Top 10 Best Budget Smartphones 2026

Samsung's best-selling phone globally packs an AMOLED display, IP67 water resistance, and six years of updates into a package that outsells flagships in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Carl Pei's mid-range offering brings the transparent Glyph design, a custom Dimensity chipset co-developed with MediaTek, and flagship-level build quality at half the price of competitors.

Xiaomi's Redmi series dominates India and Southeast Asia with a 200MP camera, 120W fast charging, and an AMOLED display that has no business being this good at $300.

Motorola delivers a near-stock Android experience with a 6.4-inch pOLED display, wireless charging, and IP68 rating in a compact form factor that budget buyers rarely get to enjoy.

Xiaomi's performance sub-brand crams a Dimensity 8400 Ultra, 120Hz AMOLED, and 90W charging into a phone that costs less than a pair of AirPods Pro in most markets.

The Chinese brand known for aggressive pricing delivers Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, a 6,000mAh battery, and a 50MP Sony IMX890 camera system that embarrasses phones costing twice as much.

OnePlus' mid-range Nord line offers clean OxygenOS, fast charging, and reliable performance that has made it the default recommendation for budget-conscious buyers in India and Europe.

Samsung's Fan Edition takes the S24's camera system and AI features, wraps them in a slightly different body, and drops the price by $200 — the smart Samsung buyer's choice.

Vivo's gaming sub-brand delivers Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance, 144Hz display, and 120W charging at a price that makes it the undisputed value champion across Indian and Chinese markets.

Samsung's best-selling phone globally packs an AMOLED display, IP67 water resistance, and six years of updates into a package that outsells flagships in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Carl Pei's mid-range offering brings the transparent Glyph design, a custom Dimensity chipset co-developed with MediaTek, and flagship-level build quality at half the price of competitors.

Xiaomi's Redmi series dominates India and Southeast Asia with a 200MP camera, 120W fast charging, and an AMOLED display that has no business being this good at $300.

Motorola delivers a near-stock Android experience with a 6.4-inch pOLED display, wireless charging, and IP68 rating in a compact form factor that budget buyers rarely get to enjoy.

Xiaomi's performance sub-brand crams a Dimensity 8400 Ultra, 120Hz AMOLED, and 90W charging into a phone that costs less than a pair of AirPods Pro in most markets.

The Chinese brand known for aggressive pricing delivers Snapdragon 8s Gen 3, a 6,000mAh battery, and a 50MP Sony IMX890 camera system that embarrasses phones costing twice as much.

OnePlus' mid-range Nord line offers clean OxygenOS, fast charging, and reliable performance that has made it the default recommendation for budget-conscious buyers in India and Europe.

Samsung's Fan Edition takes the S24's camera system and AI features, wraps them in a slightly different body, and drops the price by $200 — the smart Samsung buyer's choice.

Vivo's gaming sub-brand delivers Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance, 144Hz display, and 120W charging at a price that makes it the undisputed value champion across Indian and Chinese markets.