Should I buy last year's flagship or a new mid-range phone?

Compare remaining support months, not launch prices. Last year's flagship has already spent one or two years of its window, so a phone with a four-year policy may have only two left, while a new mid-ranger with a six-year policy has all six. If the flagship still has four or more years remaining it is usually the better phone; if it has two, the mid-ranger will serve you longer for the same money.

What is the best camera phone under $500?

We rank that separately, because camera quality and overall value pull in different directions at this price. The short version is that discounted flagships generally win on camera, since sensor size and lens quality are expensive and do not depreciate the way processing power appears to. Check the dedicated camera ranking, which scores main-sensor class and counts only genuinely useful lenses rather than 2MP filler.

Do phones under $500 get seven years of updates?

Some do. Google's Pixel A-series carries the same seven-year commitment as its flagships, and recent Samsung A-series phones get six. That was not true even three years ago and it is the single biggest improvement in this price bracket. It is also not universal — plenty of $450 phones still ship with three-year windows, so the specific model matters enormously.

Best phones under $500 — September 2026

Data last verified 2026-07-20 · re-ranked automatically on every update

Under $500 is the most competitive tier in the market, because two very different kinds of phone meet here: current mid-rangers with long support promises, and last year's flagships at a discount. The flagship gives you a better camera system and noticeably more speed; the mid-ranger typically gives you more years. Neither is automatically right, which is why this list ranks on Value Score rather than raw specification — a blend of performance per dollar, remaining support, battery, display and camera. Phones losing updates within 18 months are excluded, which removes most of the tempting older flagships and is usually the correct call.

How our scores work →

The most competitive price in the market

Under $500 more good phones compete than at any other price, which is good for buyers and makes the decision harder. You will find current mid-rangers with seven-year commitments sitting alongside last year's flagships at a discount, and the two are genuinely different products rather than better and worse versions of the same thing. The flagship wins on camera system, sustained speed and often build materials. The mid-ranger wins on remaining years and usually on battery life. Decide which of those you actually notice day to day before comparing specifications.

Check the battery on discounted flagships

The discounted-flagship route is often the better buy, with one caveat that matters more than any specification: battery health. A flagship that has been on sale for a year is fine, but one that has been in someone's pocket for two or three years may have lost 15 to 20 percent of its capacity, and fast-charging flagships degrade faster than average. If you buy used at this price, either verify battery health directly or budget for a replacement, because it is the one component that reliably fails before the software window closes.

Common questions

Should I buy last year's flagship or a new mid-range phone?: Compare remaining support months, not launch prices. Last year's flagship has already spent one or two years of its window, so a phone with a four-year policy may have only two left, while a new mid-ranger with a six-year policy has all six. If the flagship still has four or more years remaining it is usually the better phone; if it has two, the mid-ranger will serve you longer for the same money.
What is the best camera phone under $500?: We rank that separately, because camera quality and overall value pull in different directions at this price. The short version is that discounted flagships generally win on camera, since sensor size and lens quality are expensive and do not depreciate the way processing power appears to. Check the dedicated camera ranking, which scores main-sensor class and counts only genuinely useful lenses rather than 2MP filler.
Do phones under $500 get seven years of updates?: Some do. Google's Pixel A-series carries the same seven-year commitment as its flagships, and recent Samsung A-series phones get six. That was not true even three years ago and it is the single biggest improvement in this price bracket. It is also not universal — plenty of $450 phones still ship with three-year windows, so the specific model matters enormously.

More rankings

Best phones under $200 Best phones under $300 Best phones under $400 Best phones under $700 Best phones under $1000 Best battery phones Best compact phones Best gaming phones Best camera phones under $500 Phones with the longest software support Cheapest phones to own (TrueCost)

Rankings are computed from our verified database — no sponsorships, no affiliate reshuffling. Phones with under 18 months of support left are excluded from every list. Methodology.