Best budget smartphones of 2025, tried and tested by an expert

Telegraph

28-03-2025

In a market where the latest iPhone or Samsung Galaxy S can cost upwards of £800, it's useful to know that there are far more affordable alternatives. Finding the best budget smartphone will save you a lot of money and with the very best examples, you might not even notice a qualitative difference.
Most of the following recommendations sit around the £500 mark. At this 'mid-range' price, you can expect to find phones that broadly emulate the flagship experience. The best examples from manufacturers such as Google, Samsung, and Nothing will offer smooth performance, vibrant and responsive displays and decent cameras.
Spend less than £300 and you can expect to find phones that perform the day-to-day basics adequately, with perhaps one or two exceptional areas (excellent battery life, for example, or a very good screen). Compromises are required to hit such an aggressive price point, but manufacturers such as Xiaomi and Motorola are well-practiced at mitigating the weak points.
Experienced tech journalist Jon Mundy has been reviewing phones since the beginning of the modern smartphone industry. Here are his recommendations for the best affordable phones on the market in 2025. Before we get started, here are his top five.
What are the best budget phones of 2025? At a glance
How to choose the best budget smartphone for you
While it's possible to spend as much as £2,000 on a modern phone, the average flagship handset will cost half that. When we talk about budget smartphones, we're talking about phones that cost £500 or less.
Every modern smartphone, regardless of price, should be able to place calls, send and receive messages, take photographs and run applications. The cheaper the phone, the more likely one or more of those basic areas is going to be compromised to some degree.
Picking a budget smartphone, then, is an exercise in prioritisation. It's impossible to have it all (though our top pick gets close), so you'll need to determine what's important to you. Do you favour speedy performance, a strong camera, excellent battery life or a big and bright display? How important are features such as wireless charging or water resistance?
Once you have an idea of what you're looking for in a budget smartphone, and just as importantly what you're willing to live without, there are a range of excellent options to choose from.
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How I tested the best budget smartphones
I tested all of these budget smartphones against five metrics: design and features, display, performance and battery life, software and AI and camera capabilities. As the priority here is affordability, no single phone in this selection scores brilliantly in every department.
With that in mind, I have given each recommended phone a particular award for the area in which they excel. The top two are listed as best buy and best value, but there are separate entries for categories such as best design, best gaming and the like. You should be able to find a budget phone here that meets your overriding needs.
Where available, I've linked to full reviews for the handsets involved, but most of these budget phones haven't been covered in detail. However, I have personally tested each and every phone featured here.
Best budget smartphones
1. Google Pixel 8a
£399, Google
Best budget phone overall, 9/10
We like: wireless charging, strong main camera, clean Android UI
We don't like: Pixel 9a soon available, dated design, underwhelming battery life
Screen: 6.1in AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Cameras: Dual (64MP wide, 13MP ultrawide), 13MP selfie
Processor: Google Tensor G3
Storage options: 128GB, 256GB
Operating system: Android 15
Dimensions: 152.1 x 72.7 x 8.9mm
Weight: 188g
Colours: Aloe, Bay, Porcelain, Obsidian
At the time of writing, Google is about to release a new budget phone in the Pixel 9a. However, the Pixel 8a remains an excellent choice.
Google is continuing to sell the phone as new, but with a £100 discount. Given that we're only a year into the company's promised 7 years of software support, there's plenty of life left in the Pixel 8a yet.
It continues to perform well for a phone of its price, thanks to the same Tensor G3 chip that powered Google's previous generation of flagship phones. Meanwhile, its 6.1-inch 120Hz AMOLED display is both vibrant and responsive.
This is a compact phone by modern standards, though its rounded design feels somewhat dated. The smaller size means a smaller battery too, which results in less-than-stellar stamina. It's built very well, however, with a solid aluminium frame and an IP67 rating that essentially means it's waterproof.
Google's Pixel phones are renowned for their cameras, and while the Pixel 8a falls noticeably short of the Pixel 9 range, it still captures bright, contrasty images. It's arguably the best budget phone for photography, though you're better off with the Nothing Phone 3a Pro if you want a dedicated telephoto lens.
The Pixel 8a also grants access to some of Google's brilliant AI-enhanced editing tools. Magic Eraser lets you remove unwanted background elements, while Best Take patches together the best parts of multiple similar shots.
Then there are those features that you'll struggle to find elsewhere, such as wireless charging and Google's clean, concise software. It's a remarkably complete phone for those on a budget.
Screen: 6.7in OLED, 144Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Cameras: Dual (50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide), 32MP selfie
Storage options: 256GB
Operating system: Android 15
Dimensions: 161.9 x 73.1 x 7.9mm
Weight: 174.9g
Colours: Hot Pink, Forest Blue, Marshmallow Blue
Like the Pixel 8a, the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion is due to be replaced soon. Unlike the Pixel 8a, there are only two more major operating system updates left to come.
However, a significantly lower asking price makes such a shortcoming easier to overlook. At the time of writing, Motorola has knocked its RRP of £350 to just £280.
That's an excellent price for a very good-looking phone, which can be specified in several striking colours. Motorola has resisted the wider trend for adopting a more industrial iPhone-inspired design language, which makes the Edge 50 Fusion's thin and curvaceous looks really stand out. An IP68 water resistance rating is right up there with flagship phones, too.
Other outstanding features include a large and bright 6.7-inch OLED display, which boasts an unusually rapid 144Hz refresh rate. Most phones will only go up to 120Hz, regardless of their price.
Performance is adequate rather than spectacular, thanks to Motorola's use of a modest Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 processor. Much more impressive is the Fusion's charging speed, with the increasingly rare provision of a rapid 68W charger bundled into the box. It's a nice complement to the phone's 5,000mAh battery, which might last lighter users a full two days between charges.
Add in Motorola's typically clean, uncluttered user interface and you have a phone that gives off a certain air of opulence despite its modest pricing.
3. iPhone 15 (Refurbished)
£475.99, Backmarket
Best iPhone on a budget, 9/10
We like: excellent build quality, superb camera, speedy performance
We don't like: still expensive brand new, display not as smooth as it should be
Screen: 6.1in OLED, 60Hz refresh rate
Processor: Apple A16 Bionic
Cameras: Dual (48MP wide, 12MP ultrawide), 12MP selfie
Storage options: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Operating system: iOS 18
Dimensions: 147.6 x 71.6 x 7.8mm
Weight: 171g
Colours: Black, Yellow, Blue, Green, Pink
Apple has just launched a new entry-level iPhone in the iPhone 16e, but I'm not recommending that here. It costs £600 brand new, which is too expensive to meet the 'budget phone' criteria outlined above.
You can do better by shopping around for an iPhone 15. Apple continues to sell its last-gen phone as new at a discounted price, though it still costs more than the iPhone 16e. It's possible to make significant savings by picking up a refurbished model from the likes of Back Market, Giffgaff, or Music Magpie – anywhere with a decent restoration programme and a solid 12-month guarantee.
As for the iPhone 15 itself, it's a flat-out better phone than the new iPhone 16e. Its processor might not be quite as speedy, but the A16 Bionic continues to make most of the mid-priced Android crowd look lethargic.
It's annoying that Apple continues to treat a smooth 120Hz display as a 'Pro' feature, and this means that the iPhone 15's 60Hz screen feels less smooth than the other phones featured here. However, it remains a sharp, vibrant 6.1-inch OLED. Apple's Dynamic Island, meanwhile, is a clever way of making a virtue of its extended display notch, adding useful heads-up information whilst retaining Apple's peerless Face ID authentication system.
The iPhone 15's camera is also of an excellent quality, and bests all of the Android rivals on this list in regular day-to-day snapping. You also get the little quality of life features that come with an Apple flagship, like MagSafe wireless charging and IP68 waterproof certification.
4. OnePlus Nord 4
£459, OnePlus
Best budget phone design, 9/10
We like: unusual metal unibody design, speedy performance, fluid UI
We don't like: cameras not great, relatively heavy, metal design may not be to everyone's taste
Screen: 6.74in AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3
Cameras: Dual (50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide), 16MP selfie
Storage options: 512GB
Operating system: Android 15 with OxygenOS 15
Dimensions: 162.6 x 75 x 8mm
Weight: 199.5g
Colours: Mercurial Silver, Obsidian Midnight, Oasis Green
There are several phones with stand-out designs on this list. The Nothing Phone 3a Pro is notable for its flashy semi-transparent aesthetic, while the Moto G75 appeals for its military-grade toughness. The HMD Skyline's built-in repairability deserves a mention, too.
However, the OnePlus Nord 4 gets our overall design vote for its fresh yet practical unibody build, as well as the simple fact that it's an excellent all-round phone for the money.
Its design harks back to a more robust era of smartphone development when certain manufacturers would extend the metallic frame of a phone around the entire body. The Nord 4's external surface is almost entirely made of aluminium, except for a small plastic section around the cameras.
This means there's no fragile glass (on the rear at least) to crack when you inevitably drop it, but the phone still feels good to hold. It also means that the Nord 4 is a touch heavier than some of its rivals, though this could also come down to a larger-than-average 5,500mAh battery, which results in strong stamina.
Other noteworthy elements include a big, sharp and bright AMOLED display and a snappy Snapdragon 7+ Gen 3 processor. This phone is an excellent performer.
OnePlus's OxygenOS is one of the more fluid custom Android interfaces on the market, though it's also somewhat busy, and the promise of 4 years of upgrades situates it right in the middle of the pack.
Just about the only other aspect of the OnePlus Nord 4 that doesn't impress is its camera, which offers merely adequate results from a rather humble 50-megapixel main sensor and a fairly average 8-megapixel ultrawide. Otherwise, it's an unusually well-built and capable budget phone.
5. Nothing Phone 3a Pro
£449, Nothing
Best budget phone for creativity, 8/10
We like: dedicated telephoto camera, creative Essential Key, unique design
We don't like: big and bulky, performance not the best, only 3 years of Android OS updates
Screen: 6.77in OLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 7s Gen 3
Cameras: Triple (50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto), 50MP selfie
Storage options: 256GB
Operating system: Android 15 with Nothing OS 3.1
Dimensions: 163.5 x 77.5 x 8.4mm
Weight: 211g
Colours: Grey, Black
It can sometimes feel as if smartphone manufacturers have arrived at a consensus on what constitutes acceptable smartphone design (step one: take note of whatever Apple's doing). Nothing routinely chooses to buck that trend and the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is full of creative touches.
The most striking innovation is Nothing's daring semi-transparent aesthetic, which reveals hints of the components contained within. This also shows off the company's eye-catching Glyph system, which involves several extended LEDs wrapped around the camera module that provide customisable notifications.
This is also one of only two phones on this list that include a dedicated telephoto camera, which lets you get more creative with your photography. Such a natural 3x zoom provision, steadied out by optical image stabilisation (OIS), is ideal for street photography.
Nothing has also added a dedicated button on the right edge of the phone, called the Essential Key. Pressing this context-sensitive button will capture and automatically categorise screenshots when you come across something interesting, while a long press will also attach a voice note. It's a powerful memo-creation tool.
The rest of the package is broadly competitive, with a clean user interface, adequate (if far from spectacular) performance and decent battery life. It's a little bigger and bulkier than I would have liked and Nothing's 3-year software update promise is a little off the pace, but creative types on a budget will find much to like here.
Screen: 6.67in AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8400 Ultra
Cameras: Dual (50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide), 20MP selfie
Storage options: 256GB, 512GB
Operating system: Android 15 with HyperOS 2
Dimensions: 160.8 x 75.2 x 8.3mm
Weight: 195g
Colours: Black, Green, Yellow
Xiaomi's Poco phones are always aggressively priced, but they also tend to provide strong gaming performance. The Poco X7 Pro outperforms the £999 Google Pixel 9 Pro, yet it costs less than a third of the price.
With Xiaomi running regular discount deals, you might just find the Poco X7 Pro to be the best gaming phone under £300.
This high level of performance was achieved by adopting MediaTek's Dimensity 8400 Ultra chip, a highly capable yet cheaper alternative to Qualcomm's more mainstream Snapdragon platforms.
It's not just the Poco X7 Pro's chip that makes it well suited to gaming though. Xiaomi has fitted its phone with a 6,000mAh battery, which is one of the largest on the market. It's enough to stand up to extended bouts of 3D gaming and should see you through two full days of normal usage without the need to recharge.
Even if you do need to hook the phone up for a quick top up, the Poco X7 Pro supports up to 90W fast charging – though you'll need to buy the necessary charger separately.
Xiaomi's Poco design work vacillates between the bland black or green models and the garish yellow and black option. It's well built, however, with an IP68 rating that offers a flagship level of water resistance. Meanwhile, the 6.67-inch AMOLED screen around the front proves sharp and accurate.
There's less to commend Xiaomi's custom user interface for. HyperOS is cluttered with ugly icons and extraneous apps, though it proves fluid enough once you've performed a little software pruning.
You don't buy any Poco-branded phone if you're concerned with taking the best photos, but the X7 Pro's 50-megapixel main camera can hold its own in good lighting.
7. Samsung Galaxy A56
£499, Samsung
Best budget phone display, 8/10
We like: big and colourful screen, premium build, strong stamina
We don't like: no wireless charging, lacks AI features, performance not among the best
Screen: 6.7in AMOLED, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Samsung Exynos 1580
Cameras: Triple (50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 5MP macro), 12MP selfie
Storage options: 256GB
Operating system: Android 15 with One UI 7
Dimensions: 162.2 x 77.5 x 7.4mm
Weight: 198g
Colours: Awesome Pink, Awesome Olive, Awesome Graphite, Awesome Lightgrey
The Samsung Galaxy A56 looks and feels like a far more expensive phone, such as the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE or even the Samsung Galaxy S25+. It's built of solid glass and metal and has a decent level of water resistance.
Samsung's 6.7-inch AMOLED display is one of the best you'll find for this sort of money. It's large and it outputs rich colours without looking unnatural, while a 120Hz refresh rate keeps scrolling smooth.
The provision of a new Exynos 1580 processor manages to keep up with that smooth screen, while the phone's sizeable battery provides ample stamina for a day, or even two, of usage. There's no wireless charging, which is a bit of a downer given how premium the design is, but it's not a given in the budget space either.
While the Galaxy A56 lacks the dedicated telephoto camera of the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, its main camera proves nice and dependable. The images it captures are detailed and well exposed, with Samsung's trademark vibrant colours.
One UI 7 is crisp and snappy, if a little convoluted and lacking in the AI features of the Galaxy S series, while Samsung's promised 6 years of software support is second only to Google's Pixel range. Standout screen aside, the Samsung Galaxy A56 is simply a very well balanced phone for the money.
Screen: 6.55in pOLED, 144Hz refresh rate
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
Cameras: Triple (108MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 50MP telephoto), 50MP selfie
Storage options: 128GB, 256GB
Operating system: Android 15
Dimensions: 159.8 x 76 x 8.9mm
Weight: 209.5g
Colours: Blue Topaz, Twisted Black, Neon Pink
HMD is a Finnish manufacturer closely associated with the Nokia brand. Its own-branded HMD Skyline deliberately evokes the classic Lumia Windows Phones of the 2010s, with its robust, sharp-cornered design language.
This is a much more forward-thinking phone than such a nostalgic appearance might suggest, however. Its key feature is repairability, with the facility to easily (and cheaply) replace the phone's display and battery yourself.
Rather unexpectedly, the HMD Skyline also features Qi2 charging. This magnetic wireless charging standard hasn't been adopted by any other Android phone to date. You're more likely to know it by another name - Apple's MagSafe charging, which it provides for most of its iPhones.
These stand-out features aside, the HMD Skyline is a decent mid-range phone, with a sharp AMOLED display (that runs a little cool to my eye, but the colour temperature can be adjusted), good-enough performance, and an unadorned version of Android 15. It's not among the best budget phones for battery life, though.
Nor is the Skyline's main camera quite as strong as its 108-megapixel specification suggests, especially when it comes to shooting in low light. This is a rare budget phone that includes a dedicated telephoto camera, however, and its 50-megapixel selfie camera with autofocus is another unusually advanced camera provision.
Screen: 6.78in LCD, 120Hz refresh rate
Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3
Cameras: Dual (50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide), 16MP selfie
Storage options: 256GB
Operating system: Android 15
Dimensions: 166.1 x 77.2 x 8.3mm
Weight: 205g
Colours: Charcoal Gery, Aqua Blue, Succulent Green
Motorola is already represented higher up this list, but the Moto G75 is remarkable for being both the cheapest and the most rugged phone in our test selection.
MIL-STD 810H certification means that it's been put through a US military-grade test suite, and lived to tell the tale. Meanwhile, IP68 certification means it's as water and dust proof as almost any £1,000 phone on the market. Another stand-out specification for a phone of this price is wireless charging. Again, not every phone featured here can boast such a provision.
Motorola's software is clean and intuitive, with a Moto app that provides the perfect introduction to the phone's features. The company's gesture shortcuts, in particular, are some of the best in the business, allowing you to activate the torch or camera functions with simple hand motions. Motorola's 5-year OS upgrade promise is very good, too.
Naturally, compromises have had to be made in order to squeeze such unusual features into such a cheap phone. The Moto G75's performance isn't particularly rapid, while its LCD lacks the vibrancy of the AMOLED screens featured on most of its rivals.
The dual camera system, meanwhile, doesn't offer anything to write home about, though it still manages to hold its own in decent lighting conditions.
However, if you're looking for an easy-to-use phone that can stand up to extreme conditions, you won't find many better options at any price. It might just be the best Android phone under £300, and it's definitely the most interesting.
Budget smartphone FAQ's
What is the best budget smartphone in 2025?
The Google Pixel 8a is the best all-round budget smartphone available right now.
Which budget phone has the best camera?
If you're shopping brand new, the Google Pixel 8a offers a great point-and-shoot experience, while the Nothing Phone 3a Pro gives you a dedicated telephoto camera for zoomed-in shots.
What is the best budget phone for battery life?
The OnePlus Nord 4 and the Poco X7 Pro come with larger-than-average batteries and are good for a full two days of usage.
Can you get a good 5G phone on a budget?
Yes, every phone on this list comes with 5G connectivity.
What's the best budget smartphone for gaming?
The Poco X7 Pro offers outstanding gaming performance on a budget.