You Can Get the Pixel 9a for 30% Off Before Prime Day Ends Tonight

Amazon's big deal days end tonight, October 8, but until then, Lifehacker is sharing the best sales from product reviews, comparisons, and price tracking tools before they run out.

How Expensive like smartphones these days, we're already used to it. It's just a fact of life that the latest iPhone will cost over $1,000, while a foldable smartphone can cost $2,000.

The thing is, you don't actually have to spend a thousand or two to buy a great phone. There are options for both mid-range and budget phones that combine features, performance, and price to offer the best overall value. You might not get the most luxurious phone on the market, but you will get one that does exactly what you need without breaking the bank.

Pixel 9a is a prime example here. Google's budget Pixel is a fantastic smartphone in its own right, featuring a 6.3-inch 1080p OLED display with a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz. Google says the phone's 5,100mAh battery is rated to last 30 hours or more on a single charge, or up to 100 hours using the “Extreme Battery Saver.” It's powered by Google's Tensor G4 chip, the same chip found in the more expensive Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. It also comes with two rear cameras – one 48MP main camera and one 13MP ultra-wide-angle camera, along with a 13MP selfie camera.

All these features are present in the phone, which retails for $499. Not bad. But when you factor in Amazon's Prime Day offer, which slashes the MSRP by 30%, you can snag a very capable smartphone for $349. Even better. However, if you can justify the additional expense, I would consider upgrading to the 256GB model.. This will double the internal storage, taking some of the burden off file management, and while it costs an extra $100, it's still a 25% discount off this model's $599 MSRP.

Don't think that just because the Pixel 10 is out…and also on sale for Prime Day— that you should buy it instead of the Pixel 9a. Our editor Michelle Erhardt still thinks the Pixel 9a is the best deal compared to Google's latest and greatest smartphones. In fact, she calls it “the best Google phone for most people.”

Looking for something else? Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have competitive Prime Day sales, which are especially useful if you don't have Amazon Prime.