Best Phones Under $500 in 2026: Picks for the US, Canada and Australia
Price hikes pushed the Pixel 10a to $599. These are the best phones still under $500 in the US, with Canadian and Australian prices.
In this article
The best phone under $500 used to be an easy call: buy the Pixel 10a. That changed on October 2, 2026, when Google raised it to $599 and Samsung raised prices across its Galaxy A series. What is left under $500 is a closer race between Samsung, Nothing and Motorola, and the right choice now depends on what you care about most.
This guide covers phones sold officially in the US at or under $500 at list price as of October 21, 2026, with Canadian and Australian prices where they are published. Prices are moving quickly this year, so check the official store before you buy.
Quick picks
- Best overall: Samsung Galaxy A37 5G, $489.99
- Best camera and fastest charging: Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, $499
- Best rugged value: Moto G Power (2026), $399.99
- Best battery life for the money: Moto G (2026), $299
- Cheapest with long software support: Galaxy A17 5G, $269.99
- Worth watching for a sale: Pixel 10a ($599) and Motorola Edge (2026) ($599.99)
Why the list changed in 2026
Prices rose twice this year. In April, Motorola raised its Moto G line by $70 to $100: the Moto G Play went from $179 to $249, the Moto G from $199 to $299, and the Moto G Power from $299 to $399. Around October 2, Google raised the Pixel 10a from $499 to $599, and Samsung raised the Galaxy A57 to $599.99, the A37 to $489.99, the A27 to $379.99 and the A17 5G to $269.99.
Analysts link the increases to the rising cost of memory chips. Counterpoint estimates memory adds 20 to 30% to the cost of building a phone under $200, against 10 to 15% for mid-range and premium models. That is why the cheapest phones rose the most in percentage terms: the Galaxy A17 5G now costs about 35% more than at its January launch.
The best phones under $500
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G: best overall
$489.99 (128GB) · C$599.99 · A$599
The Galaxy A37 is the safest choice for most people because it is the only phone in this range that combines an IP68 water rating, a 120Hz AMOLED screen and six years of Android upgrades, with security updates promised until 2032.
- Chip: Exynos 1480
- Display: 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED
- Cameras: 50MP main with OIS, 8MP ultrawide
- Battery: 5,000 mAh, 45W wired charging
- Durability: IP68
Good to know: there is no telephoto camera and no wireless charging, and the US box does not include a charger. Buy it if you want a phone that will still get updates in five years.
Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: best camera and fastest charging
$499 (8GB/128GB) · C$649 · A$949 (announced in Australia)
The Phone (4a) Pro is the only phone under $500 with a periscope telephoto camera, giving roughly 3.5x optical zoom. It also has the brightest and fastest screen in this group, a 6.83-inch 144Hz AMOLED rated at 5,000 nits peak, in a metal body.
- Chip: Snapdragon 7 Gen 4
- Cameras: 50MP main, 50MP periscope telephoto
- Battery: 5,080 mAh on US and international models (the 5,400 mAh figure some listings show is the Indian model), 50W wired charging
- Durability: IP65
GSMArena measured a full charge in about one hour, the fastest of the phones in this guide. The trade-offs are a lower IP65 rating and a less clear update and US carrier support picture than Samsung's. Some retailers list it at $449; that may be a sale price.
Moto G Power (2026): best rugged value
$399.99 · C$449.99 at launch
The Moto G Power is built to survive: it carries both IP68 and IP69 ratings, and it pairs 8GB of RAM with a 5,200 mAh battery.
- Chip: MediaTek Dimensity 6300
- Display: 6.8-inch 120Hz LCD
- Battery: 5,200 mAh, 30W wired charging
- Durability: IP68 and IP69
It uses an LCD rather than OLED, the chip is modest, and wireless charging was removed this year. Some older coverage still quotes its $299.99 launch price; the current US list price is $399.99.
Moto G Stylus (2026): for note-takers
$499.99 (128GB, per Android Authority and Tom's Guide)
The built-in stylus is the reason to buy it. It also brings a Snapdragon 6 Gen 3, a 6.7-inch 120Hz AMOLED, a 5,200 mAh battery, 68W wired and 15W wireless charging. Reviewers disagree on value: Tom's Guide says the bundled Moto Tags justify the $100 increase over last year, while Android Authority says the carried-over hardware does not. Check Motorola's store, as one review lists a higher entry price.
Moto G (2026): best battery life for the money
$299
The Moto G has a 5,200 mAh battery, a 720p LCD, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage with microSD and 30W charging. Its lower-resolution screen is the reason it lasts so long: GSMArena found the Moto G and Moto G Play outlasted the more expensive Moto G Power, which has the same battery and chip. The trade-offs are 4GB of RAM and a basic screen.
Galaxy A17 5G: cheapest phone with long support
$269.99
The Galaxy A17 5G offers six years of OS and security updates, through 2031, which is rare at this price. It has a 6.7-inch 90Hz AMOLED, a 5,000 mAh battery and 25W charging. Performance is entry-level and it is rated only IP54 for splashes.
Moto G Play (2026): basic use only
$249
The Moto G Play has the same 5,200 mAh battery as the other Moto G phones, but only 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and 18W charging. For about $50 more, the Moto G is the better buy.
Worth watching for a sale
- Pixel 10a ($599): before the October increase it was most reviewers' top budget pick, thanks to seven years of updates, IP68 and Google's camera processing. At $499 or less on sale, it goes straight back to the top of this list.
- Motorola Edge (2026) ($599.99): adds a 3x telephoto, IP68/IP69, 68W wired and 15W wireless charging. Android Central called it "much better than I was expecting".
- Galaxy A57 ($599.99): the step up from the A37 if it drops back under $550.
Side-by-side
| Phone | US price | Screen | Battery | Wired charging | Water rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy A37 5G | $489.99 | 6.7" 120Hz AMOLED | 5,000 mAh | 45W | IP68 |
| Nothing Phone (4a) Pro | $499 | 6.83" 144Hz AMOLED | 5,080 mAh | 50W | IP65 |
| Moto G Stylus (2026) | $499.99 | 6.7" 120Hz AMOLED | 5,200 mAh | 68W | not confirmed |
| Moto G Power (2026) | $399.99 | 6.8" 120Hz LCD | 5,200 mAh | 30W | IP68/IP69 |
| Moto G (2026) | $299 | 720p LCD | 5,200 mAh | 30W | not confirmed |
| Galaxy A17 5G | $269.99 | 6.7" 90Hz AMOLED | 5,000 mAh | 25W | IP54 |
| Moto G Play (2026) | $249 | 6.7" 120Hz LCD | 5,200 mAh | 18W | not confirmed |
Compare any two phones side by side with our comparison tool.
How fast they charge
GSMArena timed each phone from empty to full:
| Phone | After 30 minutes | Full charge |
|---|---|---|
| Nothing Phone (4a) Pro | 68% | 1:01 |
| Moto G (2026) | 48% | 1:14 |
| Galaxy A17 5G | 48% | 1:20 |
| Pixel 10a | 52% | 1:29 |
| Moto G Power (2026) | 47% | about 1:30 |
| Moto G Play (2026) | 34% | 1:49 |
Buying in Canada
Canada was hit hardest. The Pixel 10a jumped from C$679 to C$849 on October 2, which takes it well past a roughly C$700 budget. The realistic picks are:
- Galaxy A37: C$599.99 at launch
- Galaxy A57: C$699.99 list, reduced to C$599 in July
- Nothing Phone (4a) Pro: C$649 at Best Buy and Nothing; the standard Phone (4a) is not sold in Canada
- Moto G Power: C$449.99 at launch
Buying in Australia
Australia has more choice under about A$800. Samsung sells the Galaxy A37 at A$599, the A57 at A$749 and the A27 at A$499. The standard Nothing Phone (4a) starts at A$649, and the Pixel 10a is listed at A$849.
Australians can also buy phones that are not sold officially in the US, such as the Redmi Note 15 series from A$599 to A$899, including the Redmi Note 15 Pro+ at A$799, and the Oppo Reno 15 F at A$679.
How we chose
We included phones sold officially in the US at or under $500 at list price on October 21, 2026, and ranked them on what each one does best for its price: software support, durability, display, cameras, battery and charging. Read our editorial policy for how we source and correct data.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Pixel 10a still the best phone under $500?
Not at full price. It now costs $599 in the US. If you find it on sale for $499 or less, it is still one of the best budget phones you can buy.
Which phone under $500 gets the longest updates?
Samsung's Galaxy A37 and A17 5G both promise six Android upgrades, with security updates into the early 2030s.
Which cheap phone has the best battery life?
Among the phones here, reviewers found the Moto G (2026) and Moto G Play (2026) last the longest, helped by their lower-resolution screens. See our battery life guide for more.
Why are phones more expensive in 2026?
Memory chip prices rose sharply, and analysts say budget phones are hit hardest because memory makes up a larger share of their cost.
Prices and availability as of October 21, 2026.
