5 Cheaper Android Phones To Try Instead Of The Google Pixel 11

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Google's new Pixel 11 is already earning accolades from reviewers who say it's one of the best and most complete Android options for 2026, combining good cameras, advanced Gemini features, and one of the most refined UI's you can find. Google also offers one of the longest Android update support periods, guaranteeing new features and security fixes for seven years.

The problem is that this whole premium Pixel 11 experience also comes with a higher price, starting at $899. But not everyone needs to pay high costs to find a fast and reliable phone. Over the past few years, several more affordable alternatives to flagship phones have gone on sale offering competitive features, even if they aren't the best possible.

With that in mind, below is a list of Android phones that are cheaper than the Pixel 11, but still worth buying. As they're lower price, these smartphones usually have some tradeoffs, such as lower-quality cameras or less powerful hardware, but they still deliver good performance for the price they ask. That's especially important for people who really only need a "good enough" device.

The first option on our list is also the most obvious: Google's Pixel 10, released in 2025. Though it is a whole year older than its sibling, the Pixel 10 was well received when it was new too, but now it isn't full price. The Pixel 10 is a little weaker in hardware, but still boasts several characteristics you can find when using the current flagship of the line, such as a 6.3 inch screen and 120 Hz. It comes with a previous-generation Tensor G5 chip, which is fast enough for daily use. In addition, some of the best Pixel 10 features according to users also involve seven years of updates and PixelSnap.

Of course, although the Pixel 10 is still a good phone, it still has some tradeoffs. The Pixel 11's Tensor G6 helps power improvements in hardware, software and quantum security, which makes the general experience of using the newer phone sometimes feel superior. Even so, considering this previous-generation phone can make a lot of sense, especially when it routinely appears in promotions pushing the price as low as $449, well below Google's $799 sticker price.

For anyone who wants to save money without leaving the premium Android line, the Galaxy S25 is another option. For $799, it offers a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, a 6.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED screen running at 120 Hz, and a triple camera with a 50MP main sensor with 2x optical zoom, and 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom. That's still a compelling package when compared to Google's flagship Pixel phones.

Just like the Pixel 10, Samsung's Galaxy S25 is relatively similar to its newer sibling, the Galaxy S26 when matching them up in 2026. For anyone looking for an Android smartphone with good performance and a versatile camera set, it is a choice that still makes sense.

If your budget is even tighter, Samsung also offers its Galaxy S25 FE, whose price is around $650. That device comes with a bigger 6.7 inch screen, and it runs at 120Hz. The downsides are mostly the chip, which is swapped from a Qualcomm Snapdragon to Samsung's less impressive Exynos 2400. The main camera remains at 50MP, but the telephoto is downgraded to 8MP, still with 3x optical zoom, and wireless charging.

If cameras don't matter as much to you, the OnePlus 15R might be a better option. For $700, it delivers excellent performance, but not quite as good photos. It comes equipped with a Snapdragon Gen 5 and works with 12GB of RAM, as well as 256GB of storage. The 6.83 inch AMOLED screen also reaches 165 Hz, and the 7400 mAh battery should last more than a full day of normal use, making it excellent for anyone who wants to play games or spend a lot of time away from an outlet.

At the same time, there are several reasons why OnePlus R-series phones are cheaper, mainly because of tradeoffs and strategic downgrades. The 15R has no telephoto camera or wireless charging, two features that have become standard on flagship phones. Still, for the price difference, it's worth considering so long as you can live with the less-impressive cameras.

RedMagic 11 Pro is another option, especially if you prefer a smartphone with more focus on hardware than cameras. So for $699 you get a device with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, 12GB of RAM, 256GB of storage and a 6.85-inch AMOLED screen running at 144 Hz. Also attention should be paid to the 7,500 mAh battery and especially to the wired or wireless charging up to 80W. The phone also has liquid cooling through large vapour chambers on the device, making it particularly appealing for gamers.

By comparison, the Pixel 11 has a more balanced experience, mainly because of the camera system. The image processing of this Google smartphone is usually more consistent, since the RedMagic 11 Pro also has no telephoto, using two 50 MP cameras and a 2 MP auxiliary sensor to help improve quality particularly for close-ups. Software support is also a little shorter, with the company only promising two major Android software updates alongside five years of security patches.

The Motorola Edge launched this year is also another good cheaper alternative to the Google Pixel 11, starting at only $600. The Edge is very light, weighing around 160.5 grams compared with 195.6 on Google's phone. In addition, it also has a good 6.3-inch screen running at 120 Hz and reaches 5,200 nits of brightness, beating Google's rival with 3,000 nits. The 5,000 mAh battery is larger, with 68 W wired charging, making these some perks of switching to a Motorola phone.

Despite its compact design, the Motorola Edge (2026) falls behind the Pixel 11 with its camera. The two cameras have similar 50 MP sensors, but Google's image processing delivers more consistent photos, especially at night. The Edge's MediaTek Dimensity 7450 also loses to the Pixel 11's Tensor G6 in performance, and the software support between these two phones is also quite different. Motorola guarantees only three years of support for the Edge 2026, less than half of Google's seven years.

To choose the models on this list, we looked for Android phones priced below the Pixel 11, which launched at a sticker price of $899 in the American market. Below that value, we chose phones that delivered an experience similar to a flagship in some way, whether in performance, screens, cameras, or software support from manufacturers. Models with specs far below Google's new flagship stayed out, even if they came with an aggressive price.

We also avoided including phones that did not offer meaningful savings, such as other flagships launched this year. The Samsung Galaxy S26, for example, is excellent, but costs practically the same as a Pixel 11. However, flagship models from previous years that have a better price were still considered, such as the S25, which has several premium features and some trade-offs.