Sign in with Facebook
Sign in with Google
Sign in with Apple
9 Best Mobile Phones Under $500 AUD in 2026
Quick answer: The best phone under A$500 in Australia is the refurbished Samsung Galaxy S23 at A$389, which gives you a flagship Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and a real 3x telephoto lens for mid-range money. The best camera is the Google Pixel 8a at A$399, which runs the same Tensor G3 as the flagship Pixel 8 and carries seven years of updates, the longest support window here. For serious zoom, the Google Pixel 7 Pro at A$419 packs a true 5x optical periscope, the Galaxy Z Fold 4 at A$499 squeezes a genuine book-style foldable under the cap, and the cheapest phone here is the Galaxy A55 at A$369. Every phone is refurbished, professionally graded, and backed by a 12-month warranty from Phonebot, an Australian refurbished-phone retailer based in Melbourne.
Shopping for a budget phone can be tricky. There are so many cheap phones for sale, often from brands you've never heard of. It might even seem like you're taking a bigger risk buying a cheaper phone than spending a little more on a high-end model.
But honestly, there's never been a better time to snag yourself one of the best budget phones under A$500. Smartphones have come a long way, and the gap between budget and flagship models is getting smaller.
These days, you can get a large-screen, multi-camera phone with smooth performance; there's no need to skip meals to afford one. Even better, many of these models are available as second-hand phones at amazing prices. In this blog, we've rounded up some top budget picks to help you start your search for a new device.
Best Mobile Phones under AUD 500
- Apple iPhone 14 starts from A$479
- Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 starts from A$499
- Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 starts from A$449
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro starts from A$429
- Google Pixel 7 Pro starts from A$419
- Vivo V30 starts from A$399
- Google Pixel 8a starts from A$399
- Samsung Galaxy S23 starts from A$389
- Samsung Galaxy A55 starts from A$369
Related Products
![Apple iPhone 12 Pro 5G (256GB) [Grade A]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/apple/iphone-12/iphone-12-pro/iphone-12-pro-gold-200x170.jpg "Apple iPhone 12 Pro 5G (256GB) [Grade A]")
ONLY 1 LEFT
![Google Pixel 7 Pro 5G (256GB) [Grade A]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/google/pixel-7-pro/pixel-7-pro-obsedien-200x170.jpg "Google Pixel 7 Pro 5G (256GB) [Grade A]"){kind=tracking}
![Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G (256GB) [Grade B]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/samsung/galaxy-fold-4/Samsung-Galaxy-Z-Fold-4-Gray-Green-9-200x170.jpg "Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 5G (256GB) [Grade B]")
ONLY 1 LEFT
![Samsung Galaxy S23 5G (128GB) [Grade B]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/samsung/galaxy-s23/galaxy-s23-phantom-black-200x170.jpg "Samsung Galaxy S23 5G (128GB) [Grade B]")
![Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 5G (256GB) [Grade B]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/samsung/z-flip5/galaxy-z-flip5-yellow-200x170.jpg "Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 5G (256GB) [Grade B]")
ONLY 1 LEFT
![Google Pixel 8a 5G (128GB) [Like New]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/google/pixel-8a/google-pixel-8a-obsidian-200x170.jpg "Google Pixel 8a 5G (128GB) [Like New]"){kind=tracking}
![Samsung Galaxy A55 5G (128GB) [Grade A]](https://www.phonebot.com.au/image/cache/catalog/refurbished/samsung/galaxy-a55-5g/samsung-galaxy-a55-navy-200x170.jpg "Samsung Galaxy A55 5G (128GB) [Grade A]")
ONLY 1 LEFT
Apple iPhone 14
The Apple iPhone 14 is the easy choice for anyone who wants a dependable, no-fuss iPhone that'll keep getting updates for years. It runs on the powerful A15 Bionic chip, the same silicon found in the iPhone 13 Pro, so performance stays silky smooth across the board. The upgraded dual-camera system captures bright, true-to-life shots, while the Photonic Engine seriously improves low-light photography. Throw in safety features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS, plus that classic premium build, and the iPhone 14 is a smart, sensible pick.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz
- Camera: 12MP main + 12MP ultrawide, 12MP front
- Processor: Apple A15 Bionic
- Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage
- Battery: 3,279mAh with 20W wired and 15W MagSafe wireless charging
- Colours: Midnight, Starlight, Blue, Purple, Yellow, Product Red
- Price: Starting from A$499
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is the big surprise of this list: a genuine book-style foldable that has slipped under the A$500 mark. Closed, it works like a regular phone on the 6.2-inch cover screen. Open it up and you get a 7.6-inch tablet-sized display that's brilliant for emails, maps, reading, and proper split-screen multitasking, with a PC-style Taskbar that makes switching apps effortless. The Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 keeps everything flagship-fast, and this is the generation where the Fold's camera caught up, with a 50MP main sensor and a real 3x telephoto. It's IPX8 water resistant and even supports the S Pen (sold separately), so note-takers aren't left out. Nothing else under A$500 does what this phone does.
Key Specs:
- Display: 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz, plus 6.2-inch cover screen
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP telephoto (3x), 10MP cover camera + 4MP under-display inner camera
- Processor: Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1
- Memory: 12GB RAM, 256GB / 512GB / 1TB storage
- Battery: 4,400mAh with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Colours: Graygreen, Phantom Black, Beige, Burgundy
- Price: Starting from A$499
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the generation where the Flip formula finally clicked. The headline is the 3.4-inch Flex Window cover screen, a massive jump over the tiny strip on the Flip 4, letting you check notifications, fire off replies, and run widgets without ever opening the phone. The new Flex Hinge closes completely flat with no gap, so it slips into a pocket far more neatly than older foldables. Unfolded, the 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X runs at 1–120Hz, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy keeps everything genuinely flagship-fast, and FlexCam still takes the best hands-free selfies of any phone.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.7-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 1–120Hz, plus 3.4-inch Flex Window
- Camera: 12MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide, 10MP front
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory: 8GB RAM, 256GB / 512GB storage
- Battery: 3,700mAh with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Colours: Mint, Graphite, Cream, Lavender
- Price: Starting from A$449
Apple iPhone 12 Pro
The Apple iPhone 12 Pro still nails the premium iPhone formula years on. The 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display is sharp and colour-accurate, and the stainless steel frame with Ceramic Shield front feels every bit the flagship it launched as. The Pro triple-camera system, complete with a LiDAR scanner, delivers excellent photos, faster low-light autofocus, and standout Night mode portraits, plus Dolby Vision video recording that cheaper phones still can't match. The A14 Bionic chip handles everything you throw at it with ease, and ongoing iOS support keeps it secure and smooth. If you want Pro-grade Apple hardware for well under A$500, this is the one.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR OLED, 60Hz
- Camera: 12MP main + 12MP ultrawide + 12MP telephoto (2x), 12MP front, LiDAR
- Processor: Apple A14 Bionic
- Memory: 6GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage
- Battery: 2,815mAh with 20W wired and 15W MagSafe wireless charging
- Colours: Graphite, Silver, Gold, Pacific Blue
- Price: Starting from A$429
Google Pixel 7 Pro
The Google Pixel 7 Pro is the zoom champion of this list. Its 48MP periscope lens delivers a true 5x optical zoom, with Super Res Zoom shots that stay usable all the way to 30x, and you simply won't find another real periscope at this price. The 50MP main sensor produces Google's trademark crisp, natural photos, the ultrawide doubles as a macro camera, and Tensor G2 powers the clever software tricks Pixels are famous for, including Magic Eraser and Photo Unblur. The 6.7-inch QHD+ LTPO display scales from 10 to 120Hz and looks superb, while the 5,000mAh battery comfortably clears a full day. For big-phone flagship polish at a mid-range price, it's a cracking buy.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.7-inch QHD+ LTPO OLED, 10–120Hz, 1,500 nits peak
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide + 48MP telephoto (5x periscope), 10.8MP front
- Processor: Google Tensor G2
- Memory: 12GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB / 512GB storage
- Battery: 5,000mAh with 30W fast charging and wireless charging
- Colours: Obsidian, Snow, Hazel
- Price: Starting from A$419
Vivo V30
The Vivo V30 is built for anyone who wants a big, bright screen and portrait photos that look like they came off a much pricier phone. Its 6.78-inch AMOLED runs at a smooth 120Hz and pushes a huge peak brightness, so it stays perfectly readable in harsh Aussie sun. The real party trick is the camera: a 50MP main sensor with OIS paired with a 50MP ultrawide that doubles as a group-selfie lens, plus Vivo's Aura Light Portrait ring for soft, flattering fill light at night. A big 5,000mAh battery with 80W FlashCharge tops it up in around half an hour, and at just 7.5mm thin it stays comfortable to hold all day.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.78-inch AMOLED, 120Hz, 1.5K
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 50MP ultrawide, 50MP front
- Processor: Snapdragon 7 Gen 3
- Memory: 8GB / 12GB RAM, 256GB / 512GB storage
- Battery: 5,000mAh with 80W FlashCharge
- Colours: Noble Black, Waving Aqua, Peacock Green
- Price: Starting from A$419
Google Pixel 8a
The Google Pixel 8a is the smart pick for anyone who loves a clever camera and clean software. It runs the same Tensor G3 chip as the flagship Pixel 8, so you get Google's full AI toolkit, including Magic Editor, Best Take, and Audio Magic Eraser, at a fraction of the price. The 64MP main sensor delivers Google's trademark crisp, natural photos, and the 6.1-inch Actua display runs at 120Hz and gets bright enough for harsh Aussie sun.
The standout is the support window. Google commits to seven years of OS, security, and Feature Drop updates from launch, which is longer than anything else on this list and far longer than most phones at this price. That makes it one of the smartest long-term buys under A$500.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch Actua OLED, 120Hz, 2,000 nits peak
- Camera: 64MP main (OIS) + 13MP ultrawide, 13MP front
- Processor: Google Tensor G3
- Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage
- Battery: 4,492mAh with 18W wired and 7.5W wireless charging
- Colours: Obsidian, Porcelain, Bay, Aloe
- Price: Starting from A$399
Samsung Galaxy S23
The Samsung Galaxy S23 is a genuine flagship in a compact body, and at this price it's one of the smartest buys on the list. The 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X is punchy and smooth at 120Hz, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy is still quick enough to chew through anything you throw at it years after launch. The triple camera pairs a 50MP main sensor with a real 3x optical telephoto and a 12MP ultrawide, so you get proper zoom rather than a cropped digital fudge, and Nightography keeps evening shots clean. If you want a small, premium phone with long software support and that polished One UI experience, this is one of the best refurbished Samsung phones you can pick up today.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.1-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 48–120Hz, FHD+
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide + 10MP telephoto (3x), 12MP front
- Processor: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy
- Memory: 8GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage
- Battery: 3,900mAh with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging
- Colours: Phantom Black, Cream, Green, Lavender
- Price: Starting from A$389
Samsung Galaxy A55
The Samsung Galaxy A55 is the cheapest phone on this list and a genuinely solid everyday device. It gets the essentials right: a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED at 120Hz, a 5,000mAh battery that clears a full day with room to spare, and a 50MP main camera with optical image stabilisation.
The build is better than the price suggests, with Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front and an aluminium frame. There's also a microSD slot for up to 1TB of extra storage, which none of the flagship-derived phones above offer, and Samsung backs it with four Android upgrades and five years of security patches. Worth weighing against the Galaxy S23 above, which costs A$20 more and gives you a flagship chip and a telephoto lens in a smaller body.
Key Specs:
- Display: 6.6-inch Super AMOLED, 120Hz, FHD+
- Camera: 50MP main (OIS) + 12MP ultrawide + 5MP macro, 32MP front
- Processor: Exynos 1480
- Memory: 6GB / 8GB / 12GB RAM, 128GB / 256GB storage plus microSD
- Battery: 5,000mAh with 25W charging
- Colours: Awesome Iceblue, Awesome Lilac, Awesome Navy, Awesome Lemon
- Price: Starting from A$369
Buying guide for phones under AUD 500 in Australia
If you're after a good, cheap mobile in Australia, here's what to keep in mind:
- Speed matters: Look for at least 6GB of RAM and a decent processor, such as a Snapdragon or MediaTek, to keep things running smoothly.
- Camera count: For solid photos, check for features like night mode, wide angle, or OIS (optical image stabilisation).
- All-day battery: Go for a battery with at least 4,500mAh so it lasts all day.
- Nice screen: AMOLED displays with 120Hz refresh rates make games and scrolling feel smooth.
- Software updates: Make sure the phone still gets regular software and security updates.
If gaming is your priority, check out our roundup of the best budget gaming phones, too.
Verdict
At Phonebot, our budget phone range covers a solid mix of models, from refurbished iPhones to Samsung and Google Pixels. Whether you're after an iOS device or a cheap Android phone, these models might not have every single feature of the top-end flagships, but they still pack a punch for a lot less.
Check out our picks for the best budget phones under A$300. So, if you're looking to snag one of the best bargain phones, look no further than Phonebot.
Posted by Liam Harris
Liam Harris
Liam Harris is a tech writer at Phonebot, covering refurbished phones, tablets and wearables since 2022. His buying guides and model comparisons draw on live Australian market pricing and Phonebot's experience rehoming over one million devices.
.jpg-688x400.jpeg "Best Value iPhones in Australia (2026)")
Google
Apple
Facebook