The best budget camera phones in 2026: save big money on fantastic smartphone shooters

With the best budget camera phones, you can ensure that the camera you always have with you is an imaging powerhouse – without spending a fortune. While it is indeed possible to spend large amounts of money on a new flagship phone, there are also tons of brilliant affordable options out there. You just have to know where to look – and I’ve put together this guide to help you do just that!

Every phone on this list has been reviewed and rated by our technical team. We only recommend products that we can personally vouch for, and you can click through each entry to read our full review of every camera phone on this list. I’ve also included sample shots from each phone throughout, to help give you a clearer picture of what each one can do. A good option when budgets are tight is to look at older models from bigger manufacturers, as these can often be picked up for bargain prices, so I have included some previous-gen phones on this list.

Expect to see budget-friendly phones from Samsung, Apple, Google, Honor, Xiaomi, Motorola and more. If you’re not sure what the technical details on a phone’s camera means, you can scroll to the bottom of this page where I’ve put together an explainer on how to choose the best budget camera phone. If you’re looking for something more high-end (and expensive), see our main guide to the best flagship camera phones.

The best budget camera phones: our quick list

Here’s our quick run-down of the best budget and mid-range camera phones:

• Best budget phone overall: Samsung Galaxy S24 FE – Buy now
• Best budget Google phone: Google Pixel 9a – Buy now
• Best cheap iPhone: Apple iPhone 17 – Buy now
• Best budget Samsung: Samsung Galaxy A57 – Buy now
• Best for video and vlogging: Samsung Galaxy S24 – Buy now
• Best budget Leica phone: Xiaomi 15T Pro – Buy now
• Best budget Motorola phone: Motorola Edge 70 – Buy now
• Cheapest Samsung camera phone: Samsung Galaxy A35 – Buy now
• Best cheap phone under £300: Honor 400 – Buy now
• Best value Tecno camera phone: Tecno Camon 40 Pro

Looking for the best deal on budget camera phones? Not only will you find the best budget camera phones, but you’ll also find some of the best cheap camera phone deals, as our ‘Buy now’ buttons are setup to automatically take you to the best prices, from trusted retailers, plus you’ll also find a list of other retailers below each camera, so you can find the right deal for you.

Continue reading to find out more, along with sample photos from all the phones featured…

---

The best budget and mid-range camera phones to buy

Best budget phone overall: Samsung Galaxy S24 FE

A mid-range phone for budget prices – normally you’d have to look to other brands for something with these specifications, which is why it makes this Samsung Galaxy S24 FE such a good deal, as you can find it for under $500/£500 (sometimes even less). It has a triple camera setup on the rear, and lots of premium features that you find in much more expensive S series phones, that are all pricier than this model.  

For photography (and video) you’ve got a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS), a 12MP ultra-wide angle camera, and an 8MP telephoto camera with 3x telephoto zoom. A pretty generous setup, and one that gives you good images, as well as good versatility. There’s a 10MP selfie camera, but with fixed-focus it’s a little bit behind the flasgship S24/S25 phones. There’s also 8K video recording, which is rare for a mid-range phone.  

There’s a good sized 6.7inch screen, a 4700mAh battery with wireless charging, and you get 7 years of updates, matching other flagship phones, along with IP68 waterproof rating. With 128GB/256GB/512GB storage options you also get to choose how much you need. 

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review

---

Best budget phone overall: Google Pixel 9a

Google has introduced the Pixel 9a with a new design, larger screen, and updated camera system. There’s a brighter main camera lens with f/1.7 aperture, as well as an updated ultra-wide-angle camera that now has auto-focus, which allows for close-up macro shots. You still have Best Take, Magic Editor, and Audio Magic Eraser to play with, in addition to the more conventional photographic modes that have appeared on previous generations, such as Night Sight and long exposure.

The cameras may sound like fairly standard stuff, but as we found in our review, it results in images of high quality, with a pleasing level of detail and punchy but natural colours. The various shooting modes on the camera app work well, and if you have access to a decent smartphone support like a mini-tripod, you can take advantage of specialised modes like the long-exposure astrophotography function.

The main rival to the Google Pixel 9a is likely to be another Google phone – if you don’t care about the AI features then the Pixel 8a/7a is going to deliver much the same results for a cheaper price. However, with its price still temptingly low, we can safely say that the Google Pixel 9a is the best budget Google phone on the market, and you will not be disappointed with the results it produces.

This is also the best budget phone for astrophotography as well, thanks to the advanced night modes, and astrophotography mode, which increases your slow shutter speed photography performance, with extra long exposures possible when used on a tripod. Google’s latest phones also come with 7 years of updates, so you know it’ll still be secure as time passes.

Read our full Google Pixel 9a review

---

Best budget iPhone: Apple iPhone 17

If you’re looking for a cheap camera phone, you’re generally best-off going with an Android, as you’ll just get more value for money that way. With that said, if using an iPhone is non-negotiable for you, the iPhone 17 is the most reasonably priced member of the current generation, and it offers a smooth and polished shooting experience for a fairly reasonable outlay. Prices start at $799/£799 for the 256GB version. You can pay a lot more for a phone, though as this list demonstrates, you can also pay a lot less.

So, what do you get for your money? The iPhone 17 sports a dual-lens setup, with a pair of 48MP cameras consisting of a 26mm equivalent, f/1.6 main wideangle camera with optical stabilisation, and a 13mm equivalent, f/2.2 ultrawide. The latter is a considerable upgrade from the iPhone 16’s 12MP ultra-wide – and something else that’s upgraded is the selfie camera, which uses an 18MP square-format sensor to allow you to capture horizontal or vertical selfies without needing to rotate the handset.

It lacks the telephoto lens of the superior but much more expensive iPhone 17 Pro (which is in part more expensive because it doesn’t offer a 256GB version at all). The good news, though, is that it still takes excellent pictures, with both lenses performing well to produce pleasing shots with punchy colours, accurate exposures and a wide dynamic range. The extra resolution on both cameras gives you access to digital crop modes, essentially functioning as zoom lenses, and the sophisticated, AI-powered Portrait Mode can even be used to convert images to portraits post-capture. In short, it’s difficult to imagine many people being unsatisfied with the images produced by the iPhone 17 in the vast majority of situations.

• For more iPhone options check out our guide to the best iPhones for photography

The higher-resolution ultra-wide lens also enables an improved macro mode – though in truth, unless you’re pixel-peeping, the differences are going to be subtle at best. The low-light Night mode is also very good, consistently producing detailed shots even in very dark conditions indeed – and we also found that this detail held up well when we experimented with the different lenses.

There are definitely Android models that give you more photographic bang for your buck. However, the iPhone 17 is as smooth to use as iPhones have ever been, and with a better battery and screen than previous generations, it’s a very compelling all-around package. Sure, the iPhone 17 Pro gives you luxuries like a telephoto lens and raw shooting. But if you can live without those – and, let’s be honest, most users can – you’ll find that the humble iPhone 17 is a perfectly capable all-rounder camera phone.

• What about the iPhone 16e/17e? Apple’s cheapest phone is the iPhone 16e and iPhone 17e, but is limited in terms of cameras, with just one main camera, no telephoto, and no ultra-wide-angle. Our reviewer Amy Davies was not particularly impressed, and unless you are absolutely desperate for an iPhone, and have a strictly limited budget, it is best avoided.

Read our full iPhone 17 review

---

Best mid-range budget Samsung: Samsung Galaxy A57

The latest and best in Samsung’s Galaxy A line of budget-friendly smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy A57 has made a number of improvements to the A56, with thinner smaller body, and improved waterproof rating, now IP68. There’s an updated design that makes the screen bezels smaller, and giving the phone a more premium look. The RRP of the phone is $609 / £529 (now with 256GB as standard), with regular offers and discounts expected meaning it’s often cheaper than that. And the good news is that you still get a highly capable camera phone for the money.

The triple-camera setup on the Galaxy A57 is fairly standard for a phone of this type, and isn’t changed much from the previous model. The main camera is the 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle main camera with optical stabilisation; this camera outputs images at 12MP with pixel binning, and the level of quality is consistently good, with pleasing detail. There’s also a 12MP ultra-wide camera, which does a commendable job of matching it for detail and colour reproduction (although colours can seem a bit strong at times). There’s also the 5MP macro camera with fixed focus, which is not great, especially as you get better results from the main camera. We would have preferred a telephoto module; though of course, this would have added to the cost, perhaps next year, we’ll finally get what we want.

The phone is great to use – it’s got that Samsung smoothness in its operation and interface. The photo app is intuitive and comes with packed with fun shooting modes, as well as manual mode to give you full settings control. We appreciate the generous battery with 5000mAh capacity, though a wireless charging option would have been nice.

The Samsung Galaxy A57 is not any kind of reinvention from the previous model in the series, but it’s another solid mid-range camera phone that does a consistently good job of capturing quality images and videos. Plus, the aforementioned frequent discounts mean you stand a decent chance of picking it up for a bargain price. The A57 gets six major updates to the operating system. You could also look at the A56 if your budget is tight.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A57 review

---

Best for video and vlogging: Samsung Galaxy S24

Yesterday’s flagship is this year’s bargain, and so it goes with the Samsung Galaxy S24. It was never a hugely expensive phone (by smartphone standards at least), originally retailing at $799 / £799, but given that it can now be picked up for about $450 / £375, that’s quite a substantial saving.

The Galaxy S24 was the entry-level model in the S series, not a million miles away in features from mid-range phones. So it doesn’t get the headline-grabbing 200MP main cameras of its flagship siblings like the S24 Ultra or S25 Ultra, but it still has a more-than-respectable 50MP main camera that benefits from optical stabilisation. This sits alongside a 12MP ultra-wide-angle, as well as a 10MP 3x telephoto camera that’s stabilised (and is a good deal more welcome than a low quality macro camera).

As befitting a flagship phone, the Galaxy S24 also feels premium in the hand and has all the quality-of-life features you’d expect from such a device. Wireless charging, an in-screen fingerprint reader – Samsung even chucks in IP68 waterproofing, meaning it can even survive being submerged in water (though, as ever, we’re not recommending you test this too enthusiastically).

The imaging performance of the Galaxy S24 is consistently impressive, delivering punchy colours and good consistency between the different camera modules. There’s no dedicated macro mode as the ultra-wide-angle camera is fixed focus (you’ll have to pay for an Ultra model for that kind of luxury), but telephoto performance is generally very good as long as there’s sufficient light.

This is also the best budget camera phone for vlogging, thanks to the impressive selfie camera with both auto-focus (AF) and 4K video recording. You can even record 8K video at 30p if that’s something you’re interested in; though in truth, most people will probably be just fine with the excellent 4K. If you like the look of the S24, but want something bigger, then check out the S24+ or if you’re looking for a more affordable option, check out the previous models, such as the S23, or S23+.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 review

---

Best budget Leica phone: Xiaomi 15T Pro

The release of the Xiaomi 17 Ultra has seen the price of the Xiaomi 15T Pro come down, and this makes it one of the most temptingly affordable phones on the market right now for photography enthusiasts. Not only does it come sporting a pretty meaty triple-camera array, but it also benefits from Leica engineering, which is what has allowed Xiaomi to splash the iconic red dot all over the marketing materials for the phone.

What this means in practice is that you get a set of Leica Summilux backed lenses and a choice of picture styles – Leica Vibrant and Leica Authentic. with also a well featured portrait mode and a dedicated Leica Street Photography Mode. Predictably, the best results come from the 50MP wide-angle main camera with its 23mm equivalent lens. If you need more distance, you can use the 5x telephoto camera, which puts in a great performance, when venturing to the 10x digital realm results remain detailed without looking overly processed. There’s also an ultra-wide camera for those times you need to get a bit more in the frame, and a 32MP selfie camera on the front.

The Xiaomi 15T Pro is a pretty reliable phone for getting the job done photographically, and extra features like the IP68 weatherproof rating only sweeten what already seems like a pretty good deal. It’s a good choice for video too, with effective stabilisation for footage captured while walking. This phone was already good value when it came out, and with the price already having come down, it’s only looking better and better.

Read our full Xiaomi 15T Pro review

---

Best budget Motorola: Motorola Edge 70

The Edge 70 is Motorola’s slim entry to the upper budget category. It has a well-featured triple 50MP camera set-up. A capable performer in most scenarios and reliable when shooting portraits, with 24mm 35mm, and 50mm options available. The ultra-wide camera isn’t as strong in low light, but still delivers very usable results. The 50MP selfie camera does a good job, despite not featuring autofocus with results looking natural and detailed.

You can record video up to 4K 30 and use slow motion 240 with Full HD. With the highest IP68/69 water and dust proof rating, it is as durable as slim and stylish.

The Motorola Edge 70 offers a capable imaging package in a super slim 6mm format and a range of stylish colours. Having taken it for a test drive, we can definitely recommend the phone for budget-conscious smartphone shooters.

Read our full Motorola Edge 70 review

---

Best cheap Samsung phone: Samsung Galaxy A35

One of Samsung’s most affordable phones, the Galaxy A35 can also be found on offer quite frequently, with prices slashed down to around the $300 / £300 mark. That’s a seriously cheap price for a smartphone with a triple-camera setup, and particularly one that bears the Samsung name. It’s got a 50MP f/1.8 wide-angle main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera, a fixed-focus 5MP macro camera, and of course, a front-facing selfie camera, which offers 13MP of resolution and an f/2.2 aperture.

For the most part, these modules deliver credible results. In our review, we found that the Galaxy A35 was capable of producing punchy images with great colours and detail, just as we’ve come to expect from Samsung. It does best in sunny conditions, and unsurprisingly, you’ll get the best results from the 50MP main camera, which bins pixels to produce 12MP images.

The ultra-wide camera performs well too, producing images which are almost on par with those of the main camera. The 5MP macro camera is fairly run-of-the-mill – we generally prefer the telephoto modules that commonly appear in newer phones nowadays, though the cuts had to come somewhere. The Galaxy A35 isn’t particularly strong in low light, even with the dedicated Night Mode, so if this is a priority for you, it might be worth looking elsewhere.

The Samsung Galaxy A35 isn’t a showy phone, and it’s unlikely to wow you. But with a solid camera setup, a generally sized screen, an intuitive camera app and generous battery life, it ticks all the boxes you’re likely to want from a budget phone, and it’s hard to ask for more than that.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A35 review

---

Best phone under £300: Honor 400

Even though this is a budget priced phone, the Honor 400 still manages to pack in a 200MP main camera, with a 1/1.4 inch sensor. Elsewhere on the phone, you’ve got an ultra-wide 12MP module with a 16mm equivalent lens with auto-focus. All this adds up to a pretty impressive package for a smartphone at this price – which varies depending on storage size.

In our full review, we found the Honor 400 to be a pleasant and capable camera phone that was able to cope with a wide variety of shooting situations. It can’t shoot 8K video and 4K tops out at 30fps, but it’s only a small percentage of users who are going to be bothered about that. Realistically, the bigger omission for most people is going to be the lack of a telephoto camera, reducing your options when shooting at a distance. Most of the specialist modes are decent enough, though we found the close-up Super Macro mode to be fairly lacklustre, and found we could simply crop in with the main camera without risking shadows in the image.

The display on the Honor 400 is gorgeous, and very bright when needed, and we came away pretty impressed by how long the battery was capable of holding up. It produces consistently attractive images too, especially when you stick with the main camera module. For this price, it’s an excellent phone all-around, the only main problem being that it’s not available in the US.

Read our full Honor 400 review

---

Best value Tecno phone: Tecno Camon 40 Pro

The Tecno Camon series of phones is a range of smartphones designed for photography. The Tecno Camon 40 Pro is the second-to-top model (the Camon 40 Premier sits above it with an added telephoto camera), and offers a dual camera setup on the rear, and a 50MP selfie camera with auto-focus. However, it’s only available in certain markets, so if you find yourself in that market, count yourself one of the lucky ones.

Whilst not as fully stacked as the 40 Premier, there’s still a good 50MP main camera with optical image stabilisation (OIS), an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera, and on the front you’ll find a 50MP f/2.4 selfie camera with auto-focus! The phone can also record 4K video at 60fps, has a generous 5200mAh battery, with fast charging, but unfortunately wireless charging isn’t included.

Make sure to look out for our full review for the recently announced Tecno Camon 50 series.

Read our full Tecno Camon 40 Pro review

---

Specifications compared:

How to choose a budget camera phone:

These days, every budget camera phone comes with more than one camera (outside of Apple!), each with its own sensor, usually a main wide-angle lens with the highest resolution and brightest aperture values and a second ultra-wide one. Some will feature a third telephoto camera, the key here is to have a higher optical zoom as digital or “optical quality zoom” only crops. Autofocus is standard for the main camera, so the real value lies in finding it on the ultra-wide and front-facing sensors. If you want to shoot close-up macro photos, then pay attention to whether the phone offers a dedicated macro mode, but if it’s only a 5MP macro camera, then chances are you’ll get better results using the main camera.

Once you’ve worked out your budget, and your needs in terms of the cameras on offer, you can then look out for general features like the size of the screen, whether the phone uses toughened ‘Gorilla Glass’, and how much memory and/or storage it comes with. Plus, pay attention to how many years of updates you’ll get, the longer you can use your phone securly, the better the value for money. Lastly, camera phones will often come with an IP rating that tells you how resistant they are to dust and moisture. IP64, for example, means the phone is resistant to splashes, while IP68 means the phone can withstand full immersion in water for a limited time.

If you can’t decide between Android and iPhones, we have a handy breakdown of Android vs iOS: which is better for photography if you’re weighing up the two systems.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Looking specifically to shoot video? Then check out our guide to the best smartphones for video.

Recent updates

• June 2026: Samsung Galaxy A57 added, replacing the Samsung Galaxy A56.
• April 2026: Specifications tables updated.
• March 2026: The Samsung Galaxy S23 was replaced by the S24, which is now under £450 second-hand. The Xiaomi 13T Pro was updated to the Xiaomi 15T Pro as it offers solid performance from its Leica-backed cameras. The Motorola Edge 70 replaced the Motorola Edge 50 Neo as the best budget Motorola.
• January 2026: iPhone 12 removed due to limited availability and no longer receiving support from Apple. Replaced by iPhone 17, the most affordable of the current generation, and a much better proposition than the iPhone 16E.
• December 2025: OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite removed due to limited availability. Read our full OnePlus Nord CE4 Lite review.
• November 2025: Honor 400 added, and replaces Honor 90 in the list. Google Pixel 8a removed from list, as very difficult to buy new, and other phones a better option.
• October 2025: Samsung Galaxy S24 FE added as now under $500/£500, and offers great value and features. Oppo Reno 10 removed as difficult to buy from most retailers. How we test section thoroughly expanded to add clarity and additional information.

---

Article: Joshua Waller, with contributions from Rod Lawton, and Jon Stapley. *Prices correct at time of publication but may change without notice.

---

Further reading

• The best camera phones for photography
• The best used smartphones to buy
• The best smartphone apps for photography

---

Follow AP on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok.