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Best phones under $300 in 2025

I didn’t take Nothing Phones seriously — now I think they’re some of the best options under $500

Best phones 2025 tested — Our top picks

As for AI, well, if you consider that feature a must-have for your phone, feel free to spend big on the latest flagships. For most people, though, AI-powered capabilities are a nice-to-have, not an essential part of the smartphone experience.

That said, there remains one area where cheaper phones are clearly at a disadvantage. And it simply doesn’t need to be that way.
Cheap phones need more extensive software support from their device makers. That’s especially true in this era where people want to hold on to their phones for longer, for reasons relating to both budgets and the environment.
Cheap phones and software support

(Image credit: Tom’s Guide / John Velasco)
Our pick for the best cheap phone available right now — Google’s Pixel 9a — stands out as a model of what phones under $500 could offer their users. Buy a Pixel 9a, and Google promises to deliver seven years of software and security updates. Notably, that’s the same level of support you’d enjoy if you paid up for a flagship Pixel.
But the Pixel 9a is clearly an outlier when it comes to software support. Scour the other sub-$500 phones we recommend, and you’re not going to find any matching Google’s pledge.

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Cheap phone software support

Software updates

Security updates

Google Pixel 9a

Samsung Galaxy A36

5 years (unofficial)

OnePlus 13R

Nothing Phone 3a Pro

Nothing Phone 3a

Moto G Power 2025

Moto G 2025

The Nothing Phone 3a and Nothing Phone 3a Pro are both fine low-cost alternatives to the Pixel 9a, particularly when you consider that Nothing equips its phones with dedicated telephoto lenses.
But both devices are only set to receive 3 years of Android updates, along with an additional 2 years of security support.
Samsung’s Galaxy A series of midrange devices come the closest to matching what Google offers Pixel 9a buyers. A Galaxy A36 phone receives 6 years of software and security updates, as well the Galaxy A56 when that phone ships in the U.S. later this year. (It’s currently available in other parts of the world with that six-year guarantee, though.)
Motorola brings up the rear, as its latest Moto G phones feature 2 years of Android updates and a third year of security support. That’s actually a step up from the 2024 Moto G series, which only supported one Android update.
Expand your search to phones that cost a little more than $500, and you’ll see some more extensive support — though Google still sets the pace.
The $599 iPhone 16e gets the same access to iOS updates as Apple’s other iPhone 16 models, which should mean at least 5 years, though recent iPhone models have been able to count on longer support.
The OnePlus 13R — a terrific midrange model — limits Android updates to 4 years, though you do get six years of security support with that phone.
Why longer support matters

(Image credit: Future)
If you’re buying a cheaper phone, it’s likely because you don’t want to spend $799 or more on a smartphone, which you’d have to do by turning to a flagship. But when phone makers cap the software support on a device, you’re not getting as much value from your low-cost purchase as you should.
Let’s say you buy a Moto G 2025 — and why not since you get epic battery life, a stylish design and surprisingly good camera performance in a $199 device. But you’ll also run into Motorola’s limited software support, which means Android 17 is the last update you’ll be able to count on.
Maybe having the latest OS isn’t as much of a priority to you, but even if you hold on to the Moto G until security updates run out, you’ll still be looking for a new phone by 2028. And those seemingly low-cost purchases start to add up.
There’s more than just frugality at stake here. Even with phone makers using more recycled materials for their devices, it’s generally a more earth-friendly approach to space out your phone upgrades even longer than you are now. Extending software support is a seemingly easy way to build more sustainable devices.
Things are improving
I think phone makers are starting to recognize this. As noted Motorola’s 2025 Moto G phones have better support than their predecessors, and that’s not the only company moving in the right direction.
Samsung used to cut off support for its Galaxy A phones at 4 years instead of 6. The OnePlus 13R’s software support policy is more generous than what OnePlus offered for the OnePlus 12R. And both the Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro get an extra 2 years of security support compared to the Nothing Phone 2a. And Nothing has already confirmed that the Nothing Phone 3 is getting 5 years of Android updates plus seven years of security support.
These are welcome changes, and I hope to see the trend continue with future phone releases. There should certainly be clear distinctions between flagship phones and more affordable models. But how long you’re able to keep your phone shouldn’t be one of those differences.
More from Tom’s Guide

I review phones for a living — and this is the budget phone I recommend to friends and family
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Philip Michaels

Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom’s Guide. He’s been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He’s been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he’s been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.

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