Samsung Galaxy S25 FE wins our reader poll for best Samsung Galaxy A16 alternative

You might think that finding a phone under $200 is an impossible task now that we live in a world where RAM prices are driving costs higher and higher. But the Samsung Galaxy A16 fits the bill and is the sixth best-selling phone on Amazon. It’s not the only Android device available for such a bargain though, so we were wondering what other phones like it would our readers would pick.

Instead of leaving things totally open-ended, we presented a few choices and asked you for any alternatives. Our suggestions included the update to the original with the Samsung Galaxy A17, the Moto G Stylus (2025), the Moto G Power (2025), the Google Pixel 10a, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE.

Out of the 1,177 respondents, most (29.7%) said they would pick the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE. That’s not too much of a surprise since if you’re inclined to pick up a Samsung in the first place, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than the Fan Edition of its flagship that’s priced a little friendlier than the rest of the series. It is more expensive than the Galaxy A16, at $367 on Amazon, but has a lot going for it.

Two phones tied for second place, with nearly 24% each: the Samsung Galaxy A17 (23.9%) and the Google Pixel 10a (23.6%). The Galaxy A17 is undoubtedly a good deal since it sells for about $245 on Amazon and comes with six years of updates. The Google Pixel 10a is quite a bit pricier, but there’s a reason why we called it “the only $500 phone you should buy in 2026” in our review.

The Moto G Stylus (2025) was the choice for 10.4% of you. It has nice design, with a built-in stylus and two shades of blue to choose from. Reader switftness427 endorses it:

I have the Moto G Stylus (2025) and its rooted, debloated, and has a MicroSD card slot, win/win.

The phone that got the least number of votes was the Moto G Power (2025), with 8.4%. In our review we said it “delivered on everything but power.” The irony seems not to be lost on readers.

Those who chimed in with their own suggestions had some good ones, like Mark Barylak, who went with the Nothing Phone 4a Pro:

Well, since OnePlus pulled out of America, and their last update bricked both my OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 10 Pro, I had to choose. I didn’t choose any of the options listed above. I chose the Nothing Phone 4a Pro. It’s not the flagship OnePlus, but then again, only the current Samsung flagship even compares to it spec wise. It smokes the newest iPhone and it’s almost 3 years old. The Nothing phone 4a Pro is definitely worth the mid range price. I’m happy with it so far. No phone compares to the OnePlus 100w. charging. I was spoiled by that. But this Nothing phone doesn’t get the recognition it deserves

Oppo has a fan in jesuslives1023:

Just buy Oppo so much cheaper than your mentioned alternatives and are fast and have full features.

Mitch McKinnon decided to spend a little more on a midrange phone and is happy with his choice:

I’m enjoying the Motorola Edge 50 Fusion. It’s more of a midrange than a budget phone, but I highly recommend it. I used to be a big Xiaomi user but most of their phones are way too large for me. The Edge 50 Fusion gives me everything I want in a fairly compact package. I don’t need high end specs.

Of course, neither Oppo devices nor the Edge 50 Fusion are really US-focused, so your options will vary depending on where you’re shopping.

What’s your pick for a phone like the Galaxy A16? Tell us in the comments.