We tested 47 Android phones under $500, and we can say again that smartphone manufacturers will keep pouring their latest tech into these devices, changing what you get for the money.

We’ll show you that $499 Google Pixel 9a can make better photos than most $900 phones from last year, and how a $399 Samsung Galaxy A36 lasted two days on a single charge. Even the $279 Galaxy A26 had features that flagship phones lacked just three years ago – like a 120Hz AMOLED screen and six years of software updates.

These phones have closed the gap between budget and premium like never before. Sure, you can still spend $1,400 on a Galaxy S25 Ultra with its titanium build and telephoto lens, but for regular people scrolling, streaming, or taking photos, the difference doesn’t justify that huge price jump.

Under $500, the specs have gone way up: OnePlus charges faster than most flagships, Nothing puts OLED screens in the mid-range, Google’s cameras keep hitting above their price, and Samsung promises years of updates. The fight is no longer at the top end, so let’s break down the devices that prove just how far things have moved.

Google Pixel 9a Delivers the Real Thing for Just $499

As we hoped, Google fixed the main weakness with a 5,100mAh battery that delivers over 30 hours of use, while the 6.3-inch display now reaches an impressive 2,700 nits of brightness. Google’s Tensor G4 chip runs every AI feature from the Pixel 9, including Gemini and Circle to Search.

You literally draw a circle around anything on screen, and Google tells you what it is or where to buy it.

Camera performance destroys the competition. The 48MP main sensor with f/1.7 aperture takes photos that look like they came from a thousand-dollar phone. Night mode, portrait mode, Magic Eraser – it’s all here. The astrophotography mode captures actual stars and the Milky Way if you prop it up somewhere dark.

Google promises seven years of updates too, so this phone will still get new Android versions in 2032. The downsides? Charging tops out at 23W (and Google wants you to buy their charger separately), and wireless charging crawls at 7.5W.

Also, some advanced AI features like Pixel Screenshots don’t work because it only has 8GB of RAM. But honestly, these are minor issues for a phone in this segment. The bigger story is how people are finding different ways to afford them. Carrier plans are still everywhere, though most of us now understand that the long contracts usually hide the real cost.

Refurbished sales, on the other hand, have exploded – IDC counted over 280 million refurbished smartphones shipped in 2023, most of them Android, showing how strong the demand is for cheaper routes into solid hardware. On top of that, competition platforms have started offering phones through structured draws, and if you want to see how that plays out, just check https://bestcompetitions.com and find dozens of competitions running right now, providing an exciting way to get these devices.

These platforms basically gamified phone shopping – you spend a few pounds on entries and enjoy transparent live draws: you can see how many people entered, watch videos of previous winners, and actually know your odds before jumping in. The sites keep mixing things up with instant wins, early bird bonuses, and draws where many people walk away with phones.

It’s just one more way the market’s adapted to people wanting great phones without the financial hit – and speaking of great phones, one has been absolutely killing it in the value department.

OnePlus 13R Brings Last Year’s Flagship Power for $500

OnePlus took a different approach with the 13R, sticking last year’s flagship processor in a mid-range body. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 still screams – this chip powered the Galaxy S24 Ultra just months ago. You get 12GB RAM standard (16GB available), which means apps never reload. The 6.78-inch LTPO AMOLED screen changes its refresh rate automatically between 1Hz and 120Hz based on what you’re doing.

Reading an article? It drops to save battery. Playing a game? It jumps to 120Hz, so everything moves smoothly without lag.

The 6,000mAh battery easily lasts two full days. When it dies, 80W charging fills it completely in 27 minutes. Samsung’s $1,200 phones don’t charge this fast.

The camera setup includes three 50MP sensors – main, telephoto with 2x zoom, and a regular 8MP ultra-wide. Photos look great in daylight, but night mode is definitely far from Pixel-level. OnePlus includes four years of Android updates and six years of security patches, which beats most competitors except Google and Samsung.

Samsung Galaxy A36 5G: Six Years of Updates

Samsung has been leaning harder into the mid-range tier, and the A36 shows how far that effort has come. It ships with Android 15 and One UI, bringing along the same Galaxy AI tools that run on flagships, including Circle to Search, real-time translations in calls, and smart photo editing. The 6.7-inch Super AMOLED runs at 120Hz, stays bright outdoors, and feels fluid whether you’re juggling apps or streaming for hours.

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 makes it quick for everyday use and holds steady when pushed with heavier apps. Hardware keeps pace with a 50 MP main camera featuring optical stabilization, Gorilla Glass Victus+ on both sides, and IP67 water resistance for rain or spills.

And while Samsung’s smartphone division continues to steady itself after a sharp drop in Q2 profit due to weakness in its chip business, the company’s decision to extend six years of updates to mid-range devices shows how important this segment has become. At $399, the A36 is built to go the distance.

Nothing Phone 3a Makes $379 Look Premium

Nothing leans on design to separate itself, and the 3a keeps that focus with a transparent back that shows the hardware and Glyph lights that signal calls and notifications. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 with 8GB of RAM punches well above its class, backed by a 5,000mAh battery that runs a full day and 50W charging that takes it back to full in about an hour.

The camera setup overdelivers for the price, with a 50MP main sensor that produces sharp shots and a secondary 50MP telephoto that brings true 2× zoom, still rare under $400. Nothing promises three Android updates and six years of security support, enough to keep the 3a relevant well past the usual budget cycle.

And that’s becoming even more important since people hold their devices longer. As IDC’s Nabila Popal notes, “Economic uncertainty tends to compress demand at the lower end of the market, where price sensitivity is highest. As a result, low-end Android is witnessing a crunch weighing down overall market growth”. 

In that kind of climate, breaking through isn’t easy, yet the 3a still stands out with a design you won’t mistake for anything else and hardware that feels well above its $379 price. Taken together, these models show how 2025’s real progress belongs to the phones most people can actually afford.