Best Phones Under $500
Every device below is scored by the open Inno Score methodology — published specs and benchmark results, no sponsored placements. Prices are launch MSRPs (US, before tax); street prices are usually lower. Methodology
Best overall74POCO X8 Pro Max$469 — The X8 Pro Max steps up to a 6.83-inch AMOLED display, a MediaTek Dimensity 9500s chipset and an 8500mAh battery with 100W charging, starting at $469.Best value for money48KingKong ES 5$150 — Cubot's rugged KingKong ES 5 launched globally on AliExpress on July 8, 2026, pairing a 7000mAh battery and IP68/IP69K plus MIL-STD-810H durability with a 6.88-inch 120Hz HD+ display, Unisoc T620 chipset, up to 12GB RAM (128/256GB storage), and a 64MP main camera, all from $149.99..
Records in this bracket
Every phone under $500, ranked
Full category ranking
7
OnePlus
OnePlus 12R
- ChipsetSnapdragon 8 Gen 2
- Screen size6.78 ″
- Capacity5,500 mAh
- Main camera50 MP
$500
14
Google Pixel 9a
- ChipsetGoogle Tensor G4
- Screen size6.3 ″
- Capacity5,100 mAh
- Main camera48 MP
$499
17
Xiaomi
POCO F5 Pro
- ChipsetSnapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Screen size6.67 ″
- Capacity5,160 mAh
- Main camera64 MP
$449
23
Google Pixel 10a
- ChipsetGoogle Tensor G4
- Screen size6.3 ″
- Capacity5,100 mAh
- Main camera48 MP
$499
25
Google Pixel 8a
- ChipsetGoogle Tensor G3
- Screen size6.1 ″
- Capacity4,492 mAh
- Main camera64 MP
$499
37
Xiaomi
Redmi 15 5G
- ChipsetSnapdragon 6s Gen 3
- Screen size6.9 ″
- Capacity7,000 mAh
- Main camera50 MP
$199
46
Xiaomi
Xiaomi 12 Lite
- ChipsetSnapdragon 778G
- Screen size6.55 ″
- Capacity4,300 mAh
- Main camera108 MP
$399
66
OPPO
OPPO A78 5G
- ChipsetMediaTek Dimensity 700
- Screen size6.56 ″
- Capacity5,000 mAh
- Main camera50 MP
$249
71
Apple
iPhone SE (2020)
- ChipsetApple A13 Bionic
- Screen size4.7 ″
- Capacity1,821 mAh
- Main camera12 MP
$399
75
Xiaomi
Redmi Note 9 Pro
- ChipsetSnapdragon 720G
- Screen size6.67 ″
- Capacity5,020 mAh
- Main camera64 MP
$269
