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When it comes to making the best cheap phones, phone makers have to balance more carefully which features to prioritize and which they can sacrifice from their premium and flagship lines. Different phone makers have different ideas about what makes a good, affordable phone, so there's likely a budget phone that's perfect for you.
For budget phone recommendations, we like models that prioritize performance and camera quality; these are the qualities that most directly affect your experience with a phone, and we think they're the most important over less consequential details, like design. A phone with a desirable design, large screen, and smooth refresh rate won't provide a worthwhile experience if performance is slow and stuttery or the camera is mediocre.
As shown by several generations of excellent affordable phones, Google is the top budget phone maker, and the Google Pixel 8a is our top choice among the best cheap phones in 2025. Its combination of performance, camera and screen quality, battery life, and design simply can't be beat. If the Pixel 8a is out of your price range, we recommend the Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2024) as the next best budget option with a truly affordable price tag.
For those who want to switch to or remain in Apple's ecosystem, our top pick for the best "cheap" iPhone is the iPhone 14; it's nominally cheap but offers the modern Apple smartphone experience for the best value. The most affordable iPhone, the iPhone SE (2022), may be worthwhile despite its outdated design and feature set.
Our top picks for the best cheap phones
Best overall: Google Pixel 8a - See at Amazon
Best true budget phone: Motorola Moto G Power 5G (2024) - See at Amazon
Best cheap iPhone: iPhone 14 - See at Verizon
Best cheap iPhone alternative: iPhone SE (2022) - See at Verizon
Best camera: Google Pixel 8a - See at Amazon
Best battery life: Samsung Galaxy A35 5G - See at Amazon
Best overall
The Pixel 8a is nominally a budget version of the Pixel 8, but you'd have a hard time telling them apart. The Pixel 8a dominates in its price range and comes easily recommended thanks to its stellar value relative to its performance, camera quality, and high-end display.
- Incredible value
- Great performance to price ratio
- Smooth 120Hz OLED display
- Stellar cameras
- Slow 18W charging
- Outdated Pixel design
Starting at $499, the Google Pixel 8a might seem out of place on a list of the best cheap phones. However, it's still hundreds less than a premium phone and offers several key high-end features. As such, it offers remarkable value, and if your budget allows it, the Pixel 8a should be at the top of your shortlist.
In more ways than one, the Pixel 8a delivers a premium experience on par with some of the best Android phones. It runs on the same powerful Tensor G3 processor as Google's flagship Pixel 8 series; it has a smooth 120Hz OLED display; its cameras compete with phones that cost twice as much; and it supports wireless charging, a feature typically reserved for premium phones. It also has battery life that competes with other, more expensive 6.1-inch phones.
As the Pixel 8a runs on the same processor as the flagship Pixel models, it supports many of the same high-end AI features, like Circle To Search, Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, Live Translate, Call Screen, Hold For Me, and several more.
The Pixel 8a supports up to 18W wired charging speeds, which isn't terribly fast, but we can easily excuse it thanks to its excellent battery life and the premium features mentioned above. Wireless charging speeds are capped at 7.5W, which is fine for long charging periods while sitting at your desk.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review, and equip the phone with one of the best Google Pixel 8a cases.
Best true budget phone
Motorola's Moto G Power 5G offers excellent value considering its performance, 120Hz display, and dual-lens camera quality.
- Nice design with faux-leather back
- Solid camera quality
- Good performance for its price
- 120Hz display
- 30W charging speeds
- Performance can falter with fast-paced use
- Only average battery life
- Only upgrades to one Android generation
- Short three-year security support window
- Filled with bloatware
If the Pixel 8a's typical starting price (or discounted rate) is more than you were willing to spend when you came to this guide, Motorola's Moto G Power 5G is a more affordable option we heartily recommend. Typically starting at $300 (currently discounted to $200), the Moto G Power comfortably falls into the budget category.
At a traditional budget tag, the Moto G Power does not offer the same performance and camera quality as the Pixel 8a. Still, it provides a great overall experience, making it one of the best budget Android phones you can buy. Its MediaTek Dimensity 7020 processor opens and runs apps quickly and smoothly. It only shows its limitations during heavier loads, like opening or closing a game or shortly after booting up the phone.
The Moto G Power has a 50MP main camera and an 8MP ultrawide. We're happy to see it doesn't include a pointless macro camera to claim the phone has three cameras, which many budget phones include. Photo detail is a smidgeon softer than you'd find on more expensive phones, but photos still look surprisingly good with a nice balance of brightness, contrast, and color for the price. It struggles more than premium phones to capture sharp, clear photos of moving subjects, but that's to be expected when spending hundreds less.
The Moto G Power's battery life is perfectly acceptable and typical for a phone in 2025, whether budget or premium. It supports up to 30W charging speeds, which is fast for the price range. In fact, it's even faster than the $800 Galaxy S24's 25W charging.
Our main gripe with the Moto G Power is that Motorola will only grant it one Android upgrade. As for security updates, Motorola will patch vulnerabilities for three years, which is good for the budget category but poor compared to Google's seven-year support window for the Pixel 8a.
Best cheap iPhone
The iPhone 14 could be a worthy choice for people upgrading from the iPhone 11 or older. It's the only current "budget" option somewhat comparable to the iPhone 16 as a standard iPhone.
- Newly discounted price
- Emergency safety features
- Still-smooth performance
- Lacks Action and Camera Control buttons
- Lacks Dynamic Island
- Not compatible with Apple Intelligence
Starting at $599, the iPhone 14 is barely clinging to a reason for being on this budget phone list. Yet, if you want the best iPhone at an attainable price point within Apple's current lineup, we feel it's worth buying the iPhone 14 over the cheapest iPhone you can buy, the iPhone SE (2022).
The iPhone 14 is the second least expensive iPhone widely available in new condition, and it's a worthy pick if the iPhone SE (2022) has too many shortcomings for your taste. It runs on Apple's A15 Bionic processor, which offers the same performance as the iPhone SE (2022), but it's an upgrade in almost every other way.
Unlike the iPhone SE, the iPhone 14 has satellite-connected safety features, a larger 6.1-inch display, a second camera for ultrawide photos, better battery life, a modern design, and Face ID to unlock the phone and make mobile payments. It also supports MagSafe accessories, like cases and wireless chargers.
The iPhone 14 is a $170 jump from the iPhone SE, so deciding between these models is not a light task if you need a new phone immediately. However, we do feel that the iPhone 14's larger screen, safety features, and better battery offer a better overall experience that warrants the price premium, and the other upgrades are nice additions that help to justify the additional cost.
Read our full iPhone 14 review.
Best cheap iPhone alternative
Apple's smallest model, the third-generation iPhone SE, runs on the same A15 Bionic processor as the iPhone 14, and it's the cheapest current phone you can buy for access to Apple's ecosystem of software and devices.
- Small 4.7-inch display
- Excellent performance for its price
- An iPhone for close to $400
- Solid camera quality
- Outdated design
- No Face ID
- No MagSafe support
- Unimpressive battery life
- Single camera lens
If you simply can't justify the iPhone 14's price, the iPhone SE (2022), starting at $429, is your best and only bet for those who seek an inexpensive iPhone in a new condition within Apple's current lineup. It supports the latest version of iOS, includes the iMessage and FaceTime apps, and works seamlessly with Apple's popular range of devices and accessories, like Mac computers, Apple Watches, AirTags, and AirPods.
Spinning the wheels in the iPhone SE (2022) is Apple's A15 Bionic processor, which runs the iPhone 14 from 2022 and the iPhone 13 from 2021. It's still a very capable processor and can easily run any app or game.
Apple has a strong history of supporting iPhones with new versions of iOS and security updates for at least six years, so while the iPhone SE was released in 2022, we wouldn't be surprised if it's supported for several more years. For reference, Apple still supports the iPhone XS series released in 2018.
The iPhone SE (2022) only has a single camera, which is less versatile than the dual and triple cameras on more expensive iPhone models and even less costly budget Android phones. Still, it does the job, and anyone would be happy with the photos the iPhone SE takes, especially after spending less than $500 on an iPhone.
With all that said, the iPhone SE (2022) isn't for everyone. Its small 4.7-inch screen size is divisive, its big-bezel design is antiquated in 2025, and it uses Touch ID for unlocking the phone. It doesn't support certain newer features like MagSafe accessories, and its battery life will prove short for those who spend lots of time on their phones.
Read our full iPhone SE (2022) review.
Best camera
The Google Pixel 8a features a second time in our best cheap phone guide for its category-defying cameras. If you want an affordable Android phone and care about photo quality, the Pixel 8a should be in your pocket. Other phones in the budget range can also take good photos and adequately capture memories, but the Pixel 8a is in a different league.
The Pixel 8a sports a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, which take superb photos like any of the best Google Pixel phones. Scenery and people are captured in beautifully natural color, with less apparent processing than the artificial-looking results of other major phone makers like Samsung.
One of the Pixel 8a camera's key abilities is quick focusing. It requires less dependence on steady hands and a still subject to take a clear photo than most budget phones.
Beyond the camera hardware, Google's AI photo and video features can prove incredibly useful. Some are available on budget phones, like Magic Eraser, but to get the full breadth of Google's AI while spending less, you'll need a Pixel 8a. Features like Best Take, Audio Magic Eraser, Magic Editor, and Photo Unblur are especially useful and worth checking out.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review, and add one of the best Google Pixel 8a cases to protect the phone.
Best battery life
Samsung's Galaxy A35 offers a large 6.6-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen, three cameras (but you're only likely to use two), and a premium-like design. Performance is on par with a mid-range device in the $400 price range, but its battery life beats almost every Android phone we've tested, even the most expensive ones.
- Premium-feeling design
- Large 120Hz AMOLED display
- Surprisingly quick and smooth performance
- Exceptional battery life
- 25W charging speeds
- Poor macro camera quality
- Photos can be overexposed and inconsistent
- Brimming with bloatware
The Samsung Galaxy A35 5G attained one of the best battery test results of all the current phones we've tested. With 65% remaining after the test, the Galaxy A35 beats most premium phones with large screen sizes. In our testing for the best phone battery life among Android phones, the Galaxy A35 is only surpassed by the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which both cost more than $1,000.
To be sure, the Galaxy A35's excellent battery life isn't likely to dramatically transform your daily charging habits. Instead, you might end your day with a higher battery percentage than usual, which is meaningful; it affords more confidence that your phone will keep going when you need it.
The phone supports 25W charging, which is fast for the budget category. It's quicker than the Pixel 8a and the same speed as the premium Galaxy S24.
Beyond battery life, the Galaxy A35 is a worthwhile phone. It warrants its typical $400 price tag with its snappy performance, 6.6-inch OLED 120Hz display, and nice design. Photo quality is generally good, too, but like any of the best Samsung phones, it's prone to overexposing brighter details.
Our standardized battery test is designed to simulate mixed usage. It involves streaming a video for two hours, playing music on Bluetooth speakers for one hour, five runs of the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark, and two runs of the 3DMark WildLife Stress Test.
Best cheap phones compared
| Specs | Google Pixel 8a | Moto G Power 5G (2024) | iPhone SE (2022) | iPhone 14 | Samsung Galaxy A35 5G |
| Starting price | $499 | $199.99 | $429 | $599 | $399.99 |
| Display | 6.1 inches, OLED, 120Hz | 6.7 inches, LCD, 120Hz | 4.7 inches, LCD, 60Hz | 6.1 inches, OLED, 60Hz | 6.6 inches, OLED, 120Hz |
| Processor | Google Tensor G3 | MediaTek Dimensity 7020 | Apple A15 Bionic | Apple A15 Bionic | Samsung Exynos 1380 |
| Release date | May 2024 | March 2024 | March 2022 | September 2022 | March 2024 |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB | 64GB, 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, upgradeable to 1TB with microSD card |
| Rear cameras | 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide | 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide | 12MP main | 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide | 50MP main, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro |
How we test cheap phones
Cheap phones receive the same testing treatment as any of the best phones, including the most expensive premium models.
We test their performance by using them as daily drivers by running popular and common apps and games. We monitor whether performance is acceptable relative to the phone's MSRP, like the speed at which an app opens, how smoothly it runs, and whether stutters are present or problematic. We also run the Geekench 6 CPU benchmark test and various 3D Mark tests to get an idea of year-over-year performance improvements.
Camera quality is partly measured by taking photos of the usual scenery we use for every phone release. When a new cheap phone is released, we bring all its generational competitors to ensure test photos are taken at the same time of day and season to avoid discrepancies.
Personal photos have the biggest impact on our camera quality assessments, as they reveal attributes and deficiencies that test scenes won't expose, like the sharpness of a moving subject or the overall experience of using the camera app. We don't publish personal photos containing family and friends due to privacy, but we'll include photos without faces when possible.
For battery life, we run the Geekbench 6 CPU benchmark test five times, stream one hour of music while connected to a Bluetooth speaker, run the 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test twice, and stream two hours of video at a brightness set across every phone we test. The test is designed to simulate a mix of light and heavy use with three hours of screen-on time.
FAQs
Which cheap phone is the fastest?
According to our benchmark results, Apple's iPhone SE (2022) and iPhone 14, running on the A15 Bionic processor, are the fastest cheap phones. However, there's little perceivable difference in day-to-day use between the iPhones and Google's Pixel 8a, which runs on the Tensor G3 processor.
Which cheap iPhone has the best value?
Currently, the iPhone SE (2022) is the cheapest iPhone available at its $429 starting price. It includes the core Apple experience and access to Apple's popular ecosystem of software and accessories, including iMessage, FaceTime, the Apple Watch, and AirPods.
However, as mentioned above, the iPhone SE (2022)'s small screen, outdated design, and comparatively short battery life means it's not for everyone. If you can spare an additional $170, we recommend the iPhone 14 to most people for its larger screen, modern design, Face ID, better battery life, and better overall value.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at reviews@businessinsider.com.
