Best Android phones under $300 in 2024

These days, getting one of the best Android phones under $300 doesn't require you to compromise a lot. As mobile technology gets better and more affordable, you can enjoy features like full 5G connectivity, good software support, and fast charging, all without having to pay a fortune. Know what's even better? These sub-$300 phones often have some goodies like 3.5mm audio ports and expansion slots, which are no longer found on flagship devices.

While there are many options in this segment, our top vote still goes to the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G. The phone comes with a 120Hz Super AMOLED screen, a big battery with 25W charging support, and is eligible for four major OS updates and five years of security updates. We also quite like the OnePlus Nord N30 5G, which offers solid everyday performance, stereo speakers, and support for superfast 50W charging. Do take a look at the Moto G 5G 2024 as well, which has a vegan leather back panel that makes it stand out in a crowd of bland-looking devices, including those that cost a lot more.

Want to know more? Here are some of the best Android phones you can get for less than $300.

Namerah Saud Fatmi

Namerah enjoys geeking out over accessories, gadgets, and all sorts of smart tech. She spends her time guzzling coffee, writing, casual gaming, and cuddling with her furry best friends. Find her on Twitter @NamerahS.

At a glance

Best overall

In typical A-series fashion, the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G manages to deliver excellent value for money, all while costing just a penny shy of $300. The smartphone features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Sure, the waterdrop-style notch has become a little long in the tooth at this point, but the screen gets pretty bright and works well for everyday usage.

Powered by the company's homegrown Exynos 1280 SoC, the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G comes with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. While these are not top-of-the-line specifications, they're more than enough for handling tasks like web browsing and some casual gaming. You even get an expansion slot that can take up microSD cards of up to 1TB in size, allowing you to carry pretty much your entire media library in your pocket. The smartphone runs Android 14 (with Samsung's newest One UI 6 overlay) and will get up to four years of OS updates, as well as five years of security updates. This excellent update policy alone makes the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G one of the best Android phones in its price range.

Speaking of cameras, there's a triple-lens setup at the back with a 50MP primary unit, an 8MP ultra-wide module, and a 2MP macro sensor. The smartphone can shoot some decent images in well-lit conditions, but low-light photos are largely unimpressive. As you'd expect, the macro lens is mostly useless and only exists to pad the spec sheet. Up front, there's a 13MP unit for all your selfies and video calls. The whole package is backed by a 5,000mAh battery that comes with 25W wired charging support.

Best runner-up

OnePlus' aggressive expansion into the budget segment in North America has given us several great Nord handsets in the past few years, and one of the recent devices among them is the OnePlus Nord N30 5G. It can often be found for well under $300, especially during sales and festive-season promotions. It looks the part too, with a slim and minimal design at the back and all-screen up front.

The OnePlus Nord N30 5G has a big 6.72-inch 120Hz IPS LCD panel with a Full-HD+ resolution. You also get a huge 5,000mAh battery paired with the superb efficiency of Qualcomm's Snapdragon 695 SoC, providing all-day battery life without skipping a beat. And when you do run out of juice, the 50W SUPERVOOC ultra-fast charging will get you back up to speed in no time at all.

As we noted in our One Plus Nord N30 review, the phone performs consistently, even when playing graphics-intensive games like The Division Resurgence. On the flip side, it lags behind when compared to phones like the Google Pixel 7a, especially in the camera department. If you enjoy taking pictures and are willing to spend a bit extra, the latter might be a better choice.

Best design

Take one look at the Moto G 5G (2024) and you're bound to be smitten. Priced well under $300, Motorola's newest smartphone features a gorgeous vegan leather back panel that looks as great as it feels in the hand. This single design choice makes the Moto G 5G (2024) arguably the best-designed smartphone in its price range. But you know what's even better? There's a lot more to this thing than just good looks.

If you compare the Moto G 5G (2024) vs. Moto G 5G (2023), you'll see that the newer model comes with quite a few improvements over its predecessor. The display is a 6.6-inch IPS LCD panel with a resolution of 720x1612 pixels, and although the resolution is a bit low, you do get a 120Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 chipset and features 4GB of RAM, a combination that makes it fairly capable of handling everyday tasks. You also get 128GB of internal storage, as well as an expansion slot that can take up microSD cards of up to 1TB in size. Running Android 14 out of the box, the Moto G 5G (2024) will get one OS update and three years of security updates.

The Moto G 5G (2024) has a dual-lens rear camera system with a 50MP primary sensor and a 2MP macro unit. This means you only have one actually useful camera, and it can get the job done. There's also an 8MP front-facing unit for selfies and video calls. The Moto G 5G (2024) offers everything in terms of connectivity and I/O, and even comes with NFC for contactless payments via Google Wallet. The smartphone also has a 5,000mAh battery with support for 18W wired charging.

Best rugged

For the most part, modern smartphones are generic slabs of glass or plastic. There's nothing wrong with that, but it also means that buying a case is a must for incredibly clumsy people. But what if there was a phone that was designed to not need a case in the first place? Say hello to the Blackview N6000.

The Blackview N6000 has a decent set of specs, with a MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of internal storage. The device comes with a covered USB-C charging port with 18W fast wired charging support for its 3,880mAh battery. It may not seem like much, but it can keep you running all day with ease because of its tiny 4.3-inch screen. This phone is designed to be tough with IP68 and IP69K water and dust resistance, MIL-STD-810H military-grade durability, and Corning Gorilla Glass 5.

Connectivity is quite limited as compared to many others on this list, with only LTE support on GSM carriers — which means no Verizon. It's also worth noting that this phone doesn't support all essential bands, so you may often find yourself with lower or no signal than others on even a supported carrier. Still, it's hard to find a rugged phone that competes with this one for under $300.

Best display

Nokia (or HMD Global) has been working hard to cement its place in Android history by focusing on cheap phones with balanced specs and nice designs. The Nokia G400 5G comes with a Snapdragon 480+ SoC and 4GB of RAM. This is slightly better than the Snapdragon 480 chipset found in phones such as the OnePlus Nord N200 5G, which already had snappy performance for its price. The Android 12 version is quite dated at this point, but considering the absolute bargain (you can buy two for under $300) this phone is these days, we can't really complain.

Then there's the 6.58-inch IPS LCD panel, which not only has a Full-HD+ resolution, but also comes with a 120Hz refresh rate that's hard to find at this price point. The Nokia G400 5G also has a big 5,000mAh battery can keep your phone running all day with ease, and it even charges pretty quickly with the bundled 20W charger.

Finally, carrier compatibility is decent, with support for AT&T and T-Mobile (base and MVNO) carriers, although if you're on Verizon or one of its MVNOs you should check out something else. If you're on T-Mobile, you'll also get the best 5G experience with its mid-band 'Ultra Capacity' 5G network.

Best with stylus

Samsung's now-discontinued Galaxy Note series will remain iconic for popularizing phones with styli, even though it has now been succeeded by the Ultra line-up. But you don't need to splurge a fortune on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, as the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) gives you the same integrated stylus support for a fraction of the price. It's a lot cheaper too, now that the newer Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) is out.

With the stylus, you can use the Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) for doodling, jotting down notes, and interacting with UI elements much more precisely. You also get a 6.6-inch Full-HD+ display with a 120Hz refresh rate, Android 13, and 256GB of storage that's expandable via a microSD card. There's a 5,000mAh battery with 20W wired charging support backing up the whole deal, and it should easily last all day with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 chipset.

At the back, the Moto G Stylus (2023) features a dual-lens camera setup with a 50MP primary sensor and an 8MP ultra-wide unit. While it obviously can't go against some of the best Android camera phones out there, it's still good enough for occasional usage.

• Back to the top ^

How to choose

While there's no doubt that the best Android phones offer you an unmatched user experience — complete with features like top-tier cameras and wireless charging — these devices don't come cheap. If you can't (or just don't want to) spend thousands of dollars on a flagship phone, we suggest taking a look at one of the many options available under the $300 price point. Sure, these do miss out on some nice-to-have features found in expensive phones and aren't supported for long, but they cover all the basics, while also having some extras. So, before making your decision, do take a look at what features you need the most.

Our top choice is the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G, a phone that costs just under $300 but still manages to pack in a crisp Super AMOLED display, expandable storage, and a 3.5mm audio port. It's also eligible for four years of OS updates and five years of security updates, which is almost impossible to find at this price.

Then there's the OnePlus Nord N30 5G, which comes with a slim design and offers essential features like a 3.5mm audio port and expandable storage. It also charges at 50W, something even the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus can't do, despite being much, much more expensive.

Lastly, if we're comparing affordable phones with those that aren't so affordable, we can't ignore the Moto G 5G (2024). This thing comes with a swanky vegan leather back panel that makes it look and feel extremely premium. There's even NFC support for contactless payments, another feature that's commonly found in flagship phones.

• Phone deals: Best Buy | Walmart | Samsung | Amazon | Verizon | AT&T