Google raised the Pixel 10a to $599 for the 128GB model on October 2, 2026, a $100 jump that 9to5Google reported came with no announcement. That single move knocked the best-known sub-$500 Pixel off every honest list of the best phones under $500, and it left shoppers asking a simple question: what should they buy instead?
This guide answers it with the newest model in each product line on sale today. We compare the Galaxy A37 5G, the Nothing Phone (4b), the moto g power (2026) and the repriced Pixel 10a. We also include the iPhone 17e as the over-budget reference, since Apple’s cheapest current iPhone is reported at $699, above even the repriced Pixel.
The short version: the Galaxy A37 5G is the only phone here that still clears a strict $500 ceiling at its reported US price, the moto g power (2026) is the value floor, and the Nothing Phone (4b) is the design pick if you can find it at a sane price in your market. The Pixel 10a is still a fine phone. It just is not a cheap one anymore. Every price below is dated, and where sources disagree we say so.
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The Pixel 10a’s $599 Price Hike and What It Does to the Under-$500 Field
Google announced the Pixel 10a on February 18, 2026 at $499 for 128GB, with sales starting March 5. On October 2, the Google Store began listing the 128GB model at $599 and the 256GB model at $699, up from $499 and $599. According to 9to5Google, the new prices had already reached Amazon and Best Buy, and the Google Store showed $849 in Canada, £599 in the UK and €649 in Europe. No hardware change was reported alongside the increase.
Google has not explained the move. Android Central called it a hard pill to swallow, and Yahoo Finance’s headline tied the increase to a memory cost surge, though that is the outlet’s framing and not a Google statement. The $100 rise equals 20% of the old $499 price. For buyers hunting for the best phones under 500 dollars, that is the difference between a clear recommendation and an asterisk.
Context matters here. The Pixel 11 family is Google’s current lead line, and The Phone Shelf’s October 15 price tracker says the newer Pixel 11 phones still sit at their launch prices. So Google raised the price of the older mid-range model while holding the newer flagships. 9to5Google floated a speculative reading: the move could be fine if a future Pixel 11a arrives at the same $599 with a Tensor G6 chip and PixelSnap magnets. That is speculation, not an announcement, and Google has named no such phone.
The price rise is not unique to Google. The Phone Shelf’s tracker lists increases from Motorola in April 2026 and from Apple on the iPhone 17 family, and PCMag reported in early October that Samsung had raised prices across the Galaxy A range. We cover each of those below. If you want the other side of the ledger, a Pixel 10 Pro deal that undercut the Google Store shows that discounts still exist further up the lineup.
How we picked the best phones under $500
We used three rules. First, only the newest model in each product line counts as current. Apple replaced the iPhone 16e with the iPhone 17e in March 2026, so the 16e appears only as a retired predecessor. Nothing’s Phone (4b) is the company’s newest phone, so we cover the 4b rather than the older budget models from earlier roundups.
Second, the price test is the US list price before trade-ins, carrier credits and temporary sales. A phone at $499.99 or less passes, and a phone priced above that fails even if a retailer discounts it this week. Third, we treat any figure that appears in only one source as a hedge, not a fact. We did not run our own lab tests for this piece, so the performance section relies on published specs, vendor claims and named rating sites, and it says where the data runs out. For more phone coverage, see our hardware section.
Specs Table: Five Phones Side by Side
The table below uses manufacturer pages and the spec listings we could verify. Where a figure was not confirmed in our sources, the cell says so instead of guessing. That affects the Galaxy A37 5G chip and several battery capacities, which makers either did not publish in the pages we retrieved or published only as runtime claims.
| Spec | Pixel 10a | Galaxy A37 5G | Nothing Phone (4b) | moto g power (2026) | iPhone 17e |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Announced | Feb 18, 2026 | Mar 25, 2026 | Jul 7, 2026 | Not listed | Mar 2, 2026 |
| Display | 6.3-inch Actua, 3,000 nits | 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED | 6.77-inch AMOLED, 120 Hz, 2,000 nits peak | 6.8-inch FHD+, 120 Hz | 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR |
| Chip | Google Tensor G4 | Octa-core (model not confirmed in our sources) | Snapdragon 6 Gen 4 | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 | Apple A19 |
| Main camera | 48 MP, OIS | Wide camera, 1.0 micron pixels | 50 MP, f/1.8, OIS | 50 MP | 48 MP 2-in-1 system |
| Ultrawide | 13 MP | Not confirmed | 8 MP | Not confirmed | Part of the 2-in-1 system |
| Front camera | 13 MP | Not confirmed | 16 MP | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Battery | 5,100 mAh | 5,000 mAh (typical) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Charging | Faster than Pixel 9a, wattage not confirmed | Super Fast Charging 2.0, 60% in 30 minutes | 33 W wired | TurboPower | Not confirmed |
| Storage options | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB (UK and Europe: 128GB only) | 128GB (8GB RAM model) | 256GB, 512GB |
| Memory card slot | No | Not confirmed | No | Not confirmed | No |
| Headphone jack | No | Not confirmed | No (USB-C or Bluetooth 6.0) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Dust and water | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | IP64 | Water Touch, Gorilla Glass 7i | Not confirmed |
| Connectivity extras | Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC | 5G | Bluetooth 6.0 | 5G | MagSafe |
Two patterns jump out. The Pixel 10a and Nothing Phone (4b) both drop the headphone jack and the memory card slot, so anyone who relies on wired audio or cheap storage expansion should look at Motorola’s lineup instead. The moto g play (2026), a step below the g power, advertises expandable storage on Motorola’s own page. Also, only the iPhone 17e and Pixel 10a ship with chips their makers designed in-house, which matters for software longevity more than for raw speed.
Pricing Table: What Each Phone Costs Today
Prices are where this category has moved fastest. The table separates launch or official list prices from what recent reporting shows, because the two no longer match for most of these phones. Treat the right-hand column as a guide to check against the store page before you buy, not as a quote.
| Phone | Launch or official price | Latest US price signal | Under $500 today? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pixel 10a (128GB) | $499 (Feb 2026) | $599 since Oct 2, 2026 | No, unless discounted |
| Pixel 10a (256GB) | $599 (Feb 2026) | $699 since Oct 2, 2026 | No |
| Galaxy A37 5G (128GB) | $449.99 (Samsung, Apr 2026) | Reportedly $489.99 after an early-October hike | Yes, narrowly |
| Nothing Phone (4b) | £299 UK, €329 Germany, ¥59,800 Japan | US store reportedly $499 for 8GB/128GB | Borderline, US availability unclear |
| moto g power (2026) | $299.99 (Dec 2025) | Retail listings show $399.99 | Yes |
| moto g (2026) | $299.99 list | Temporary sales near $250 | Yes |
| iPhone 17e (256GB) | $599, or $24.95 a month for 24 months | Higher in some reports after Apple price rises | No |
The numbers tell the story. The Pixel 10a is now $599 for 128GB, the Galaxy A37 5G is reported at $489.99, and the moto g power carries a $299.99 MSRP. The iPhone 17e is reported at $699, and the iPhone brings 256GB of storage where the Pixel brings 128GB. That is a hard comparison for Google to win on value alone.
Abroad, the numbers look like this. In the UK the Pixel 10a lists at £599. In Japan, Nothing set the Phone (4b) at ¥59,800 including tax, and reporting from Jetstream puts the 256GB Pixel 10a at ¥107,800 after a price rise on October 1. Our earlier report on falling smartphone shipments helps explain why makers are fighting over every mid-range buyer at the moment.
Google Pixel 10a: Still Good, No Longer Cheap
Judge the Pixel 10a on what it does and it still holds up. Google’s launch post describes a Tensor G4 phone with a satin-finish frame made from 100% recycled aluminium and a back cover that is 81% recycled plastic. The 6.3-inch Actua display peaks at 3,000 nits and Google says it is 11% brighter than the Pixel 9a’s panel. The camera system pairs a 48 MP main sensor with a 13 MP ultrawide, and Google claims the best camera under $500, a claim that carries a footnote tying it to the $499 MSRP.
The phone also keeps the 5,100 mAh battery from its predecessor and adds a flush camera, Gorilla Glass 7i, faster charging, Bluetooth 6.0 and Satellite SOS, according to the spec listing on PhoneRanked, which rates the Pixel 10a 7.1 out of 10. In the US it takes one nano-SIM plus one eSIM. It has no headphone jack and no memory card slot, so the 128GB base storage is a real ceiling for people who shoot a lot of video.
What changed is the price, not the product. At $599 the Pixel 10a now competes with phones that offer more storage, more RAM or more screen for the same money. The honest case for buying it is narrow. You want Google’s camera processing and Gemini features, you can find it under $599 at a retailer, and you do not care about the extra storage or battery stretch you could get elsewhere. If you want to compare it against Google’s pricier line, our Pixel 10 Pro vs iPhone 17 Pro piece shows where the premium money goes.
Availability is fine. Jetstream reported that 256GB Lavender and Obsidian units returned to the Google Store in Japan on October 19 while 256GB Fog and the Japan-only Isai Blue were out of stock. In the US, nothing suggests a shortage. The risk is not supply. The risk is paying $599 for a phone that was a $499 phone eight months ago.
Samsung Galaxy A37 5G: The Narrow Sub-$500 Winner
Samsung announced the Galaxy A57 5G and Galaxy A37 5G on March 25, 2026, with US sales starting in April. The A37 5G launched at $449.99 for 128GB. Early-October reporting from PCMag and Phandroid says Samsung raised prices across the A series, and Samsung’s US purchase pages around October 21 listed the 128GB A37 5G at $489.99 (or $20.42 a month for 24 months at 0% APR) and the 256GB model at $609.99. Those pages are the most recent price evidence we found. One check found Samsung’s category page still showing the earlier launch prices as late as October 16, so confirm at checkout.
At $489.99 the 128GB model clears the $500 line by just over $10. That makes it the only phone in this comparison with a mainstream, current-generation design that passes our price test on list price alone. Its 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display, 5,000 mAh typical battery and Super Fast Charging 2.0 (60% in 30 minutes per Samsung) are solid for the money. Samsung’s Nightography wide camera uses 1.0 micron pixels for low-light shots.
Software is a quiet strength. The A37 5G launched with One UI 8.5, and Sammy Fans reported that Samsung began pushing stable Android 17 with One UI 9.0 to the phone in October, starting in South Korea on October 14 and reaching Europe and the US by about October 20 to 22. The reported rollout still carried the September security patch, so the October patch had not yet arrived at that point. For a broader view of Samsung’s range, see our ranking of Samsung Galaxy phones.
The Samsung A-series ladder after the hike
Samsung’s US category page lists the full ladder with starting prices before trade-in. The second column below shows what PCMag reported for the early-October increase. Samsung has not published a statement on the change, so treat the second column as reported.
| Model | Samsung starting price at launch | Reported October price | Reported change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy A57 5G | $549.99 | $599.99 | +$50 |
| Galaxy A37 5G | $449.99 | $489.99 | +$40 |
| Galaxy A27 5G | $349.99 | $379.99 | +$30 |
| Galaxy A17 5G | $249.99 | $269.99 | +$20 |
The A57 5G fell out of the sub-$500 club entirely, which leaves the A37 5G as the step-up that still fits. If you need to spend less, the Galaxy A17 5G remains a budget option, and The Phone Shelf notes its security updates still run to August 2031 even after its price rose. Samsung’s push into cheaper phones is global too. Our look at the Galaxy F70 5G launch in India shows the same value pressure in another market.
Nothing Phone (4b): The Design Pick That Replaces the 4a Pro
Nothing announced the Phone (4b) on July 7, 2026, and GSMArena lists it as available in several markets from July 17. Japan is the latest region to get it. Nothing’s Japanese announcement set the price at ¥59,800 including tax for the 8GB/128GB model, with FeliCa and eSIM support. Reservations opened October 20, and Rakuten Mobile lists the phone at ¥58,900. As of today, October 22, the Japanese launch has been announced but has not yet happened.
The hardware reads like a proper mid-ranger. Nothing’s product page lists a Snapdragon CPU with 8 cores and promises 15% faster CPU performance, 25% better graphics performance and AI processing up to 240% faster. The page does not state the baseline for those figures in the lines we retrieved, so read them as vendor claims. PhoneRanked’s spec sheet adds a 6.77-inch 120 Hz AMOLED panel with 2,000 nits peak brightness, a 50 MP main camera with optical stabilization, an 8 MP ultrawide and a 16 MP selfie camera. It measures 164.4 by 78.2 by 8.6 mm and carries IP64 protection, tested in 25 cm of water for up to 20 minutes.
Charging tops out at 33 W wired, with 7.5 W reverse wired charging. There is no memory card slot and no headphone jack. Storage is UFS 2.2, which is slower than the UFS 3.1 in the Pixel 10a, and the UK and European versions come only in 128GB. Nothing also says the phone has a carbon footprint of 54.7 kg CO2e and packaging that is more than 99% plastic-free. PhoneRanked’s overall rating is 6.0 out of 10, lower than the Pixel 10a’s 7.1.
Pricing is the real story. We could not confirm Nothing’s US pricing from official sources, and the Nothing sources we retrieved did not confirm broad US availability at or below $500, so the Phone (4b) is a strong buy in Japan at ¥59,800 including tax and a conditional one in the US.
Motorola moto g power (2026): The Battery and Price Floor
Motorola announced the moto g power (2026) with a $299.99 MSRP for the unlocked US model and a Canadian price of $449.99. It reached the US on January 8, 2026 through Motorola, Best Buy and Amazon, according to the company’s product page and launch release. Motorola Mobility is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lenovo. The phone is still on sale and still listed on Motorola’s US site as of this week.
The spec sheet is modest but sensible: a 6.8-inch FHD+ display at 120 Hz, a MediaTek Dimensity 6300, 5G, a 50 MP camera, Gorilla Glass 7i and Water Touch, which lets you use the screen with wet fingers. The version Amazon lists carries 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, plus up to 16GB of virtual memory through RAM Boost. The Amazon listing claims up to 49 hours of battery life. That figure is a retailer product claim, not a test result, and Motorola’s own page does not back it with a lab number we could verify.
Price is the wrinkle. Carrier and retailer prices can sit above the $299.99 MSRP without Motorola changing it. The Phone Shelf reported that Motorola raised prices on the moto g play, moto g and moto g power in April 2026, right after the moto g stylus launched, and noted that Motorola had not confirmed why. Even so, the g power stays well below both the Galaxy A37 5G and the Pixel 10a.
The wider Moto G family is worth knowing. The base moto g (2026) lists at $299.99 and was reported with temporary sales down to about $250. It runs Android 16 on a 6.7-inch display with 4GB of memory and 128GB of storage, and Motorola advertises two-day battery life. The moto g play (2026) uses the same Dimensity 6300 with expandable storage. Check Motorola’s update page for the g power’s support length before you commit, since support lengths differ by maker.
iPhone 17e: The $599 Outlier and the 16e It Replaced
Apple announced the iPhone 17e on March 2, 2026, opened preorders on March 4 and began retail sales on March 11. It replaced the iPhone 16e, which launched in February 2025 and left Apple’s current US lineup when the 17e arrived. The 16e is now a retired model, available mainly as refurbished or third-party stock. Apple’s launch price for the 17e was $599 for 256GB, or $24.95 a month for 24 months.
For $699 Apple packs in the A19 chip, a 48 MP 2-in-1 camera system, a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display and MagSafe, with black, white and soft pink finishes in 256GB and 512GB sizes. Compared with the 16e it doubles starting storage and adds MagSafe, which the 16e lacks. At $699 it does not belong on a sub-$500 list, and it matters here only as a reference point: it costs more than the Pixel 10a’s current $599 starting price.
Be careful with the live price. The Phone Shelf’s October 15 tracker says Apple raised prices on the iPhone 17 family and the 17e, one report put the 17e at $699, and another reported a UK increase from £599 to £699 on September 9. We could not confirm a current official US price beyond the $599 launch figure, so check Apple’s store. Carrier trade-in credits can lower the effective cost. Apple’s page cites up to $1,200 at AT&T, $1,000 at T-Mobile and $840 at Verizon, but those are ceilings that depend on the phone you trade in and apply to new iPhones in general.
If you are weighing Apple’s cheapest phone against its flagships, our iPhone 18 Pro Max vs Galaxy S26 Ultra comparison shows what the top of each range costs. For most people shopping under $500, the iPhone 17e is a stretch purchase, not a budget one.
Benchmarks and Industry Data: What the Published Numbers Say
We want to be direct about the limits here. We did not find verified, apples-to-apples Geekbench or battery-rundown results for all five phones from sources we could confirm, and we will not invent them. What exists is a mix of vendor claims, rating-site scores and spec data. Treat the figures below as three different kinds of evidence from different sources, and weigh them accordingly.
| Source | Phone | Published figure | Type of evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhoneRanked | Pixel 10a | 7.1 out of 10 overall rating | Independent rating |
| PhoneRanked | Nothing Phone (4b) | 6.0 out of 10 overall rating | Independent rating |
| Pixel 10a | Display 11% brighter than Pixel 9a, 3,000 nits | Vendor claim | |
| Nothing | Phone (4b) | 15% faster CPU, 25% better graphics, AI up to 240% faster | Vendor claim |
| Samsung | Galaxy A37 5G | 60% charge in 30 minutes | Vendor claim |
| Amazon listing | moto g power (2026) | Up to 49 hours of battery life | Retailer claim |
| The Phone Shelf | Galaxy A17 5G | Security updates through August 2031 | Tracker data |
Reading across the sources, a few conclusions hold up. PhoneRanked scores the Pixel 10a a full 1.1 points above the Phone (4b), which suggests Google’s package edges Nothing’s on that site’s scoring. Google and Nothing both lean on brightness and speed claims, while Samsung leans on charging time. Only Samsung and the Phone Shelf data give anything on longevity. That asymmetry matters because a budget phone you keep for four years is a different purchase than one you replace in two.
The market data explains why prices keep climbing. In a forecast published in 2025, IDC said the following, as quoted from its release at its Worldwide Smartphone Market Forecast page:
IDC forecast worldwide smartphone unit growth of 1% in 2025, alongside 5% year-over-year growth in average selling prices and 6% growth in market value.
IDC (cited research), 2025
That framing is the key: flat unit growth with rising average prices means makers were already earning more per phone before the October 2026 repricing. The Pixel 10a increase fits that direction, though it shows a trend rather than the full state of the market.
Real-World Examples: Price Moves Across Six Markets
The best way to see how the budget phone market is shifting is to look at what actually happened in recent weeks. Here are six documented moves, each with its source and the caveat that goes with it.
- Pixel 10a in the US (October 2). Google raised the 128GB model from $499 to $599 and the 256GB model from $599 to $699. Amazon and Best Buy followed within the same news cycle, per 9to5Google.
- Pixel 10a in Europe and Canada. The Google Store showed £599 in the UK, €649 in Europe and $849 in Canada after the change, according to 9to5Google. Our UK comparison with the £299 Nothing Phone (4b) is the sharpest local example.
- Pixel 10a in Japan (October 1). Jetstream reported a silent increase that put the 256GB model at ¥107,800, and Google Store Japan reportedly lists the 128GB model at ¥92,800. Nothing’s Phone (4b), at ¥59,800 including tax, is scheduled to go on sale there and sits well below both Pixel prices.
- Pixel 10a in India (October 6). Reports that day pointed to a higher Pixel 10a price in India.
- Galaxy A series in the US (early October). PCMag and Phandroid reported increases across the range, taking the A37 5G to $489.99 and the A57 5G to $599.99.
- Motorola and Apple. Motorola raised its moto g family in April 2026 and Apple raised iPhone prices in the US and UK, with the UK 17e reportedly moving to £699 on September 9.
Not every price moved up. The Phone Shelf’s tracker shows Nothing’s Phone (3) falling from $799 at launch to $699, while Motorola’s edge 2026 and razr fold held their launch prices of $599.99 and $1,899.99. The price rise is concentrated in entry and mid-range models, which is exactly where the best phones under 500 dollars live. Another sign of the wider trend: the console world saw a similar jump when the Switch 2 price rose to $499.99, so hardware makers across categories are testing how much buyers will absorb.
Best Phone Under $500 by Use Case
No single phone wins every buyer. Here are six recommendations, each tied to the data above.
| If you are… | Buy this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Holding a strict $500 US ceiling | Galaxy A37 5G (128GB) | The only current mainstream design under $500 on list price, with a 5,000 mAh battery and recent One UI 9 rollout |
| Spending as little as possible | moto g power (2026) | $299.99 MSRP, retail near $399.99, 120 Hz display and 5G |
| Buying outside the US | Nothing Phone (4b) | £299, €329 or ₹34,999 against a Pixel 10a that costs far more |
| Chasing the best camera tuning | Pixel 10a, only on sale | 48 MP main plus 13 MP ultrawide, but not at $599 without a discount |
| Living in the Apple ecosystem | iPhone 17e | 256GB, A19 and MagSafe, but expect to spend $599 or more |
| Buying for a first-time phone user | moto g (2026) | Around $250 to $300, two-day battery claim, Android 16 |
For the strict-ceiling buyer, the A37 5G wins by default. The margin is thin, so a second price rise would end its streak. For someone who plays games or streams video all day, the g power’s larger screen and cheaper price make it the better pick than the base g. And if your budget stretches well past $500, our guide to the best foldable phones of 2026 shows what the other end of the market looks like.
Migration Guide: Moving to Your New Phone Without Losing Data
Whichever phone you pick, the switch goes smoother with a plan. This sequence works for Android-to-Android moves and for the iPhone-to-Android and Android-to-iPhone cases, with notes where the phones differ.
- Back up the old phone first. Use Google Backup on Android or iCloud on iPhone, and confirm the backup finished before you do anything else.
- Move your two-factor codes before anything else. Authenticator apps and SMS codes are the most common reason people get locked out of banking and email after a switch. Transfer or re-enroll them while the old phone still works.
- Check your SIM situation. The Pixel 10a takes one nano-SIM plus one eSIM in the US. The Japanese Nothing Phone (4b) supports nano-SIM and eSIM. Ask your carrier to move your line to eSIM ahead of time if your new phone has no physical slot you can use.
- Use the maker’s transfer tool. Google’s setup flow, Samsung’s Smart Switch and Apple’s Move to iOS app all copy contacts, photos, messages and many app settings over a cable or Wi-Fi.
- Plan for missing ports. The Pixel 10a and Nothing Phone (4b) have no headphone jack and no memory card slot. If you use wired earbuds, buy a USB-C adapter. If you store media on a card, copy it to cloud storage or a computer first.
- Rebuild your chat history deliberately. Messaging apps handle backups differently across platforms, and moving between iOS and Android is where most history gets lost. Check each app’s own transfer option before you wipe anything.
- Set up payments last. Re-add cards to the wallet app, test a small purchase, and only then reset or trade in the old phone. Carrier and manufacturer trade-in offers often require the old phone to be wiped and in working order.
Moving from an iPhone to the Galaxy A37 5G or moto g power is the hardest path, because iMessage, health data and some paid apps do not travel automatically. Moving the other way to the iPhone 17e is easier if you have Apple’s Move to iOS app installed on the Android phone. Either way, keep the old phone powered and charged for a week after the switch in case you missed something.
Pros and Cons of Each Phone
Galaxy A37 5G
- Pros: Passes the $500 test at a reported $489.99, large 6.7-inch AMOLED screen, 5,000 mAh battery, 60% charge in 30 minutes, Android 17 with One UI 9.0 rolling out.
- Cons: A reported $40 increase over its $449.99 launch price, the 256GB version at $609.99 is out of range, and the chip and several specs were not confirmed in our sources.
Pixel 10a
- Pros: Tensor G4, bright 3,000-nit display, 48 MP and 13 MP rear cameras, 5,100 mAh battery, Satellite SOS and a 7.1 out of 10 PhoneRanked rating.
- Cons: $599 for 128GB, no headphone jack, no memory card slot, and Google has not explained the increase.
Nothing Phone (4b)
- Pros: £299, €329 and ₹34,999 pricing, 120 Hz AMOLED, IP64, 33 W charging, distinctive design, and FeliCa plus eSIM in Japan.
- Cons: Unclear US availability and pricing, slower UFS 2.2 storage, no memory card slot and a 6.0 out of 10 PhoneRanked rating.
moto g power (2026)
- Pros: $299.99 MSRP, 6.8-inch 120 Hz display, 5G, Gorilla Glass 7i, 8GB RAM on the Amazon version, and a long battery claim.
- Cons: Retail listings at $399.99, a mid-range Dimensity 6300, and software support that appears shorter than rivals.
iPhone 17e
- Pros: A19 chip, 256GB base storage, 48 MP camera, MagSafe and iOS 27.
- Cons: $599 at launch and possibly higher now, so it is not a sub-$500 phone, and a smaller 6.1-inch screen than the Android rivals.
Verdict: Which Phone to Buy Under $500 After the Pixel Hike
The Galaxy A37 5G is our pick for the best phone under $500 in the US right now. It is the only current phone in this comparison that passes the list-price test while still offering a big AMOLED screen, a 5,000 mAh battery and a fresh software update. At a reported $489.99 it is $109.01 cheaper than the Pixel 10a, though it sits $40 above its original $449.99 price, so check Samsung’s page the day you buy. The takeaway: buy it at $489.99 or less, and skip it if Samsung nudges it above $500.
The moto g power (2026) is the budget choice for anyone who cares more about screen size and cost than camera quality. The Nothing Phone (4b) is the best value outside the US, where it costs half the Pixel 10a in the UK. The Pixel 10a is a good phone at a bad price: wait for a retailer discount or for Google’s next A-series phone, which the company has not announced. The iPhone 17e is an excellent phone that belongs in a different budget bracket.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best phone under $500 right now?
The Galaxy A37 5G at its reported $489.99 price is the best pick for US buyers with a strict $500 ceiling. If you can spend less, the moto g power (2026) offers a 6.8-inch 120 Hz display at $299.99 MSRP, though retail listings now show $399.99.
Why did Google raise the Pixel 10a price to $599?
Google has not said. The increase took effect around October 2, 2026, and 9to5Google noted there was no announcement. Some outlets linked it to rising memory costs, but that is the outlets’ interpretation, not a Google statement.
Is the Pixel 10a still worth buying at $599?
Only if you find it discounted or you value Google’s camera and software features above all else. At $599 it costs the same as the iPhone 17e’s launch price, which offers 256GB of storage instead of 128GB.
Is the iPhone 17e a phone under $500?
No. Apple launched it at $599 for 256GB, and some reports say the price has risen since. Carrier trade-in credits can cut the effective cost, but those depend on your old phone and your plan.
Did the Nothing Phone (4b) replace the Phone (4a) Pro?
In budget roundups, yes. The Phone (4b) now takes the slot the Phone (4a) Pro occupied, so this guide covers the 4b. It was announced on July 7, 2026, and its Japanese retail release is scheduled but had not happened as of October 22.
Can I buy the Nothing Phone (4b) in the US?
A secondary price comparison reported a US store listing at $499 for 8GB/128GB on October 6, but Nothing’s own pages we retrieved did not confirm broad US availability at or below $500. Check Nothing’s US store before you plan around it.
What happened to the iPhone 16e?
Apple replaced it with the iPhone 17e in March 2026. The 16e is no longer in Apple’s current US lineup, and remaining stock is mainly refurbished or third-party.
