Update: We last updated this article on July 8, 2025, with TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER and OUKITEL WP39 Pro
Are you in the market for a new smartphone under $300? The $300 segment is a good price point to find decent, necessary features in a smartphone without all the bells and whistles that modern iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones offer. You don’t get additional buttons, but you do get decent battery life and good enough cameras for scanning documents and taking photos. You don’t need $1000 to send messages and make calls, or get wireless charging and a good UI. Budget phones have evolved with faster chipsets, better screens, and long-lasting batteries. Here is a list of the best phones you can buy for under $300 today.
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Top 6 Phones Under $300 – Flagship Features on a Budget
To make it easier for you to make a decision, we have chosen the best smartphone under $300 for different categories and for different reasons. We recognize that different people are out there looking for different things on their mobile phones. Some want battery life, others need cool designs, and yet others need software support and a familiar UI.
1. CMF Phone (2) Pro: Best Budget Phone With Telephoto Lens
- Price: $289
- Availability: Nothing USA
- Display: 6.77-inch Full HD+AMOLED with 120Hz
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro
- Camera: 50MP Primary+50MP Telephoto+50MP Ultrawide
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging: 33W wired (Charger not included in some regions), 5W reverse wired
The CMF Phone (2) Pro is the cheapest phone you can buy with a telephoto lens. It is the best phone under $300 with a funky-looking design and a wide range of accessories. While the interchangeable back covers are gone, you get a new ecosystem of accessories. New interchangeable lenses are letting you capture macro photos or unique selfies with fisheye effects. You also get a wallet accessory that can also double up as a strand. While equipping these accessories requires you to buy a universal cover, it’s worth the effort.
It sports a bigger 6.77-inch AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 3000 nits of peak brightness. It has slimmer bezels than the Phone (1) and offers a clean software experience with no bloatware or ads. What’s cooler is the fact that you get 3 years of OS updates, which is rare in this price segment.
You get a great triple camera setup, including a 50MP telephoto with 2x optical zoom. When it comes to AI features, you get an Essential Key that opens up Essential Space. This AI-powered tool can be useful for keeping track of your screenshots and other stuff. Overall, the CMF Phone (2) Pro is the best budget phone you can buy without any major compromises.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 6.77-inch AMOLED display with 3000 nits of peak brightness | Mono speaker setup |
| MediaTek Dimensity 7300 Pro for smooth performance | Accessories are expensive considering the phone’s price |
| Clean User Experience | The Essential key cannot be remapped |
| Wide range of unique accessories | |
| Only phone with telephoto in this price range | |
| Essential Space support |
Why Should You Buy: If you want a budget phone with a telephoto lens and a unique accessories ecosystem
2. Motorola Moto G Edge (2025): The Complete Package
- Price: $299
- Availability: Amazon USA
- Display: 6.6-inch Full HD+ pOLED with 144Hz
- Processor: Snapdragon 7s Gen 2
- Camera: 50MP+13MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging: 68W wired, 15W wireless
If you want the best phone under $300 that is a complete package, consider the Motorola Edge (2024). With premium features like vegan leather design and wireless charging support, it offers a more premium experience on a budget. Furthermore, you get a 6.6-inch pOLED screen with curved edges on both sides, making it perfect for content consumption. It is powered by the Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 paired with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. You also get an IP68 rating and a Quick button that works similarly to the Action Button on iPhone.
Also Read:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 6.6-inch pOLED display with 120Hz | No telephoto lens |
| Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 | No Motorola Ready For Support |
| Clean User Experience | Slow software updates |
| Customizable Quick Button | No charger is included in the box |
| IP68 water and dust resistance |
Why Should You Buy: Premium vegan leather design, curved display, and IP68 rating make it almost a flagship-grade phone.
3. Samsung Galaxy A26 5G: One UI and 6-Years of Update
- Price: $299
- Availability: Samsung US
- Display: 6.7-inch Super AMOLED with 120Hz
- Processor: Exynos 1380
- Camera: 50MP+8MP+2MP, 13MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging: 25W wired
Looking for the best software experience on a budget? The Samsung Galaxy A26 promises just that with six years of OS update. What’s cooler is the fact that it ships with the latest One UI 7 out of the box. Despite the outdated design, it has a large 6.7-inch Super AMOLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate. It comes with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ for protection, which is simply amazing.
While the Exynos 1380 might not be the most powerful processor, it can still chug through everyday tasks. You get 8GB RAM and 128GB of storage, apart from a microSD slot, which is rare these days. It also has a triple camera setup with an 8MP ultrawide angle sensor. Oh, and if you are clumsy with your phone, there’s an IP67 rating for protection against those occasional splashes. Overall, if you are looking for the best phone under $300 that can last longer than your relationship, the Galaxy A26 is the one to go for.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 6.7-inch Super AMOLED screen | Ugly teardrop notch |
| 6 years of OS upgrades | No 3.5mm headphone jack |
| microSD card slot | Exynos 1380 isn’t the fastest in this price range |
| Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ and IP68 rating | |
| Ultrawide-angle sensor |
Why Should You Buy: Six years of updates and solid build quality make it a great phone for long-term usage
4. TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER 5G: E-Ink Display
- Price:$248
- Availability: Amazon USA
- Display: 6.78-inch LCD with 120Hz
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6100+
- Camera: 50MP+5MP+2MP, 32MP
- Battery: 5,010mAh
- Charging: 18W wired
Want a budget phone that can also double up as an e-book reader? The TCL 60 XE NXTPAPER has you covered. It’s a 6.78-inch Full-HD+ LCD panel that is bright and vibrant. But once you press the button on the side, it transforms into an e-ink screen with a paper-like finish. The screen has an anti-glare matte finish, so you can enjoy your favorite books even on the beach.
Powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 6100+, it should perform all your day-to-day tasks, although don’t expect to game on it. There’s also a 3.5mm headphone jack and a microSD card slot for expansion. On the back, there’s a 50MP triple camera setup which includes a 5MP ultrawide and a 2MP depth sensor. To top it all up, there’s a 5010mAh battery with 18W wired charging support. Overall, if you are looking for the best phone under $300 with an e-ink screen, this is the one to go for.
Also Read:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 6.78-inch display with e-ink capabilities | LCD screen feels outdated |
| Huge 5,010mAh battery | MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ isn’t the fastest |
| 50-megapixel primary camera | |
| No ultrawide-angle sensor | |
| microSD card slot and 3.5mm headphone jack |
Why Should You Buy: If you read a lot and want a budget phone with e-ink capabilities
5. Motorola Moto G Power (2025): Built for Endurance
- Price: $299
- Availability: Motorola USA/ Amazon USA
- Display: 6.8-inch IPS LCD with 120Hz
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6300
- Camera: 50MP+8MP
- Battery: 5,000mAh
- Charging: 30W wired, 15W wireless
If you want the best durable phone under $300, look at the Motorola Moto G Power 2025. With its IP69 rating, this best durable phone under $300. You also have MIL-STD 810H military-grade durability and premium vegan leather that is typical of Motorola phones. It is also the only phone in the list that ships with Android 15 and offers features like Smart Connect and Family Space. Furthermore, it is one of the few phones on this list to pack wireless charging support.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive 6.8-inch display | LCD display feels outdated |
| Wireless charging support | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 |
| IP69 rating | |
| Military grade durability | |
| Android 15 out of the box |
Why Should You Buy: IP69 rating, military-grade durability, and wireless charging support make it a great pick under $300.
6. OUKITEL WP39 PRO: Durable and Massive Battery
- Price:$294
- Availability: Amazon USA
- Display: 6.6-inch FHD+ IPS LCD with 120Hz
- Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 6100+
- Camera: 64MP+8MP+2MP, 32MP
- Battery: 11,000mAh
- Charging: 33W wired
Want a budget phone that also doubles up as a powerbank? Meet the OUKITEL WP39 Pro, a rugged phone with a whopping 11,000mAh battery. The company claims it can last 60 days on standby and offers 50 hours of calling. Despite packing a huge battery, you get 33W fast charging supportFurthermore, this rugged phone has a premium leather finish and MIL-STD 810H certification.
There’s also an IP68+IP69K rating, so you can take it for an occasional swim. It is the only phone in this price range to offer 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, which can be further expanded upto 2TB. Oh, and you get a 64MP triple camera setup on the back, which includes an 8MP night vision camera. Other features include MediaTek Dimensity 6300+ NFC support and dual SIM support. The only catch is that the phone is not compatible with T-Mobile or Verizon and runs on outdated Android 14.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Massive 11,000mAh battery in this segment | LCD panel instead of AMOLD |
| Only phone with 512GB internal storage under $300 | MediaTek Dimensity 6300 is average |
| IP68+IP69K rating | Thick and heavy compared to other phones |
| Military grade durability | Runs on outdated Android 14 |
| 8MP Night Vision Camera | Not compatible with T-Mobile or Verizon |
That’s it, these are all the phones that you can currently buy under $300 in the US. Since new phones are launched every month, bookmark this page so you can stay updated about the best options in every price range. Which budget phone is your favorite and why? Do let us know in the comments section below.
