The Best Smartphones to Buy on Your Budget from $700 and Less

Okay. You’re looking for the phone of your dreams, although if you’re at dinner with the man or woman of your dreams then put your phone research on hold.

But I get it.

Your smartphone is your tool to capture a lifetime of memories. Research shows that 92% of all images taken in the U.S. are taken using smartphones and not digital cameras.

That leads us to a Big Question:

Since your photos and videos are so important, how much should you spend to get a quality phone that you’ll be pleased with using?

Looking for the number 1 phone?

If you don’t care how much you’ll spend, then you might agree with the folks at ZDNet that “The best smartphone is the iPhone 13 Pro Max… the most capable smartphone in terms of camera, battery life, processor, and more.”

Prices range from $ 1,099 to $ 1,500 depending on storage needs. If that price tag makes you pause, then there are plenty of options to get the quality you need and want.

You don’t need to spend as much as you might think to get a smartphone camera that will snap those smiley faces, special moments, and wonderful milestones.

Here’s a terrific truth from Consumer Reports:

“You don’t have to buy the No. 1-rated phone to get a great product. All but 21 of the 54 smartphones currently in CR’s ratings have earned our recommendation. And the top 20 are separated by just a few points.”

Let’s look at the smartphones that fit your budget. Scroll to the end of this post for reference links to help choose the phone that’s best for you.

And once we do, then I’ll show you how to safeguard your memories so they can be cherished for many generations to come.

Person holding smartphone, taking picture of people at a table

Photo by: Askar Abayev, Pexels

Smartphones for Under $ 750

This list is compiled from CNET.com, gsmarena.com, PC Magazine, Newsify.com.

iphone 13 mini

Features: 2 rear-facing cameras for a price of $699. 5.4 inch screen size. It was released September 2021.

iphone 12

Features: 2 rear-facing cameras for a price of $699. 6.1 inch screen size. It was released September 2021.

Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus

Features: 2 cameras, rear and front, 6.2 inch display

Other phones of note include:

Google Pixel 3
Huawei Mate 20 Pro
LG G8 Thin Q
Sony Xperia XZ2 Premium
Google Pixel 6

Smartphones for Under $500

One Plus 8T

Apple iPhone SE

Consumer Reports says it’s “the smallest and least expensive phone from Apple with basic cameras front and back yet impressive still images and video quality.”

Samsung Galaxy A42 5G with 49 hours of battery life

iPhone SE March 2022

Smartphones for Under $300

Android Central lists 8 phones for under $300. Here are a few that catch the eye:

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G

TCL 20S

Blackview BV4900, a super durable phone that doesn’t need a case

Now that you’ve got some phone choices, let’s look at an important question.

Storing Photos on Your Phone

Let’s go beyond the phone. The next important question you’ll face is “what do I do with all the photos and videos I’m taking?”

Focus on two areas:

Organizing your photos and videos
Storing your photos and videos safely and permanently

It’s nice having a smartphone with quality image and video capabilities. But isn’t it even better to have a system so you can easily organize those photos and store them permanently? Yes, permanently in a space that you own and that’s guaranteed to be accessible for a lifetime plus 100 years and longer.

I’ve been a photo coach for 27 years and I work with a great team and wonderful clients across the U.S. and Canada. Using the best tools to help my clients has always been important.

A service that’s become an essential part of my business during the last several years is FOREVER®, a company that offers a complete memory-keeping system. An app lets you easily upload from your phone.

This photo of me and my siblings is from 1964. It’s stored in one of my FOREVER® albums and it’ll be accessible for my grandchildren, and their grandchildren, and their grandchildren to view.

How? Read on.

Black and white photo of children going to church Easter Sunday 1964

Me, Melody, with my siblings before church on Easter Sunday, 1964

FOREVER® is a cloud-based platform that lets you:

Own your digital storage space, not renting or using free systems that can change their Terms of Service and lock you out
Digitize printed photos, slide shows, videos and old documents that you want to keep permanently
Create inspiring printed photo books and beautiful gifts from your digital albums
Get help with family research projects so those old photos of your grandparents are meaningful for your grandchildren and their children

I’m passionate that your memories are worth safeguarding. They’re unique to you and your family’s story.

If you’ve ever thought about writing your family’s story then check my Events page where you can get together online with friends of mine who turn their photos into brief, or not so brief, stories.

Get the smartphone that serves you well and carry through with your next steps in the process: organizing those photos and storing them safely for generations to come.