Budget-Friendly Best Android Phones

The top Android phones offer the widest possible selection of options. No matter how much money you have to spend, you should be able to discover a handset that is suitable for your requirements, with prices ranging anywhere from $1,800 to less than $500. You have the ability to select the characteristics that are most important to you. You don’t require a monitor with a high refresh rate or a telescopic lens, do you? Put some money aside.

And now that we are more than halfway through the year 2022, a wide variety of brand new products are already on the market, with much more on the way. We will discuss the Galaxy S22, the OnePlus 10, and other upcoming smartphones. We have already witnessed a number of smartphones that are powered by the brand-new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU, and just recently, several smartphones that are equipped with the Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 chip have begun to appear. Not to mention the second-generation Tensor chip that Google plans to use to power the Pixel 7 when it launches in the autumn as the company’s flagship smartphone.

Premium Android flagship phones start at $599 and offer the clearest and brightest displays, the most advanced photography, and other cutting-edge technologies such as reverse wireless charging and screens that can refresh at 120Hz.

These phones are also known as “superphones.” It’s great to see that more Android phones are now able to take advantage of better download speeds because 5G connectivity is now available in more reasonably priced options, such as the Pixel 5a and the Galaxy A53.

Continue reading in order to find out which Android phone is the most suitable for your preferences and finances. And regardless of the Android phone, you decide to purchase, don’t forget to take a look at our ranked list of the top 25 apps for your new device.

What are the best Android phones?

At Tom’s Guide, we have put all of the most popular Android phones of varying sizes, pricing, and forms through our rigorous testing. And in the end, the title of finest Android phone goes to the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra. This is because it has upgraded cameras as well as an S Pen that is integrated right in. If you are unable to afford the $1,199 price tag of the S22 Ultra, the Galaxy S22 delivers many of the same features at a reduced cost of $400.

The OnePlus 10 Pro is a tempting alternative to Samsung’s flagships, and the recently released OnePlus 10T delivers excellent performance at big savings. Both of these smartphones were developed by OnePlus.

However, when it comes to low-cost purchases, the Google Pixel 6a is hard to beat, despite the fact that the Samsung Galaxy A53 does its best to compete with that midrange phone. Even though the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are impressive as camera phones in their own right, the lower-cost Pixel ultimately wins thanks to its excellent cameras.

We would ordinarily include one of Samsung’s excellent foldable smartphones on our list of the best Android phones, as the firm makes the best foldable phone we’ve tested. However, Samsung is not currently producing a foldable phone that meets our criteria. But now that Samsung has announced the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and the Galaxy Z Flip 4, we think it’s best to hold off on recommending any of the already available foldable until we’ve had a chance to evaluate what these two new phones have to offer and write our reviews.

Back to school, plus the best Android phones

Even though summer is in full flow, the school will start before you know it, which means it’s time to check out the back-to-school discounts for deals on a variety of different things that you will need for the upcoming school year.

This comprises the most capable Android phones, some of which may become available at lower prices from shops and mobile service providers. Follow our comprehensive guide to back-to-school buying for all of your purchasing needs this season, whether you’re in the market for a new phone before starting college or for some other piece of essential classroom technology.

The best Android phones on the market right now

1. Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.8-inch Dynamic AMOLED (3088 x 1440)
• Android version: 12, One UI 4.1
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM: 8GB, 12GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / No
• Rear cameras: 108MP (f/2.2) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 10MP (f/2.4) 10x telephoto, 10MP (f/2.4) 3x telephoto
• Front camera: 40MP (f/2.2)
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 8:50 (adaptive), 10:18 (60Hz)

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra is currently the best Android phone available. It has practically everything you could possibly desire in a mobile device, including an integrated stylus in the form of an S Pen. It possesses impressive cameras, the industry-leading Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, plenty of storage options, and a display that is stunningly beautiful.

The Galaxy S22 Ultra continues to struggle in terms of its battery life, performing much worse than its predecessor did in this regard. During the battery life test conducted by Tom’s Guide, the phone lasted for 10 hours and 18 minutes. However, this result was obtained with the 60Hz refresh rate mode. The Galaxy S22 Ultra only lasted for 8 hours and 50 minutes when it was set to the 120Hz adaptive mode, which is much less than other competitors like the iPhone 13 Pro Max (which also features a 120Hz adaptive refresh rate).
If, on the other hand, you are absolutely committed to the Android platform, there is now no better phone than the Galaxy S22 Ultra. You will, however, be required to pay a fee of $1,199 for the privilege.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra review.

2. OnePlus 10 Pro

When it comes to the most impressive Android phones, the OnePlus 10 Pro comes in a close second. The smartphone has a gorgeous design and comes equipped with a large AMOLED display of 6.7 inches in size with a smooth refresh rate of 120 hertz. Because it is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU, it not only has an appealing appearance but also the muscle to back it up.

But that’s not the end of it. In our test of battery life, the OnePlus 10 Pro clearly prevailed over the Galaxy S22 Ultra, with a time of over 12 hours achieved in the adaptive 120Hz mode. You can easily top off your battery with the 65W charging, and it won’t take you very long at all.

When it comes to cameras, the OnePlus 10 Pro is likewise generally on par with its competitors. Photos are usually quite excellent, although there is sometimes a very small yellow cast to them in certain lighting conditions. On the Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung’s already superb software suite is put to the test by a plethora of innovative new software capabilities. Despite this, the Google Pixel 6 Pro has the superior camera of the two phones. However, when all things are considered, the OnePlus 10 Pro is the superior mobile device.

Read our full OnePlus 10 Pro review.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (3216 x 1440)
• Android version: 12, OxygenOS 12.1
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM: 8GB, 12GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
• Rear cameras: 48MP (f/1.8) main, 50MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 8MP (f/2.4) 3.3x telephoto
• Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
• Weight: 7 ounces
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 11:52 (120Hz), 12:39 (60Hz)

3. Google Pixel 6

The most recent lineup of smartphones from Google is more than deserving of its spots on this list. This time around, Google has released an entirely new gadget known as the Pixel 6, which features a modernized appearance, major camera improvements, and the very first generation of the Tensor chip. This results in a trim body that exudes confidence and is likely to garner admiring glances.

This year’s Pixel is aimed squarely at the average consumer, with a starting price of at $599, making it highly accessible. The Pixel 6 does pretty much everything you could want an Android phone to do, but it does not have the telephoto camera or the display that can run at 120 frames per second as the Pixel 6 Pro can.

If we were forced to pick one issue with the Pixel 6, it would be the battery life, which falls short of expectations. The phone performed quite poorly in comparison to the other phones on this list when we tested it. Since we experienced considerably improved outcomes while we were on LTE as opposed to 5G, one possible explanation for this is that it has something to do with an older version of the 5G modem.

Despite this, the Google Pixel 6 is equipped with a brand new generation of intelligence thanks to the Tensor chip. It is also one of the finest bargains overall on this list, considering the price (bested perhaps by the Pixel 5a).

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.4-inch OLED (2400 x 1080; 90Hz)
• Android version: 12
• CPU: Tensor
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP main (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2)
• Front camera: 8MP (ƒ/2.0)
• Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 8:13

Read our full Pixel 6 review.

4. Google Pixel 6a

Fans of Android phones who are wanting to save money now have more options than ever before. The Google Pixel 6a is superior to the Samsung Galaxy A53 in our estimation. Although the latter does have some redeeming qualities (for more on those, see below), the cameras on the Pixel 6a come out on top, which is exactly what you’d expect from a device made by Google.

In large part because of Google’s prowess in computational photography, the Pixel 6a delivers photographs of exceptional quality, which is particularly impressive given that it is a phone that costs less than $500. Because the Pixel 6a is powered by the same Tensor chip that is featured in the Pixel 6, artificial intelligence-based software functions such as on-device translation and smart photo editing are included in your cheap Google phone as well.

We wish the battery life were greater, and Google could learn something from Samsung’s generous software update policy, but if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on a wonderful phone, the Pixel 6a is where you should invest your money. It’s a terrific phone at a great price.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.1-inch OLED (2400 x 1080)
• Android version: 12
• CPU: Tensor
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB / No
• Rear cameras: 12.2MP main (f/1.7), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2)
• Front camera: 8MP (f/2.0)
• Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 6:29

Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.5. Google Pixel 6 Pro

There is no better option than the Google Pixel 6 Pro if you are looking for the very finest Android experience that is currently available. It’s the latest and greatest from Google, and it has a gargantuan 6.7-inch QHD+ display and a blazing-fast 120Hz refresh rate. In addition to that, it has Google’s very own custom silicon, known as the Tensor system-on-chip. It boasts several outstanding features despite being designed specifically for AI and machine learning.

But that’s not the end of it. The Pixel 6 Pro has some of the most impressive camera hardware we’ve seen on a Pixel device, including a telephoto lens with 4 times the optical zoom of its predecessors. Although the large 5,000 mAh battery looks excellent on paper, the results of our tests did not reveal truly amazing battery life for the device.

However, based on our own experiences, the Pixel 6 Pro’s battery life is more than sufficient to last an entire day. You may also quickly top off your battery with the 30W charging (the charging brick is offered separately).

This is the Android phone for people who are passionate about photography and desire the most recent and cutting-edge version of the Android operating system itself. Android 12 performs quite well on this device. In addition, with a starting price of around $899, this is one of the most reasonably priced flagship phones that are currently available.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.7-inch OLED (3120 x 1440; 10-120Hz)
• Android version: 12
• CPU: Tensor
• RAM: 12GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP main (ƒ/1.85), 12MP ultrawide (ƒ/2.2), 48MP telephoto (ƒ/3.5) with 4x optical zoom
• Front camera: 11.1MP (ƒ/2.2)
• Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 7:49

Read our full Pixel 6 Pro review.]

6. Samsung Galaxy A53

If you are looking for the greatest Android phone that costs less than $500, your best option is the Samsung Galaxy A53 while we wait for Google to reorganize its Pixel A lineup of products. This Samsung device, which falls in the middle of the company’s price range, offers useful features for $449.

The display on the Galaxy A53, which measures 6.5 inches and has a refresh rate of 120 Hz, is available for an extremely affordable price. You will also receive a powerful Exynos 1280 chipset as well as wide and ultrawide cameras that are of satisfactory quality. (The macro and depth sensors that are located on the back of the phone are unnecessary and only add clutter.)

When it comes to battery life, the Galaxy A53 is on par with other smartphones, and if you want an even longer battery life, you can get it by switching to a refresh rate of 60Hz instead of the standard 120Hz. But the price tag may be the A53’s best feature; coming in at the same price as Google’s Pixel 5a, this is another excellent low-cost Android alternative.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.5-inch OLED (2400 x 1080)
• Android version: 12 with One UI 4.1
• CPU: Exynos 1280
• RAM: 6GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB / Yes
• Rear camera: 64MP main (f/1.8), 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 5MP macro (f/2.4), 5MP depth (f/2.4)
• Front camera: 32MP (f/2.2)
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:49 (120Hz), 10:38 (60Hz)

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A53 review.

7. Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus

The Galaxy S22 Plus is an excellent Android phone, despite the fact that we consider it to be the very definition of an incremental update. The Galaxy S22 is a family of smartphones, and the middle kid, the Galaxy S22 Middle Child, is a beast. It has a stunning and bright display, meaty performance, and enhanced cameras.

If you thought the look of the Galaxy S21 from the previous year was appealing, you’re going to find a lot to like about the Galaxy S22 Plus. The new design language that Samsung is using has been refined here. However, the results of this phone’s battery life test were not particularly impressive to us. In point of fact, the Galaxy S22 Plus offers only a marginal improvement over its predecessor.

The Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus is priced at $999, which puts it in direct competition with other flagship smartphones. However, if you want to experience the Galaxy on a large screen but don’t want to spend the extra money on the Galaxy S22 Ultra, the Plus is your next best option.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED (2340 x 1080)
• Android version: 12, One UI 4.1
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM: 8GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP wide (f/1.8); 12MP ultrawide (f/2.2); 10MP telephoto (f/2.4) with 3x optical zoom
• Front camera: 10MP (f/2.2)
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 9:46 (adaptive), 9:57 (60Hz)

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus review.

8. Asus Zenfone 9

There are a few of us here that adore compact phones, and Asus feels the same way. The next smartphone to come from the Taiwanese phone manufacturer is called the Zenfone 9, and boy, is it a fantastic one. 5.9 inches of screen real estate is shared with a Snapdragon 9 Plus Gen 1 processor, a 4,300 mAh battery, and either 8 or 16 gigabytes of random access memory (RAM).

The Zenfone 9 is the phone you should acquire if you want a smaller smartphone because it has the horsepower you need, an outstanding battery life, and good cameras. We adore how simple it is to use with just one hand and how little room it takes up in our pockets. The ZenUI software that Asus provides is also pretty great. It provides a user experience that is similar to that of stock Android, but it also includes some additional features that boost other aspects.

The Zenfone 9 undercuts the competitiveness of rival smartphones like the Galaxy S22 with its starting price of $799. Although Samsung still has some advantages, such as with the display, Asus did an excellent job with the Zenfone 9, which is our pick for the best smartphone.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 5.9-inch AMOLED (2400 x 1080)
• Android version: 12, ZenUI 9
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
• RAM: 8GB, 16GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.9) main, 12MP (f/2.2) ultrawide
• Front camera: 12MP (f/2.45)
• Weight: 6 ounces
• Battery life (Hrs: Mins): 13:13

Read our full Asus Zenfone 9 review.

9. Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro

AirTriggers and a rear color OLED panel that allows for context-specific animations are both included in the design of the Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro, which was created specifically with the gaming community in mind.

But even if you’re not into playing games, you should still pay attention to how long the battery lasts on this phone. During our battery life test, the ROG Phone 6 Pro with its 6,000 mAh battery lasted for 15.5 hours, making it the phone with the longest battery life that we’ve examined in recent memory.

It is notable that the system-on-chip that powers the Asus ROG Phone 6 is a Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, which provides an appreciable increase in overall performance even in comparison to phones that feature the more recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chipset. The inclusion of 18 GB of RAM by Asus is undoubtedly helpful, but the ROG Phone 6 Pro outscored competing handsets in our tests, such as the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.

You can debate whether or not anyone really needs a gaming phone, but there is no denying that Asus has pulled out all the stops to make the ROG Phone 6 Pro one of the best Android phones to be released so far this year.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.8-inch AMOLED (2488 x 1080; 165 Hz)
• Android version: 12, ROG UI or Zen UI
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
• RAM: 18GB
• Storage / Expandable: 512GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP (f/1.9) main, 13MP (f/2.2) ultrawide, 5MP macro
• Front camera: 12MP
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 15:30 (Adaptive), 16:27 (60Hz)

Read our full Asus Phone 6 Pro review. 

10. OnePlus 10T

Because it utilizes Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 processor, the latest smartphone from OnePlus, the OnePlus 10T, allows you to take advantage of the better performance of the processor at a reduced cost. The price of the OnePlus 10T begins at $649.

The model that comes with 16 gigabytes of random access memory costs an additional $100 more, bringing the total price to $749. A phone that provides the kind of performance that mobile gamers, in particular, will find satisfying can be purchased for this price, which is rather affordable.

There are several compromises that have been made in order to bring down the price of the OnePlus 10T, particularly in comparison to the OnePlus 10 Pro. The OnePlus 10T does not include a telephoto lens, and its cameras do not come equipped with the Hasselblad technologies that have helped boost the picture-taking skills of more recent OnePlus models.

Despite this, the OnePlus 10T has a very long battery life, and it only takes twenty minutes for the phone to charge to its full capacity. Even though the OnePlus 10 Pro is a superior Android phone, the OnePlus 10T still has quite a few redeeming qualities.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Display: 6.7-inch AMOLED (2412 x 1080)
• Android version: 12 with OxygenOS 12.1
• CPU: Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
• RAM: 8GB, 16GB
• Storage / Expandable: 128GB, 256GB / No
• Rear cameras: 50MP main (f/1.8), 8MP ultrawide (f/2.2), 2MP macro
• Front camera: 16MP (f/2.5)
• Battery life (Hrs:Mins): 10:59 (120Hz), 11:22 (60Hz)

Read our full OnePlus 10T review.

How to choose the best Android phone for you

When looking for the ideal Android phone for you, the first place to start is by determining your spending limit. In addition, there are a few distinct tiers to choose from. The most affordable Android phones may be purchased for less than $200 and provide most of the fundamentals necessary for using applications, taking images, and remaining connected. We’ve compiled a list of the finest inexpensive phones that cost less than $300, but the truth is that if you want a phone that costs so little, you’ll have to make a lot of sacrifices.

As you move up in price, you’ll find more attractive phones that boast greater processors, higher-grade materials, and additional camera lenses. These can be found in the sub-$450 price range. If you spend more than $700 on a smartphone, you can expect it to have performance on par with that of a flagship model, in addition to cutting-edge computational photography and other innovative features.

Foldable designs are available on most high-end Android phones; however, there is speculation that a new line of products from Samsung could make foldable more widespread, which would mean making the costs more affordable.

As was just discussed, iPhone owners interested in switching to Android have a wide variety of options to choose from. It is now much simpler to switch platforms since the Switch to Android app for iOS now supports all Android 12 phones. This means that the software is compatible with everything that is included on this list.

How we test the best Android phones

Every smartphone that is put through the wringer by Tom’s Guide for an evaluation is put through a battery of tests that simulate real-world scenarios and are conducted over several days. In terms of performance, we measured the overall speed with Geekbench 5 and the graphics performance with 3DMark Wild Life. Both of these benchmarks are available here.

In addition, we run our video editing test inside of the Adobe Premiere Rush app to see how long it takes to transcode a clip. This test is performed on both Android phones and iPhones so that we can evaluate their relative levels of performance. (Due to app compatibility concerns, we are unable to conduct this test on all of the phones that we evaluate at all times.)

Performance benchmarks

We conduct lab tests to assess the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as the color depth of each screen, to evaluate the overall quality of the display found on a mobile device (DCI-P3 color gamut). When it comes to these aspects, bigger numbers are preferable. In addition, the color correctness of each panel is evaluated using the Delta-E scale, in which higher values indicate greater accuracy and a score of 0 indicates perfection.

Display benchmarks

The Entiretech battery test is among the most significant of the many tests that we perform. A web browsing test is carried out over 5G (or 4G if the phone does not have support for 5G), with the screen brightness set to 150 nits, and it continues until the battery dies. A phone’s battery life is considered to be good if it can last for at least 10 hours, and anything that can last for over 11 hours makes it onto our list of the phones with the best battery life.

Battery life benchmark

Last but not least, we put the top smartphones through their paces by photographing them in a variety of environments, including indoors, outdoors, and at night in dim light, to compare and contrast their capabilities with those of their closest rivals. We not only take pictures of things like landscapes, food, and portraits, but we also put you in charge of the judging by providing you with side-by-side comparisons in our evaluations.