I love me a good budget phone, but spending $500 for the Pixel 9a is still a fortune to some people. That’s why the sub-$200 cost of the Moto G Play (2026) is so appealing, especially when it comes with a sizable 6.7-inch 120Hz display, large 5,200 mAh battery, and what appears to be a confident 32MP rear camera.
For a phone that costs half as much as the cheapest iPhone, these are all very attractive qualities — but I know very well the trade-offs that come with making any phone this low. In my Moto G Play (2026) review, I’ll tell you exactly which areas this phone makes its compromises, some of its stronger selling points, and if it's really a best cheap phone contender.
