The absolute best budget phones for 2021
When it comes to technology, some people just don’t find it reasonable to spend crazy amounts of money on a gadget that gets old in just a couple of years. Yet, those same people still want the full smartphone experience, the camera, the apps, and the speed. Are there any budget phones that fulfill these criteria?
The good news is that with recent launches the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. We now have phones that are cheap without being downright ruined by terrible issues – those budget phones do not lag terribly, they have decent cameras, and some of them even come with a very likable design. But separating the best budget phones from the fluff could be difficult, and even worse – time consuming. That’s why we’ve cherry-picked the very best budget phones you could get right now depending on a set of simple criteria.
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What to look for in a budget phone
Flagships are great, but budget phones often offer greater value
Budget phone nice-to-haves
First things first, you will have to settle on what type of budget phone you want. Nine out of ten budget phones are running Android, but an iPhone, be it a new iPhone XR or a used former flagship, will easily be a better device for many, many people. But finding the best budget phone is a hard task.
The display and overall performance should be evaluated thoroughly. Don’t get fooled by the number of cameras at the back of the phone and don’t go for the absolute highest number of lenses you see: often, a single good camera easily beats any triple or quad-camera system. A high-refresh rate display is also something that’s beginning to appear on more and more affordable devices.
Our 3 top picks for budget phones in 2021
| Comparison table | Google Pixel 5a | Apple iPhone 11 | Samsung Galaxy A52 5G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.34″ OLED | 6.1″ IPS LCD | 6.5″ AMOLED |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G | Apple A13 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 750G |
| Storage | 6GB RAM, 128GB storage | 4GB RAM, 64GB storage | 6GB RAM, 128GB, microSD |
| Camera | 12.2MP w/ OIS, PDAF 16MP ultra-wide |
12MP w/ OIS, PDAF
12MP ultra-wide |
64MP main, 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, 5MP depth |
| Battery | 4680mAh | 3110mAh | 4500mAh |
| Price | $449 | $499 | $499 |
Best budget phones under $500
Google Pixel 5a
Like its predecessor, the Pixel 5a is all about bringing Google’s computational photography prowess at an affordable price, easily making it one of the best budget phones you can buy. And it delivers on that promise. This year, Google provides big improvements in terms of battery life, which was this phone’s predecessor only con. Performance is good and the software is well-optimized. Plus, this phone will only get better with Google’s future software updates. If you’re looking for the best budget phone, this is as far as you need to look, especially if you need an excellent camera.
Apple iPhone 11
Although this phone might not have started its life as a budget device, it has become one over time. The iPhone 11 was released in 2019, but it still holds its ground against the competition. This is by far the best-value iPhone you can buy in 2021. It comes at $499, and for that price, you get a nice-looking 6.1” IPS LCD display, a fast Apple A13 processor, and a very good 12MP dual-camera setup. You can count on Apple’s iOS for this phone’s smooth performance and non-problematic nature. This one doesn’t support 5G though, so keep that in mind. Other strong pros the iPhone 11 has are its better-than-average battery life and excellent build quality.
Samsung Galaxy A52 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A51 was one of the best budget phones that were released in 2020, but it was superseded by the Galaxy A52 5G which continues the cycle. The $499.99 phone checks more than enough boxes to be an easy recommendation if you’re on the hunt for a budget phone. While it’s true that it’s a $100 more expensive than last year’s Galaxy A51, the new A52 5G brings a lot more to the table, namely 5G, a 6.5″ FHD+ AMOLED display, 4500mAh battery, and a pretty decent quad-camera setup. The A52 5G could easily be a top pick for you if you are partial to Samsung. While it normally costs $499, you can usually get it much cheaper with a trade-in that slashes the price well below $400.
Nokia 8.3 5G
Nokia, or should we say HMD Global, has also stepped up its game and offers some very solid budget phones. The best example is the Nokia 8.3. It’s part of the Android One program, which means no third-party apps or skins and fast software updates. You’re not getting Google’s camera app however, but despite that the Nokia 8.3 has the tools to satisfy most of your photography needs with its big 64MP main sensor. It comes with 128GB of base storage in the US, which is awesome for this price segment.
If you’re looking for a cheaper second phone or one for someone who won’t spend too much time using one, then the cheaper Nokia 5.4 is also a pretty decent example of some of the best budget phones.
Motorola Moto G 5G Plus
The Moto G series have been one of our favorite budget models throughout the years and now the line has a 5G model as well. There’s a twist, however, the 5G bands this phone supports are used in Europe, but it will work with T-Mobile and AT&T’s 4G LTE networks just fine. Is it the absolute best budget phone out there? No, but it’s worth a mention.
Best budget phones under $400
OnePlus Nord N10 5G
The OnePlus Nord N10 5G is a true to its manufacturer’s philosophy, it offers a lot for its $300 price tag. 5G support in the States, for one. 90Hz display, second. Sure, it’s an IPS LCD panel, but still, we’re talking budget phones here. Fast 30W Warp Charging is also on board, just like with any other OnePlus phone. The phone has a pretty adequate camera system as our OnePlus Nord N10 review showed and it’s running enthusiasts’ favorite OxygenOS. Overall, the Nord N10 is definitely one of the best budget phones in this price bracket. You can get it unlocked or from T-Mobile.
Who would guess that an iPhone is one of the best budget phones you could buy. The iPhone SE (2020) is not only an excellent phone, but also one of the few truly compact phones you could get right now. With its Apple A13 Bionic chipset, it’s also quite a capable device that’s leaps and bounds ahead of the similarly-priced Android competition. Surely it looks a bit dated thanks to its iPhone 8-esque looks, but the whole package is definitely worth it. As far as iPhones is concerned, the iPhone SE (2020) is still the best budget phone.
Best budget phones under $300
OnePlus Nord N200
The new budget OnePlus is for those that are on a super-tight budget. At $239, the Nord N200 is the cheapest OnePlus phone this year. And while some specs are reduced to fit the bill, like the Snapdragon 480 and the 4GB of RAM, others are still around even on this device. The 90Hz display is a unique feature for phones that cheap. The battery is also noteworthy. At 5,000mAh, it rivals Motorola’s battery champs. If you’re looking for a nice, cheap Android phone with 5G connectivity, or a second phone, then this one is offers great value.
Motorola Moto G Power (2021)
The Moto G Power, or G8 Power as it’s known in some regions, takes the torch from the G7 Power as the battery life champ among Moto G phones and many more. The massive 5,000mAh battery is actually one of the few things Motorola has kept the same between the two generations. The Moto G comes with a faster chip, more RAM and storage and a better-looking hole punch display, compared to its predecessor. The jump from a single rear camera to a quad-camera setup is impressive on paper, but not so much when you consider one of them is a 2MP macro camera. Still, a great upgrade overall and the battery will keep the lights on for days, so if that’s your main concern, you can’t go wrong with the Moto G Power.
Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
If you prefer a cheap phone from a known brand, the Galaxy A32 5G is here to fulfil your need. It comes with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. The battery is a big, 5,000mAh unit which should easily last you two days. The A32 has nice design with its teardrop-style display and has a good quad-camera setup. Of course, two of those are more or less useless, but still, it’s a sub-$300 phone, so we can’t expect much. A decent overall package if you’re looking for a Samsung phone on a tight budget.
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