In 2023, the best budget camera phones are surprisingly capable, with great low-light potential and high-resolution captures. So despite them being relatively affordable (around the $500/£450 mark), you’ll still be able to take photos and videos you can proudly share.
Our experts have a lot of experience of testing camera phones, and we’ve also taken into account hands-on reviews by our sister sites at Future Publishing, as well as customer reviews online. So you can be sure that all the phones below will deliver. Plus at the end of the article we’ve added some buying tips, to help you make the right choice for your needs.
Once you’ve got your new phone, don’t forget to check out our top smartphone photography tips to help push your images to the next level. Alternatively, if you have lots to spend, check out our guide to the best cameras and best camera phones overall.
The best budget camera phones available now
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Released this May, the Google Pixel 7a is Google’s latest entry into the budget smartphone space. It’s a low-cost alternative to the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, but with an RRP below $500 / £500. Despite its low cost, the Pixel 7a is well-specced, with the same Tensor chipset that powers the bigger Pixel phones.
As for photos, there are only two cameras in its rear array, rather than the three as are common in smartphones nowadays. But Google’s real strength is in software rather than hardware. The Google Pixel 7a is stuffed with clever little processing tricks, which means photos taken with the phone have comparable punch and vibrancy to those shot with phones that cost twice as much.
Whilst raw photos may seem lower quality, the phone will work magic using AI processing tech to really make them pop. Google’s Magic Eraser tech is also present, so you’ll be able to edit out unwanted objects or people from your photos for absolutely flawless shots.
Opting for the Pixel 7a over the Pixel 6 (number 4 on our list) will mean a smaller (albeit still generous) 5.9-inch OLED and slightly weaker battery life. But the Pixel 7a stands out for its top-tier photo processing and editing software, which proves you don’t have to spend a lot for a quality camera phone.
OnePlus isn’t the best known name in tech, but the Nord 2T is a very lovely camera phone. Its rear camera boasts a 50MP Sony IMX766 main sensor, an 8MP ultra-wide and 2MP depth sensor.
Combined with an updated Dimensity 1300 chipset, the Nord 2T especially excels in low-light photography, which means you’ll be able to capture some gorgeous night shots with bold colours and crisp lines. The AI Highlight Video feature will aid in clear shots even amidst low or uneven lighting.
The front camera has a 32MP sensor, just like the flagship OnePlus 10 Pro. An AI deblurring algorithm will reduce any blur that may come from an unsteady hand so your self portraits will look stunning.
Beyond the cameras, the Nord 2T is a well-rounded mid-range phone with a fairly powerful processor, a good-looking 6.4-inch AMOLED and really fast charging. It’s not a huge upgrade over its predecessor, but to be fair there wasn’t much that needed changing – and now these features can be yours for even less than before.
Apple’s iPhone SE (2022) is a great value camera phone. It combines good performance with water-resistance and wireless charging – all flagship features. The design looks very familiar from older iPhones, but we found performance to be on-point when we reviewed it.
The camera only has the one lens on the back, but the single 12MP snapper can grab high-resolution, portrait mode photos and even shoots 4K video. You don’t get all of the features of the iPhone 14, like Night mode or Dolby Vision HDR and Cinematic Mode for video, but you do get the vital tools that make the pictures better, including Portrait Mode for people.
Photos don’t have the vibrant colours and dynamic range of as those on the iPhone 14 Pro either, but they do have a lot of detail. Add to that the price, and Apple’s beating many Android smartphones at the game they normally dominate: value for money. Read our iPhone SE (2022) review.
The Pixel 6 may cost less than $400, but it’s well specced for photography, with a 50MP 1/1.31 sensor featuring 1.2-micron pixels, omnidirectional phase-detection autofocus, laser autofocus and OIS. The secondary camera is ultra-wide, which features a fixed focus lens and 12MP resolution.
Although there are only two cameras here, Google’s ‘computational photography’ software modes will ensure decent photos in many situations. Modes include Astrophotography, Night Sight, Panorama, Photosphere, and Motion. The Magic Eraser will allow you to edit out unwanted objects and unblur faces for flawless, detailed digital photos.
Video-wise, you can capture footage at 4K resolution, 60fps, and the default UI supports easy switching between Bluetooth and on-device microphones, which is very handy if you’re interested in content creation.
Members of Moto’s affordable G series of smartphones haven’t always deserved a place on lists with ‘best camera phone’ in the title, but in 2021, that started to change, and the Moto G200 is the best example of this.
The phone has three rear cameras including a super-high-res main snapper, but its real power comes from the AI scene optimisation, as Motorola’s software has been coming on leaps and bounds in that department. Low-light photography is good for a budget phone, and selfies look vibrant too.
As budget phones go, this is a solid all-rounder, and in our tests we found it performed admirably across the board. It’s great as a ‘jack of all trades’, though it doesn’t stand out in any particular department like the Realme or OnePlus do. Some may find the phone too big to be comfortable to use, and that’s a valid criticism, but if you’re on a budget, this is the best Moto mobile for you.
Another Google Pixel offering, this time the slightly older and smaller Pixel 6a. Although this is an older offering now thanks to the release of the 7a (number one on our list), it’s still a fantastic contender that deserves a place on this list.
Much like the 7a, the Google Pixel 6a offers wonderful camera software that will really make your photos and video pop. This phone can record videos on the main camera in 4k, which is incredibly impressive considering the price point. However, one drawback that we frequently reported is the battery. This phone charges slowly and the battery life isn’t as long-lasting as other phones.
The great news is that this affordable phone is seeing frequent price cuts now that the 7a is out. In sales, we’ve seen it dip as low as $300/£300!
Samsung has really surprised us here, giving its budget-friendly Galaxy A53 phone four rear cameras that you wouldn’t turn your nose up at. None of these are filler lenses like we see on many cameras.
The 64MP main camera takes great pictures, with the 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP depth-sensing and 5MP macro cameras all helping out in a pinch, but the star of the show is the software. Samsung’s entire range of modes, including Food for adding focus and saturation to shots, or Single Take if you don’t know what kind of picture would be best for the subject, are all present and accounted for.
This really is a great camera phone for the price, though it’s lower on this list because that cost is a little higher than some of the other mobiles we’ve listed here. On the flip side, it’s a good-looking phone with a solid display, though it’s quite sluggish to use thanks to a weak chipset. Either way, Samsung phones are often solid, and the A53 is proof of that.
The Realme C35 packs in a 50MP main camera that uses Sony’s IMX766 sensor, which crops up in quite a few smartphones with higher price tags than this one. The rest of the camera array is nothing to write home about, with no ultra-wide array, but still, in most conditions you’ll get imagery with this camera that punches well above the phone’s weight.
Across the board, this phone does a good job at its price point. The battery life is excellent, and you can easily get a good couple of days of use out of the phone before needing to charge, which is not something you can say for more expensive smartphones. Having a Full HD display is welcome too, as it makes watching Netflix or YouTube on the phone a much better experience. Some might quibble the maximum brightness of 600 nits, and it’s definitely not ideal, but once again, is the kind of trade-off you’d expect to make at this price.
The Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite 5G takes some of the key features from the Mi 11 and cuts some corners (and lots of the body) to make a smaller, cheaper phone. Note, though, that this handset isn’t available in the US.
It boasts the same fantastic macro camera we saw on the Mi 11 along with a high-megapixel main camera with an ultra-wide snapper. Once the cameras were pointed at the subject, we found that the Mi 11 Lite acted pretty similar to the Redmi, but with a much smaller form factor. It was easy for us to pull the Mi 11 Lite out of our pocket when we spotted a great scene, which is something we can’t say about lots of the other mobiles on this list.
Beyond the cameras, this is a fashionable phone, with a slim body and a range of colours to pick from. It’s not got much staying power in terms of battery life, but it’ll be enough for most people.
The OnePlus Nord CE 2 5G doesn’t quite compare to the Nord 2 that places higher up on this list, but it has one massive advantage compared to that device: it’s a chunk cheaper. Sure, the 64MP camera here doesn’t quite match up to the Nord 2’s 50MP, but the other cameras are roughly the same, and the two phones share the same camera app and features too.
We found the OnePlus performed about how well you’d expect given its price, except unlike some other budget phones, it didn’t have any glaring flaws. We could rely on it in different situations, which is certainly something you can’t say about all budget camera phones.
Plus, it doesn’t pull punches with its display or processor either, as it has a vibrant AMOLED screen and its processor, the Dimensity 900, is good for this price tier. If you’re looking for an affordable OnePlus phone that’s fully capable in the camera department, definitely check this device out. But once again, this one isn’t available in the US.
Honor’s latest smartphone technically comes just under the price limit – as long as you get the 128GB version – and has a 108MP main camera as well as an 8MP ultra-wide and two 2MP auxiliary cams.
The real star of the show, though, is the 32MP selfie camera, as self-portraits look bright and colourful. We found this great whether in standard or Portrait mode, with balanced highlights and shadows, great contrast, lovely-looking colour and realistic-looking Bokeh background blur. Even when we took night-time selfies, we found ourselves clearly detailed.
Elsewhere, we weren’t as enthused by the cameras. It’s not bad for photography, but about on par with other mobiles on this list. So it’s really a choice for selfie fans. Beyond that, this is your standard mid-range Android phone with a medium-power processor, long-lasting battery and good-looking display. If you need a 108MP camera phone on a budget, it’s a good choice, but the Redmi Note 10 Pro is better value for money.
How do I choose the best budget camera phone?
You’ve got three important things to consider in buying a budget camera phone. What do you wish to spend? What do you need from the camera? And what do you need from the rest of the phone?
Firstly, budget. While our list above caps off at $500 / £450, some people won’t be willing to spend that much. So ask yourself how much you’ve got for the phone, and find a device that fits within this.
Next, consider your photography habits and preferences. Do you want a phone that spews AI-saturated pictures, or one that takes natural-looking ones? Do you want zoom lenses, macro cameras, or novelty extras? Check the specs of each phone to make sure your boxes are ticked on that front. Knowing your preferences can help you find the best phone for you.
Finally, what do you want beyond the cameras itself? A camera phone is for life, not just for the photoshoot, so think about what’s important for you. Do you want a device with a large battery capacity, a big screen, fast charging, a powerful chipset for gaming, and so on? Use your normal smartphone use case to determine which phone is best for you.
The information included in each of the listings above caters to all these factors, so use our information to decide which is best for you.
Once you’ve picked up one of the above best budget camera phones, why not check out some other creative inspiration? We have detailed guides to the best memory cards for your camera, as well as a list of the best cameras for kids.