# The Best Budget Camera Phones 2026 February: tested

**URL:** https://www.compsmag.com/best/budget-camera-phones/
**Author:** Ayushi Chauhan
**Published:** 2023-04-07
**Updated:** 2023-10-16
**Categories:** Best
**Tags:** latest afflist, updated September 2023
**Reading Time:** 6 min

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The **best budget camera phones** used to be cheap in all ways, including how well they were made and how well they worked overall. But luckily, there are now some good options that don't break the bank.

Whether you want to save [money](https://compsmag.com/best/money-making-apps/)because you mostly use your phone to talk and take photos or because you've learned that you're too likely to drop your phone to buy the newest model, you can choose from a wide range of new and older [smartphones](https://compsmag.com/best/smartphone/)that are priced well and meet your needs.

With the best budget camera phones, you can always have a good camera with you without having to spend a lot of money. Cheap phones used to have a bad reputation for being a waste of money, but now manufacturers have done a great job of filling out the cheaper ends.

## Best Budget Camera Phones Comparison Table

### Google Pixel 6a

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m1.png)

The Google Pixel 6a is the company's best budget camera phones. It's a cheap alternative to the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro, with a suggested retail price (RSP) of less than $500/£500. You can get a Pixel 6a for even less than that thanks to recent holiday sales.

Even though the Pixel 6a is cheap, it has a good set of features. It has the same Tensor chipset as the bigger [Pixel phones](https://compsmag.com/best/google-pixel-phones/). As for photos, it only has two [cameras](https://compsmag.com/best/camera/)on the back, but software, not hardware, is where Google really shines.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/Google-Pixel-6a-Smartphone-Megapixel/dp/B0B3PSRHHN?keywords=Google+Pixel+6a&qid=1680516068&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=d3ceadee3fae575e2ff0d18623ce8ce8&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. High-quality camera
2. Latest Android OS
3. 90Hz refresh rate display

#### The Bad

1. No headphone jack
2. No expandable storage

### Samsung Galaxy A32 5G

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m2.png)

If you want to get the most out of your money, you should get the Samsung Galaxy A32 5G. Its MSRP is well under $300, and it's usually less than that when it's on sale, but it's pretty close to what some devices that cost twice as much can do.

The best budget camera phones does a great job, the ultrawide camera has great angles, and the macro camera is good for photos in a niche area. We've tested a lot of cheap phones, and none of them even come close to this one.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Display-Battery-T-Mobile-Unlocked/dp/B09B19KMZY?keywords=Samsung+Galaxy+A32+5G&qid=1680516167&sr=8-4&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=180a8e482ffc1a9289f59532e5089302&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. Affordable price
2. 5G connectivity
3. Large battery capacity

1. Lower quality display
2. Mediocre processor

### OnePlus Nord 2

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m3.png)

The OnePlus Nord 2 5G is a quality midrange camera phone with no extra features. The best budget camera phones isn't great, but the combination of OIS and OnePlus's image processing makes the main camera a winner for photography fans who like more natural-looking photos.

For the price, the rest of the phone is also very good. It has a great screen, fingerprint unlocking built into the screen, a beautiful design, and fast internals (and charging). The interface may be what sets the Nord 2 apart from the competition.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/OnePlus-Global-Triple-International-Version/dp/B099RP45WH?crid=WLE8IIN8RH6V&keywords=OnePlus+Nord+2&qid=1680516239&sprefix=samsung+galaxy+a32+5g%2Caps%2C1014&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=e08ea9101a7f182fc67ea97351b8b44a&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. Fast charging
2. High-quality display and camera
3. 5G connectivity

1. No headphone jack
2. No expandable storage

### Moto G Fast

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m4.png)

The Moto G Fast is best budget camera phones if you want one of the newest Moto G phones but need to spend even less money. It still has the Snapdragon 665 chipset that runs the more expensive Moto G models, but it costs much less than the others.

It has nothing special about its 3GB of RAM, and the 32GB of storage that comes with it is very low. Still, for a low price, you get a screen that looks pretty modern and has a hole punched in the corner, which is also a modern touch.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/Moto-Unlocked-Motorola-Camera-White/dp/B086H4C8CX?keywords=Moto+G+Fast&qid=1680516471&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=e67cc275d0923426d7f1b027803f990d&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. Affordable price
2. Large battery capacity
3. Ultrawide camera

1. Lower quality display
2. Mediocre processor

### Nokia G60 5G

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m5.png)

It's great to see that Nokia phones are once again good value. At £200, the Nokia G60 is a great choice for best budget camera phones. The G60 is one of our favorite phones because it has 5G, a big screen, a long-lasting battery, and a great main camera.

It also doesn't cost too much, considering. Three years of support for software is also longer than usual for this price range. It's good to see, and it means that the Android security on your phone is up to date.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/Nokia-Dual-SIM-Factory-Unlocked-Smartphone/dp/B0BFDQRHT5?keywords=Nokia+G60+5G&qid=1680516558&sr=8-3&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=f98f78d32ca58b2d5af1fe2fca870899&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. Large display
2. High-quality camera
3. 5G connectivity

1. No wireless charging
2. No water resistance rating

### iPhone SE

![Best Budget Camera Phones](https://compsmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/m6.png)

The iPhone SE (2022) from Apple is best budget camera phones for the price. It works well, doesn't get wet, and can be charged wirelessly, which are all top features. The design looks a lot like older iPhones, but when we tested it, we found that it worked well.

The back of the camera only has one lens, but the single 12MP camera can take high-resolution photos in portrait mode and even 4K video. You don't get all of the features of the iPhone 13, like Night mode, Dolby Vision HDR, and Cinematic Mode for video.

[Check Price](https://www.amazon.com/TracFone-iPhone-SE-5G-Black/dp/B09VY7RXJ9?crid=33ZDU9WZQ7GCA&keywords=iPhone+SE&qid=1680516688&sprefix=moto+iphone+se%2Caps%2C723&sr=8-2&linkCode=ll1&tag=checkamazon-20&linkId=579a978725912101942abee256e17ee8&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl)

#### The Good

1. Affordable price for an iPhone
2. Compact size
3. Fast and powerful processor
4. High-quality camera
5. Latest iOS operating system

1. Smaller battery capacity compared to newer models
2. No headphone jack

## FAQs

#### Which phone under $200 has the best camera?

The Moto G Power (2022) has the best camera in its class. Even when there isn't much light, it takes photos that are clear and sharp. It's not as good as the Pixel, but it's pretty good for a phone that costs less than $200.

#### What is the best camera on a cheap Samsung phone?

The Samsung Galaxy A23 is a good choice if you want a phone with a good camera that doesn't cost too much. But the Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra 5G is the best phone with a camera that costs more. The Samsung Galaxy S21 FE 5G is known for having a powerful processor and a great camera.

#### Which camera phone is best for photography?

1. Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max.
2. Xiaomi 13 Pro.
3. Google Pixel 7 Pro 5G.
4. Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max.
5. Samsung Galaxy S23 Plus 5G.

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