In the not-too-distant past, buying a budget phone meant a long list of sacrifices.
The downgrades compared to flagship and even mid-range phones were numerous, to the extent that you really needed to spend more for a device that you could rely on.
Those days are long gone. In 2025, the best budget phones deliver a solid experience across all the areas that matter, yet keep their prices firmly in affordable territory.
At Tech Advisor, we define a budget smartphone as any handset that costs less than £300/$300 when bought outright. That means there are dozens of options, but only the very finest have made it into our top three.
Best New Budget Phone of the Year – Winner: CMF Phone 2 Pro
Foundry
The CMF Phone 1 was our favourite budget phone of 2024, and its successor introduces some meaningful upgrades that allow the Nothing-owned brand to maintain that position. It’s a rare feat in such a competitive market.
Significant camera upgrades mean the Phone 2 Pro (there wasn’t a non-Pro model this year) can take very good photos for the price. There’s even a 2x telephoto lens and ultrawide sensor, offering the versatility that few cheap phones can match.
It’s an all-round excellent phone that just so happens to offer a unique design
The 6.5-inch display is another genuine highlight, while performance from the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro chipset won’t let you down. Battery life is solid, while Nothing’s take on Android is slick and highly customisable, especially with a generous six years of security patches (three years of OS upgrades).
But the phone’s big selling point remains its design. It’s one of the very few smartphones that allows you to easily remove the back (though replacing the battery is still tricky), allowing you to easily experiment with colours and textures. There’s also a dedicated connector for lanyards, wallets and other accessories, which is a nice touch.
Crucially, the CMF Phone 2 Pro isn’t a case of style over substance. It’s an all-round excellent phone that just so happens to offer a unique design, making it very easy to recommend.
Read our full CMF Phone 2 Pro review.
Best New Budget Phone of the Year – First Runner-Up: Samsung Galaxy A17 5G
Chris Martin / Foundry
The Galaxy A17 5G is extremely similar to its predecessor, the Galaxy A16 5G, which hampered its score a little. But it’s still one of the best budget phones around despite the lack of innovation.
Surprisingly, the phone has a lot in common with more premium Samsung handsets, including an attractive 6.7-inch OLED display, premium and triple rear cameras, though the main 50Mp camera – now with stabilisation – is the only one that’s really worth using.
Aside from the lack of Galaxy AI features, One UI 8 is here in all its glory, with the six years of OS and security updates a real perk over rivals at this price. With solid everyday performance, decent battery life and a sleek, durable design, there’s a lot to like here.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy A17 5G review.
Best New Budget Phone of the Year – Second Runner-Up: OnePlus Nord CE 5
Foundry | Alex Walker-Todd
With a £299 price tag at launch (no US availability, sadly), the Nord CE 5 is only just cheap enough to be considered a budget phone.
However, its combination of excellent build quality, an attractive display, solid performance and decent battery life makes it a real force. OnePlus also hasn’t diluted its excellent OxygenOS software experience, which benefits from six years of security updates.
If neither of the options above appeals to you and you’re willing to spend a little more, the Nord CE 5 is a fine choice.
Read our full OnePlus Nord CE 5 review.
