Forget the spendy flagship smartphone. Every year, I test a dozen or more devices to find the best cheap phones that perform where it counts and aren’t annoyingly slow. Wireless carriers in the US go out of their way to make expensive smartphones seem affordable. AT&T will advertise a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for just $36 a month, but don’t let them fool you. With over 36 monthly installments, you still spend over a thousand bucks on a phone. Your pricey device may also keep you locked into the network, unable to switch wireless carriers until the phone is paid off.
Get a seriously great affordable smartphone instead. Our top pick, the Google Pixel 8A, costs $499 and is as good as almost any device, and our other choices strike a great balance between price and luxury. There’s even a folding phone in this guide!
Check out our many other mobile guides, including Best Android Phones, Best Samsung Phones, Best Phones With a Headphone Jack, Best Google Pixel, Best Moto Phones, and Best iPhones.
Table of Contents
Updated February 2025: We’ve added the 2025 Motorola Moto G Power 5G, Moto G, Razr 2024, OnePlus 13R, and iPhone 16e. We also mentioned the Samsung Galaxy A16, along with details about the upcoming Nothing Phone (3a) series and Google Pixel 9A.
Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.
No. Rumors suggest Google is expected to announce its Pixel 9A smartphone much earlier than usual in March. Nothing will also reveal its latest budget smartphones at Mobile World Congress soon, and I’m expecting a few more Moto G phones to release in the spring. I’d hold off on purchasing a device at the moment unless a new model reviewed here tickles your fancy, like the Moto G Power 2025 or the iPhone 16e.
Consider Last Year’s Flagship Phones (or Used)
If none of these phones have the features you want or they aren’t as powerful as you’d like, your best option is to look for last year’s flagship smartphones, which might be steeply discounted. Sometimes they’re easy to find, but manufacturers may stop selling them. Keep in mind that you’ll lose a year of software support, but that’s often still better than the software support available on cheap phones anyway. The Google Pixel 8, for example, has dipped to $400, and the Pixel 8 Pro has dropped to $599.
Alternatively, consider buying a used smartphone. (We have some tips here.) You’ll need to research, but sites like Swappa, Gazelle, and Back Market have a good reputation and are solid places to buy a used or refurbished device. Look for the current top models on Android and iPhone, and see what they’re going for in mint or good condition.
5G Smartphones, Explained
5G is the current cellular network generation and it’s widespread enough that you should try to stick to phones that support it. It’s not completely replacing 4G LTE, so you’ll see 4G in your status bar as you roam around the country. You can read more about it here, but in short, 5G comes in two major types: sub-6 and millimeter wave (mmWave). The latter is usually only available in flagship phones and allows you to access superfast speeds, but you’ll rarely encounter mmWave (think select areas in major cities and certain venues, like stadiums and airports). Sub-6 isn’t much faster than 4G LTE, but it has a broader range and is more widely accessible. Most of the smartphones we recommend here support sub-6 5G, even those as low as $200.
Check Network Compatibility
If you buy an unlocked phone on this list and try to take it to one of your wireless carrier’s retail stores, they may tell you it isn’t compatible with the network. It likely is. Just use a paper clip or SIM ejection tool to pop the SIM card out of your current phone, then slide that SIM into your new phone. If it doesn’t work at first, reboot the phone or wait a couple of hours.
If you need a new SIM, try ordering one online from your carrier or see if they’ll give you a SIM when you activate a line in the store (if you’re starting coverage). Tell them you have a phone. Many times, reps will want to sell you a phone; that’s one potential reason they might hassle you into buying a different device in the store. Having said that, please make sure whatever phone you buy will work on your wireless network. Listings on retailers like Amazon should state clearly which networks a device will be compatible with. Also, make sure the listing says the phone is being sold “unlocked.”
In this guide, we’ve listed whether a phone works with a major US carrier. But what if you’re not on AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon? If we note that a phone works on T-Mobile, for example, that means it’ll likely work on smaller carriers like Metro By T-Mobile and Mint Mobile, both of which utilize T-Mobile’s cellular network. If you’re nervous about compatibility, look up the specifications of the exact model you’re considering. Make sure it has the LTE or 5G bands it needs to run on your carrier.
Warning for Verizon users: There’s a higher chance an unlocked phone will not work on your network. Make sure it is labeled to work on Verizon, or that it says the phone is CDMA-capable. If something strange is going on, like you don’t get any texts, you may also need to contact customer service and ask them to enable CDMA-less roaming. AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM carriers, which is the standard for most of the world; most unlocked phones are compatible with them.
Best Cheap Phone
Google’s Pixel 8A (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is the best smartphone you can buy for the money. At just $499, you get a little of everything—from wireless charging to top-of-the-line performance. It’s powered by Google’s Tensor G3 processor, the same that’s inside the flagship Pixel 8 series, and that also means this midrange phone gets 7 years of software support—a rarity at this price.
This Pixel has a better OLED screen than its predecessor, meaning it gets even brighter and plenty visible on the sunniest days, and the 120-Hz screen refresh rate makes every interaction feel fluid. The 6.1-inch screen is fairly compact, so it’s great if you’re eyeing a small phone. The whole thing also looks pretty—budget and midrange phones tend to be super boring, but the Pixel 8A has a smart design with a matte rear texture. Plus, the new Aloe color is gorgeous. Phones are personal, and they should look nice!
Performance has been flawless in my testing—I covered Google I/O with this as my primary device, taking photos, navigating, using the Google Recorder app, and posting to social media. The downside is battery life. The 4,492-mAh battery cell can last a day with average use, but heavy users will likely need to top up before bedtime. Keep a portable power bank handy.
The cameras are the highlight of the Pixel series, and the Pixel 8A lives up to this legacy—it’s easily the best camera phone for the money. It has a 64-megapixel main camera that snaps detailed, colorful, and sharp photos in any lighting condition. Joining it is a capable 13-MP ultrawide, and the 13-MP selfie camera is solid, though the fact that it’s fixed focus means your face is never perfectly sharp. The only issue I ran into is that Real Tone, Google’s image-processing algorithm for different skin tones, hasn’t been as accurate as on prior Pixels, specifically on brown skin.
The top reason why I heartily recommend Pixel phones is because of the smart software features you won’t find on any other sub-$500 smartphone. I’ve detailed many of them here, but you can use Magic Editor to move a subject a little to the left of the frame and erase an unwanted object in the shot. You can use Best Take to fix that group shot where your eyes were closed. Google’s Call Screen technology nips spam calls in the bud, and Assistant Voice Typing is still my favorite voice-to-text system and I miss it every time I switch phones.
Other perks include secure face unlock and fingerprint unlock—both work with sensitive apps that require biometric authentication so you have more unlocking options. Secure face unlock is virtually non-existent for every other Android phone at this price. There’s also NFC for contactless payments and an IP67 rating that protects it from the elements.
Best Cheap iPhone
The new iPhone 16e is Apple’s cheapest iPhone and, well, it’s not really cheap (7/10, WIRED Review). At $599, it’s $170 more than the iPhone SE it replaced. I try to focus on sub-$500 smartphones in this guide, but unfortunately, if you want to buy a new iPhone from Apple and spend the least amount of money, this is your only choice.
It’s a perfectly functional handset with great performance thanks to the A18 chipset, meaning it’s now the cheapest iPhone with Apple Intelligence. Note that it lacks one graphics core compared to the A18 found in the iPhone 16, meaning slightly lesser gaming performance, but I didn’t run into too many issues playing demanding titles like Genshin Impact.
The best feature of this phone is its battery life. Despite the relatively small 6.1-inch screen, it delivers a longer run time than the same-sized iPhone 16, even coming close to matching the longevity of Apple’s larger iPhones. On one intensive day, I hit nine hours of screen-on time, and the iPhone 16e had 15 percent left by bedtime. It’s excellent. This is thanks to the new C1 chip, Apple’s first custom modem in an iPhone that maintains good (sub-6) 5G cellular performance but is more power-efficient than modems in older devices.
That’s just about all this iPhone brings to the table. The 48-megapixel camera is capable and can produce pleasing images even in low light, but it’s the only camera on the phone. There’s no Dynamic Island; instead the notch is back. Apple chose to cut MagSafe from this device, so you cannot attach magnetic accessories without using a MagSafe case, and even then you won’t be privy to faster wireless charging speeds. There’s no ultra-wideband chip, so you can’t precisely track AirTags—this iPhone will only give you the general vicinity of the tag’s location.
Even if you don’t care for these omissions, the iPhone 16e doesn’t feel like it should cost $599—other phones in this guide around that price offer more capabilities and features. It’ll do the job, but it’s not the best bang for your buck. I suggest picking up a used iPhone 15 Pro instead, usually available for around $650 in good condition on sites like Swappa, Gazelle, or Back Market. It supports Apple Intelligence and packs way more features.
If you must buy new, consider the iPhone 15, available directly from Apple for $699. It has all of those missing features but doesn’t support Apple Intelligence. That might not be a big deal considering Apple’s AI features aren’t that useful right now.
Best Cheap Samsung Phone
Samsung’s Galaxy S24 FE technically has an MSRP of $650, but it’s frequently on sale for $500, which makes it worthy of this guide. This is Samsung’s “lite” version of the Galaxy S24 series. I used it for several weeks with no performance issues with the Exynos 2400e chipset, and battery life with the 4,700-mAh cell was decent, lasting a full day with average use.
It still supports Samsung’s Galaxy AI features, and you even get a triple-camera experience with a 50-MP primary shooter, a 12-MP ultrawide, and an 8-MP telephoto with 3X zoom. It’s uncommon to find the full trio of cameras at this price—more cameras make the phone more versatile, giving you options on how you want to frame your shot. Like the two phones above, this Android phone will get some of the longest software support compared to competitors in this bracket.
It maintains all the other flagship perks you’d want, from Qi wireless charging and IP68 water resistance to a 120-Hz AMOLED screen. It may look a little plain, but it’s a great all-rounder—just make sure you catch it on sale.
For Great Battery Life
There are several reasons to pick the OnePlus 12R from 2024 over the devices above—even the newer OnePlus 13R announced in January. OnePlus just issued a permanent price reduction on this budget phone, so now you can have it for $400, making it a killer deal. (The new price only seems to be showing up at Best Buy so far.)
It sports a large 6.78-inch AMOLED screen with a 120-Hz screen refresh rate, and its 5,500-mAh cell capacity lasted me nearly two full days on a single charge with average use. If it’s running out of juice, you can use the included cable and charging adapter to bring it from zero to 100 percent in just 30 minutes. It’s a shame there’s no wireless charging support.
Powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, the flagship processor of 2023, it can crush demanding games with ease. However, the software isn’t as smart as what you’ll find on a Samsung or Google phone. It still looks and feels slick and doesn’t have much bloatware though, and OnePlus promises three Android OS upgrades with four years of security updates. It’s not seven years but it’s better than most other Android phones at this price.
The 12R cuts corners in a few areas. It’s rated for only IP64 water resistance, so it’ll be OK in the rain but not if you drop it in the pool. The primary camera is solid and can go toe-to-toe with the Google Pixel 8A’s camera; however, I found the ultrawide and macro cameras useless. If you’re not a shutterbug and want a phone with a powerful processor and a battery that lasts more than a day, the OnePlus 12R is a no-brainer.
If your budget can stretch a little more, look at the new OnePlus 13R (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It’s $100 more than its predecessor and its 6,000-mAh silicon-carbon battery can get similar two-day battery life on a single charge. (And the phone’s not thicker!) It has more power under the hood too. But I don’t think it’s as good a value as its predecessor—at $600, there’s a lot of choice, and I think the above phones are better picks.
Best Under $400
I deeply wish you could walk into any major retailer or carrier in the US and buy Nothing’s Phone (2a) (9/10, WIRED Recommends) because this stylish budget phone deserves to be in your pocket. Alas, while it’s easy to purchase globally, you’ll need to sign up for Nothing’s developer program if you’re in the US—once you’re accepted (even if you’re not a developer), you’ll be sent a purchase link to buy the phone. That also applies to the more recent Phone (2a) Plus, which costs $399 and is nearly identical.
These are the most attractive phones under $400, aided by the fun Glyph LED light system on the back. These lights flash when notifications come in, or you can set a timer and visualize it winding down—you can customize how it works. The attention to design detail translates into the software, which looks unique and is just plain fun to use—rare qualities in a cheapo device.
Barring design, the Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus have 6.7-inch AMOLED screens with 120-Hz screen refresh rates; they’re wonderfully smooth, sharp, and bright. The 5,000-mAh battery cells are big enough to last more than a full day of use with average use (I hit two full days).
Performance has been completely problem-free for me, but this is where you’ll have to choose between the Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus. The cheaper model has the MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro chipset, whereas the Plus has the Dimensity 7350 Pro 5G, which offers a minor boost, specifically in graphics. Both rarely stuttered for me, even when I juggled multiple apps. I used the (2a) while covering a large trade show in another country, and it gave me no trouble. But if you’re planning on gaming a lot, the Plus model has an edge.
The primary camera is more than adequate. It does a great job with white balance, though it can lose out on some details, especially in nighttime environments. Some low-light photos can look flat, and its HDR capabilities aren’t amazing. But hey, it’s under $399. The Phone (2a) Plus levels up the selfie camera to 50 MP, and it’s noticeably better, so there’s another reason to go for it.
Nothing promises three Android OS upgrades and four years of security updates, just like OnePlus. Sadly, there’s no wireless charging, no headphone jack, and water resistance is limited at IP54 (it will be OK in the rain). Oh, you also might not have a great network experience. Nothing says the handsets work perfectly on T-Mobile, but the Phone (2a) and (2a) Plus have compatibility issues with Verizon and AT&T’s 5G bands. I used it on AT&T and had no major problems connecting to 5G, so this may depend on your area.