets replaced sooner. A $45 Z981 that you abandon after nine months costs more per day than a $120 Axon 10 that lasts three years. That is not a fun answer, but it is the one I give to anyone who asks me to approve a phone budget.
People argue that a spare phone does not need performance. They are right, up to a point. But once a device is part of a business workflow, slowness becomes a support ticket. That ticket has a cost: someone's time, a replacement unit, or a lost workday.
The 3.5mm Jack Gold Rush
Let us talk about the 3.5mm jack gold rush. When flagship brands started removing the headphone jack, people rushed to find older phones that still had one. I understand the appeal. But from a procurement standpoint, the jack is overrated.
The Z981 and the Axon 10 both have a 3.5mm jack in the configurations I have handled. If that is your only requirement, either phone works. But if you are choosing a phone mainly because of the headphone jack, a used flip phone also has one, and it costs a fraction of either ZTE.
That is not a joke. For talk and text, a flip phone is a cheaper, more reliable, and simpler tool. The downside is the lack of apps and hotspot features. If your use case is only voice calls, do not let the jack gold rush talk you into a smartphone you do not need.
Reliability, Repairability, and a Note on Crimping Pins
Reliability is harder to see in a listing. I learned that the expensive way. In 2023, I finally started logging every repair and return. By Q4, roughly a third of our telecom service issues were connection-related, not phone-related: broken cables, bad connectors, and loose terminations.
If you manage a small network, learning how to crimp pins on RJ45 connectors is a practical skill. It sounds technical, but it is simple enough to learn from a video. The tool setup costs around $30 for a crimping tool and a bag of connectors. After six repairs, it pays for itself. I taught our field techs how to crimp pins, and our spare cable budget dropped by about 40%.
This is not a phone spec, but it is part of the total cost of any mobile hotspot setup using a ZTE device. A loose pin can make a good ZTE CPE look bad. If you plan to keep a small network alive without hiring a contractor every time, add this skill to your list.
Network Compatibility: Check Bands Before You Buy
Carrier compatibility is the hidden trap. An unlocked phone is not automatically the right phone for every carrier. Different regions use different LTE bands, and a used ZTE device might have been built for a specific market.
Before you buy a ZTE Z981 or Axon 10, ask for the exact model number and band list. Then check it against your carrier. If the seller cannot answer that question, that is a red flag.
For example, a device sold originally for one U.S. prepaid carrier may lack bands needed on another network. I do not name specific carriers because the situation changes, and the wrong phone saves you nothing. Also, ask about the device IMEI and whether it is reported lost or stolen. A locked or blacklisted phone is worthless to a small buyer. Legit sellers do not mind providing this before payment.
Which ZTE Should You Pick in 2025?
Which ZTE should you buy? Here is my bottom line.
If you need a basic backup phone, a Bluetooth tethering device, or a cheap voice-and-text secondary phone, the ZTE Z981 can work at the right price. I would not pay more than $50 unless the battery is proven. Even then, I would treat it as a short-term tool, not a long-term phone.
If you need a daily driver for a small team, the ZTE Axon 10 is the better total cost decision, even though the upfront price is higher. It has more performance, a newer battery platform, and a better chance of lasting two or three more years.
If you only need calls and texts, skip both and buy a flip phone. Put the savings toward something that actually helps the business.
Small-buyer rule: do not accept hidden fees. Do not accept 'we do not support single-unit orders.' Today's $200 order can become next year's $20,000 order. Good suppliers know this.
Prices I cite are from U.S. resale marketplaces as of January 2025. Verify current pricing because rates change.
One last thing: I have walked away from a $30 Z981 listing with stock photos and no IMEI. That is not a bargain; that is a gamble.
Small doesn't mean unimportant. It means potential.
