How much should you spend on a smartphone?

Spending too much money on the best smartphones on offer is incredibly tempting. It’s even easier to get allured by features and specifications you’ll probably never use. While money buys you a lot of kit, not every buyer needs everything and the kitchen sink. Many users can get by with a modest glass slab. If you’re searching for a device for a particular purpose or are a particular type of buyer, we explain below how much you should spend on a smartphone.

Importantly, the recommendations below consider the best value phone for a particular user, not necessarily the most affordable. You could consider pricier or cheaper phones to match your budget and requirements.

How much should power users spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Around $900 or more, depending on your demands.

For power users, the question isn’t how much they should pay but how much they want to spend. Like supercar shoppers, power users only care about acquiring the superlatives, whatever the cost. These buyers will likely know how much they’ll need to spend for that specific design feature or specification.

That being said, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution for power users. Everyone is different, even if they all maximize their phone usage. Some might gravitate towards cutting-edge designs, like the best foldables. Others may make extensive use of their phone for emulation or mobile development. While others want to own the best of the best, this diversity means that recommending a single device at a single price point is tricky.

Depending on your device’s form factor, you can spend anywhere from $900 to $1,800 as a power user. You’ll find “cheap” flagships like the Google Pixel 8 Pro ($999 at Amazon) and the Galaxy S24 ($859.99 at Amazon) starting around the $1,000 mark or less, with more premium options, like the Galaxy S24 Ultra further above this threshold.

How much should general users spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Not more than $600.

If you’re heavily reliant on your smartphone but don’t require unique features, you could consider yourself a general or an average smartphone user. You use your phone to send emails, for digital banking, browsing social media, mapping purposes, and messaging. Notably, you can find these features on practically every modern phone, but you might also want a touch extra, be it a good screen to watch TV shows or movies or a camera kit to snap decent photographs when required.

The best budget phones are more than adequate nowadays, but you might want to spend a little more on storage, a better camera phone, or a better display. It’s also likely that you won’t upgrade your smartphone annually, making a device with lengthy support a must. If this is the case, we favor Samsung and Google’s mid-range models, hence our recommendation of the Google Pixel 8a. You can spend even less if you sacrifice software support, a reliable camera, and solid build quality.

How much should elderly or less demanding users spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Not more than $300.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have less demanding users. This group requires a phone for basic communication, the odd game of Wordle, scrolling through social media, or following global events through a news app or browser. In simpler terms, they don’t require a powerhouse phone or anything approaching it. All that’s required is a smartphone that can accomplish the bare minimum without fuss.

Older users may also need a larger screen, a durable body, and a reliable loudspeaker. For both parties, the Samsung Galaxy A14 5G fits the bill.

How much should mobile gamers spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Around $500.

Now, to address a more specialized use case. The gaming phone market offers a lot of wiggle room regarding budget. The most important features are display refresh rate, chipset performance, and heat dissipation. If the device comes with fast charging and a long-lasting battery, that’s even better.

I’d recommend fishing in the $600 range for starters. At that price, you can get the nubia REDMAGIC 8S Pro. It’s not the brand’s latest model but excels as a value proposition and should easily run most modern titles. The 8S Pro packs all the gaming phone paraphernalia, including RGB accents and capacitive triggers. Importantly, as gaming demands increase yearly, its limited software support period won’t affect those planning to upgrade.

Of course, those with cash to splash could invest in the ASUS ROG Phone 8 ($985 at Amazon) and gain hardware buttons, an upgraded chipset, and even faster screen.

How much should you spend on a phone for children?

How much should you spend? Not more than $200.

A child’s first smartphone may resemble the device I recommended for less demanding users, but a more rugged device is often required. A large screen, long-lasting battery, and reliability are three key features to consider, but you needn’t spend more than $200 to find all this.

A device that fulfills this role is the Samsung Galaxy A03s. It offers a broad display for easy reading, a surprisingly good main camera to keep in touch with family, and good battery life for kids who forget to charge their device regularly. Teenagers may demand something trendier and pricier, like the iPhone SE (2022) ($429 at Amazon), but there’s little reason to spend more than $200 on a phone for children.

How much should jotters and students spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Around $400.

Those who use their phone for writing and note-taking will see the stylus as an important tool. A digital pen makes handwriting much easier and is perfect for students or artists. Generally, phones with styli come with a premium, but affordable options exist.

There’s little doubt that Samsung dominates the smartphone stylus market, formerly with its Note range and now with its premium S Pen-toting Galaxy S Ultra models. However, there’s no reason to spend over $1,200 if you want to write on your device. The Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G (2024) isn’t the obvious choice, but it is among the cheapest phones with a built-in stylus you can buy.

How much should casual photographers spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Around $300 or more, depending on your demands.

More budget phones are receiving features formerly limited to flagships, including high-resolution cameras and multiple lenses. While flagships offer impressive processing tricks and larger sensors, cheaper phones can still snap great photographs. You don’t need a flagship camera if you only plan to snap the odd photograph of a birthday party, your lunch plate at a brunch with friends, or the odd selfie for social media. You also won’t require a device with the best processor or titanium body.

In these situations, a device around the $300 mark will more than satisfy your modest photography requirements. The best example is the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G, which punches well above its weight with a 50MP primary camera.

Of course, you’ll get a lot more if you’re willing to spend more, but this equation doesn’t always represent the best value. The Google Pixel 8a ($499 at Amazon) is the best camera phone you can buy on a budget.

How much should outdoor workers or adventurers spend on a phone?

How much should you spend? Around $500 or less if you invest in a good case.

Outdoor workers or adventurers require a rugged phone — that is, one that’ll stand up to the elements, survive drops, and be water resistant. These facets usually come at a premium, but alternatives are at lower price points.

Every smartphone can be rugged if you pair it with a good case. However, for those who want a dedicated outdoor device that can brave bumps and knocks, the Nokia XR21 is a solid budget option. It costs around $500, which is a fair investment for a rugged phone that won’t look out of place in the boardroom. Alternatively, spend a little more, and you can find the CAT S62 Pro ($187.5 at eBay) — a more traditional rugged phone.