Buying guide
The best budget phones: how little you can spend and still get great
You don't need to spend four figures. Here's the least you can spend at each tier and still get a phone you'll be happy with for years.
Take the quiz →The value champion: Pixel 10a ($499)
The Pixel 10a is the most phone you can get for the least money. For $499 you get the famous Pixel camera software, a bright 120Hz screen, a big 5,100 mAh battery, and — remarkably at this price — seven years of OS and security updates. The only real compromise is a last-generation Tensor G4 chip, so it's the slowest phone here. For everyday use, you won't notice.
The best value iPhone: 17 ($799)
If you want into Apple's ecosystem without paying Pro prices, the iPhone 17 is the pick. IGN called it the best entry-level iPhone in years: it's the first non-Pro iPhone with a 120Hz screen, runs the current A19 chip, and starts at 256GB. You give up the Pro's telephoto and sustained gaming speed, but most people won't miss them.
Flagship power for less: OnePlus 15 ($899)
Stretch to $899 and the OnePlus 15 hands you a true flagship — the fastest Android chip and a two-day battery — for hundreds less than the $1,200-plus crowd. The camera trails the best, but nothing else near the price lasts or runs like it.
How low can you go?
There's a genuinely good phone at almost every price from $499 up. The question isn't "what's cheapest" but "what's the least I can spend and still be happy in three years" — and longer software support is what protects that.
Find your best value pick: take the quiz.
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Frequently asked
What's the best budget phone right now?
The Google Pixel 10a at $499. It delivers the Pixel camera, a bright 120Hz screen, a big battery, and seven years of updates — accepting only a last-generation chip.
How much do I need to spend for a good phone?
Around $499 gets you a genuinely good phone like the Pixel 10a. Spending more mainly buys faster performance, better cameras, and premium screens — not better software support, which even budget phones now get for years.