I've been reviewing phones for 15 years and this new model is my absolute favorite under $200

I just finished my Moto G (2026) review. And while this $199 phone has the sort of limitations you'd expect from a device that inexpensive, it's definitely one of the best cheap phones you can buy right now. I'd go so far as to say it's your best option if you don't want to pay more than $200 for a phone, whether by choice or budget restrictions.

There's several reasons why this phone impresses me. For starters, it doesn't look like a cheap phone, with a stylish vegan leather back and some eye-catching color options. (The Cattleya Orchid would be my choice.) And you don't have to worry about charging the phone, as it held out for more than 19 hours of continuous web surfing in our battery test, an outstanding result that places it in the upper echelon of our best phone battery life list.

Even the cameras, usually an area where phone makers cheap out on low-cost models, perform well. Don't expect superlative output from the Moto G, but you'll get perfectly shareable photos, particularly from the phone's front camera.

If this praise sounds familiar, it's because you could say the same thing about the 2025 model of the Moto G that this newer phone replaces. Like the just-released version, the Moto G (2025) delivers long battery life, a stylish look and good-enough cameras to ratchet up the value you get for the price you pay.

And right now, that price is much lower than before. The arrival of the Moto G (2026) means that retailers are looking to clear out the 2025 model, offering discounts on an already low-price. As of this writing, you can buy the phone unlocked for $149 at Best Buy — and that price drops to $49 if you activate the phone with a carrier. Amazon's offering a $50 discount on the unlocked Moto G (2025) as well.

Since a large part of the appeal for Motorola's G series devices hinges on a low price, it may be tempting to go for the older Moto G instead of the 2026 model and pocket the savings. I'm here to tell you that it's not worth it. Yes, you can save more money with an older version, but the Moto G (2026) remains a better value overall.

Moto G 2025 vs. 2026: What's changed?

Besides the reduced price tag on the Moto G (2025), the temptation to opt for the older model might stem from the fact that a lot of the specs remain unchanged from year to year. Compare the Moto G (2026) to its immediate predecessor, and you won't find a lot of differences.

The phones run on the same chipset, a MediaTek Dimensity 6300, which explains the comparable benchmarks produced by both iterations of the Moto G. That eye-catching design I like is a holdover from previous Moto G models, too.

Even the flaws I cited when I reviewed the 2025 edition of the Moto G have gone unaddressed with the new model. My biggest complaint about the 2025 phone was its dim display, which topped out at 960 nits of brightness in SDR mode. The Moto G (2026) actually takes a small step backward, with a 916-nit reading.

Given those similarities then, why not spurn the newer model if you can get what is essentially the same phone for $150 or less? Because it turns out there are some pretty key differences, including one you might not have thought about.

Why the Moto G (2026) is better

While the 2025 edition of the Moto G certainly impressed when we tested its battery life, the 2026 version lasts even longer. The Moto G (2026)'s battery test result of 19 hours and 10 minutes is around 40 minutes better than last year's model — and the 2026 phone was tested on an updated version of our battery test that's even more demanding, so the real gap is probably much wider.

Updates between the two Moto G versions are minimal, but one area of improvement is the selfie cam. The front camera on the Moto G (2026) offers a 32MP sensor compared to 16MP on its predecessor. Megapixels aren't the be-all, end-all of photos, but I have noticed the Moto G (2026) offers slightly more detailed selfies — a not-insignificant distinction if you take a lot of self-portraits.

I'm not going to pretend the differences between selfies taken by the two iterations of the Moto G are starkly different. These dueling self-portraits are pretty similar, though I think the 2026 version's warmer skin tone is more pleasant to look at. The details in the background also seem sharper to my eye than they do in the 2025 phone's picture.

Finally, there's the matter of software support. Both versions of the Moto G offer the same level of support from Motorola — two years of Android software updates plus a third year of security support. But with the Motorola G (2025) having been out for around a year, the clock is already ticking on those updates. The phone debuted with Android 15, meaning next year's Android 17 release will be the last one you can expect to receive on your Moto G (2025).

In contrast, the Moto G (2026) debuts with Android 16 already installed. So it's good through the release of Android 18, with another year of security support beyond that. At $199, the newer model may cost more than the discounted 2025 version, but it's also going to be able to run updated software for much longer.

Moto G (2026) outlook

Really cheap phones come with compromises, and the Moto G is no exception. But the compromises are a little bit more apparent now on the 2025 version, even with its lower price. Cast your attention to the latest Moto G if you're in the market for a cheap phone that still delivers some value in return.

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