Best Smartphones Under $500
Top-scoring phones you can buy for under $500. Independent benchmarks, no sponsored picks.
Ranked by the weighted Specdex score — 0-100 composite of real-world and synthetic benchmarks.
- #1Google
Pixel 9a
Tensor G4 · 6.3″ OLED · $499
The value Pixel that gets Gemini on-device for $499 — the sub-$500 phone to beat in 2025.
- #2Nothing
Nothing Phone 3a Pro
SD7s Gen 3 · Periscope 3× · Glyph
The mid-range phone that wants to be noticed — Glyph back lighting, periscope tele, and a price that undercuts every flagship-camera rival.
- #3Samsung
Samsung Galaxy A56
Exynos 1580 · 6.7″ AMOLED · IP67
Samsung's 2025 mid-ranger doubles down on longevity. 6 years of updates, IP67, 5000 mAh — sub-$500 phone you can keep until 2031.
- #4iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black)
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #5iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (White)
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · White
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #6iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Purple)
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Purple
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #7iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black) · Rose Gold
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black · Rose Gold
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #8iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black) · Titanium
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black · Titanium
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #9iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black) · Midnight
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black · Midnight
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #10iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black) · Sand
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black · Sand
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #11iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (Black) · Red
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · Black · Red
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #12iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (White) · Rose Gold
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · White · Rose Gold
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #13iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (White) · Titanium
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · White · Titanium
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #14iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (White) · Midnight
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · White · Midnight
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
- #15iQOO
iQOO Neo 9 Pro 128GB (White) · Sand
Dimensity 9300 · 128GB · White · Sand
iQOO's iQOO Neo 9 Pro — 2024 model with Dimensity 9300.
Head-to-head
The two highest-ranked products compared side-by-side.
Frequently asked
What is the best smartphone right now? +
Pixel 9a leads our Best Smartphones Under $500 list with a Specdex score of 86/100. The value Pixel that gets Gemini on-device for $499 — the sub-$500 phone to beat in 2025.
How is the Specdex score calculated? +
The Specdex score is a 0–100 weighted composite of category-specific sub-scores (e.g. CPU/GPU/camera/battery/display for phones). Weights are published on our methodology page and reviewed quarterly.
How often is this list updated? +
The ranking is regenerated on every page load from our live D1 database. Scores re-calibrate whenever we add new products or firmware updates change benchmark results.