The best cheap phones in 2024

Starting at $499, the Google Pixel 7a might seem out of place in a list of the best cheap phones, but it's still hundreds less than a premium phone while offering high-end features, and it has remarkable value for the price. If your budget allows it, the Pixel 7a should be at the top of your shortlist. 

In more ways than one, the Pixel 7a delivers a premium experience on par with some of the best Android phones. It runs on the same powerful Tensor G2 processor as Google's flagship Pixel 7 phones; it has a smooth 90Hz 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. 

The Pixel 7a 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. 

Our biggest complaint about the Pixel 7a is that it costs $50 more for the variant that supports the fastest mmWave 5G networks, and it's exclusive to Verizon. Still, the basic $499 model that's supported by all major carriers comes with 5G C-band support, which should offer more than enough data speeds for pretty much anything you do on your phone. 

The Pixel 7a is often discounted down to around $400. If you find it for that price, it's an utter no-brainer. 

Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.

If $500 is more than you were willing to spend when coming to this guide, we can't recommend the Google Pixel 6a enough. At $349, the Pixel 6a's price is more budget-friendly, and while it was released in 2022, it's still a fantastic phone that remains among the best budget Android phones. 

Running on the same Google Tensor G1 processor from the flagship Pixel 6 series, the Pixel 6a is unbelievably snappy and powerful for a phone in this price range. Combine its performance with main and ultrawide cameras that easily hang with phones that cost three times as much, and you have a real winner.

The Pixel 6a's comparatively unimpressive 6.1-inch display with a standard 60Hz refresh rate is a worthy trade-off considering the phone's performance and cameras. Sure, you can get larger screens and smoother, higher refresh rates with less expensive phones like the Samsung Galaxy A14 and OnePlus Nord N30, but their performance and cameras simply don't compete with the Pixel 6a's. 

One of the reasons the Pixel 6a isn't our top pick is its shorter support window, where Google will deliver security updates until July 2027. In contrast, the Pixel 7a will be supported until May 2028, giving it an extra year of life.

Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.

The iPhone SE (2022) is the cheapest iPhone you can buy in a new condition, and it delivers the core Apple experience. 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 that runs the iPhone 13 series 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 2024, 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.

That's why we're also including the iPhone 13 as an upgrade choice, even if it's above our preferred price range for a budget phone.

Starting at $599, the iPhone 13 is barely clinging to a reason for being on this budget phone list. But seeing as the iPhone SE (2022) might not be an option for many due to its small size, we feel we should include it for those seeking the best iPhone at an attainable price point. 

The iPhone 13 is the second least expensive iPhone you can buy, 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, it offers the same performance as the iPhone SE (2022), but it's an upgrade in almost every other way.

The iPhone 13 has 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 13 is a $170 jump from the iPhone SE (2022), so deciding between these models is not a light task. We do feel that the iPhone 13's larger screen 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.

The Google Pixel 7a features a second time in our best cheap phone guide for its category-defying cameras. If you want a cheap Android phone and care about photo quality, the Pixel 7a should be in your pocket. Other phones in the budget range can take decent photos, but the Pixel 7a is in a different league.

The Pixel 7a sports a 64MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide camera, which take superb photos. Scenery and people are captured in beautifully natural color, with less processing that makes images look artificial than other major phone makers. We're looking at you, Samsung.

There's only one other phone we know about that's less expensive than the Pixel 7a and has competing cameras — Google's $349 Pixel 6a. For that price, the Pixel 6a comes highly recommended if the Pixel 7a's price is higher than you'd like. 

Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.

The Samsung Galaxy A54 holds the best result in our battery test out of all the current phones we've tested. With 65% remaining after our battery test, the Galaxy A54 beats even premium phones with large screen sizes, like the Google Pixel 8 Pro (62%), the Nothing Phone 2 (59%), OnePlus 11 (61%), and Galaxy S23 Plus (59%).

To be sure, the Galaxy A54's excellent battery life won't likely 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.

Beyond battery life, the Galaxy A54 is a solid phone. During our testing, we would have liked to experience less stuttering while running apps and the Android operating system, but its nice design and 120Hz display provide a good overall experience. 

The Galaxy A54's cameras are also decent when they want to be — sometimes they'll take a great photo, and sometimes they won't! It's a little unreliable on this front, but it gets the job done to capture memories.

Our battery test is designed to simulate mixed usage, and it's the same test every single time where possible. 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.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A54 review.

What is the fastest cheap phone?

According to benchmark results, Apple's iPhone SE (2022) and iPhone 13 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 7a, which runs on the Tensor G2 processor.

Which cheap iPhone has the best value?

The iPhone SE (2022) is one of the best phones you can buy for budget value at its $429 starting price, as 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, to name a few. 

However, as I 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'd rather recommend the iPhone 13 to most people for its larger screen, modern design, Face ID, and better battery life.