You don't need to spend $800 to get a great phone. These picks deliver excellent performance, good cameras, and long software support for under $500.
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Motorola
At $249, the Moto G Power 5G punches well above its weight. The 5,000mAh battery is nearly indestructible, the 50MP camera handles daylight photos well, and 5G connectivity future-proofs the purchase. Motorola's clean Android skin means snappy performance even at this price.
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Samsung
The Galaxy A55 delivers a flagship-quality AMOLED display and excellent cameras at a fraction of flagship cost. The 5,000mAh battery routinely lasts two days, 5G is included, and Samsung promises four years of OS updates — remarkable for this price range.
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Apple
The iPhone SE 4 brings the A18 chip — same as the iPhone 16 — in a $499 package. It's the best choice for families buying kids their first iPhone, for anyone upgrading from an older SE, or for iPhone loyalists on a tight budget. Parental controls in iOS are unmatched by any Android at any price.
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The Pixel 10a delivers Google's excellent Tensor G5 chip and the company's best-in-class computational photography at $499. You get seven years of software updates, a clean Android experience with no bloatware, and Pixel's signature AI photo tools — at a price that makes flagship rivals look wasteful.
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