The best cheap phone race has been reignited by the Google Pixel 9a, which brings the Google Pixel 9 series experience at a significantly lower price. Starting at $449, Google’s latest Pixel offers the flagship processor of its siblings for flagship-level performance, an excellent camera, and long-term software support.
Yet, Google’s software experience won’t be for everyone; there are obvious tradeoffs in the specs sheet to enable the low price; the camera bar design is somewhat polarizing for long-term fans, and there’s no telephoto camera.
If you are looking for the best cheap phone, but don’t fancy the Pixel 9a, here are four alternatives that you should consider instead, and why.
Samsung Galaxy A56
The best alternative to the Pixel 9a is undoubtedly the Samsung Galaxy A56. Samsung announced its new affordable challenger just weeks before Google, and the Galaxy A56 features a few key benefits over the Galaxy A56.
Although the 5,060 mAh battery is slightly smaller than the 5,100 mAh battery in the Pixel 9a, the Galaxy A56 charges at the same 45W speeds as the Galaxy S25 Ultra. In comparison, the Pixel 9a is much slower at 23W, and while I haven’t fully tested the charging speeds yet, I expect it to be much slower based on the 37W charging in the Pixel 9 series. Samsung has also committed to offering six years of software and security updates, which is one shy of the seven years provided by Google.
The Pixel 9a features a 48MP main camera and a 13MP ultrawide secondary lens. While the Galaxy A56 closely matches this with its 50MP and 12MP combination, it also features a dedicated 5MP camera for macro photography. One particularly strong argument for the Galaxy A56 is its price, which starts at just $350 on Amazon, $100 cheaper than the Pixel 9a.
Nothing Phone 3a (Pro)
If you don’t mind the price of the Pixel 9a, you should consider the Nothing Phone 3a (Pro). Priced $10 higher than the Pixel 9a at $459, it’s only available via the London-based company’s beta program in the US, and there isn’t official carrier support. Get past these quirks and you’ll get a phenomenal phone at an excellent price.
The design is certainly polarizing, but it also features the beeps and lights that made Nothing phones so unique. Around the unique camera is a set of lights that can be programmed to highlight notifications, remaining timers, alarms, and more.
There’s a 50MP main camera that takes great photos, an 8MP ultrawide that is somewhat inconsistent, and a 50MP periscope telephoto offering 3x optical zoom. It’s extremely rare to see a telephoto on a phone at this price, and if you want a good all-around camera system for not a lot of money, the Phone 3a (Pro) is a great pick.
OnePlus 13R
If your budget can stretch further, consider the OnePlus 13R. Like the Phone 3a (Pro), it features a triple camera setup complete with a telephoto lens.
It starts at $599 and features a more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, compared to the 7s Gen 3 in the Phone 3a (Pro). It offers flagship-level performance, similar to the Tensor G4 in the Pixel 9a, as it powered the best Android phones before the release of the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
I love using OnePlus’s software, and the 13R offers a strong all-around experience. The display features flat sides, which is ideal if you dislike the curved displays that have become the norm. The 6,000mAh battery lasts for multiple days, and with 80W charging, it can charge to 50% in just 20 minutes.
If you want a flagship-like experience at a more affordable price and your budget can stretch there, the OnePlus 13R is an excellent choice at this price.
Apple iPhone 16e
If you want the best Android phone at this price, the list has many options, but if you want an iPhone, your options are far more limited. This is especially true when you consider Apple Intelligence and the hardware inside each device.
Around this price, there are two options if you want something running the new iOS 26 software: the iPhone 15 or the iPhone 16e. The former features two cameras, but the latter has several things that make it the better pick, as long as you don’t mind dropping the ultrawide camera.
First, the A18 processor in the iPhone 16e is identical to the one in the iPhone 16. It will be supported for years, can play the latest games, and can run Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 can’t run Apple’s AI suite, so it limits the long-term capabilities of your phone.
The iPhone 15 and iPhone 16e share the same 48MP fusion camera, including the detailed 2x telephoto mode, but the former also has a 12MP ultrawide camera. If you don’t mind dropping this, the iPhone 16e offers the battery life of any iPhone I’ve used, excellent network coverage thanks to Apple’s new modem, fantastic performance, and a vivid screen that’s a joy to use.
