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Cell Phone Radar

Updated Nov 12, 2026

Best cell phone up to $550 dollars today

Today’s picks

  1. No proven discountThe best up to $550 · score 6.6
    score 6.6

    Samsung

    Galaxy S22

    128 GB8 GB RAM

    $310

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forSmall cell phone · Pay by tap

    Proswireless charging · NFC · eSIM

  2. No proven discountBest value · score 4.5
    score 4.5

    Samsung

    Galaxy A05

    128 GB4 GB RAM

    $150

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forChat, social media and video

    Prosfast charging

    ConsNo tap to pay (NFC)

  3. Good dealChat, social media and video · score 6.3
    −3%score 6.3

    Samsung

    Galaxy A57 5G

    128 GB8 GB RAM

    $532$551

    3.4% below the previous check

    Best price at Amazon

    checked today

    Buy on AmazonMore details
    Why

    Who it’s forChat, social media and video

    ProsNFC · eSIM · fast charging

    ConsNo wireless charging

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The best cell phone up to $550 today is the Samsung Galaxy S22, $310 (score 6.6).

All models: Cell phones up to $550

See the 22 modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Samsung Galaxy S228 GB RAM · 128 GB$310at Amazon6.6Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A57 5G8 GB RAM · 128 GB$532at Amazon6.3Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A054 GB RAM · 128 GB$150at Amazon4.5Buy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 5G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$90at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Play4 GB RAM · 64 GB$128at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A06 4G4 GB RAM · 64 GB$143at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A16 4G4 GB RAM · 128 GB$159at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Moto G Power8 GB RAM · 128 GB$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tcl 60 Xe Nxtpaper 5G2 versions · 128 GB a 256 GB$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo A66 GB RAM · 256 GB$293at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A36 5G8 GB RAM · 256 GB$340at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo Reno 15 F8 GB RAM · 256 GB$349at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Tcl Nxtpaper 70 Pro8 GB RAM · 512 GB$360at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Motorola Edge 20258 GB RAM · 256 GB$380at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Samsung Galaxy A56 5G8 GB RAM · 256 GB$382at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor Magic 8 Lite2 versions · 256 GB a 512 GB$420at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor X9d12 GB RAM · 256 GB$440at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Oppo A174 GB RAM · 64 GB$445at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor X9c12 GB RAM · 256 GB$450at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor 600 Lite8 GB RAM · 256 GB$455at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Nothing Phone 4a Pro8 GB RAM · 128 GB$499at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Honor 4008 GB RAM · 256 GB$545at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

Cell phones up to $550 in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 22 phones cost up to $354; the range with the most models is from $100 to $200, with 6.

How many models there are in each price range, from $0 to $600. Half cost up to $354; across the whole catalog, the median is $599.1 model between $0 and $1006 models between $100 and $2001 model between $200 and $3006 models between $300 and $4006 models between $400 and $5002 models between $500 and $600161662$0$200$400$600
  • half cost up to $354
  • whole catalog: $599

Cheapest $90 Samsung Galaxy A16 5G

Most expensive $545 Honor 400

See the table by price range
Cell phones up to $550 by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Under $200774.54.5
$200 to $30012
$300 to $50012126.66.6
$500 to $1,0002156.38.1
Over $1,0000148.5
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This section compares today’s check with the previous one: what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Brands

6 brands have a model here; Samsung has the most, with 8 models.

and 1 brand more

Confirmed features

Counts only what each model’s listing confirms.

  • 2 of 22 have 5G confirmed

  • 2 of 22 have NFC confirmed

  • 2 of 22 have a 5,000 mAh battery or larger

Against the whole catalog

  • −41%median price below the catalog’s
  • −1.4median spec score: 6.3 vs 7.7
  • 44%of the catalog: 22 of 50 models
See the full table
Cell phones up to $550 against the whole catalog
IndicatorCell phones up to $550Whole catalogDifference
Models225044% of the catalog
Median price$354$599−41%
Median score6.37.7−1.4 ponto
Lowest price$90$90igual
Highest price$545$2,499−$1,954

What the numbers say about cell phones up to $550

  • Memory versions: 2 models have more than one version within the cut, and storage ranges from 64 GB to 512 GB. The model’s price is that of the cheapest version; the others appear on the card and in the list.

How to read these numbers

Pick 1, best score for the price: Samsung Galaxy S22, $310 at Amazon. The median price of the 22 models on the list is $354.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read through an open source or an affiliate program. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each phone on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to Cell phones up to $550.

See on the chart

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best cell phone up to $550 today?

Today it is the Samsung Galaxy S22, for $310 (score 6.6).

Which cell phone up to $550 has the best value today?

The Samsung Galaxy A05, for $150 (score 4.5).

Is it worth paying more and moving up to up to $600?

It could be: in up to $600 the highest spec score today is 8.4, for $600, vs. 6.6 here (Samsung Galaxy S22, $310).

How much does a cell phone with a price up to $550 cost?

In the Nov 12, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 22 models in the segment is $354, and prices range from $90 to $545. The final price is the one at the store.

Which cell phone with a price up to $550 has the highest score?

Among the models in the segment on Nov 12, 2026, the highest spec score is the Samsung Galaxy S22: 6.6, at $310. The one with the lowest price is the Samsung Galaxy A16 5G, at $90. Spec score doesn’t measure real-world photos or durability.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Models with at least one version whose lowest collected price is $550 or less are included. Each model counts once: if it has more than one memory version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

What changes between "up to $550" and the neighboring ranges?

The range is cumulative: everything that costs less is in it too. To see only what costs between two values, use the price range table on this page or the chart’s price filter.

How does the Radar choose the phones on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the phone that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which phone to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 12, 2026.

Read next

Cell phones up to $450: median of $325Cell phones up to $600: median of $360Cell phones Samsung up to $550: 8 models, median of $235All Radar overviewsOverview of new cell phones: price, score and brandSee on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product on Amazon.com, shipped to New York 10001, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure real-world photos or durability.

Data from Nov 12, 2026.