Here are the best cheap phones for those on a tight budget. Find out what you can get for around $500 or less as we highlight the best budget smartphones.
Don’t want to spend $1,000 or more on a new smartphone? We don’t blame you. And the good news is there are plenty of models available for half that price, but the trick is knowing which cheap smartphone is worth buying. After all, just because you’re not spending flagship phone money doesn’t mean you want to be stuck with a phone that’s rubbish. There are plenty of options out there for the best cheap phones!
We’ve collected the models that still give you great performance, good cameras, the right connectivity, and often a desirable design and brand name too — all for less money than you may expect. Cheap phones in 2023 will surprise you with their strong performance, making them more than capable of playing the latest games; plus they have batteries that will last you at least a day.
If your budget for a new smartphone this year is around $500, then these are the best models you can get.
Samsung Galaxy A54 5GBest cheap phone overall
Why you should buy this: It looks like the Galaxy S23, but costs half the price, has a great screen, and a camera perfect for social media.
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants the Samsung Galaxy software experience, but doesn’t need the flagship power.
Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy A54 5G:
The Galaxy A54 is a design upgrade over the also very tempting Galaxy A53, with a look that replicates the more expensive Samsung Galaxy S23 — and that makes it really desirable. It’s made from glass and plastic, feels really high-quality, and is durable with an IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating. We love it in the vibrant Lime and Violet colors, but you can get safe white and black versions too.
It’s not only the colors of the phone that stand out, as the 6.4-inch screen’s colors really shine too. It also has a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and good speakers, meaning the Galaxy A54 is a great multimedia phone. The main 50-megapixel camera takes photos that pop off the screen, which may not be to everyone’s taste, but anyone who wants to quickly share an eye-catching photo on social media will likely love it.
Samsung has used its own Exynos 1380 processor in the phone with either 128GB or 256GB of storage, plus there’s space for a MicroSD card. It’s fast enough for games and everyday use, the phone has 5G for a fast connection, and Samsung’s One UI software is smooth, easy to use, and will be updated for the next four years. It’s built to last, provided you don’t expect your use to dramatically change in the near future.
Downsides? Apart from the power only being adequate for normal use, the battery doesn’t have the endurance to last for more than about a day-and-a-half, the charging isn’t very fast, and there’s no wireless charging either. To get a phone that avoids these pitfalls means spending more than the Galaxy A54’s $450 starting price, and for a lot of people, it won’t really be worth it. The Galaxy A54 is a great choice.
Google Pixel 7Best premium cheap phone
Why you should buy this: It has a superb camera, great software, and a pretty design.
Who it’s for: Anyone who can stretch their $500 budget but still doesn’t want to overspend.
Why we picked the Google Pixel 7:
Yes, we know, the Pixel 7 costs $599, and that puts it over our $500 budget. But if you can save a little longer, or find a way to stretch your budget just a tiny bit, this is our recommendation if you don’t want to overspend and get a flagship phone.
It has all Google’s computational photography expertise fed through a 50-megapixel main camera with optical image stabilization, plus there’s a wide-angle camera and a 10.8MP selfie camera. It takes fantastic photos, and the editing suite is extremely powerful. It’s versatile and inspiring to use. The same goes for the software, which is slickly designed and super smooth, all powered by the latest Tensor G2 processor.
The battery lasts for a couple of days if you aren’t a hardcore gamer, plus there’s wireless charging for convenience. The screen has a 90Hz refresh rate and niceties like HDR10+ certification, a fast fingerprint sensor, and a pretty design too. You pay a little more for the Pixel 7 than you will the Pixel 6a or Galaxy A53, but it has more utility and ability. If you can stretch to it, the Pixel 7 is worth it.
That said, we have noticed there is some variation between models that leads to a different, and often a more negative experience. It’s worth bearing in mind and brushing up on Google’s return policy before buying.
OnePlus Nord N30 5GBest cheap OnePlus phone
Why you should buy this: It has some of OnePlus’s best attributes, available for just $300.
Who it’s for: Someone who wants a solid cheap OnePlus smartphone, but doesn’t mind a sub-standard camera.
Why we picked the OnePlus Nord N30 5G:
OnePlus has crammed a lot of positives into this $300 device, and it’s the strength of those positives that have landed the N30 5G on this list — and it needs those positives, because there’s a big downside to this device which may be a deal-breaker for you.
We’ll start by covering that downside: The camera. Unfortunately, the camera system is poor. It comprises of a 108MP lens with two 2MP lenses (macro and depth), and while that sounds promising, the 108MP main lens is a real letdown.
