After deciding between Android and iOS, the next big decision you need to make is how much you are willing to spend on a new phone. For some people, only the very best phones will do, and they’re willing to pay for it. At the other end of the scale, the best budget phones deliver a solid core experience at a fraction of the cost.
But what about if you’re somewhere in between? You still want some of those premium features, but your budget can’t quite stretch to flagship prices.
That’s where a mid-range phone comes in. To be eligible here, a phone must cost between £300/$300 and £700/$700 when bought outright at launch. That’s a fairly wide price range, with dozens of possible devices, but only the very best have made it into the top 10 below.
The only mid-range iPhone that Apple sells is the iPhone 16e, but it wasn’t good enough to be included here. It means the list below is exclusively Android phones, though there’s still plenty of choice. Below, you’ll find devices from OnePlus, Google, Samsung, Xiaomi, Nothing, Motorola and Poco.
Other honourable mentions go to the Nubia Flip 5G, the only mid-range folding phone, and the Fairphone 5, which has impressive sustainability and repairability credentials.
All 10 phones below are available in the UK, but not all of them are sold in the US – we’ll indicate where that’s the case. And at the bottom of the page, you’ll find detailed buying advice for mid-range phones.
Best mid-range phone 2025
1. Google Pixel 9a – Best overall
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="3712" /> Pros
- Attractive display?
- Strong main and selfie cameras?
- Excellent software?
- Seven years of updates
Cons
- No telephoto camera?
- Slow charging?
- Polarising design
The Pixel 9a is far from being a perfect phone, but it is very easy to recommend. If you want a no-frills mid-range phone experience that will serve you well for many years, this is it.
That’s not to say it doesn’t have any standout features, though. The 6.3-inch P-OLED display is excellent, especially with that silky-smooth 120Hz refresh. Opting for the same Tensor G4 chipset as the flagship Pixel 9 phones means performance is excellent too.
And in the 48Mp main lens, you’ve got a superb camera for point-and-shoot photography. The 13Mp selfie sensor is impressive too, while the 13Mp ultrawide can hold its own. It’s just a shame there’s no telephoto lens for proper zoom photography.
But the Pixel 9a is arguably even more impressive on the software side. Slick Android 15 software is backed by a class-leading seven years of updates and useful AI features, even if you don’t get the full set here. Pixel phones are also first in line to get Android 16 and future major versions when they arrive.
While battery life is decent, slow 23W wired charging is probably the biggest disappointment, while the nondescript design won’t be for everyone. But if you just want a solid mid-range phone that handles almost all the fundamentals well, the Pixel 9a is the handset for you.
Read our full
Google Pixel 9a review
2. Nothing Phone (3a) – Best value
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="2500" /> Pros
- Incredibly stylish design
- Affordable price point
- Slick and speedy software
- Great battery life
Cons
- Ultrawide camera isn’t great
- No charger in the box
With a starting price of just £329/$379, the Nothing Phone (3a) is only just expensive enough to be included here. However, provided you don’t need top-tier cameras, it offers everything most people are looking for in a phone.
Nothing’s signature design, with a semi-transparent back and customisable ‘Glyph’ lights, means the Phone (3a) is sure to turn heads. But it’s the excellent Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 performance, superb 6.77-inch 120Hz OLED display and excellent battery life (from the 5000mAh cell) that elevate the device from good to truly excellent.
Nothing’s take on Android is another highlight, with a new Essential Key that should get more useful over time, plus a full six years of software support.
Cameras are the main compromise, with issues in low-light and a disappointing ultrawide lens. But for everything you’re getting, the Nothing Phone (3a) is a superb phone for the money, and there’s no reason for most people to step up to the Phone (3a) Pro.
Read our full
Nothing Phone (3a) review
3. Xiaomi 14T – Best design
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="6000" /> Pros
- Slick design
- Great cameras
- Solid performance
- Fast charging
- Useful Google Circle to Search feature
Cons
- Hit-and-miss AI features
- No wireless charging
- Plastic frame
- Not available in the US
If you want a mid-range phone that could easily pass as a flagship, the Xiaomi 14T is for you. It looks and performs a lot like the regular Xiaomi 14, yet starts at just £549 in the UK.
And there’s a lot to like here, including a premium design complete with a stunning large OLED display. The cameras are surprisingly great, despite being a clear step down from Xiaomi’s class-leading 14 Ultra.
Solid battery life is supported by impressive 67W fast charging, even if the necessary charger isn’t in the box and there’s no wireless charging.
This is a phone with almost no hardware weaknesses, though the software is still underwhelming at times. Google’s Circle to Search feature is genuinely useful, though Xiaomi’s own AI attempts aren’t always successful.
Xiaomi’s commitment to four major OS updates and five years of security patches is solid, though. And as an all-rounder, you’ll struggle to find anything better at this price point. You could step up to the 14T Pro, but the extra £150 (it starts at £699) simply isn’t worth it for most people.
Read our full
Xiaomi 14T review
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="2048" /> Pros
- Superb performance
- Stunning display
- Strong battery life
- Premium build
Cons
- Ultrawide camera is just okay
- Some pre-installed bloatware
- Display isn’t quite bright enough
- Not available in the US
From a hardware perspective, the Poco F7 Pro is an amazing achievement.
It packs a true flagship-level chipset in the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which delivers predictably superb performance in basically any scenario. The large 120Hz OLED is a joy to use, even if more brightness would be nice, while battery life from the large 6000mAh cell is excellent. You even get a premium build, something which is often sacrificed on mid-range phones.
The cameras are generally impressive, too – especially that 50Mp main lens. Sadly, the 8Mp ultrawide is a big step down in quality,
Bigger compromises appear on the software side, with annoying extra pre-installed apps and only four years of software support (as opposed to six on many mid-rangers).
But these are easy to overlook when you see everything else you’re getting for your money. Poco also has a more premium F7 Ultra, but the F7 Pro is a better choice for more people.
Read our full
Xiaomi Poco F7 Pro review
5. OnePlus 13R – Best battery life
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="2800" /> Pros
- Six years of software
- Great user experience with nice AI additions
- Brilliant performance
- Solid battery life
- Super-fast charging
Cons
- Cameras need fine tuning
- No wireless charging
- Magnetic accessories only work with case
- Not available in the US
Given it launched alongside the flagship OnePlus 13, it’s easy to overlook the cheaper 13R. But this is a great mid-range phone in its own right.
It offers almost everything most people are looking for in a mid-range phone, namely great performance, superb battery life and slick software that cleverly deploys AI to enhance the user experience. And at this price point, OnePlus’ commitment to six years of software updates is the best around.
Cameras are the main shortcoming – despite some notable improvements compared to the OnePlus 12R, it’s a step down from the best at this price point. You’ll also have to make do without wireless charging, with the MagSafe-style accessories requiring a separate case.
However, provided user experience is your top priority and you don’t mind sacrificing some camera performance to get there, you can’t go wrong with the 13R.
Read our full
OnePlus 13R review
6. Samsung Galaxy A56 5G – Best for AI
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="2800" /> Pros
- Thin and light design
- Strong software experience
- Useful AI features
- Attractive display
Cons
- Disappointing secondary cameras
- Not great for gaming
- Lacklustre speakers
In many ways, the Galaxy A56 is a Galaxy S25+ at a mid-range price.
It offers a premium design, an attractive display and solid everyday performance, making it an appealing choice. And in One UI 7, you get one of the very best software experiences, complete with genuinely useful AI features. Samsung also offers an impressive six years of both OS and security updates.
However, performance for anything more demanding can prove problematic, while a decent main rear camera is let down by the supporting lenses. You’re also better off connecting Bluetooth headphones than relying on the lacklustre speakers.
The Galaxy A56 offers a lot for its mid-range price, but it’s not brilliant value. It’s a reliable choice, but you might find one of the phones above to be a better choice.
Read our full
Samsung Galaxy A56 review
7. Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ – Best display
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" /> Pros
- Stunning display
- Excellent charging speed
- Very capable main camera sensor
- Premium design and finish
Cons
- Some performance issues
- Underwhelming software
- Not available in the US
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ isn’t quite as impressive as its predecessor, but you still get a lot for as little as £399, making it an attractive option.
Talking of attractive, that 6.67-inch AMOLED screen is a real sight to behold. It’s big, vibrant and fluid, combining a 120Hz refresh rate with up to 3000 nits of peak brightness.
Other highlights include a capable 5110mAh battery supported by rapid 120W fast charging, plus an impressive main rear camera that’s up there with the best at this price. Elsewhere, the premium design could easily pass for a flagship phone, especially on the vegan leather model.
Sadly, it’s not as impressive in all areas. The Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is fine for everyday tasks but struggles with anything more demanding, while Xiaomi’s HyperOS skin has plenty of bloatware and doesn’t feel the most intuitive.
The Redmi Note 14 Pro+ is still a strong phone, but other mid-range options offer a more well-rounded experience, and the £299 regular Redmi Note 14 Pro allows you to save some money.
Read our full
Redmi Note 14 Pro+ 5G review
8. OnePlus Nord 4 – Best for fast charging
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="1920" /> Pros
- Premium build
- Great display
- Strong main camera
- Solid battery life
- Six years of software support
Cons
- Polarising design
- Disappointing ultrawide camera
- No telephoto camera
- Not available in the US
The OnePlus Nord 4 is a superb phone which still offers everything most people are looking for in a mid-range phone.
That includes superb build quality, with the metal unibody design ensuring top-class durability, even if the reflective plastic window around the cameras will divide opinion.
The Snapdragon chip under the hood isn’t quite Qualcomm’s flagship, but performance is still very strong, while the excellent display could pass for a device twice the price.
Solid battery life is supported by 100W fast charging (albeit without the charger in the box), while the six-year update commitment is the best on a non-Samsung or Google phone.
The downsides are concentrated around the cameras, with OnePlus opting for a disappointing ultrawide lens instead of any telephoto. But the main and selfie sensors are good enough that you can mostly ignore that.
And considering everything else you’re getting, the Nord 4 is superb value for money. However, you might want to wait for the upcoming Nord 5.
Read our full
OnePlus Nord 4 review
9. Nubia Z70 Ultra – A compelling alternative
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="5579" /> Pros
- Superb performance
- Impressive main camera
- Strong battery life
- Gorgeous display
Cons
- Not the best software
- Big, unwieldy design
- No wireless charging
Nubia might be known for its Redmagic gaming phones, but the company makes some great regular handsets, too. And the Z70 Ultra is the pick of the current bunch.
It excels in four key areas: a stunning 6.85-inch AMOLED screen, top-class Snapdragon 8 Elite performance, a flagship-level 50Mp main camera and excellent battery life from the 6150mAh cell. These are all features you’d associate with a much more expensive phone.
Unfortunately, as good as the hardware is, Nubia’s take on Android isn’t particularly intuitive, and the company doesn’t mention how long it’ll be supported. Alongside the hefty design and lack of wireless charging, there are enough reasons for most people to look elsewhere.
But if you’re looking for a mid-range phone with almost no hardware compromises compared to flagships, the Nubia Z70 Ultra is the phone for you.
Read our full
Nubia Z70 Ultra review
10. Nubia Redmagic 10 Pro – Best for gaming
?quality=50&strip=all" loading="lazy" sizes="4032" /> Pros
- Great performance
- Strong battery life
- Excellent fast charging
- Useful ‘Game Space’? gaming mode
Cons
- Software support is only 3 years
- Software is rough around the edges
- Cameras are average
The Redmagic 10 Pro is a contender for the best gaming phone outright, making it remarkable that it’s priced as a mid-range phone.
Nubia is going head-to-head with the more expensive Asus ROG Phone 9 and 9 Pro here, and the Redmagic fares well. Performance from the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset is its key strength, offering superb gaming performance in collaboration with the built-in fan and advanced cooling system.
Nubia’s ‘Game Space’ software mode offers useful gaming tweaks and customisation, while the large display and premium design make it a joy to use. And with a 7050mAh battery and 100W wired charging (80W in the box), the battery life/charging combo is one of the best around.
The 10 Pro’s main weaknesses appear when you try to use it as a regular phone, with a heavy build and hit-and-miss software. Nubia also only guarantees three years of software updates, which is behind the competition.
Nonetheless, the Redmagic 10 Pro provides a near-complete mobile gaming experience at an impressively low price.
Read our full
Nubia Redmagic 10 Pro review
