Verizon Wireless is the best overall carrier in the US. I am not saying they have the best prices, but when it comes to coverage, Verizon is second to none.
Phone options can be limited with Verizon
Verizon may have a ton of coverage, but their phone options are very limited. Most of the world uses “GSM” technology, and most “unlocked phones” that are meant to work with any carrier, do not work with Verizon. Your phone may be unlocked to work with another carrier, but it doesn’t mean that it has the antennas to do so. If you go on Amazon and search “unlocked phones” many of those phones will not be able to work with Verizon. This makes it hard to find good phones and good deals.
With that being said, I wanted to make a list of my top 3 phones for Verizon under $400. I am focusing on phones that retail brand new for under $400!
1: Google Pixel 3a- retails at $399.99
The Google Pixel 3a retails at $399, and if you are on Verizon, there aren’t too many deals for it, but honestly, at $399, this phone is a steal! This phone is sold on Amazon or at Best Buy It comes with a 5.6″ 2220×1080 display, a Snapdragon 670, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. It comes with a 3,100 mAh battery and it also comes with a headphone jack. I should add it arguably has the best camera on the market, because it comes with (mostly) the same camera as the Google Pixel 3. This phone is missing any waterproof features, and the back is made of plastic, but outside of that, it is a great device for the money.
To give you an idea of what to expect from the Google Pixel 3a, the Pixel 3a has about 90% of the speed of the Pixel 2. So for half the price of the Pixel 3, and even cheaper than the Pixel 2, you can get very good performance.
Another big perk the Google Pixel has is software support. Samsung will support their phone normally with two big software updates, but those updates take a while. Google Pixel phones typically are supported for 3 big operating system updates, and you get those updates immediately (rather than having to wait a full year). So with the Google Pixel, you can guarantee quick software updates for great security and new features.
Pros:
- Amazing camera for the price (nearly identical to the Google Pixel 3 camera)
- Great software with quick updates
- Nice performance for the price
- Better battery life than the Pixel 3
- Comes with a headphone jack (something the more expensive Google Pixel 3 doesn’t have)
- Great “bang for your buck”
Cons:
- No water resistance
- Doesn’t have “flagship” gaming performance
- The device is small compared to Pixel 3a XL (which is more expensive)
You can check out my Pixel 3a review by clicking here.
One last thing to keep in mind: The unlocked Pixel 3a can work on any carrier, and also has the necessary antennas to work with Verizon, so purchasing an unlocked Google Pixel 3a is a good thing! It also gives you the flexibility to switch carriers if necessary!
Click here to view the Google Pixel 3a on Amazon.
Click here to view the Google Pixel 3a on Best Buy.
2: Samsung Galaxy A50- retails at $349.99
Have you ever heard of the Samsung Galaxy A50? Probably not, because it just released on June 21st! It doesn’t have a big name like some other phones, but it is packed full of many features that you would only expect in an $800 phone!
The Samsung Galaxy A50 was released for many carriers including Verizon for $349.99. You have the option to purchase it at Best Buy, and buy it outright for $349, or you can spread it out on your Verizon bill for $14.59 per month.
The Samsung Galaxy A50 has a 6.4-inch Super AMOLED display with a 2,340 x 1,080 resolution, which is a Full HD+ display. It is powered by a 2.3 GHz octa-core Samsung’s Exynos 9610 processor, and this phone comes with 64GB of storage. To give you an idea of how fast this phone should be, this phone should compete with the Google Pixel 2 and maybe even the Galaxy S9, so this phone should be pretty fast and compete with one-year-old flagship phones, but it won’t compete with the phones that just came out.
The Galaxy A50 also comes with a 4,000 mAh battery, but perhaps the biggest feature this phone carries is an in-screen fingerprint reader. Even the Samsung Galaxy S10e, which retails at $750, did not come with an in-screen fingerprint reader. For $350, this phone is the cheapest way to get an in-screen fingerprint reader, and it is IP68 certified for water resistance. The A50 also has a Triple 25.0MP, 5.0MP, and 8.0MP rear-facing camera. It won’t quite compete with the Google Pixel 3a, but it should still be a good camera.
Overall, this phone goes neck and neck with the Google Pixel 3a. This phone has more RAM, and the processor should be roughly the same if not better as far as performance. The screen is much bigger on the A50, the A50 is $50 cheaper, but on the other hand, the Pixel 3a has much better software support, a basic vanilla Android experience, and a much better camera. I wouldn’t call one phone better than the other, it really just depends on your preference.
If you compare this phone to a phone like the Moto G7, which retails at $300, this phone will blow it out of the water. It has a better camera, a much better battery life, an in-screen fingerprint reader, and a much better display.
Please take note of this: The Samsung Galaxy A50 launched in other markets with GSM only version, you cannot simply buy a Galaxy A50 unlocked on eBay and expect it to work. You need to buy the Verizon specific version! That is why I recommend buying it from Best Buy.
Pros:
- In-screen fingerprint reader for only $350 (wow!)
- A great 6.4″ screen and 2,340 x 1,080 resolution for the price
- Great processor performance (this phone is much faster than your average $300 option)
- Huge 4,000 mAh battery (even the Pixel 3a XL has a smaller battery)
Cons:
- Above-average camera, but the Pixel 3a and the Pixel 3a XL have much better cameras
- Any phone that is not a Google Pixel or an Essential phone will typically have slower software updates, so you can expect the same with the Galaxy A50
- The phone may be too large for some people
Click here to view the Samsung Galaxy A50 at Best Buy.
3: Motorola Moto Z3 Play- retails at $349.99
The Motorola Moto Z3 Play isn’t quite as good as the Google Pixel 3a or the Galaxy A50, but the Moto Z3 Play retails at $350, but is currently selling as low as $299 if you activate it right away with Verizon. If you don’t have $400, or you really like Moto Mods, this phone is a really good option.
The Motorola Moto Z3 Play has a 6.01″ Super AMOLED touch screen, which also is Full HD+ and has a resolution of 1080 x 2160. The Z3 Play also comes with 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and a 3,000 mAh battery.
The Moto Z3 Play isn’t as fast as the Galaxy A50 or the Google Pixel 3a (or 3a XL), but it is faster than other phones around $300 like the Moto G6 or the Moto G6 Power. For this reason, it makes it the best phone that you can get for under $300 (at least while it is on sale).
What makes the Moto Z3 Play unique is the ability to use “Moto Mods”. The Moto Z3 Play comes with an extra battery pack that you can attach to the back, called the Moto Power Pack. It gives your phone an extra 2220 mAh, which will nearly double your battery life. This will make your phone heavy, but this means that if you keep this mod attached, you should have over a 5,000 mAh battery, which will top the Galaxy A50 and the Galaxy 3a (or 3a XL) by a decent margin.
There are also a lot of deals going around for Moto Mods. For example, you can find a speaker Moto Mod, made by JBL, for as little as $19.99 on eBay. So there are a lot of neat things you can do with this phone for a small price. There is even a projector Moto Mod, so you can project whatever is on your screen right to the wall.
Moto Mods are cool for some people, but for me, I prefer a lighter and less bulky phone. Moto Mods can make your phone pretty heavy, and while a 5,000 mAh battery can be nice, I would prefer a much lighter phone, or a phone that has more case options (keep in mind that most cases won’t be built to fit Moto Mods).
With that being said, you can get this phone for under $300 right now through Best Buy. Maybe you want to spend less than $300 for a phone, or maybe you prefer a slightly smaller screen than the Galaxy A50, or maybe you love Moto Mods. If any of these things are true for you: this may be the phone for you.
Pros:
- Only $290 if you activate today with Verizon at Best Buy
- Moto Mods can be interesting for some people
- Faster, and a much better value than most $300 rivals
Cons:
- Average camera
- No headphone jack (comes with adapter)
- For just $50 more, you can get a phone that is faster, has a better camera, and a better battery
Click here to view the Motorola Moto Z3 Play on Best Buy.
Click here to view the Motorola Moto Z3 Play on Amazon.
Honorable Mention:
The LG G7 Fit
The LG G7 Fit can be activated with Verizon for $289.99 right now at Best Buy. The G7 Fit is essentially a re-packaged and newer LG G6. It should have similar performance to the Moto Z3 Play and is a good option for the price. The G7 Fit also has a headphone jack, so if you want a phone under $300, with better performance than most phones at that price range, but you also want a headphone jack, the G7 Fit should be a strong consideration.
Click here to view the LG G7 fit at Best Buy.
The Motorola Moto G7
Currently, this is the best phone you can get for under $250 on Verizon. For $300 (what it retails at) you would get a better phone with the Z3 Play or the LG G7 Fit, but if you find the Moto G7 on sale (you can activate one currently with Verizon at Best Buy for $219.99) this is a great phone. It comes with 4GB of RAM and a Snapdragon 632 processor, which is still pretty decent.
Do you have a specific situation or any questions? Looking to switch carriers or find a good deal? Feel free to comment or email me at zach@androiddigest.com.
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