4 Cheaper Android Phones to Consider Instead of the Galaxy S26 FE

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Samsung’s Galaxy FE series has generally been considered a good option for people looking to get some of the flagship qualities of the Galaxy S line without shelling out a lot of money. However, as the RAM shortage has driven up gadget prices, the company’s latest model, the Galaxy S26 FE, has not remained untouched. It costs $50 more than its predecessor, despite incremental upgrades. Therefore, while it’s still a good phone, it’s not as compelling an option in terms of value for money as its predecessors.

Fortunately, the phone market in the United States is quite competitive. Android phone brands like Google, Motorola, and Nothing have several exciting deals in the sub-$600 price segment that you can consider as alternatives to the Galaxy S26 FE. These phones not only help you save money but also have features that outperform the Samsung phone, at least in some aspects. We chose these phones after looking at BGR’s tests as well as the opinions of other experts.

Google’s Pixel 10a is widely considered the best mid-range Android phone, thanks to its long software support, flagship processor, and excellent cameras. It starts at $499, saving you $200 over the Galaxy S26 FE. One of the phone’s strong points is its completely flat design, with no camera bump. As we mentioned in our Pixel 10a review, the phone also feels sturdy and well-built, despite using a composite plastic material for the body.

Among other features, there’s a 6.3-inch OLED display capable of reaching a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, significantly more than the 1,900 nits panel Samsung offers on the S26 FE. This will help you maintain visibility in bright ambient conditions. You also get a 120Hz refresh rate for a smoother experience; However, unlike more expensive models, the lowest possible refresh rate is only 60Hz.

Google has kept the Tensor G4 chip, the same one used in the Pixel 9a, with 8 GB of RAM. Despite the lack of an upgrade on the processor side, the Pixel 10a offers a responsive everyday experience; However, it’s not the most powerful if you like demanding games, especially at the highest graphics settings. The 5,100 mAh battery is enough to last a full day. Finally, the dual rear cameras are about the best you can get at this price point; However, you miss out on a telephoto lens, something that is present in the S26 FE.

Smartphone brand Nothing, known for its transparent aesthetic, has a pretty interesting offering in the Phone 4a Pro which you can consider as an alternative to the Galaxy S26 FE. It costs $499, the same price as the Pixel 10a, but you get a standout design and several other quirks that help set it apart from the pack. It features a premium-looking aluminum construction and a transparent camera plate featuring Nothing’s Glyph array. It also comes with a 6.83-inch OLED panel, capable of reaching 5,000 nits of peak brightness and a 144Hz refresh rate; both of these features are relatively rare at this price point.

In terms of processor, the Nothing phone is based on the Snapdragon 7 Gen 4, paired with 8GB of RAM. Despite being a mid-range processor, the phone manages to perform smoothly during daily tasks. You can play; However, you will need to stick to medium graphics settings in intensive titles. There are also three rear cameras on board, including a telephoto lens. These largely yield solid results; However, there are some weaknesses, notably the not-so-impressive ultra-wide shooter.

The Nothing phone houses a 5,080mAh battery that’s powerful enough to last all day, even with heavy use; However, wireless charging is not supported – a feature you get on both the Pixel 10a and Galaxy S26 FE. Finally, it runs Android 16 out of the box and is expected to receive three years of OS updates and six years of security patches. While three years of OS updates is certainly not exceptional or particularly amazing, longer support for security updates will help keep the phone secure.

If you prefer Samsung phones, the company’s Galaxy A57 can be a good alternative to the Galaxy S26 FE. It’s more affordable at a starting price of $550, has roughly the same design as the FE model, and also packs a 6.7-inch OLED panel with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1,900 nits of peak brightness. It runs Android 16 out of the box and is expected to receive six years of OS and security updates. Even though it doesn’t match the Pixel 10a or Galaxy S26 FE, it’s still pretty good.

It has a less powerful Exynos 1680 SoC; However, this processor is by no means a slacker. It’s perfectly fine for everyday use; However, if you like graphics-intensive games or plan to edit high-resolution videos on your phone, you will notice a slowdown in the phone. However, the built-in 5,000 mAh battery is not a problem; it can handle a full day of use without issue and you also get support for 45W wired charging. There is no wireless charging, however.

Among other features, the phone has a triple rear camera setup, lacking a telephoto lens, but the wide and ultra-wide cameras do a good job of capturing details and keeping everything sharp in daylight. The main wide camera also shines in low-light situations, where the ultra-wide shooter struggles a bit. Overall, it’s a very good all-rounder.

Motorola offers several budget and mid-range devices in its portfolio; However, if you want a suitable alternative to the Galaxy S26 FE, the Moto Edge (2026) is your best choice. It starts at $600, which is $100 more than our other two recommendations, but still saves you $100 on the Samsung phone. The Edge is a more compact and lightweight phone than the S26 FE and packs a 6.3-inch OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 5,200 nits of peak brightness. Its overall design is also quite elegant. Another area where the Motorola phone shines is battery life. It has a 5,000mAh battery which, while not as massive as the OnePlus 15 or 15R, is powerful enough to handle a full day of use. But more importantly, it supports 60W wired charging, the fastest among our recommendations and more than you get on the S26 FE. You also get 15W wireless charging support.

The phone is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 7450 paired with 8GB of RAM. This is a mid-range processor, capable of handling multitasking and everyday tasks with ease; However, you may have to settle for casual gaming or low graphics settings in intensive games. Other highlights include a triple rear camera setup, including a 50 MP main shooter, a 50 MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10 MP telephoto lens, which captures solid photos in daylight but struggles a bit in less than ideal ambient lighting.

However, you’ll have to make a major compromise if you choose the Edge (2026). It has a significantly shorter software support window of two years for operating system updates and three years for security patches. Since it comes with Android 16 out of the box, you will only get Android 17 and Android 18 updates.

The Galaxy S26 FE is a pretty decent smartphone, with features like a 6.7-inch OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate, triple rear camera setup with a 50MP wide-angle shooter, 4,900mAh battery, Samsung Exynos 2500 SoC, and Android 17 with One UI. However, it now starts at $700 in the US, bringing it closer to the price of flagship phones from a few years ago. As a result, while researching alternatives to this Samsung phone, we focused on models that cost at least $100 less than the S26 FE at their base model’s list price.

We’ve limited our choices to models that you can officially buy in the United States and that have comparable specs in most respects. We refined and finalized our selection after taking into account our own tests where available, as well as expert opinions from reputable publications. All of our recommendations generally deliver a good experience and have at least one or two features that stand out from the competition, including the Galaxy S26 FE.