Best Android phones under $400 in 2023

Times have changed, and it's now easier than ever for shoppers to find a great Android phone for $400 or less. If that's the budget you're working with, you're in luck: we've gathered all of the best options in that price range below.

You'd be surprised at some of the specs found in these phones. Vibrant 120Hz display? Check. Large 5,000mAh battery? You bet. Many of these devices even come with a 3.5mm audio jack, which is a rarity in phones these days. No matter what features you prioritize, there are a ton of options for tech lovers of all budgets.

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At a glance

Best overall

Now that the 7a is out, Google has officially dropped $100 off the price of the Pixel 6a, planting the phone firmly in sub-$400 territory. And this is excellent news since the Google Pixel 6a is currently one of the best cheap Android phones that money can buy.

The Pixel 6a boasts a vibrant AMOLED display and the efficiency of the Google Tensor chipset, the same processor found in the more expensive Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. You also get all of the exclusive camera features found in Pixel flagships, such as Magic Eraser and Face Unblur, alongside the Android 13 OS, adaptive charging, and the sleek design choices that the phone series is known for.

As we admit in our Google Pixel 6a review, the phone isn’t perfect. You don’t get a headphone jack or wireless charging, and the display only has a 60Hz refresh rate. But with these other specs and a $349 price tag, the Pixel 6a has just about everything you could ever need.

Best for Galaxy fans

Samsung's Galaxy S series gets the most buzz and attention as the go-to lineup of Galaxy phones, but they're far from the only ones the company makes. If you're eager to get your hands on a robust smartphone that won’t break the bank, check out the Galaxy A23 5G.

Typically selling for around $299.99, the Galaxy A23 boasts a bounty of specs that wouldn’t seem out of place on a modern flagship. I’m talking about a 6.5-inch FHD+ display with a smooth-as-butter 120Hz refresh rate, plus the still very decent Snapdragon 695 chipset and a large 5,000mAh battery that should last well over a day on a single charge. The 50MP quad-camera array on the back of the phone, accompanied by a 5MP ultrawide camera as well as depth and macro sensors, takes some surprisingly decent photos for a $300 smartphone, while microSD support can boost the meager 64GB of storage all the way up to 1TB.

Perhaps its biggest advantage when comparing the Galaxy A23 vs. the Nord N20 is that the former is guaranteed two OS upgrades beyond Android 12. For some folks, that fact alone could push the A23 5G into the top spot.

Best value

Following the success of the N20, OnePlus had some seriously big shoes to fill with the Nord N30 5G. Lucky for us, they’ve delivered another great smartphone with a wee $299 price tag. The N30 picks up right where its predecessor left off, delivering excellent performance, some upgraded camera tech, and a stunning 6.72-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate.

Under the hood, you get the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695, a chip that’s proven to be a reliable performer in other cheap Android phones. You also get a large 5,000mAh battery with 50W SUPERVOOC fast-charging support. We’ve yet to try it ourselves, but according to OnePlus, this tech should fully juice your phone to 100% in as little as 30 minutes. You even get expandable storage up to 1TB.

To sum things up, it looks like this new mid-range device from OnePlus keeps everything that made the Nord N20 great and improves on it in a few key areas. New issues could still arise as we explore the N30’s capabilities — it’s only been out since early June, after all — but for the moment, it’s one of the best devices you can get in this price range.

Best with a stylus

Motorola's Moto G phones often represent some of the best values the Android landscape has to offer, and that's no different with the Moto G Stylus (2023). Although it still lacks 5G connectivity, the newest Moto G Stylus comes with a surprisingly premium-looking design, a built-in stylus, and reliable, middle-of-the-road specs.

The performance of the MediaTek Helio G85 processor is respectable, but it's hard to argue with the price Moto sells this phone at. You'll also be getting a 90Hz display, which helps the phone feel smoother and a bit faster than it actually might be.

The Moto G Stylus (2023) is also packed with a large 5,000mAh battery, Android 13, and, of course, Motorola’s My UX, the software interface that allows helpful gestures like a double-chop to toggle the flashlight or double-twist to launch the camera. The phone even comes with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which is swiftly becoming a rarity in smartphones. All things said and done, the Moto G Stylus excels at being a budget phone that doesn’t look like a budget phone, and that’s worth celebrating.

Best battery life

If you want a phone that you can count on at a price that’s even lower than the competition, don’t sleep on the TCL 30 SE. For just $139.99, you’ll be getting some of the best specs available in this price range, including a two-day 5,000mAh battery, decent 50MP camera, and NFC support.

The TCL 30 SE also boasts a 6.52-inch HD+ display powered by TCL’s NXTVISION technology. This allows for a sharper image and more vibrant colors, creating a great canvas for games, movies, and more. The internals for the TCL 20S are just as impressive, with the phone offering stellar performance for the price and expandable storage with microSD.

Once again, this phone doesn’t have 5G support and it won’t work with Verizon, but you get a few little goodies to make up for those issues, such as a 3.5mm audio jack and a free case and charger included in the box. After all, at this price, it’s hard to complain.

Best international phone

Xiaomi is a company that makes a lot of different models, but the end effect is that they often land on our list of favorite International phones. Case in point, we've swapped out the Redmi Note 10 Pro with the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G, the latter portion of the name being an incredibly important thing to note before you buy.

Why's that? For starters, opting for the 5G version of the Redmi Note 11 Pro will get you a better Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 processor in addition to faster network connectivity. But, as we noted in our Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G review, the company offers several different models that might be more budget-friendly items depending on the country in which you live.

Now, with that said, let's get the negative points out of the way. Harish wasn't thrilled with the design changes year-over-year, saying the boxier design of the Redmi Note 11 Pro was more difficult to hold than the Note 10's more rounded design. Additionally, the Snapdragon 695 processor is limited to recording at 1080p resolution, meaning this phone doesn't support 4K video recording at all.

While the Redmi Note 11 Pro 5G launched with Android 11, it recently got the Android 12 update with MIUI 13. MIUI has long added a ton of great features to Android — even if it has always had a very heavy iOS-style theme — and is generally an excellent full-featured version of Android.

It's also got multi-day battery life and a 3.5mm headphone jack, two things that are typically pretty important to a lot of users. It's not worth upgrading if you've already got a Redmi Note 10 Pro. However, if you're coming from an older phone or just need something newer, it's hard to beat Xiaomi's value at this price.

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What are the best Android phones under $400?

The sub-$400 market is both extremely competitive and a little confusing, but there have never been more options in this price point among the best Android phones readily available. Need something even cheaper? We've got you covered there, too, with our best Android phones under $300 buying guide.

Overall, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G is the best Android phone under $400. It has feature-rich software with lots of features, and it's a great overall performer with solid battery life. The camera is better than most in its class, and it has a gorgeous AMOLED display, NFC support for mobile payments, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and even supports microSD cards. It's like a love note to fans who have been asking for these features in one phone without breaking the bank. It's just a shame it doesn't work on Verizon at all.

Instead, Verizon customers should seriously consider the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G. At a mere $299 (or less), it has great 5G connectivity, Samsung's feature-rich software, a Snapdragon processor that absolutely flies, and exceptional battery life.