There are many companies that offer high-quality budget phones at competitive prices. These still deliver excellent build quality, reliable battery life and an enjoyable experience for users who simply require basic tasks on their phone without demanding advanced performance features or top-of-the-line cameras. Furthermore, these budget phones tend to receive updates more regularly than higher end models.
Galaxy A14 4G LTE
Keep up with life on a large, high-definition display with 5G for speed and power savings. Capture images and video with a 13MP selfie camera in a waterdrop notch, and a powerful triple-lens back camera. Stay connected on the go with a 5,000mAh battery and expandable storage for all your content.
The Galaxy A14 is Samsung’s new budget workhorse. It’s a reimagining of last year’s Galaxy A13 5G, but with a faster processor, better cameras, and more functionality. The phone has a big, 6.6-inch PLS LCD screen with a 90Hz refresh rate and HD+ resolution, up to 6GB RAM, 64GB or 128GB internal storage, and a microSD slot for up to 1TB. It runs One UI Core on Android 13 and gets two years of OS upgrades and four years of security updates.
The biggest change is the inclusion of NFC for mobile payments, which may be a game-changer for some people. The A14 still cuts corners with a drab design and a slower processor that sometimes left me waiting for apps to load, but it’s one of the most functional budget phones I’ve tested and should suit most users as long as you don’t require a superfast phone. It also comes with a headphone jack and has a side fingerprint sensor for security.
Moto G Stylus
The Moto G Stylus is a good budget phone option if you want the convenience of a stylus and aren’t ready to drop way more money on a higher priced phone. The 5G version is more expensive, but you do get potentially faster download speeds and it has better camera specs and a bigger display. However, the Moto G Stylus will likely feel out of date by the time 5G is widespread and its battery life may struggle with newer apps. The phone is backed by Motorola’s promise of one OS platform upgrade and three years of security updates, which is an improvement on last year’s Moto G Stylus but not as good as Samsung’s four- or five-year support for some of its budget phones.
The 6.5-inch 720p display has a nice, smooth 120Hz maximum refresh rate and the quad-core MediaTek processor and 3GB of RAM are enough to handle day-to-day tasks, stream movies and play less-intensive games. I enjoyed using the stylus and found the cameras to be solid — although images from the 8-megapixel ultrawide camera were a little grainy in low light.
It’s also one of the few budget phones that includes a headphone jack, which is increasingly rare in the US.
Galaxy A03 Core
If you’re looking for a cheap smartphone that can do most day-to-day tasks like browsing, messaging, and calling, the Galaxy A03 Core is worth considering. It also has a bright 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera for taking sharp selfies. The Galaxy A03 Core also has a long-lasting 5000mAh battery for days of power on-the-go.
The Samsung Galaxy A03 Core has a nice 6.5-inch HD+ (1600 x 720) PLS display with slim side and top bezels and a V-shaped notch for the front camera and earpiece. The phone also has a microSD slot that can hold up to 1TB of additional storage, which is helpful in case you run out of space.
Unlike the previous Galaxy A03s, which only had WiFi 4, the A03 Core has upgraded to WiFi 5, a much faster standard. Its LTE reception is decent too, with only a slight drop in performance during our tests.
One thing that sets this phone apart from other inexpensive Android phones is its four-year software update policy. Many budget smartphones only receive security updates for a couple years before being abandoned by the manufacturer. This is an especially important consideration if you’re planning to use your phone for work or other productivity tasks. The Galaxy A03 Core is a good option for anyone who needs to work on a computer but wants a mobile companion.
Moto G Power 5G
Motorola’s Moto G lineup swelled to four phones in 2022, and the Power model was its budget flagship. It has a powerful 5,000mAh battery, which can easily last a day and a half for casual users. The phone has a solid design, too. Its polycarbonate chassis isn’t slick or shiny, and the dark grove pattern should help hide fingerprints and smudges. The Power 5G runs Android 13 with a clean user experience and a nice font selection. Motorola doesn’t add many tweaks to Android, so the software should work well for most people.
However, Motorola eschewed Qualcomm for a MediaTek processor this year, and the performance dip is noticeable. It takes longer for the phone to open apps and respond to inputs. You also won’t be able to enjoy the 90Hz display upgrade, because the processor can’t handle the refresh rate.
Motorola’s new budget phone has some shortcomings. It lacks NFC, which is becoming a table stakes feature in this price tier. Likewise, you can’t use the phone to make mobile payments. The G Power 5G does offer fast wired charging, achieving 15W speeds with a compatible charger. It’s still a step behind competitors, though.