Smartphones have gotten a lot better over the years, and thankfully, not all of them will cost you an arm and leg now. That's right, you can buy some great phones for $300 or even less as long as you don't mind giving up on all the fancy features and sticking with the one or two that are most important to you. I recommend turning to Android phones if you're in the market to buy one of the top-rated phones without breaking the bank, as the budget Android space is constantly swarmed by a ton of options. In fact, there are plenty of good handsets to choose from, which is why I decided to shortlist some of the best Android phones under $300 for you.

The smartphones mentioned below may not be a part of our best smartphones list, but they offer good value for your money and are perfectly capable of handling most day-to-day workloads without a hitch.

Best Android phones for $300 or less in 2023

The Galaxy A23 5G is one of the most affordable offerings in Samsung's A-series, and it's perfect for this collection. It offers a decent set of internals with reliable software support for $300. It's also readily available to purchase from various carriers in the US, so you can easily get your hands on it.

The Galaxy A23 5G debuted as an LTE-only phone. The 5G version of the device didn't go on sale until recently, so it's still fresh off the line. Samsung is using a 6.6-inch FHD+ infinity-V LCD for this one with a resolution of 1080 x 2408 pixels. One of the best things about this particular display is that it supports up to 120Hz refresh rate. That makes it the only phone in this collection to have a 120Hz display.

The Galaxy A23 5G is powered by the Snapdragon 695 SoC and can be purchased with up to 6GB of RAM. The base variant of the device only comes with 64GB of storage, though. That's not particularly impressive, but thankfully it supports expandable storage via a microSD card. You can add up to 1TB of storage to this phone, which is great.

Samsung has also packed a 5,000mAh battery inside this particular phone, which means it should be able to last you for a long time between charges. And unlike the Moto G Power (2022), the Galaxy A23 5G supports 25W charging speeds to top up the battery quickly.

As for the optics, Samsung is offering a quad-camera system on the Galaxy A23 5G. The setup includes a 50MP f/1.8 sensor, a 5MP ultra-wide camera, and two 2MP sensors for depth and macro shots. Selfies are handled by an 8MP sensor, which is on par with what you get on most budget devices. Lastly, it's worth noting that the Galaxy A23 5G also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is still very important for phones in this price range.

The OnePlus Nord N30 isn't a significant departure from its predecessor, but it offers a compelling package for $300. The highlight of this particular phone — at least for me — is its charging speed. OnePlus has packed this phone with a 5,000mAh battery which is capable of charging at up to 50W. It's the only phone in this segment to offer a true fast-charging feature. What's also truly commendable is the fact that OnePlus bundles it with a compatible charger in the box, meaning you don't have to spend any more money to get the best experience.

Some other highlights of the OnePlus Nord N30 5G include a beautiful design that makes it stand out from the rest in its segment. It's powered by the same Snapdragon 695 SoC as the Galaxy A23 5G, and it comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. You also get a triple camera setup at the back with a 108MP main sensor, a 3.5mm headphone jack, support for NFC, and more. The only thing stopping me from recommending the Nord N30 as the best overall pick over the Galaxy A23 5G is its software support.

OnePlus is only promising a single Android OS update and up to three years of security patches for the Nord N30 5G. While that, technically, means it'll be supported for the same duration as the Galaxy A23 5G (as it debuted last year with Android 12), I believe OnePlus should've done a better job. Samsung is also known to be more reliable with its software updates than most manufacturers out there, which is why I'd recommend the Galaxy A23 over the Nord N30. You can't go wrong with either of them, though, so be sure to pick the one that suits your needs.

If you only have $200 to spare for a smartphone in 2023, then I suggest spending it on Samsung's Galaxy A14 5G. It's undoubtedly one of the best budget phones you can buy right now, and it offers great value for your money. We called it an "overachieving budget phone" in our review and added XDA's recommended badge next to its name for outperforming many other phones in its price range. It's an easy recommendation for those who are on a tight budget, making it a good pick for this list.

The Galaxy A14 5G is powered by Samsung's in-house Exynos 1330 chipset, which performs admirably to deliver a reliable day-to-day user experience. It's not going to win any race with its benchmark numbers, but it still performs better than any other phones in the sub-$300 segment. It also excels in the battery department thanks to its 5,000mAh battery, which should comfortably last you for up to two days on a single charge with moderate use.

There's nothing to write home about the Galaxy A14's cameras, but you can get some good-looking photos and videos from its main sensor. What I also like about this phone is that it ships with One UI 5.1 based on Android 13 out of the box and is slated to receive two major Android OS updates and up to four years of security updates. I suggest you read our Galaxy A14 5G review to learn more about it in detail.

The TCL Stylus 5G is one of the best budget phones you can buy in the U.S. right now. It even trounces the Moto G Stylus to take the number spot in the list of budget phones that come with a stylus. I say that because it offers a better experience overall, that too for just $250. The stylus bundled with the TCL Stylus 5G is a passive one, meaning it doesn't have a battery of its own, nor does it support Bluetooth. But as mentioned in our TCL Stylus 5G review, it still works very well with minimal latency.

You'll also find it very comfortable to use the stylus on this phone's 6.81-inch LCD panel. It may not be the brightest display on the market, but it's sharp enough for crisp and clear visuals, and it'll let you navigate around the phone with the stylus. You're not going to notice any significant performance issues while using this particular phone on a day-to-day basis because it's powered by a decently powerful Dimensity 700 SoC and comes with 4GB of RAM.

The overall performance of the phone is mostly on-par with a lot of other budget phones in this segment, so there's not much to complain about. The same can be said about the battery life of this phone. It may not be on par with the big players in this space, but its 4,000mAh battery will get you through a day without any major issues. On the software side, it ships with Android 12 out of the box, and it's promised to receive the Android 13 update and up to four years of security updates.

You can also consider the Moto G Stylus (2023) model if you want a budget phone with a stylus, but keep in mind that it only comes with an HD+ display and dual rear cameras, and it also skips NFC and fast charging.

Samsung's Galaxy A03s slots in as the most affordable phone in this list, coming in at just $160. This is the cheapest handset you'll find in Samsung's A-series roster and it's the one I recommend buying if you're looking to buy an Android phone for less than $200. You may come across phones that are cheaper than the A03s too, but this is as good as it gets when it comes to a reliable phone that doesn't skimp on too many essentials

The Galaxy A03s, in case you're wondering, is powered by the MediaTek Helio P35 chip that offers a reliable day-to-day experience, and it runs Samsung's One UI 4.1 out of the box. Samsung is promising to keep this device updated until 2026, which is great for a budget device. It can be had with up to 4GB of RAM and up to 64GB storage out of the box, which is on par with what you'd get with most phones in and around this price range. What I also like the most about the Galaxy A03s is that it comes with essentials like a fingerprint scanner, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot for expandable storage too.

I'd personally pick the Galaxy A14 over the A03s if I was shopping for a phone under a tight budget simply because of the added performance benefits and software support, but the Galaxy A03s is also good option to consider if you must save the extra cash.

The Google Pixel 6a is a bonus pick that I wanted to highlight as it's frequently discounted and is often available for $300 or less these days. It may not be the newest smartphone out there, but it's hard to argue against the value it brings to the table. You can snag one for $320 from Amazon right now, which is an excellent price for a phone that offers a great overall experience with the stock Android experience.

One of the best things about the Pixel 6a is that it's powered by the Google Tensor, the same chip that's running the show inside the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro. You also get 6GB of RAM, 128GB storage, and 5G support to make it a well-rounded phone for day-to-day usage. It also sports a gorgeous 6.1-inch FHD+ OLED display, which is better than what a lot of other phones offer in this price range. It tops out at 60Hz, but that's not necessarily a deal-breaker, especially if you're coming from an older phone that used a 60Hz panel too.

The phone also more than makes up for it with its excellent cameras. Despite the lower price point, Google's A-series phones don't skimp out on the company's computational photography software. Although the lenses are the same ones from the Pixel 5 (and as a reminder, we're on the Pixel 8), you can still take great photos regardless of the lighting situation. Google's new Pixel 7a is definitely the better phone to buy if you have the budget for it, but don't let the Pixel 6a fly under your radar. It still holds up very well and is a solid purchase for $300 or less.

Best Android phones for $300 or less: The bottom line

The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is the best smartphone you can buy in the U.S. overall with a $300 budget. The Snapdragon 695 SoC pulls a lot of weight to deliver reliable day-to-day performance, and it also comes with 6GB of RAM and expandable storage. The highlight of this particular phone has got to be its display because it's the only one on this list with support for up to 120Hz refresh rate. You also get a versatile set of cameras at the back, along with a 5,000mAh battery to keep the lights on for hours. There's a lot to like about the Galaxy A23 5G, and it's definitely worth buying if you're working with a limited budget.

Samsung's Galaxy A14 and Galaxy A03s have also earned their spots on this list, so it's safe to say that Samsung's A-series lineup has some good options to pick. The OnePlus Nord N30 is also a solid phone to consider, especially if you care about charging speeds. I've also added some other reliable options to this ever-evolving list, including the Pixel 6a and the TCL Stylus 5G, so be sure to explore all the options before making a purchase decision.