5 Android Phones to Consider Instead of the Motorola Moto G (2026)

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If you’re shopping for an Android phone on a tight budget, the Motorola Moto G (2026) is a solid option to consider. This is an entry-level model that Motorola launched towards the end of 2025, although it is not the cheapest Motorola phone on the market. For an entry-level phone, this device launched at an affordable starting price of just $199.99.

The Moto G (2026) features a 6.7-inch 120Hz LCD panel with HD+ resolution, a 5,200mAh battery with 30W charging speeds, a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 processor, 4GB of memory, and 128GB of internal storage. In the camera department, there is a 50 MP primary camera, a 2 MP secondary macro lens, and a single 32 MP selfie camera. That $200 price tag would have been ideal for the Moto G (2026), but unfortunately Motorola isn’t the only game in town for entry-level devices. To make matters worse, the company has since increased the price by $100, bringing it to $299.99.

Fortunately, if you’re not happy with what the Moto G 2026 offers, there are a number of alternatives you can consider. Some of the Moto G (2026) alternatives on this list offer better value in some aspects than the Motorola, and some are even cheaper. We looked at Android phones with competitive specs and those that cost less or only slightly more than the Moto G. You can read more about our selection process at the end of the article.

The Galaxy A17 5G is the cheapest Samsung phone you can buy, starting at just $199.99. In addition to its lower price, the Galaxy A17 5G is also attractive compared to the Motorola in some aspects. Although it comes with a similarly sized 6.7-inch display with a 90Hz refresh rate, the Samsung has an overall superior display. Its 6.7-inch panel uses Super AMOLED display technology and has an FHD+ (1080 x 2340 pixels) resolution, which should make images and text sharper.

Samsung is also using more robust Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection instead of the older Gorilla Glass 3. Another area worth considering for the Galaxy A17 instead of the Moto G is software updates. Out of the box, the Galaxy A17 comes with Android 15, but Samsung promises to keep the device up to date with up to six major operating system (OS) updates coupled with six years of security patches.

This is far superior to the Moto G’s update policy, which includes two years of operating system updates and an additional year of security updates. Other features of the Galaxy A17 5G include a triple rear camera setup (50 MP main, 5 MP ultra-wide, and 2 MP macro), a 13 MP selfie camera, a 5,000 mAh battery with up to 25W wired fast charging, and an IP54 rating for protection against dust and water splashes. It offers 4 GB of memory and 128 GB of storage. You can buy the Galaxy A17 5G on Amazon or Samsung for $199.99.

The Motorola Moto G Power (2025) is another Android phone to consider. For starters, this phone has an identical chip as the Moto G 2026. However, the Moto G Power combines the Dimensity 6300 with 8GB of memory, which is double what the Moto G offers. It also has a slightly larger 6.8-inch IPS panel that offers FHD+ (1,080 x 2,388 pixels) resolution instead of the lower HD+ resolution.

For scratch protection, it uses the better Corning Gorilla Glass 5 instead of Gorilla Glass 3. It is also IP69 certified to protect against dust and water. Another feature that gives the Moto G Power an edge is the rear camera setup. While you still get a dual-camera setup on the back, the Moto G Power’s sensor choice is better, with a 50 MP wide-angle lens and an 8 MP ultra-wide instead of a 50 MP wide-angle and macro camera.

The Moto G Power comes with 128GB of storage, and like the Moto G, it’s one of the few phones with a microSD card slot to add extra space. This phone is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, which can be charged at speeds of up to 30W via a USB-C port. The Motorola Moto G Power (2025) launched at $299.99, but you can get it for much less if you plan your purchase well.

Another great device from Samsung that you can consider is the Galaxy A26 5G. It’s a mid-range phone in Samsung’s budget-focused Galaxy A series, and it started at $299.99 for the 128GB variant when it was first unveiled in the US in 2025. The Galaxy A26 is over a year old at this point, but regardless, it’s still a solid option due to Samsung’s excellent software update policy, with this phone expected to receive six updates. up-to-date operating system and six years of security updates.

For the Moto G (2026), Motorola only promises two years of major Android updates and an additional year of security patches. The Galaxy A26 is also a much better device, hardware-wise. It features a 6.7-inch FHD+ Super AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ for protection. It has a better build with a glass back and is IP67 certified for dust and water protection. The camera setup includes a trio of lenses on the back consisting of a 50 MP wide lens, an 8 MP ultra-wide and a 2 MP macro, while on the front there is a single 13 MP lens.

A 5,000mAh battery powers the phone and supports fast charging speeds of up to 25W. Although the Galaxy A26 is available for a starting price of $299.99 for the model with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, you can buy the variant with 8GB of memory and 256GB of storage on Amazon for just $264 as of this writing.

This is another solid alternative to the Moto G 2026 in the Motorola lineup. Compared to the Moto G, this phone has many features that make it a good alternative. It has a better display, featuring a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1220 x 2712, a refresh rate of 120Hz, and a peak brightness of up to 3000 nits. Under the hood, it is powered by a better 4nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 paired with 8GB of memory and 128 or 256GB of internal storage.

It comes with a built-in stylus for drawing, doodling, or writing notes with your handwriting. For taking photos, the Moto G Stylus (2025) is a more capable device than the entry-level Moto G. It has a 50 MP primary sensor, the same one used on the more expensive $549.99 Edge (2025) model, and a secondary 13 MP ultra-wide sensor with a 120-degree field of view. Android Authority and GSMArena praised the phone’s camera capabilities in their hands-on reviews.

The 256GB variant of the phone has an MSRP of $399.99, which is $100 more than the Moto G (2026) – but considering the extra storage, better display, and fast processor, the extra cost is worth paying. GSMArena claims to offer a “complete package” for a mid-range phone, and it stands out as one of the cheapest Android phones that exceeds their price range. At the time of writing, you can buy the Moto G Stylus (2025) for $349.99 on Amazon and Motorola.

TCL may not be a popular Android manufacturer, but the company’s TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro is a device worth considering. The TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chipset, which is a slightly better processor than the Dimensity 6300 in the Moto G (2026). The company has paired this chip with 8GB of memory, which should give the NxtPaper 70 Pro a performance advantage. You can grab this device in one of three variants, depending on the internal memory.

It offers 128GB, 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage and on top of that, it includes a microSD card slot for expansion, which is rare these days. TCL’s NxtPaper 70 Pro also offers a slightly larger (and better) screen, measuring 6.9 inches diagonally and featuring a slightly higher FHD+ resolution (1080 x 2340 pixels) for sharper text. Like the Moto G (2026), the panel uses IPS technology and offers a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz.

However, the NxtPaper 70 Pro offers TCL’s NxtPaper technology, intended to reduce eye strain when using the phone. The TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro features a dual rear camera setup (50 MP wide-angle + 8 MP ultra-wide) capable of shooting videos up to 4K and a 32 MP selfie camera. Inside is a 5,200mAh battery with support for 33W fast charging. You can buy the TCL NxtPaper 70 Pro starting at $329.99 for the variant with 8GB memory and 128GB storage.

When compiling this roundup of Android phone alternatives to the Moto G (2026), we considered a few factors. The first factor was price. Since the Moto G sells for $299.99 after the price hike, we only considered Android phones that cost the same or were within a range of $100 above or below the MSRP (between $199 and $399). Second, we considered phones with at least one feature or spec better than the Moto G (2026).

This included the display, software support, processor, and other key specifications that you should consider when buying an Android phone. Another key factor we looked at was availability. Some of the best Android phones aren’t sold in the US, but since we’re making a list of models you should consider instead of the Moto G (2026), we’ve focused only on those available in the US. As a result, you won’t have to jump through hoops to get a device exclusive to China or India.