Joe Maring / Android Authority
In the world of writing about Android phones on the internet, it’s very easy to focus solely on the big flagships — the Google Pixel 9 Pros, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultras, and OnePlus 13s of the world. Those are the phones with the best and flashiest specs, and they’re often the most fun to talk about.
But equally important, if not more so, are more affordable handsets. Expensive flagships may be exciting, but they aren’t the phones that everyone is buying.
After using the OnePlus 13 as my go-to Android phone for the last several months (specifically, the version that costs $1,000), I recently switched to the Google Pixel 9a to see what the experience would be like. Ryan called it “the best $500 phone” he had ever used in our Pixel 9a review, but coming directly from a much more expensive phone, how would I get along with it?
As it turns out, pretty darn well.
What do you think is the best affordable Android phone in 2025? 137 votes Google Pixel 9a 57 % Nothing Phone 3a/3a Pro 12 % Moto G Stylus (2025) 2 % OnePlus 13R 24 % Samsung Galaxy A36 5G 4 % Other (let us know in the comments) 1 %
The Pixel 9a does almost everything right
Joe Maring / Android Authority
My journey with the Pixel 9a was pretty straightforward. I had been using the OnePlus 13 since January, but in May, I swapped my SIM from the OnePlus 13 to the Pixel 9a and started using it as my go-to smartphone. And throughout that time, what’s struck me most about the Pixel 9a is how seamless the transition from a $1,000 phone to a $500 one has been.
One of the things that stood out to me most was the Pixel 9a’s hardware. This is the cheapest phone in Google’s current Pixel lineup, but you wouldn’t be able to tell when holding the 9a. Between the aluminum frame, dense (but not too heavy) weight, tactile buttons, and lovely matte finish, the Pixel 9a looks and feels like a phone that was created with precision, rather than to cut costs.
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