Neglect the spendy flagship smartphone. Yearly, I check a dozen or extra gadgets to seek out one of the best low cost telephones that carry out the place it counts and aren’t annoyingly sluggish. Wi-fi carriers within the US exit of their method to make costly smartphones appear reasonably priced. AT&T will promote a Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely for simply $36 a month, however do not allow them to idiot you. With over 36 month-to-month installments, you continue to spend over a thousand bucks on a telephone. Your dear machine may additionally hold you locked into the community, unable to change wi-fi carriers till the telephone is paid off.
Get a critically nice reasonably priced smartphone as a substitute. Our high decide, the Google Pixel 8A, prices $499 and is nearly as good as nearly any machine, and our different decisions strike an excellent steadiness between worth and luxurious. There’s even a folding telephone on this information!
Try our many different cellular guides, together with Greatest Android Telephones, Greatest Samsung Telephones, Greatest Telephones With a Headphone Jack, Greatest Google Pixel, Greatest Moto Telephones, and Greatest iPhones.
Desk of Contents
Up to date February 2025: We have added the 2025 Motorola Moto G Energy 5G, Moto G, Razr 2024, OnePlus 13R, and iPhone 16e. We additionally talked about the Samsung Galaxy A16, together with particulars concerning the upcoming Nothing Telephone (3a) sequence and Google Pixel 9A.
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No. Rumors counsel Google is predicted to announce its Pixel 9A smartphone a lot sooner than regular in March. Nothing may also reveal its newest price range smartphones at Cellular World Congress quickly, and I am anticipating a couple of extra Moto G telephones to launch within the spring. I would maintain off on buying a tool in the mean time until a brand new mannequin reviewed right here tickles your fancy, just like the Moto G Energy 2025 or the iPhone 16e.
Contemplate Final Yr’s Flagship Telephones (or Used)
If none of those telephones have the options you need or they aren’t as highly effective as you’d like, your best choice is to search for final yr’s flagship smartphones, which is likely to be steeply discounted. Typically they’re simple to seek out, however producers might cease promoting them. Needless to say you’ll lose a yr of software program assist, however that’s usually nonetheless higher than the software program assist obtainable on low cost telephones anyway. The Google Pixel 8, for instance, has dipped to $400, and the Pixel 8 Professional has dropped to $599.
Alternatively, contemplate shopping for a used smartphone. (We have some suggestions right here.) You will have to analysis, however websites like Swappa, Gazelle, and Again Market have an excellent repute and are stable locations to purchase a used or refurbished machine. Search for the present high fashions on Android and iPhone, and see what they are going for in mint or good situation.
5G Smartphones, Defined
5G is the present mobile community technology and it is widespread sufficient that it is best to attempt to persist with telephones that assist it. It is not fully changing 4G LTE, so you will see 4G in your standing bar as you roam across the nation. You may learn extra about it right here, however briefly, 5G is available in two main varieties: sub-6 and millimeter wave (mmWave). The latter is normally solely obtainable in flagship telephones and means that you can entry superfast speeds, however you’ll not often encounter mmWave (suppose choose areas in main cities and sure venues, like stadiums and airports). Sub-6 isn’t a lot quicker than 4G LTE, nevertheless it has a broader vary and is extra broadly accessible. A lot of the smartphones we advocate right here assist sub-6 5G, even these as little as $200.
Verify Community Compatibility
In case you purchase an unlocked telephone on this record and attempt to take it to certainly one of your wi-fi service’s retail shops, they might inform you it isn’t appropriate with the community. It doubtless is. Simply use a paper clip or SIM ejection software to pop the SIM card out of your present telephone, then slide that SIM into your new telephone. If it doesn’t work at first, reboot the telephone or wait a few hours.
In case you want a brand new SIM, attempt ordering one on-line out of your service or see in the event that they’ll provide you with a SIM once you activate a line within the retailer (in case you’re beginning protection). Inform them you’ve got a telephone. Many instances, reps will wish to promote you a telephone; that’s one potential cause they could trouble you into shopping for a distinct machine within the retailer. Having mentioned that, please be certain no matter telephone you purchase will work on your wi-fi community. Listings on retailers like Amazon ought to state clearly which networks a tool can be appropriate with. Additionally, be certain the itemizing says the telephone is being offered “unlocked.”
On this information, we’ve listed whether or not a telephone works with a main US service. However what in case you’re not on AT&T, T-Cellular, or Verizon? If we notice {that a} telephone works on T-Cellular, for instance, meaning it’ll doubtless work on smaller carriers like Metro By T-Cellular and Mint Cellular, each of which make the most of T-Cellular’s mobile community. In case you’re nervous about compatibility, search for the specs of the precise mannequin you’re contemplating. Be certain it has the LTE or 5G bands it must run in your service.
Warning for Verizon customers: There’s a better likelihood an unlocked telephone is not going to work in your community. Be certain it’s labeled to work on Verizon, or that it says the telephone is CDMA-capable. If one thing unusual is occurring, such as you don’t get any texts, you may additionally have to contact customer support and ask them to allow CDMA-less roaming. AT&T and T-Cellular are GSM carriers, which is the usual for a lot of the world; most unlocked telephones are appropriate with them.
Greatest Low-cost Telephone
Google’s Pixel 8A (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the best smartphone you should purchase for the cash. At simply $499, you get just a little of every part—from wi-fi charging to top-of-the-line efficiency. It is powered by Google’s Tensor G3 processor, the identical that is contained in the flagship Pixel 8 sequence, and that additionally means this midrange telephone will get 7 years of software program assist—a rarity at this worth.
This Pixel has a greater OLED display than its predecessor, that means it will get even brighter and many seen on the sunniest days, and the 120-Hz display refresh price makes each interplay really feel fluid. The 6.1-inch display is pretty compact, so it is nice in case you’re eyeing a small telephone. The entire thing additionally seems to be fairly—price range and midrange telephones are typically tremendous boring, however the Pixel 8A has a wise design with a matte rear texture. Plus, the brand new Aloe colour is attractive. Telephones are private, and they need to look good!
Efficiency has been flawless in my testing—I coated Google I/O with this as my major machine, taking pictures, navigating, utilizing the Google Recorder app, and posting to social media. The draw back is battery life. The 4,492-mAh battery cell can final a day with common use, however heavy customers will doubtless have to high up earlier than bedtime. Hold a moveable energy financial institution helpful.
The cameras are the spotlight of the Pixel sequence, and the Pixel 8A lives as much as this legacy—it is simply one of the best digicam telephone for the cash. It has a 64-megapixel major digicam that snaps detailed, colourful, and sharp pictures in any lighting situation. Becoming a member of it’s a succesful 13-MP ultrawide, and the 13-MP selfie digicam is stable, although the truth that it is fastened focus means your face is rarely completely sharp. The one subject I bumped into is that Actual Tone, Google’s image-processing algorithm for various pores and skin tones, hasn’t been as correct as on prior Pixels, particularly on brown pores and skin.
The highest cause why I heartily advocate Pixel telephones is due to the good software program options you will not discover on some other sub-$500 smartphone. I’ve detailed lots of them right here, however you should utilize Magic Editor to maneuver a topic just a little to the left of the body and erase an undesirable object within the shot. You should use Greatest Take to repair that group shot the place your eyes had been closed. Google’s Name Display screen know-how nips spam calls within the bud, and Assistant Voice Typing continues to be my favourite voice-to-text system and I miss it each time I change telephones.
Different perks embrace safe face unlock and fingerprint unlock—each work with delicate apps that require biometric authentication so you’ve got extra unlocking choices. Safe face unlock is nearly non-existent for each different Android telephone at this worth. There’s additionally NFC for contactless funds and an IP67 score that protects it from the weather.
Greatest Low-cost iPhone
The brand new iPhone 16e is Apple’s most cost-effective iPhone and, properly, it is probably not low cost (7/10, WIRED Assessment). At $599, it is $170 greater than the iPhone SE it changed. I attempt to deal with sub-$500 smartphones on this information, however sadly, if you wish to purchase a brand new iPhone from Apple and spend the least amount of cash, that is your solely selection.
It is a completely purposeful handset with nice efficiency due to the A18 chipset, that means it is now the most affordable iPhone with Apple Intelligence. Word that it lacks one graphics core in comparison with the A18 discovered within the iPhone 16, that means barely lesser gaming efficiency, however I did not run into too many points taking part in demanding titles like Genshin Impression.
The perfect characteristic of this telephone is its battery life. Regardless of the comparatively small 6.1-inch display, it delivers an extended run time than the same-sized iPhone 16, even coming near matching the longevity of Apple’s bigger iPhones. On one intensive day, I hit 9 hours of screen-on time, and the iPhone 16e had 15 % left by bedtime. It is glorious. That is due to the brand new C1 chip, Apple’s first customized modem in an iPhone that maintains good (sub-6) 5G mobile efficiency however is extra power-efficient than modems in older gadgets.
That is nearly all this iPhone brings to the desk. The 48-megapixel digicam is succesful and may produce pleasing pictures even in low mild, nevertheless it’s the solely digicam on the telephone. There is not any Dynamic Island; as a substitute the notch is again. Apple selected to chop MagSafe from this machine, so you can not connect magnetic equipment with out utilizing a MagSafe case, and even then you definitely will not be aware about quicker wi-fi charging speeds. There is not any ultra-wideband chip, so you possibly can’t exactly observe AirTags—this iPhone will solely provide the basic neighborhood of the tag’s location.
Even in case you do not look after these omissions, the iPhone 16e would not really feel prefer it ought to value $599—different telephones on this information round that worth provide extra capabilities and options. It will do the job, nevertheless it’s not one of the best bang in your buck. I counsel choosing up a used iPhone 15 Professional as a substitute, normally obtainable for round $650 in good situation on websites like Swappa, Gazelle, or Again Market. It helps Apple Intelligence and packs far more options.
In case you should purchase new, contemplate the iPhone 15, obtainable immediately from Apple for $699. It has all of these lacking options however would not assist Apple Intelligence. That may not be an enormous deal contemplating Apple’s AI options aren’t that helpful proper now.
Greatest Low-cost Samsung Telephone
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE technically has an MSRP of $650, nevertheless it’s often on sale for $500, which makes it worthy of this information. That is Samsung’s “lite” model of the Galaxy S24 sequence. I used it for a number of weeks with no efficiency points with the Exynos 2400e chipset, and battery life with the 4,700-mAh cell was first rate, lasting a full day with common use.
It nonetheless helps Samsung’s Galaxy AI options, and also you even get a triple-camera expertise with a 50-MP major shooter, a 12-MP ultrawide, and an 8-MP telephoto with 3X zoom. It is unusual to seek out the total trio of cameras at this worth—extra cameras make the telephone extra versatile, providing you with choices on the way you wish to body your shot. Like the 2 telephones above, this Android telephone will get a few of the longest software program assist in comparison with opponents on this bracket.
It maintains all the opposite flagship perks you’d need, from Qi wi-fi charging and IP68 water resistance to a 120-Hz AMOLED display. It might look just a little plain, nevertheless it’s an excellent all-rounder—simply be sure you catch it on sale.
For Nice Battery Life
There are a number of causes to choose the OnePlus 12R from 2024 over the gadgets above—even the newer OnePlus 13R introduced in January. OnePlus simply issued a everlasting worth discount on this price range telephone, so now you possibly can have it for $400, making it a killer deal. (The brand new worth solely appears to be exhibiting up at Greatest Purchase thus far.)
It sports activities a big 6.78-inch AMOLED display with a 120-Hz display refresh price, and its 5,500-mAh cell capability lasted me practically two full days on a single cost with common use. If it is operating out of juice, you should utilize the included cable and charging adapter to carry it from zero to 100% in simply half-hour. It is a disgrace there isn’t any wi-fi charging assist.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the flagship processor of 2023, it might crush demanding video games with ease. Nonetheless, the software program is not as good as what you will discover on a Samsung or Google telephone. It nonetheless seems to be and feels slick and would not have a lot bloatware although, and OnePlus guarantees three Android OS upgrades with 4 years of safety updates. It is not seven years nevertheless it’s higher than most different Android telephones at this worth.
The 12R cuts corners in a couple of areas. It is rated for less than IP64 water resistance, so it’s going to be OK within the rain however not in case you drop it within the pool. The first digicam is stable and may go toe-to-toe with the Google Pixel 8A’s digicam; nevertheless, I discovered the ultrawide and macro cameras ineffective. In case you’re not a shutterbug and desire a telephone with a robust processor and a battery that lasts greater than a day, the OnePlus 12R is a no brainer.
In case your price range can stretch just a little extra, take a look at the brand new OnePlus 13R (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It is $100 extra than its predecessor and its 6,000-mAh silicon-carbon battery can get comparable two-day battery life on a single cost. (And the telephone’s not thicker!) It has extra energy underneath the hood too. However I do not suppose it is as good a price as its predecessor—at $600, there’s lots of selection, and I believe the above telephones are higher picks.
Greatest Below $400
I deeply want you possibly can stroll into any main retailer or service within the US and purchase Nothing’s Telephone (2a) (9/10, WIRED Recommends) as a result of this fashionable price range telephone deserves to be in your pocket. Alas, whereas it is simple to buy globally, you will want to enroll in Nothing’s developer program in case you’re within the US—when you’re accepted (even in case you’re not a developer), you will be despatched a purchase order hyperlink to purchase the telephone. That additionally applies to the more moderen Telephone (2a) Plus, which prices $399 and is sort of equivalent.
These are probably the most engaging telephones underneath $400, aided by the enjoyable Glyph LED mild system on the again. These lights flash when notifications are available in, or you possibly can set a timer and visualize it winding down—you possibly can customise the way it works. The eye to design element interprets into the software program, which seems to be distinctive and is simply plain enjoyable to make use of—uncommon qualities in a cheapo machine.
Barring design, the Telephone (2a) and (2a) Plus have 6.7-inch AMOLED screens with 120-Hz display refresh charges; they’re splendidly easy, sharp, and shiny. The 5,000-mAh battery cells are sufficiently big to final greater than a full day of use with common use (I hit two full days).
Efficiency has been fully problem-free for me, however that is the place you will have to decide on between the Telephone (2a) and (2a) Plus. The cheaper mannequin has the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Professional chipset, whereas the Plus has the Dimensity 7350 Professional 5G, which presents a minor increase, particularly in graphics. Each not often stuttered for me, even after I juggled a number of apps. I used the (2a) whereas overlaying a big commerce present overseas, and it gave me no hassle. However in case you’re planning on gaming rather a lot, the Plus mannequin has an edge.
The first digicam is greater than ample. It does an excellent job with white steadiness, although it might lose out on some particulars, particularly in nighttime environments. Some low-light pictures can look flat, and its HDR capabilities aren’t superb. However hey, it is underneath $399. The Telephone (2a) Plus ranges up the selfie digicam to 50 MP, and it is noticeably higher, so there’s another excuse to go for it.
Nothing guarantees three Android OS upgrades and 4 years of safety updates, identical to OnePlus. Sadly, there isn’t any wi-fi charging, no headphone jack, and water resistance is proscribed at IP54 (it is going to be OK within the rain). Oh, you additionally won’t have an excellent community expertise. Nothing says the handsets work completely on T-Cellular, however the Telephone (2a) and (2a) Plus fit points with Verizon and AT&T’s 5G bands. I used it on AT&T and had no main issues connecting to 5G, so this may occasionally rely in your space.
