The best smartphones under £500

If you’re unsure which phone to choose, we recommend the Google Pixel 8a above all else. It offers much of what makes its more expensive siblings great without the high price tag. And with a powerful Tensor 3 chipset and 128GB or 256GB of storage, it can handle just about anything. The 64MP main camera and 13MP ultrawide lens are perfect for capturing memories or sharing moments on social media. Its 6.1-inch display, with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate, makes watching videos and scrolling through apps a delight. Plus, with Google promising seven years of software updates, this phone is built to last – a worthwhile investment for sure. So, for a fantastic camera, dependable performance, and a price that won’t break the bank, the Pixel 8a is hard to beat.

You can check out our full review of the Pixel 8, its slightly more expensive sibling, over on What’s The Best (our go-to site for all things tech) - right here.

Customer Review: "I love everything about the phone, its premium feel, the screen is clear and really bright! The camera is fantastic for a sub-£600 phone… Google has truly outdone itself here – superb."

In terms of solid budget smartphone brands, Xiaomi's POCO F5 blows the competition out of the water in its balance of price and specifications. Quite how they achieve this we don't know, but the main camera is a whopping 64MP. The star here is the AMOLED screen - you'll be able to review your photo, videos and enjoy apps on a beautiful and vibrant display. Add to that the latest Android 13 software and a gargantuan 30-hour battery life, the Xiaomi POCO F5 is perfect for mobile gaming, social media and casual browsing.

Customer Review: "Great performance, great quality, delivery exactly what you would expect from a smartphone, it was a great value for money purchase."

There are many reasons why this S22 from Samsung tops our list here - it's the definition of a highly capable all-rounder. There's no area in which this king of affordable smartphones doesn't deliver. The 50MP main camera can capture your family outings and celebrations with friends in stunning detail. And then there are the other three cameras for ultrawide, telephoto and selfie shots. Despite middling battery life, the hardware here is impressive too; from the Snapdragon 8 processor to the generous 8GB of RAM for smooth and fast performance. Just brilliant for the price.

Customer Review: "The phone is smooth compared to my Samsung S9, it's fast and has a lot of new features. If you're looking for a new phone but don't want to pay the price of an iPhone, then go with this one. Overall love the phone, quick, light, and fits in my hands. Can't complain."

In terms of solid budget smartphone brands, Xiaomi's POCO F5 blows the competition out of the water in its balance of price and specifications. Quite how they achieve this we don't know, but the main camera is a whopping 64MP. The star here is the AMOLED screen - you'll be able to review your photo, videos and enjoy apps on a beautiful and vibrant display. Add to that the latest Android 13 software and a gargantuan 30-hour battery life, the Xiaomi POCO F5 is perfect for mobile gaming, social media and casual browsing.

Customer Review: "Great performance, great quality, delivery exactly what you would expect from a smartphone, it was a great value for money purchase."

We all know that Apple products don't tend to come cheap, but you can still find one on a budget. That's where the Apple iPhone SE comes in. It's a 2022 model, so you won't be behind the times, and that goes for the processor too - the lightning-fast A15 Bionic core that's usually found in the flagship iPhone 14. It's smaller than others here, with a practical 4.7-inch Retina screen for extra clarity. It's light, fast and stable. As it only has a 12MP main camera, we'd recommend that budding photographers look elsewhere on this list, but for Apple fans on a budget, there's nothing better.

Customer review: "The iPhone SE 2022 looks identical to my iPhone 7 but is 5G and has an a15 bionic chip. It’s a lot faster than my old phone and allowed me to keep the Touch ID function which I prefer to facial recognition. I also like the wireless charging function."

When it comes to mobile phone camera quality, it's hard to find something that truly raises an eyebrow - but this is it. The HONOR 90 is astoundingly good for photographers thanks to its staggering 200MP main camera. Quite how they've achieved this in a smartphone under £500 is anyone's guess - but we'd say the build is more lightweight in places than an iPhone. That's not to detract from what's on offer here though, as the quality of the images it can capture both indoors and out makes this a top-tier phone in any class. Add to this the massive 256GB of internal storage, and you'll be snapping high-definition shots for a lot longer before you need to worry about adding more.

Customer Review: "Camera quality is really important to me and this phone impresses me beyond my expectations. Generally, the phone functions are smooth and intuitive. It's really light and fits nicely in the hand. You get a full day's battery off a full charge and the super fast charging is a treat!"

This is one phone that proves that the world of quality smartphones doesn't have to revolve around Apple or Samsung. Google's Pixel 7a ticks all the right boxes for most users, including a 64MP main camera and a lens with a sweeping 120-degree ultrawide view - imagine the landscape shots you could capture with that. Thankfully the snappy performance you'd expect from a Google product is matched by the sleek modern case design. The screen itself is anything but an afterthought, as it's a cutting-edge OLED (Organic LED) display for darker blacks and amazing clarity and colour. Plus, this currently comes with a free 30w charger.

Customer Review: "This is a superb phone, very powerful with a premium feel to it. the camera is excellent even when compared to things like Samsung and Apple's top models (4k video is also very impressive), battery life is pretty good charge times are pretty good if you use the 25w google charger. couldn't be happier with my purchase."

While this isn't the only Samsung phone to make it onto our list, the Galaxy A54 smartphone is certainly a top contender for anyone who wants an Android smartphone. With a generous 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, it's not as highly-specced as some here, but if you're looking to invest in a smartphone that comes with the latest version of Android plus four cameras and don't want to break the bank, this is ideal. Yes, there are plenty of Android phones out there, but this one is a Samsung - so if you're also looking for a solidly built Android workhorse for everyday casual use, this is it.

Customer Review: "Bought this for my son who quite honestly loves it, he’s 15 and listens to a lot of music on it and he thinks the sound quality is great it’s got a clear display, lightweight and really good value."