Savvy Shopper’s Top Picks for Cost-Effective Android Devices

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• We’ve updated our recommendations with a variety of new budget Android phones.

Looking for a new Android phone for cheap? We’ve got your back! Whether you want an excellent camera, fantastic performance, a long-lasting battery, or a bit of everything, we’ve rounded up a list of the best budget Android phones we think you’ll love.

UPDATE: 03/13/2024

We’ve updated our recommendations with a variety of new budget Android phones.

Moto G Play (2024)

Best Budget Android Phone Overall
See at Motorola

Moto G Power (2023)

Best Budget Android Phone for Battery Life
$200 at Amazon

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  Google

Google Pixel 7a

Best Budget Android Camera Phone
$333 at Amazon

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Best Android Phone Under $500
$269 at Amazon

OnePlus Nord N30 5G

Best Android Phone Under $300
$250 at Amazon

• See More

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TCL 40XL 2023

Best Android Phone Under $200
See at Amazon

What to Look For in a Budget Android Phone in 2024

As technology continues to evolve, features once acquainted with flagship phones have since trickled down into more affordable alternatives. This couldn’t be any more true than when it comes to the smartphone market.

Nowadays, budget smartphones, particularly budget Android phones, can master the fundamentals of a great smartphone while not draining your bank account. You could get a fantastic phone for a great price, depending on which manufacturer you buy from. You just need to know where to look.

Of course, finding that perfect deal can be tedious with so many different Android options on the market. It can also be confusing if you’re unsure which processor, RAM and storage capacities, camera specs , and battery sizes to look out for.

That’s where we come in. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best budget Android phones you can buy right now, depending on how much you want to spend and which features matter to you. This list covers a range of manufacturers and price points, so you can find what you need.

How-To Geek’s product recommendations come from the same team of experts that have helped people fix their gadgets over one billion times. We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise. We never accept payment to endorse or review a product. Read More »

Best Budget Android Phone Overall: Motorola Moto G Play (2024)

Budget phones have come a long way, but Motorola has been making solid, affordable phones for a decade now. It may have “play” in the name, but the Motorola Moto G Play (2024) is an all-around solid phone, no matter how you’re looking to use it.

You wouldn’t think this was a cheap phone looking at the 6.5-inch display, which can reach up to 500 nits of brightness at a 1600x720 resolution. This makes for a pixel density of 269ppi–not the most impressive, but still plenty sharp. The phone also features an IP52 rating, meaning it can withstand some exposure to dust and water.

The phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 640 4G mobile platform, with an Adreno 610 GPU and 4GB RAM. You only get 64GB internal storage, but you can back this up with the microSD slot, which supports cards up to 512GB to storage photos, videos, music, and more.

You get a pair of rear-facing cameras, with the main camera boasting a 50MP quad-pixel sensor. The phone also supports both Dolby Atmos and hi-res audio, though this (as is usually the case with hi-res) is only available via wired headphones. Fortunately, the phone features a 3.5mm headphone jack, so it’s easy to plug in your favorite headphones.

While many budget phones use Android releases a few versions older than the current release, the 2024 Moto G Play features Android 13.0. It’s available in any color you like, as long as that color is Sapphire Blue .

Best Budget Android Phone Overall

Moto G Play (2024)

Motorola’s Moto G Play has been a solid bet when it comes to an affordable Android phone for years, and the latest model is the best version yet.

See at Motorola

Best Budget Android Phone for Battery Life: Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2023)

Battery life can be hard to come by on budget phones. Manufacturers need to make cuts somewhere to come in at their target price, and batteries are often the easiest place to save on costs. If you’re looking for maximum battery in an affordable phone, the Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2023) is a great option.

The Moto G Power 5G features a MediaTek Dimensity 930 chipset and 6GB RAM, backed by 256GB storage. This is expandable via the microSD slot, which supports cards up to 512GB. Powering this is a 5,000mAh battery, which you’ll find in other phones at this price, but Motorola seems to have worked some magic, as many people get two days of use between charges.

The phone features a 6.5-inch LCD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate to keep things feeling extra smooth. A pair of stereo speakers flanks the screen, with support for Dolby Atmos to add another dimension to music and videos.

On the back of the phone, you’ll find a 50MP, dual-lens camera system. While it won’t blow flagship cameras out of the water, it’s still more than capable. Of course, you also get a front-facing camera for selfies and group photos.

The Moto G Power 5G 2023 is available in Mineral Black , Bright White , and Cosmic Emerald color varieties.

Best Budget Android Phone for Battery Life

Moto G Power (2023)

$200 $273 Save $73

If you’re looking for a phone to last you for a day or two without a charge, the Motorola Moto G Power (2023) has that and more, with a large screen, impressive performance, and great features.

$200 at Amazon

Best Budget Android Camera Phone: Google Pixel 7a

Justin Duino / How-To Geek

Google’s Pixel A-series have always been fantastic midrange phones, with most of the features of their larger siblings. With the introduction of the Google Pixel 7a , the series has never been closer to its sibling, and in many cases, the 7a is every bit as good as the Pixel 7.

The Pixel 7 and 7a have a few tradeoffs camera-wise, but not nearly as much as the previous generation. While the Pixel 7 has a larger sensor, each of the Pixel 7a’s three lenses has a higher megapixel count, with 64MP, f/1.89 wide and 13MP, f/2.2 ultra-wide lenses on the back, and a 13MP, f/2.2 lens on the front.

The ultra-wide lens on the Pixel 7a also features a wider angle than the 7, which is great for outdoor photography. The Pixel 7a also features the typical niceties you’d expect from the camera on a Google phone, like the Magic Eraser feature that can remove people from the background of your photos.

When reviewing the Pixel 7a , it was easy for us to sum up the handset as a great purchase:

In a vacuum, it’s extremely easy for me to recommend the Google Pixel 7a. For just under $500, you get an Android smartphone with all of the performance you might need and an amazing camera that you can take anywhere.

As with the previous generation, the Pixel 7 and 7a share the same chipset, in this case, a Google Tensor G2 chipset. The A-series phones had less RAM in the past, but this isn’t the case any longer, with each phone featuring 8GB of RAM. There is more parity between the displays as well, with the 6.1-inch screen on the Pixel 7a sharing the same 90Hz refresh rate as the 7’s 6.3-inch screen.

As always, if you want the fastest Android updates, a Google phone is the way to go compared to other manufacturers. The Google Pixel 7a is available in Charcoal , Sea , and Snow finish options.

Best Budget Android Camera Phone

Google Pixel 7a

$333 $499 Save $166

If you’re looking for a budget phone with a fantastic camera, you won’t find a better option than the Google Pixel 7a. This model also matches the Pixel 7’s performance, making it a great overall pick.

$333 at Amazon Best Buy Target

Best Android Phone Under $500: Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

Samsung

The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G , which is replacing its predecessor—the Galaxy A53 5G —packs all the right stuff for a solid mid-range smartphone. It has a big and beautiful 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. The company has also increased the peak brightness to 1000 nits, which is plenty to keep everything on the screen readable in even bright outdoor conditions.

The 5,000mAh battery also performs admirably and will last through a day , even with heavy usage. You also get fast 25W wired charging support. But sadly, there is still no wireless charging.

Another positive for the phone is its Exynos 1380 SoC, which packs tons of processing power. This results in smooth multitasking and an overall responsive experience. The Exynos chip is also suitable for gaming, and it will easily handle almost every game you throw at it. However, in graphics-intensive games like Genshin Impact, you may have to turn down the graphics settings for a completely lag-free experience.

In other features, the A54’s camera performance is good, but certainly not flagship level. You’ll be able to capture excellent shots in good lighting conditions with plenty of detail. However, the smartphone struggles in low lighting as it allows visual noise to creep in and takes longer to lock autofocus.

You’ll also be happy to know that the phone runs on Android 13 with One UI 5.1 out of the box. And the company has promised to deliver four Android version updates and up to five years of security patches. This is even better than what Google offers with its Pixel phones.

Lastly, as the name suggests, you can enjoy 5G connectivity on the A54 5G. The phone is certified to work with the 5G networks on all three major carriers. But only the Verizon model , which costs $50 more than other versions, supports mmWave 5G .

Best Android Phone Under $500

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

$269 $450 Save $181

The Samsung Galaxy A54 5G is an excellent mid-range phone that ticks all the right boxes. You get a vibrant display, impressive battery life, and great performance.

$269 at Amazon Best Buy Samsung

Best Android Phone Under $300: OnePlus Nord N30 5G

Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek

Finding a phone with modern features and decent performance for under $300 isn’t simple. There will always be sacrifices that need to be made, but the key is picking a device that sacrifices features that you will miss the least.

Enter the OnePlus Nord N30 , which might not be the most impressive phone ever, but strikes a good balance between cost and features. While it’s clear that corners were cut by opting for a plastic body rather than metal and glass, this isn’t a phone that looks cheap, as you can read about in our review of the OnePlus Nord N30 :

When it comes to budget Android phones, you often have to sacrifice design and build materials. However, the OnePlus Nord N30 doesn’t look like a phone that only costs $300. This is thanks in large part to the flat sides, which is an aesthetic often reserved for fancier high-end phones.

The N30 features a 6.72-inch FHD+ display that is vibrant and does a fine job of reproducing colors. For some reason, OnePlus decided to go with LED rather than sticking with the OLED display on the N20, but unless you are downgrading from an AMOLED device, you shouldn’t be disappointed.

Inside the phone is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor, a CPU found in many modern budget phones, including the N20. Combined with OxygenOS, based on Android 13, and the 8GB of RAM, it provides a satisfying user experience overall.

The one area found to be lacking is the camera. Rather than using a telephoto lens, OnePlus opted for a 108MP fixed lens with 3x digital zoom. And as most people know, digital zoom is never as good. With that said, the camera takes a decent image when not zoomed, and even features 2MP macro and 2MP depth options.

Best Android Phone Under $300

OnePlus Nord N30 5G

$250 $300 Save $50

The OnePlus Nord N30 might not be the most exciting phone ever built, but for less than $300 you get a well-made device, with a decent camera, snappy processor and 8GB of internal RAM. If it only had a OLED display like the N20, it would be even better.

See at OnePlus $250 at Amazon

Best Android Phone Under $200: TCL 40XL 2023

Click here

It wasn’t all that long ago that if you wanted to spend less than $200 on a phone, you were settling on nearly every aspect of the device. Fortunately, affordable phones have come a long way since then, and the TCL 40XL 2023 is perfect proof.

Of course, you can’t expect the latest and greatest hardware for a price this low, but the 40XL features a Mediatek MT6765 Helio G37 chipset with a PowerVR GE8320 GPU. This isn’t going to give you top of the line performance, but it has power to spare for typical smartphone tasks like calling, texting, web browsing, and light gaming.

The display is fairly large at 6.75 inches, and features a 20:9 cinematic aspect ratio. The refresh rate is 90Hz which makes for relatively smooth motion, though the touch sampling rate isn’t as fast as premium phones, which can make the response feel slightly more sluggish than top-end models.

You get a triple-camera array on the back of the device, with a 50MP main camera. The 40XL uses AI processing to enhance the photos, and while you’re not going to get the same quality as a flagship, it’s still a long way from the barely usable cameras you’d find on older affordable phones.

TCL didn’t skimp on the battery, fitting a 5,000mAh model that should make for solid battery life. The TCL 40XL is only available in black, though you can buy it with either 128GB or 256GB storage .

Best Android Phone Under $200

TCL 40XL 2023

If you’re looking for a solid Android phone but don’t want to spend much, the TCL 40XL is a fantastic option, with great performance for the price and expandable storage via microSD.

See at Amazon

FAQ

How do you factory reset an Android phone?

A factory reset can ready your phone for trade-in, stomp out pesky bugs, and clear out significant storage space. The process is pretty easy: Tap Settings, select General & Backup, choose Factory data reset, tap Reset device, and then Delete all. If your phone veered off the path at some point, check out Google’s support page , which houses links for most Android carriers’ help pages.

How do I unlock an Android phone?

Unlocking an Android phone to move providers usually only takes a few steps. The first of which is to contact your carrier and ask them to unlock your phone. Note: if you’re still paying off your smartphone, your carrier may not honor the request. Then, if you’re using a physical SIM card, replace your old carrier’s card; you’re good to go!

How do you connect a Bluetooth device to an Android phone?

Connecting a Bluetooth device (say, a pair of wireless earbuds ) to your Android phone is simple once you know where to look. Make sure Bluetooth is enabled by swiping down from the top of the screen and tapping the Bluetooth symbol if disabled. Then, touch and hold the same Bluetooth icon. Select the device you want to connect from the list. You may need to put the Bluetooth device in pairing mode using a physical button located somewhere on the exterior.

Can you use an Apple Watch with an Android phone?

Unfortunately no, you cannot use an Apple Watch with an Android phone. On the bright side, there are several Android smartwatch alternatives to choose from, whether you want something that sticks by your side during intense runs or tells you the time and doesn’t cost your life savings.

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