Best Phones Under $500 in 2025
Mid-rangers have never been better. These six phones deliver flagship-class displays and 5,000 mAh batteries on a budget.
Five hundred dollars in 2025 buys you what would have been a flagship in 2022 — 120Hz OLEDs, 5,000 mAh batteries, 67W charging, capable cameras. Here are the phones that punch hardest in this bracket.
Our top picks
How to choose
If you photograph a lot — Pixel 8a. If you want the best screen — Galaxy A56. If you charge erratically — OnePlus Nord 5. If you game — Poco F7 Pro. If you want a phone that looks different — Nothing Phone (3a) Pro.
What we wouldn't buy
Avoid anything still shipping with 256GB UFS 2.2 storage at this price. Slow storage tanks app launch times even when the chipset is fast. Check spec sheets carefully — manufacturers love to bury this detail.
