id="article-body" class="row" section="article-body">
With so many new affordable phones announced in April, like the iPhone SE, the Galaxy A51 and the Moto G Stylus, phone buyers on a tighter budget now have more options than ever to choose from. In addition to those phones, there are plenty of reliable handsets from 2019 as well -- and all of them cost about $500 or less. And despite their low prices, budget smartphones are getting more advanced and pack premium features of their own like fast processors, amazing cameras and modern-day software features. To see our top picks, which we update regularly, check out the list below and read CNET's reviews. Note that we've linked to the unlocked version of each phone, and they should run on most of the big four US wireless carriers, unless specified otherwise.
Now playing: Watch this: Best cheap phones to try now
2:02
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
John Kim/CNET With a four-year gap between the 2020 iPhone SE and the previous one, Apple packed its latest budget phone with a bunch of upgrades. That includes wireless charging, better camera specs and water resistance. (Unfortunately, for wired headphone users, it doesn't have a headphone jack.) If you're looking for a new iPhone but want to save as much money as possible, the $399 (£419, AU$749) iPhone SE is your best bet. Read our Apple iPhone SE (2020) review.
$399 at Apple
$394 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy A51
Juan Garzon/CNET In addition to its main Galaxy S flagship phones, Samsung has a more cost-conscious A series line of phones. This year it launched the Galaxy A51, another phone that costs $399 (there is a 5G variant that costs $499). The device has four cameras, an in-screen fingerprint reader and expandable memory. Read our Galaxy A51 first take.
$400 at Best Buy
Google Pixel 3A XL
Angela Lang/CNET Google's Pixel 3A XL has everything you like about the Pixel 3A (which is also on this list), but in a larger package (it has a 6-inch OLED screen compared to the Pixel 3A's 5.6-inch screen). Both phones, however, have a headphone jack and keep the same amazing Night Sight camera from the original Pixel 3, which can shoot great photos in the dark. (Daytime photos and video recording look amazing, too.) The device is compatible with all the major US phone carriers as well.
The bigger counterpart also features a larger 3,700-mAh battery. Read our Google Pixel 3A XL review.
$449 at Amazon
$479 at Sprint
$480 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G Stylus
Sarah Tew/CNET If you're looking for a cheaper Note 10 alternative, the $300 Moto G Stylus features a stylus that you can store inside the phone along with built-in Notes app to help with productivity. The phone also features triple-rear cameras, 128GB of storage and a robust 4,000mAh battery. Read our Moto G Stylus review.
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$250 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy A50
Angela Lang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Aug 2019
Although the Galaxy A50 came out last year (and is the predecessor to the A51 phone mentioned above), it's still a great phone. Plus, at $250 it's even cheaper than when it first launched. The phone has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen, an in-screen fingerprint reader and a headphone jack. On the back, the three cameras include a wide angle lens as well as a "depth lens," which is used to take portrait shots with blurry, dramatic backgrounds. Read our Samsung Galaxy A50 review.
$230 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$300 at Samsung
Google Pixel 3A
Angela Lang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Oct 2019
As the little brother of the Pixel 3A XL, the Pixel 3A has nearly identical specs but has a smaller screen and a smaller battery. It's also cheaper, at only $399. Read our Google Pixel 3A review.
$350 at Amazon
$399 at Sprint
$400 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G Power
Sarah Tew/CNET The new Moto G Power is a tad cheaper than the G Stylus at $250, but it packs a robust 5,000-mAh battery. During our testing, it lasted an impressive four days without a charge. The phone has three rear cameras (on of which is a macro lens), a 6.4-inch display and expandable memory. Read our Moto G Power review.
$250 at Best Buy
$250 at Motorola
$250 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto Z4
Angela Lang/CNET The Moto Z4 launched in May 2019 without much fanfare, despite the fact that it's one of the earliest phones that can connect to 5G. It works with a Moto Mod modular accessory, which attaches to the back of the smartphone using magnetic pins. The phone is $499 and the Mod costs extra, but even with the additional costs, the Z4 is one of the cheaper 5G phones available now. Read our Motorola Moto Z4 review.
$400 at Amazon
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Sarah Tew/CNET The often discounted Moto G7 Play is one of our favorite affordable Android phones. Like the pricier Moto G7 (which we'll get to later), it has a Snapdragon chipset and a water-repellent coating. But the G7 Play features a smaller 5.7-inch display and a single 13-megapixel camera. For those who like to take a lot of selfies, on the front of the phone you'll find a selfie camera flash to brighten up all those memorable moments. Read more about the Moto G7 Play.
$130 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy S9
Josh Miller/CNET It's been two years since its launch, but the Galaxy S9 is still a phone worthy of consideration. Discounted at about $450 from online retailers, the phone is water resistant, has wireless charging, expandable storage and a headphone jack. Plus, its curved OLED display screen lends the phone a modern-day look that still endures. Read our Samsung Galaxy S9 review.
$408 at Amazon
$600 at Sprint
$500 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G7
Angela Tang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Apr 2019
The Moto G7 may not be as cheap as its G7 Play counterpart, but at $300, it's still a good deal. Though its single speaker doesn't offer the greatest sound, and it takes mediocre low-light photos and video, the Moto G7 has a rear dual camera setup, an enduring battery life and a sleek design. It also charges quickly, which is useful when you need to juice up while on the go. Read our Motorola Moto G7 review.
$230 at Amazon
$230 at Best Buy
More phone advice
Best Android phones of 2020
Best prepaid phones of 2020
Samsung's Galaxy phones: Which should you buy?
Best gaming phone for 2020
SIM card swap fraud: tour quảng châu What it is and how to prevent it
Phones under $200: Top picks and new budget phones
Best phones to gift to your grad in 2020
Comments
Android Update Phones Google Lenovo Motorola Samsung Apple
Notification on
Notification off
Mobile
With so many new affordable phones announced in April, like the iPhone SE, the Galaxy A51 and the Moto G Stylus, phone buyers on a tighter budget now have more options than ever to choose from. In addition to those phones, there are plenty of reliable handsets from 2019 as well -- and all of them cost about $500 or less. And despite their low prices, budget smartphones are getting more advanced and pack premium features of their own like fast processors, amazing cameras and modern-day software features. To see our top picks, which we update regularly, check out the list below and read CNET's reviews. Note that we've linked to the unlocked version of each phone, and they should run on most of the big four US wireless carriers, unless specified otherwise.
Now playing: Watch this: Best cheap phones to try now
2:02
Apple iPhone SE (2020)
John Kim/CNET With a four-year gap between the 2020 iPhone SE and the previous one, Apple packed its latest budget phone with a bunch of upgrades. That includes wireless charging, better camera specs and water resistance. (Unfortunately, for wired headphone users, it doesn't have a headphone jack.) If you're looking for a new iPhone but want to save as much money as possible, the $399 (£419, AU$749) iPhone SE is your best bet. Read our Apple iPhone SE (2020) review.
$399 at Apple
$394 at Amazon
$400 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy A51
Juan Garzon/CNET In addition to its main Galaxy S flagship phones, Samsung has a more cost-conscious A series line of phones. This year it launched the Galaxy A51, another phone that costs $399 (there is a 5G variant that costs $499). The device has four cameras, an in-screen fingerprint reader and expandable memory. Read our Galaxy A51 first take.
$400 at Best Buy
Google Pixel 3A XL
Angela Lang/CNET Google's Pixel 3A XL has everything you like about the Pixel 3A (which is also on this list), but in a larger package (it has a 6-inch OLED screen compared to the Pixel 3A's 5.6-inch screen). Both phones, however, have a headphone jack and keep the same amazing Night Sight camera from the original Pixel 3, which can shoot great photos in the dark. (Daytime photos and video recording look amazing, too.) The device is compatible with all the major US phone carriers as well.
The bigger counterpart also features a larger 3,700-mAh battery. Read our Google Pixel 3A XL review.
$449 at Amazon
$479 at Sprint
$480 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G Stylus
Sarah Tew/CNET If you're looking for a cheaper Note 10 alternative, the $300 Moto G Stylus features a stylus that you can store inside the phone along with built-in Notes app to help with productivity. The phone also features triple-rear cameras, 128GB of storage and a robust 4,000mAh battery. Read our Moto G Stylus review.
$300 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$250 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy A50
Angela Lang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Aug 2019
Although the Galaxy A50 came out last year (and is the predecessor to the A51 phone mentioned above), it's still a great phone. Plus, at $250 it's even cheaper than when it first launched. The phone has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED screen, an in-screen fingerprint reader and a headphone jack. On the back, the three cameras include a wide angle lens as well as a "depth lens," which is used to take portrait shots with blurry, dramatic backgrounds. Read our Samsung Galaxy A50 review.
$230 at Amazon
$300 at Best Buy
$300 at Samsung
Google Pixel 3A
Angela Lang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Oct 2019
As the little brother of the Pixel 3A XL, the Pixel 3A has nearly identical specs but has a smaller screen and a smaller battery. It's also cheaper, at only $399. Read our Google Pixel 3A review.
$350 at Amazon
$399 at Sprint
$400 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G Power
Sarah Tew/CNET The new Moto G Power is a tad cheaper than the G Stylus at $250, but it packs a robust 5,000-mAh battery. During our testing, it lasted an impressive four days without a charge. The phone has three rear cameras (on of which is a macro lens), a 6.4-inch display and expandable memory. Read our Moto G Power review.
$250 at Best Buy
$250 at Motorola
$250 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto Z4
Angela Lang/CNET The Moto Z4 launched in May 2019 without much fanfare, despite the fact that it's one of the earliest phones that can connect to 5G. It works with a Moto Mod modular accessory, which attaches to the back of the smartphone using magnetic pins. The phone is $499 and the Mod costs extra, but even with the additional costs, the Z4 is one of the cheaper 5G phones available now. Read our Motorola Moto Z4 review.
$400 at Amazon
Motorola Moto G7 Play
Sarah Tew/CNET The often discounted Moto G7 Play is one of our favorite affordable Android phones. Like the pricier Moto G7 (which we'll get to later), it has a Snapdragon chipset and a water-repellent coating. But the G7 Play features a smaller 5.7-inch display and a single 13-megapixel camera. For those who like to take a lot of selfies, on the front of the phone you'll find a selfie camera flash to brighten up all those memorable moments. Read more about the Moto G7 Play.
$130 at Best Buy
Samsung Galaxy S9
Josh Miller/CNET It's been two years since its launch, but the Galaxy S9 is still a phone worthy of consideration. Discounted at about $450 from online retailers, the phone is water resistant, has wireless charging, expandable storage and a headphone jack. Plus, its curved OLED display screen lends the phone a modern-day look that still endures. Read our Samsung Galaxy S9 review.
$408 at Amazon
$600 at Sprint
$500 at Best Buy
Motorola Moto G7
Angela Tang/CNET
ED I T O R S ' C H O I C E Apr 2019
The Moto G7 may not be as cheap as its G7 Play counterpart, but at $300, it's still a good deal. Though its single speaker doesn't offer the greatest sound, and it takes mediocre low-light photos and video, the Moto G7 has a rear dual camera setup, an enduring battery life and a sleek design. It also charges quickly, which is useful when you need to juice up while on the go. Read our Motorola Moto G7 review.
$230 at Amazon
$230 at Best Buy
More phone advice
Best Android phones of 2020
Best prepaid phones of 2020
Samsung's Galaxy phones: Which should you buy?
Best gaming phone for 2020
SIM card swap fraud: tour quảng châu What it is and how to prevent it
Phones under $200: Top picks and new budget phones
Best phones to gift to your grad in 2020
Comments
Android Update Phones Google Lenovo Motorola Samsung Apple
Notification on
Notification off
Mobile
