10 Best Phones Under $500 [November 2022]

500 US dollars is a sweet spot when you consider buying a smartphone within the price bracket. There are a lot of phones under $500 but not all of them are worth buying. Today we are listing the best phones under $500 available right now. There are a lot of options and as someone who wants to buy, you might be confused. You see with 500 USD you can buy an iPhone or an Android phone.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you know what you want on a smartphone. Most people prefer a camera over every other thing while there are those that prefer a battery. Personally, I consider performance ahead of every other thing because I spend lots of time on my phone. Knowing what you want will help you make an informed decision when buying a phone. You can also check 10 Best Phones Under $300 Dollars right now.

The phones listed below are good all around but they are better than each other in some aspects. Well, let’s go straight up and talk more about the best phones you can buy below 500 US dollars.

These are the 10 Best Phones Under $500 Dollars

1.    Pixel 6

The Google Pixel 6 has refined how Google creates its phones. They depended on their software abilities to change how we perceive their phones. Google also built its first Generation Tensor chipset and it debuted on The Pixel 6. They also introduced their first-ever 50MP primary camera and it is simply amazing. The phone is packed with a lot of great features including a 6.4-inch AMOLED display with a 90 Hz refresh rate. There is also an under-display fingerprint scanner on the phone. The phone also packs a 4614mAh battery that supports 30Watts fast charging. It has to be on the list of best phones under $500.

 Pixel 6 Key Features

• Display Size: 6.4 (1080 x 2400)
• Display Type: AMOLED, 90Hz
• Camera: 50MP + 12MP Front: 8MP
• Processor: Google Tensor
• RAM & Storage: 8GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 13
• Battery: 4614mAh
• Price: $430

2.    Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has had numerous price cuts and it’s presently below 500 USD. It is still in shape to contest with other flagships from Samsung and other brands. The phone has a large Dynamic AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. You know Samsung makes some of the best displays in the market and it is always colorful on their flagships.

The phone has a 108MP and a 100x zoom is present here using the extra camera lens on the phone. It has a 40MP selfie camera and Samsung really pushed the limit on the S21 Ultra. If you want to experience flagship performance then the S21 Ultra 5G still does it. Powered by the Snapdragon 888 with up to 16GB RAM the S21 Ultra still does it. The phone also has a 5000mAh battery and 25Watts fast charging support.

Samsung S21 Ultra 5G Key Features

• Display Size: 6.8 inches (1440 x 3200)
• Display Type: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
• Camera: 108MP + 10MP + 12MP + 10MP Front: 40MP
• Processor: Snapdragon 888
• RAM & Storage: 12 or 16GB RAM & 128, 256, or 512GB storage
• Software: Android 13, One UI 5
• Battery: 5000mAh
• Price: $429

3.    iPhone 12

The iPhone 12 is still very much in contention for the best phone under $500 dollars. It still holds perfectly in terms of performance and will blow away most of its android compatriots in performance. The A14 Bionic is still powerful and when paired with Apple’s software optimization then it’s just perfect. If you are someone who likes taking pictures then the dual 12MP cameras on the phone will not disappoint you. The 12MP front-facing camera also doubles for face unlock. It has a 6.1-inch display making it compact and it is colorful. The battery is 2815mAh but you can expect a complete day usage from the phone.

iPhone 12 Key Features

• Display Size: 6.1 inches (1170 x2532)
• Display Type: Super Retina XDR OLED
• Camera: 12MP + 12MP Front: 12MP
• Processor: Apple A14 Bionic
• RAM & Storage: 4GB RAM & 64, 128, or 256GB
• Software: IOS 16.1
• Battery: 2815mAh
• Price: $454

4.    Nothing Phone (1)

Carl Pei left OnePlus to start his own brand and after releasing the Nothing Ear (1) he debuted the Nothing Phone (1). He is known as the hype king and the hype around nothing product is always surreal. In a bid to be different, he adopted a transparent design for his product. The nothing phone stands out, especially in terms of design with the LED lights at the back that serve as notifications. It has a completely transparent glass build with IP ratings against water and dust.

The phone has an OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is also running on Nothing OS that looks pixelated and it is powered by the Snapdragon 778G+ 5G. The phone has up to 16GB RAM and 256GB storage space. It also has dual 50MP cameras at the back with a 16MP selfie camera. The phone is one of the best under 500 US dollars and it comes with a 5000mAh battery. Being the first phone from the brand we can say that the brand looks promising.

Nothing Phone (1) Key Features

• Display Size: 6.55 inches (1080 x2400)
• Display Type: OLED, 120Hz
• Camera: 50MP + 50MP Front: 16MP
• Processor: Snapdragon 778G+ 5G
• RAM & Storage: 8 or 12GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 12, Nothing OS 1
• Battery: 4500mAh
• Price: $499.99

5.    Xiaomi 12

The Xiaomi 12 is more like a flagship killer and we all know how Xiaomi price its phones to kill the competition. It comes in at exactly $500 but it is worth buying for most people. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage space. It has a glass build with aluminum frames and it supports dual 5G sim cards.

It runs on Android 12 and MIUI 13 is the user interface. The primary camera is 50MP and the selfie camera is 32MP. You should expect decent photos from the phone. It comes with an optical under-display fingerprint scanner that is fast and reliable. The battery is 4500mAh and it comes with 67watts fast charging support. It is one of the best phones under $500.

Xiaomi 12 Key Features

• Display Size: 6.28 inches (1080 x2400)
• Display Type: AMOLED, 120Hz
• Camera: 50MP + 5MP + 13MP Front: 32MP
• Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 1
• RAM & Storage: 8 or 12GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 12, MIUI 13
• Battery: 4500mAh
• Price: $500

6.    Samsung Galaxy A73 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A73 5G is a budget-friendly Samsung phone with a 108MP main camera. It has a plastic build and Samsung used plastic to keep the price low. The phone is powered by the Snapdragon 778 5G with 6 or 8GB RAM. It has a Super AMOLED Plus display with a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone also has IP67 water and dust resistance rating. The selfie camera is 32MP and the phone has an under-display fingerprint scanner. It has a 5000mAh battery with 25Watts fast charging.

Samsung Galaxy A73 5G Key Features

• Display Size: 6.7 (1080 x 2400)
• Display Type: Super AMOLED Plus, 90Hz
• Camera: 108MP + 12MP + 5MP + 5MP Front: 32MP
• Processor: Snapdragon 778 5G
• RAM & Storage: 6 or 8GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 12, One UI 4.2
• Battery: 5000mAh
• Price: $425

7.    iPhone 11

The longevity of Apple iPhones is commendable and the iPhone 11 is still very much capable. It is one of the best phones under $500, especially the camera and performance aspect. The phone is compact at just 6.1 inches. One of the problems might be the IPS display and which lacks above 60Hz refresh rate which isn’t the standard anymore. The battery is decent and you should expect complete day usage with the 3110mAh capacity on the iPhone 11. If you are someone who loves iPhones the iPhone 11 might just be the right one to buy on a budget.

iPhone 11 Key Features

• Display Size: 6.1 (828 x 1792)
• Display Type: Liquid Retina IPS LCD
• Camera: 12MP + 12MP Front: 12MP
• Processor: Apple A13 Bionic
• RAM & Storage: 4GB RAM & 64, 128, or 256GB storage
• Software: IOS 16.1
• Battery: 3110mAh
• Price: $299.00

8.    Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G

The Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G comes with a 6.6-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It has a glass build with aluminum frames and gorilla glass victus plus protection. The phone has the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage space. It has a 50MP main camera and a 10MP selfie camera. The fingerprint scanner is ultrasonic and it has a 4500mAh battery with 45Watts fast charging support.

Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G Key Features

• Display Size: 6.6 (1080 x 2340)
• Display Type: Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz
• Camera: 50MP + 10MP + 12MP Front: 10MP
• Processor: 8GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• RAM & Storage: 8GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 13, One UI 5
• Battery: 4500mAh
• Price: $500

9.    Xiaomi 12T

The Xiaomi 12T is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8100U and it has 8GB RAM and up to 256GB. It has a 108MP main camera and a 20MP selfie camera. The phone has an AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It runs on Android 12 and MIUI 13 is the interface. The phone is a flagship killer with top-end features on a budget. It has a 5000mAh battery with 120Watts fast charging support.

iPhone 11 Key Features

• Display Size: 6.67 (1220 x 2712)
• Display Type: AMOLED
• Camera: 108MP + 8MP + 2MP Front: 20MP
• Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 8100-Ultra
• RAM & Storage: 8GB RAM & 128 or 256GB storage
• Software: Android 12, MIUI 13
• Battery: 5000mAh
• Price: $429.00

10. Motorola Edge 30 Fusion

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion isn’t slacking and it has the Snapdragon 888+ 5G processor. It comes with a curved P-OLED panel with a 144Hz refresh rate. The resolution is 1080p and the display is protected by the Gorilla glass. It runs on stock Android 12 with up to 12GB RAM and 512GB storage. The main camera is 50MP and it has a 32MP selfie camera. It comes with an optical under-display fingerprint scanner with a 4400mAh battery and 68Watts fast charging. The phone is sleek with a glass build and aluminum frame.

Motorola Edge 30 Fusion Key Features

• Display Size: 6.55 (1080 x 2400)
• Display Type: P-OLED, 144Hz
• Camera: 50MP + 13MP + 2MP Front: 32MP
• Processor: Snapdragon 888+ 5G
• RAM & Storage: 8 or 12GB RAM & 128, 256 or 512GB storage
• Software: Android 12
• Battery: 4400mAh
• Price: $499.00

The List of the Best Phones under $500 Dollars:

• Pixel 6
• Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
• iPhone 12
• Nothing Phone (1)
• Xiaomi 12
• Samsung Galaxy A73
• iPhone 11
• Samsung Galaxy S22+ 5G
• Xiaomi 12T
• Motorola Edge 30 Fusion