The best affordable Android phone gets even cheaper, but you might want to wait
I test many different Android phones every year in my capacity as a tech reviewer, and though the priciest ones are usually the most impressive, I was bowled over earlier this year by the quality of the mid-range Google Pixel 9a. For £499 it packs in everything most people could wish for in a phone, with good battery life, a lovely screen, excellent cameras and simple software with seven years of updates, making it one of the best Android options out there.
But I also appreciate that £499 isn’t exactly affordable upfront for most people, so I’m also always on the look out for good contract deals for affordable phones, and I have found a particularly good one from Mobiles.co.uk.
Right now, you can pick up the Google Pixel 9a for just £75 upfront and then a mere £14.99 per month for 24 months. This gets you 100GB of monthly data and unlimited calls and texts on iD Mobile, which taps into Three’s national UK 5G network for coverage.
Over the two year contract, this will end up costing you a total of £464.76, which is more than £30 less than the cost of the handset on its own if you bought it outright today - and it comes with that mobile plan so you can actually use it.
It’s rare to find two year contracts where the overall cost is less than the value of the phone, but here we are with exactly that for the Pixel 9a. In my eyes, there are only a few reasons to consider spending more or waiting - either because you want to need more monthly mobile data, and because it’s nearly time for Google to unveil the Pixel 10.
If you need more monthly data than 100GB, Mobiles.co.uk offers similar plans for the Pixel 9a on iD Mobile including one that is also £14.99 per month but nets you unlimited 5G data. You just have to pay £119 upfront instead, with a total overall cost over two years of £508.76.
The Pixel 9a has only been out since April 10, 2025, making it the newest Pixel to be released by Google. It’s a stripped-back version of the Pixel 9, but it really is just as good as that phone, only lacking a few niche software features in comparison. I especially appreciate the fun colour options and the lack of a camera bump on the back.
On August 20, Google is set to announce its Pixel 10 series, and leaks and rumours show we are set for several new handsets: a Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. While these will all likely be more capable than the Pixel 9a, they will also probably be much more expensive - and the Pixel 9a will remain on sale as the latest mid-range option, in all likelihood.
So unless you want to wait and see if you’d prefer to go for a pre-order deal on the new Pixel 10 in a week or so, this Pixel 9a deal is one of the best you could go for if you want a new Android phone.
You might also want to consider the Pixel 9a from Laptops Direct, where it is currently £399, a £100 saving - but of course comes with no mobile plan.
Daily Express
