The best budget camera phones are pretty capable these days. So if you don't actually need a triple camera array, sophisticated optical image stabilization system and so on, and just want a decent smartphone, this guide is for you.
The price difference between these and the absolute best camera phones you can buy is absolutely staggering. However, if the models we've listed below are still too pricey for you, we've also rounded up the best burner phones for bargain-basement prices. And check out our guide to the best cell phone providers in the US, if you are looking to save on running costs.
Otherwise, read on to find the best cheap smartphones you can buy today, and the information you need to choose between them.
Best overall
The Pixel 7a is a fun little device packed with helpful features. It might not be the best overall phone, but it certainly offers the most value for money, with outstanding camera software, heaps of processing power, and a low price. Read more below
Best Samsung
If you can appreciate Samsung’s very saturated, high-impact look, then it could be the best budget camera phone for you. Photos are clear and sharp, with excellent resolution, and shots and videos look well held together, even at night. Read more below
Budget iPhone If you want a cheap (relatively speaking) iPhone and don't mind a small (4.7 inch) screen, the latest update to the iPhone SE offers many of the same advanced capabilities and performance you'll find in much more expensive models. Read more below
Best Xiaomi phone Highlights of this phone include the 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, which is rare in this price range, as well as the premium-feeling design with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. There's also a 3.5mm headphone jack. Read more below
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Best budget camera phone overall
(Image credit: Bobby Hellard / Digital Camera World)
Launched in May last year, the Pixel 7a is a fun little device packed with helpful features. It might not be the best overall phone, but it certainly offers the most value for money. With outstanding camera software, heaps of processing power, and a low price, it is the best budget phone you can buy right now.
At 6.1 inches, the Google Pixel 7a is as small as a modern smartphone can be without overly reducing quality. It isn’t quite as little as the iPhone SE but it is still smaller than what most consumers will be used to. This might not be for those with massive hands or people that want a big bright screen for streaming. For more details, read our Google Pixel 7a review.
We don't think Samsung’s A54 5G is the best phone around when it comes to style or power, and for photography enthusiasts, its camera system is hamstrung by some particularly heavy-handed processing. However, if you can appreciate Samsung’s very saturated, high-impact look, then it could be the best budget camera phone for you.
Photos are clear and sharp, with excellent resolution, and the fact it combines optical image stabilization with a large primary sensor means shots and videos look well held together, even at night. For anyone who is embedded in the Samsung ecosystem, and wants a new device without having to pay out for the much pricier Galaxy S22 range, then we think this might just be the best phone for you. For more details, read our Samsung A54 5G review.
If you want a cheap (relatively speaking) iPhone and don't mind a small (4.7 inch) screen, the latest update to the iPhone SE is our top recommendation. At a quite affordable price, you'll get many of the same advanced capabilities and performance you'll find in much more expensive iPhones.
This latest iteration of the iPhone SE features 5G, longer battery life, and improved durability. It also features an all-new camera system powered by A15 Bionic, with a 12MP f/1.8 aperture wide camera on the rear that offers great tools like Portrait mode and the same Smart HDR 4 tech as the iPhone 13. The rear camera (7 MP, f/2.2) isn't half bad, either.
The iPhone SE (2022) is rated IP67 for water and dust resistance features the familiar Home button, and supports Touch ID – an easy, private, and secure alternative for logging in to apps, authorizing purchases, and making Apple Pay transactions.
Released in February 2023, The Poco X5 is an affordable smartphone that continues Poco's tradition of offering great value for money. Highlights include the 6.67-inch 120Hz AMOLED display, which is rare in this price range, as well as the premium-feeling design with an aluminum frame and Gorilla Glass 3 protection. It also retains the 3.5mm headphone jack.
It delivers impressive battery life that can last up to two days with the 120Hz display enabled. Performance from the Snapdragon 695 chip and up to 8GB RAM is very capable for the price, allowing smooth gaming experiences. However, the cameras are a major weakness, struggling in low-light conditions and limited to 1080p 30fps video recording.
The OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite 5G is perhaps one of the worst-named phones of the year, however, don't judge a book by its cover, or a phone by its unesessary acronyms.
Practically speaking, we found the Nord CE 3 Lite has been great to use. Its camera immediately impresses. OnePlus's pared-back photo processing and its software optimization really are the CE 3 Lite's saving graces, as is its fun, zingy styling in green.
We know there are better value options elsewhere packing superior camera mixes and AMOLED screens with more punch and brightness, but we think the OnePlus Nord CE 3 Lite is fun to use and is a phone that looks set to be greater than the sum of its parts.
If you're looking for a mid-range smartphone that has a good front and rear camera, looks stylish, and has excellent battery life, the Honor 50 is a good choice. It might not have the processing power of some of the latest iPhones, but it is considerably cheaper.
Features such as the curved screen, the OLED display, and the 4,300mAh single-cell dual circuit battery capable of reaching full charge within an hour you'd expect to see in pro series phones, so for the price you do get some nice features.
Living in a world where we document our entire lives on social media, it's nice to have both a front-facing camera and a rear camera that produce high-quality images. However, both 2MP cameras could've been left out and it still would've been a solid phone – perhaps even a little cheaper.
Not at all. While flagship phones from brands like Samsung, Google, and Apple offer the best camera performance, mid-range and budget phones can still take very good photos that are sufficient for most users' needs.
Yes, flagships have larger sensors, more megapixels, and better zoom capabilities. But budget phones can still produce nicely exposed photos with good dynamic range, accurate autofocus, and punchy colors in most situations.
Also, mid-range phones are increasingly getting features like optical image stabilization that used to be reserved for flagships, helping improve image quality. And outside of photography, mid-range phones provide a smooth general user experience for most tasks while costing much less than flagships.
What are the main downsides of budget camera phones?
There are a number of common downsides of budget camera phones compared to their higher-end counterparts. Firstly, you'll get lower image quality. Budget phones have smaller sensors that capture less light, resulting in noisy/grainy low-light photos and less detail overall. They also typically lack optical zoom capabilities.
You'll also get slower performance. With less powerful processors, budget phones can have slower autofocus, shutter speeds, and overall camera app responsiveness. There may also be delays between capturing shots.
Finally, budget phones may get software updates and security patches slower than flagships and have lower resale value due to faster camera tech advances.
Can I improve the camera quality with software?
Yes, there are a number of third-party camera apps that offer more features and controls than the camera app on your phone. These apps can sometimes improve image quality by allowing you to adjust settings like white balance, exposure, and focus more precisely. Features such as RAW capture and HDR+ processing can help you capture more detail in your images. For more, see our guide to the best camera apps.
With so many budget camera phones, how do you pick the best one for you? The important thing is not to get too distracted by megapixels (MP). While a higher MP count can mean sharper images, it's not the whole story.
Other factors you should also consider include sensor size/ Bigger sensors capture more light, leading to better low-light photos. Also a wider aperture (written as f/1.8 or lower) lets in more light, blurring backgrounds and excelling in low-light. Then there's image stabilization, which reduces blur caused by shaky hands, especially crucial for low-light and zooming. Look for Optical IS (OIS) for the best results.
Aside from megapixels, check the camera app's functionalities. Does it offer features you desire, like portrait mode, night mode, or pro mode for manual controls?
How we test camera phones
As a photography website, we pay special attention to the photo and video quality of camera phones. We rate resolution, noise and color rendition in the context of what rival cameras can do, and if there are any special features, such as ‘night modes’ or ‘portrait modes’, we check that these perform as described. Camera phones are all-round digital assistants too, of course, so we also check general handling, usability, and practicality – such as battery life.
For nearly two decades Sebastian's work has been published internationally. Originally specializing in Equestrianism, his visuals have been used by the leading names in the equestrian industry such as The Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), The Jockey Club, Horse & Hound, and many more for various advertising campaigns, books, and pre/post-event highlights.
He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Arts, holds a Foundation Degree in Equitation Science, and is a Master of Arts in Publishing. He is a member of Nikon NPS and has been a Nikon user since the film days using a Nikon F5 and saw the digital transition with Nikon's D series cameras and is still to this day the youngest member to be elected into BEWA, The British Equestrian Writers' Association.
He is familiar with and shows great interest in street, medium, and large format photography with products by Leica, Phase One, Hasselblad, Alpa, and Sinar. Sebastian has also used many cinema cameras from the likes of Sony, RED, ARRI, and everything in between. He now spends his spare time using his trusted Leica M-E or Leica M2 shooting Street photography or general life as he sees it, usually in Black and White.
