Top 7 Budget Phones Under $300 in Australia – Best Deals for 2026

A mobile phone under A$300 doesn't have to mean a sluggish processor and a forgettable camera. The trick is to skip new entry-level handsets and buy a refurbished flagship or upper mid-ranger from a year or two ago instead. A 300 dollar phone bought that way gets you a better screen, a faster chip, and a stronger camera than anything brand new at the same price. Phonebot has refurbished and rehomed more than a million devices in Australia since 2012, and every handset below is unlocked for all Australian carriers.

Best Budget Phones Under A$300 in Australia

• Apple iPhone 12 Mini 5G (64GB) — A$269 — best overall
• Apple iPhone SE 5G 3rd Gen (128GB) — A$269 — fastest chip
• Apple iPhone XR (128GB) — A$229 — cheapest big-screen iPhone
• Apple iPhone XS (64GB) — A$219 — only optical telephoto
• Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro 5G (128GB) — A$199 — best value, toughest
• Apple iPhone SE 2020 (64GB) — A$179 — cheapest iPhone
• Oppo A5 2020 (64GB) — A$169 — cheapest, best battery

Now let's break down each phone in detail.

Apple iPhone 12 Mini 5G — Best Budget Phone Under $300 Overall

The iPhone 12 Mini is the most modern phone on this list and the one we'd hand most people. It's the only handset here with an OLED display from Apple's Super Retina XDR line, and the A14 Bionic still feels quick years on. You also get 5G, MagSafe, an IP68 rating, and a Ceramic Shield front, none of which the older iPhones below can match.

Two trade-offs to know about. The battery is the smallest here at 2227mAh, so heavy users will be reaching for a charger by evening, and this is the 64GB configuration, so it suits someone who streams rather than stores. If you want a small, current-feeling iPhone, nothing else comes close.

Pros

• Sharpest display here, a Super Retina XDR OLED
• A14 Bionic, the second-fastest chip on this list
• 5G and MagSafe support
• IP68 rating with a Ceramic Shield front
• Strong long-term iOS support

Cons

• Smallest battery on the list at 2227mAh
• 64GB storage, with no way to expand it
• Small screen won't suit everyone

Apple iPhone SE 5G 3rd Gen — Fastest Chip and Longest iOS Support

The iPhone SE 3rd Gen holds a distinction nothing else here can match: the A15 Bionic is the fastest processor in this entire guide, comfortably ahead of every other chip on this page in single-core performance. It's a 2022 chip, which also means it will keep receiving iOS updates longer than any other phone here.

You're paying for that with the design. The 4.7-inch LCD with a Home button and thick bezels looks dated, the single 12MP camera has no ultra-wide, and the 2018mAh battery is modest. If longevity and speed matter more than looks, it's the smartest buy on this page.

Pros

• A15 Bionic, the fastest chip under A$300
• Longest iOS update support on this list
• 5G and wireless charging
• 128GB storage and an IP67 rating
• Touch ID, useful if you'd rather not use Face ID

Cons

• Dated design with large bezels and an LCD screen
• Single camera with no ultra-wide
• Small battery at 2018mAh

Apple iPhone XR — Cheapest Big-Screen iPhone

The iPhone XR is the cheapest way into a large-screen iPhone. The 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display is bright and colour-accurate, battery life was always one of its strengths, and the A12 chip still handles daily tasks without complaint. At A$229 with 128GB, it's the most storage you'll get on an iPhone at this price.

It's a 2018 model, so think of it as an affordable, dependable iPhone rather than one you'll keep for years. If you'd rather have an OLED screen and a zoom lens, the iPhone XS below costs A$10 less and gives you both, in a smaller body with less storage.

Pros

• Largest iPhone display on this list at 6.1 inches
• 128GB storage, the most of any iPhone here
• Good real-world battery life
• Face ID and IP67 rating
• A12 still capable day-to-day

Cons

• No 5G, and LCD rather than OLED
• Single rear camera, no ultra-wide or zoom
• Update support is near its end

Apple iPhone XS — The Only Phone Here With Optical Zoom

The iPhone XS is the only phone in this guide with a dedicated telephoto lens. Its dual 12MP system pairs a wide with a 2x optical zoom, which means portraits and distant subjects hold real detail rather than being digitally enlarged. Every other phone on this page zooms by cropping.

It also has the better screen of the two 2018 iPhones here. The 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED is sharper and higher-contrast than the XR's LCD, and the stainless steel frame feels a tier above. The compromises are 64GB of storage and a smaller 2658mAh battery.

Pros

• Only phone here with an optical telephoto lens
• Super Retina OLED display, sharper than the XR's LCD
• Premium stainless steel build and IP68 rating
• Face ID and wireless charging
• Cheaper than the iPhone XR

Cons

• 64GB storage only
• No 5G, and update support is near its end
• Smaller battery than the XR

Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro — Best Value and Toughest Under $300

The Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro is the best value on this list and the most capable Android here. It's built for trades, site work, and anyone hard on their phone: IP68 rated, MIL-STD-810H certified against drops, and the only phone in this guide with a removable battery, so you can carry a spare and swap it in seconds rather than hunting for a charger.

The spec sheet is strong beyond the toughness, too. The Snapdragon 778G is the fastest Android chip on this page, the 6.6-inch FHD+ screen runs at 120Hz, and you get 128GB with a microSD slot for more. It's 5G, has a programmable key you can map to the torch or push-to-talk, and Samsung backs it with four Android upgrades and five years of security patches, the longest support window here.

The trade-off is bulk. At 235g it's the heaviest phone in this guide, and the rugged styling won't suit everyone.

Pros

• Removable battery, unique on this list, so you can carry a spare
• Snapdragon 778G, the fastest Android chip here
• 6.6-inch 120Hz FHD+ display, the largest and smoothest screen on this page
• IP68 and MIL-STD-810H rated, with 128GB plus microSD expansion
• Four Android upgrades and five years of security patches

Cons

• Heaviest phone here at 235g
• Rugged styling won't appeal to everyone
• LCD rather than AMOLED, and only 15W charging

Apple iPhone SE 2020 — Cheapest iPhone Under $300

The iPhone SE 2020 is the cheapest way into iOS on this page at A$179. It uses the A13 Bionic, the same chip Apple put in the iPhone 11, so it stays quick for messaging, browsing, banking, and social apps years after release.

It's the smallest and lightest phone here at 148g, with Touch ID and a Home button that will feel immediately familiar to anyone coming from an older iPhone. The compromises are real though: a 4.7-inch LCD, a single 12MP camera, no 5G, and the smallest battery in this guide at 1821mAh. If you want the same shape with 5G and a newer chip, the SE 3rd Gen above is the upgrade.

Pros

• Cheapest iPhone on this list
• A13 Bionic, the same chip as the iPhone 11
• Lightest phone here at 148g
• Touch ID and a familiar Home button
• IP67 rating and wireless charging

Cons

• Smallest battery in this guide at 1821mAh
• No 5G, and a single camera with no ultra-wide
• Dated 4.7-inch LCD with thick bezels

Oppo A5 2020 — Cheapest Phone and Best Battery Life

The Oppo A5 2020 is the cheapest phone on this list at A$169, and the pick if battery life matters more than anything else. Its 5,000mAh cell is the largest in this guide by a wide margin and comfortably clears a full day, often stretching into a second, helped by the efficient Snapdragon 665 and a modest screen resolution. It even supports reverse charging over OTG, so it can top up your other devices.

You also get a 6.5-inch display, the largest of any non-Samsung phone here, a quad camera with an ultra-wide lens, and a microSD slot for expandable storage. The trade-offs are clear at this price: the screen is HD+ LCD rather than full HD, the Snapdragon 665 is entry-level, and there's no official IP rating or 5G. For A$169 it's an honest, dependable phone rather than a bargain flagship.

Pros

• Cheapest phone on this list
• 5,000mAh battery, by far the largest here, with reverse charging
• Large 6.5-inch display, second only to the Xcover 6 Pro
• Quad camera including an ultra-wide lens
• microSD expansion

Cons

• HD+ LCD rather than a full HD or OLED panel
• No 5G and no official IP water resistance rating
• Entry-level Snapdragon 665 and no software updates remaining

Best Android Phone Under $300

Two of the seven phones here run Android, and they sit at opposite ends of the scale. The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro at A$199 is the better phone by a clear margin: a Snapdragon 778G, a 6.6-inch 120Hz display, 5G, 128GB with microSD, IP68 with MIL-STD-810H certification, a removable battery, and the longest software support window on this page. The Oppo A5 2020 at A$169 is the cheapest phone here, with by far the biggest battery, but entry-level performance and no updates remaining.

If neither suits, it's worth browsing the wider cheap Android phones range, since stock at this price changes weekly.

Best Samsung Phone Under $300

The Samsung Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro 5G at A$199 is the best Samsung under A$300, and it's an unusual recommendation in a good way. Most phones at this price are compromised mid-rangers; this one is a purpose-built rugged device with genuinely strong internals.

The Snapdragon 778G is the fastest Android chip in this guide, the 6.6-inch FHD+ screen runs at 120Hz, and you get 5G, 128GB, and a microSD slot. What sets it apart is the removable battery, which almost no modern phone offers, plus IP68 and MIL-STD-810H drop certification. Samsung backs it with four Android upgrades and five years of security patches.

Stock changes weekly at this price, so it's worth checking the full cheap Samsung phones range to see what else sits near this budget.

Best Oppo Phone Under $300

The Oppo A5 2020 at A$169 is the best Oppo under A$300, and the cheapest phone in this guide. Its headline feature is endurance: a 5,000mAh battery that routinely stretches past a single day, in a phone with a 6.5-inch screen and a quad camera with an ultra-wide lens.

It's an entry-level device rather than a bargain flagship, so expect the Snapdragon 665 to handle everyday apps rather than gaming, and note there are no software updates remaining. If you want something newer with a longer support window, the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro at A$199 is the better long-term buy. It's worth checking the full refurbished Oppo phones range for Reno and Find models sitting just above this budget.

Is a Refurbished Phone Worth It Under $300?

Yes, as long as it's properly refurbished. The real risk with cheap phones is hidden faults and a worn-out battery, and that's exactly what a graded device removes. At Phonebot, every handset passes a 72-point inspection, has its battery health verified to at least 80%, and ships unlocked with a 12-month warranty and 30-day returns, so you carry far less risk than buying second-hand from a marketplace. You can see exactly what each condition means on our phone grading guide.

How We Picked These Phones

Budget phones under A$300 won't match a current flagship, but the right one still feels good to use every day. Our team grades and tests every device in-house before it's listed, and we reviewed this list in October 2026 against live stock and pricing across our full refurbished phones range. Every phone named here was in stock at the price shown on the day of publication. We weighed processor performance, screen quality, camera output, battery life, how long each phone will keep receiving software updates, and overall value for the price.

What to Look for in a Budget Phone

Software longevity matters most if you plan to keep the phone a few years. The Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro leads with four Android upgrades and five years of security patches, followed by the iPhone SE 3rd Gen and iPhone 12 Mini. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone SE 2020 are older models nearing the end of their windows, and the Oppo A5 2020 has no updates remaining, so buy those for value rather than longevity.

Camera is the weakest area across this price bracket, so set expectations accordingly. The iPhone XS is the only phone here with an optical telephoto lens, the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro has the highest-resolution main sensor at 50MP, and the Oppo A5 2020 is the only other phone with an ultra-wide. The two iPhone SE models and the iPhone XR have a single rear camera each.

Battery is worth checking closely at this price. The Oppo A5 2020 leads comfortably at 5,000mAh, with the Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro next at 4,050mAh, and the Xcover's cell is removable so you can carry a spare. The two iPhone SE models and the iPhone 12 Mini have the smallest batteries here and will need a daily charge.

Processor is where buying refurbished pays off most. A chip from a couple of years ago, like the A15 in the iPhone SE 3rd Gen or the Snapdragon 778G in the Xcover 6 Pro, will comfortably outpace a brand-new entry-level processor at the same money.

5G is on three of our seven picks: the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone SE 3rd Gen, and Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro. The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone SE 2020, and Oppo A5 2020 are all 4G. If you plan to keep the phone past 2027, 5G is worth prioritising.

Which Budget Phone Should You Buy?

If you're not sure where to start, the iPhone 12 Mini at A$269 is our top pick for most people, with the sharpest screen here plus 5G, MagSafe, and IP68. Want the best value? The Galaxy Xcover 6 Pro at A$199 gives you the fastest Android chip here, a 120Hz screen, a removable battery, and the longest update window on this page. Want to spend the least? The Oppo A5 2020 at A$169, which also has the biggest battery. Prefer iOS on a tight budget? The iPhone SE 2020 at A$179, or the iPhone XS at A$219 if you want an OLED screen and optical zoom.