Let’s not beat about the bush, Google’s Pixel 5 is far behind the best of the Android crop when it comes to outright performance. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G processor was widely seen as a step backwards from the Pixel 4, and it can’t hold a candle to leading Android phones – let alone any recent iPhone.

With that major caveat out of the way, let’s focus on what it’s good at – almost everything else. Like all Pixel phones, the Pixel 5 offers a great set of features for the money. Perhaps the most obvious is its 6” OLED screen, which has a 90Hz refresh rate. There’s a double camera system offering 12.2MP wide and 16MP ultra-wide lenses, too. Inside there’s 5G support, alongside a substantial 4,080mAh battery, with everything protected by IP68 waterproofing.

As always with Pixel, Google makes it special with enhanced software features. These include major apps like Google Camera, along with more subtle enhancements like Personal Safety, and Caller ID with spam filtering. And this phone qualifies for Android updates and security fixes until at least October 2023, helping to give it long-term appeal.

Google replaced the Pixel 5 with the Pixel 6 in October 2021, and the last few new examples are selling fast. However, the price of refurbished Google Pixel 5 phones is falling. With 5G, and updates that will probably extend until Android 14, it’s about as future-proof as second-hand Android phones get.

You might have been expecting an iPhone in this list, but surely not the lovely iPhone 11 Pro? In fact, you can buy a refurbished iPhone 11 Pro or a refurbished iPhone 11 Pro Max for well within £500. That’s a flagship iPhone for less than half what you’d pay for the latest models.

Old phones often date quickly, but the iPhone 11 Pro still looks like a class act. Its A13 Bionic chip still trounces anything but newer iPhones, and its battery will comfortably take you through more than a day’s use. You get a triple-camera setup, with features like 4K video recording, 240-frame-per-second slo-mo, and Apple’s almost magical Night Mode. The iPhone 11 Pro’s 5.8” OLED screen has a higher resolution than even some new Android phones (we’re looking at you, Pixel 6). Upgrade to the iPhone 11 Pro Max and you get a big 6.5” screen, great for gaming on a budget.

OK, this phone misses out on 5G, and its cameras – while good – aren’t a patch on the iPhone 13 Pro. The latest iPhone is also much faster, but that’s hardly the point. Apple is likely to support this phone with updates until at least 2026. If you want to pay less for a great iPhone that will last, a reconditioned iPhone 11 Pro or Pro Max is a brilliant choice.

Wait, what? Surely not? Yes we know you can still buy the iPhone 12 new, and yes we know it’ll cost you more than £500, but move fast on the Mozillion marketplace and you’ll get a refurbished iPhone 12 within your budget. That means the latest design, 5G support, 6m of water resistance and almost the latest performance, all for around a third less than a new iPhone 13.

What’s not to love about this phone? OK, so its A14 Bionic processor is now a generation behind, but it’ll comprehensively out-slug anything except a newer iPhone. Yes, Apple’s improved the camera now, but the iPhone 12 will still grab a great shot from almost anything you throw at it. Yada yada battery life? Yes, the iPhone 13 is better, but you’ll still get all day from an iPhone 12, and when its battery’s flat, MagSafe chargers make wireless charging easy.

So, we still love the iPhone 12, and so does Apple – it’s likely to keep supporting it until at least 2027. A refurbished iPhone 12 may only just squeak inside your £500 budget, but grab one and it’s likely to provide a brilliant smartphone experience for several years to come.

Want to grab the best budget phone? Browse the budget phone deals on Mozillion

We’re big fans of Google Pixel phones, and the Pixel 4a is one of the best all-rounders yet. Launched in August 2020 as a mid-range version of the Pixel 4, it was discontinued with the Pixel 6 launch in October 2021. While the last few new ones still cost around £350, you can buy a refurbished Google Pixel 4a for well under that. It’s no gaming powerhouse or pro filmmaking platform, but this phone does everything you could want from an everyday companion – and does it well.

Let’s start with what you don’t get. The Pixel 4a can’t offer 5G or wireless charging, and it’s not waterproofed at all. There’s no fancy camera system, and at 3,140mAh the battery isn’t huge. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 730G is fairly limp too – although you’re unlikely to notice unless you want to run intensive 3D games.

This phone does offer a 5.8” OLED screen with 1,080×2,340 resolution. That works out at 443 pixels per inch (ppi) – almost a match for the 460ppi you’d get on an iPhone 13. Its low-key processor is kind to the battery, so it’ll easily last more than a day. Meanwhile, the 12.2MP rear camera is enhanced by Google Camera features, including a passable Night Mode and slo-mo options.

The Pixel 4a is compact by the standards of a modern Android phone – it’s a touch smaller, and 30 grams lighter than the iPhone 13. But perhaps best of all, this is among the first phones to get major Android updates. It’s already on Android 12, and is expected to go to at least Android 13 before Google stops updating it around August 2023. It might not excel at any one thing, but as a compact all-rounder, the Pixel 4a is great value.

So, you really want an iPhone, but you need something as new as possible? The second-generation iPhone SE might be for you.

We’ll be honest: we don’t love this phone, and it makes no sense to buy it new – save up for a refurbished iPhone 12 mini instead. But if you want a nearly-new iPhone for less than £250, a refurbished iPhone SE (2020) is your only choice.

To be fair, this isn’t a bad phone. It’s genuinely small, and inside there’s the same A13 Bionic chip you’d find in an iPhone 11 – it’s faster than most of the Android competition. Other than that it’s underwhelming, though: its 4.7” LCD screen is tiny, the front and rear cameras are basic, and its battery life is a couple of hours behind what you’d get from an iPhone 12 mini.

Again, this wouldn’t be our choice – we’d take the iPhone XS, or keep an eye open for any iPhone 11 deals sneaking under £250. But if it has to be iOS, and you need it as new as possible, this is the phone.

Rather browse what’s available? Check out the cheap budget phones on Mozillion

What’s big, cheap, and great value for money? This budget Android phone from Nokia. Released in early 2020, the Nokia 5.3 launched with Android 10 – but because it’s an Android ONE phone, it qualifies for two years’ of operating system updates and at least three years of security. It’s already on Android 11, and is expected to get Android 12 soon.

At this price there are obviously some limitations. The huge 6.55” screen is only a 720×1,600 LCD, so it gives away a lot in image quality to the OLED screens in more expensive phones. Inside there’s only 64GB of storage and just 4GB of RAM, and the Qualcomm Snapdragon 665 is nothing to brag about. However, with a quad-camera setup offering 4K video, wide, ultra-wide and macro photography, you still get a decent amount for your money.

This phone won’t win many prizes or admiring looks, but if you want a cheap new phone running the latest version of Android, it’s still a good choice for the money.