Boost Mobile is a prepaid carrier with a lot of history, but currently, it offers a slew of budget-focused plans with multiple options to save. Boost has a wide range of phones available from flagship models from Samsung to budget devices from Motorola. Boost’s network mainly uses T-Mobile coverage with some areas starting to see Boost 5G coverage.
While a lot of T-Mobile-compatible phones will work with a SIM swap, official support is more limited, with some of the best Android phones, like the Pixel 8 series and OnePlus 12 series, still left out.
Samsung Galaxy S24+
Galaxy’s best features
The Galaxy S24+ sits in the middle of the S24 series with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED display and one of the fastest mobile SoCs available. With Samsung promising seven years of software support, this is an excellent phone to use for years with prepaid carriers like Boost.
- Excellent performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- Strong battery life
- Seven years of software support
- Cameras can struggle in challenging light
- Galaxy AI features are a bit of a letdown
While Samsung’s bigger S24 Ultra often steals the spotlight, the Galaxy S24+ makes more sense as a daily driver with a slightly smaller display and a lower price with Galaxy’s best features intact. It’s got the fast Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of RAM and fast UFS 4.0 storage. This power is useful with the high-resolution 1440×3120 AMOLED display running at up to 120Hz with 2,600 nits of peak brightness.
The S24+ has three rear cameras with a main 50MP shooter, a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. A fairly large 4,900mAh battery can easily keep the phone running until the end of the day, but if you need to top up the battery, 45W wired charging is supported with 15W wireless charging.
Samsung Galaxy S24+ review: A safe bet
AI gimmicks aside, this is a very easy-to-recommend flagship
The phone launched with Android 14 and is set to get seven years of software updates so the phone will be up-to-date as long as you want to keep using it. With 5G support including sub6 and mmWave, you’ll also continue to get Boost’s best coverage and speed.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
A noteworthy upgrade
The S24 Ultra is Samsung’s most impressive phone yet with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display with the S Pen stylus included to help you make the most of it. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of RAM, so you can run any game or app you please.
- Incredible AMOLED display
- Cameras can be phenomenal
- Strong battery life
- Quite expensive
- Cameras can struggle with motion
If you want to carry around one of the most technologically impressive phones ever made, it has to be the Galaxy S24 Ultra. This phone has a large 6.8-inch display with a high 1440×3120 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate that pairs perfectly with the S Pen. The S Pen is a smart stylus included in and charged by the phone. That Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 12GB of RAM powers through Android 14 and any other app you want to run.
The camera system is led by the main 200MP shooter with a 10MP 3x telephoto camera, a 5x periscope telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. That’s a lot of hardware to make sure the phone is ready for any situation, though we noticed some issues capturing motion clearly in some lighting. Still, you can shoot all day with a large 5,000mAh battery and quick 45W charging.
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review: Still the best, unless you take photos
Without any meaningful changes, Samsung’s latest phablet feels like a do-over for last year’s smartphone
Like the rest of the S24 series, and Google’s Pixel 8 series, you get seven years of Android updates so this phone should be up-to-date for years to come. It supports Boost’s network and will also work with just about any other carrier if you want to switch carriers later on.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
Punching above its weight
Samsung’s Galaxy A25 5G is priced competitively, but it does its best to bring premium features to the budget segment. Things like its AMOLED screen and 50MP triple camera array aren’t very common on phones that retail for under $500, let alone at the A25’s $300 price point. On the software side, photo editing tools like Single Take and Object Eraser add further to the value, making this one of the better budget options to hit US shores.
- Excellent Super AMOLED display
- Solid camera performance
- Four Android OS updates
- Large bezels with a notch
- Laggy performance
A lot of people don’t need a high-end flagship phone and can save some cash with a cheaper model like the Galaxy A25 5G. This phone is equipped with the unimpressive Exynos 1280 SoC which means you’ll experience some lag, but not surprising on a phone at this price. What may be surprising is the lovely 6.5-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of peak brightness. A 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD expansion slot are also nice inclusions.
The cameras are solid with the main 50MP cameras turning in some solid results. There’s also an 8MP ultrawide camera and a 2MP macro camera onboard. The battery is quite large at 5000mAh, which should easily last you till the end of the day. While the official specs state 25W charging, our review found charging speeds to be underwhelming in general.
Samsung Galaxy A25 5G review: Better than budget
At this point, Samsung’s cheap phones can’t get much more reliable
The A25 5G is ready for 5G support on Boost Mobile and also works with just about any other carrier you can think of, so you can bring it with you if you decide to switch. Beyond that, the phone gets four OS updates and five years of security updates, so you can feel confident using it for years to come.
Motorola Razr (2023)
Folding display for mid-range prices
The Moto Razr 2023’s Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC isn’t all that impressive, but its 6.9-inch 144Hz folding AMOLED display has up to 1400 nits of peak brightness. It’s even got a fairly large battery at 4200mAh with 30W charging support.
- Good look and feel
- Excellent internal display
- Solid battery life
- Small external display
- Cameras could be better
With most folding phones commanding huge price tags, the Moto Razr (2023) is surprising in just how affordable it is. While the SoC takes a bit of a hit with the Snapdrago 7 Gen 1, it’s still plenty fast for most people. The star of the show is the large 6.9-inch AMOLED display on the inside with a 144Hz refresh rate and up to 1,400 nits of peak brightness.
There’s a 64MP main camera plus a 13MP ultrawide, which takes good photos, but leaves a bit to be desired, especially in low light. Luckily, Motorola went with a fairly large 4,200mAh battery with 30W charging, so you should be able to easily make it to the end of the day on a single charge.
Motorola Razr (2023) review: Better than it should be
It’s not the flashiest or most powerful, but this clamshell foldable is great for the space
This phone works well with Boost’s 5G coverage and is even on sale at the carrier with a unique black and gold colorway available. This phone launched on Android 13, and while Motorola has promised three years of OS updates, it falls short of what Samsung offers.
Samsung Galaxy S24
Small enough to use one-handed
The Galaxy S24 is much smaller than the S24 Plus or Ultra with a 6.2-inch display and no significant bezels to speak of. It’s got the same powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC as its large siblings and even the same camera setup as the Plus.
- Excellent display
- Strong performance from the Snapdragon SoC
- Good battery life for the size
- Cameras can struggle in some lighting
- Slow 25W charging
The Galaxy S24 is easy to overlook with its two larger siblings offering some nice features, like the S Pen and faster 45W charging, but this is still an excellent phone for someone looking for something smaller. The 6.2-inch AMOLED display is no compromise with 120Hz support and 2600 nits of peak brightness. It’s powered by the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC with 8GB of RAM, so there’s not much it can’t do.
The camera setup is essentially identical to the S24 Plus with a main 50MP shooter, a 10M 3x telephoto camera, and a 12MP ultrawide camera. That also means it comes with the same motion clarity issues. The battery on this phone is 4,000mAh with up to 25W wired charging, which isn’t all that fast these days.
The Galaxy S24 is an excellent choice for Boost with support for Boost’s 5G network, as well as just about any other carrier. Luckily, Samsung also treats this phone to the full seven years of software support that it’s including with its flagship phones.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023)
Get a stylus for less
The Moto G Stylus 5G is far from the most powerful phone, but with a low price, a decent display, and 5G support, it’s still a strong option for some. The phone comes with a stylus for precision input and the large 5,000mAh battery should easily last till the end of the day.
- Slick 120Hz IPS display
- Good stylus integration into the software
- Great battery life
- No wireless charging
- Screen doesn’t get that bright
Motorola makes some of the best budget phones you’ll find, and its Moto G Stylus 5G is no exception. It’s reasonably powerful with a Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 SoC and 4GB of RAM offering smooth performance. While the 6.6-inch IPS display isn’t quite as nice as Samsung’s, its 120Hz support and high 1080×2400 resolution still make it a solid pick. It’s also got a 3.5mm headphone jack and microSD storage expansion.
The main camera is nothing special, with a 50MP main sensor and an 8MP ultrawide camera. These cameras are good for the price range but fail to live up to some camera value champs like the Pixel A-series phones. Luckily, the large 5,000mAh battery and low-power SoC mean the battery life is excellent.
Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) review: A stylus phone that won’t break the bank
Motorola delivers a Samsung-like smartphone for a third of the price
This phone supports Boost’s 5G coverage, as well as most other carriers. This phone launched with Android 13, and while the phone is planned to get the update to Android 14, Motorola’s software support in general leaves a lot to be desired.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G
AMOLED for under $200
The Galaxy A15 5G is one of Samsung’s best cheap phones with a 90Hz AMOLED display, a large battery, and solid performance for the price. With four OS updates planned, this is an excellent choice for a user on a tight budget.
- Fantastic display
- Long battery life
- Decent performance for the price
- Slow charging
- Can slow down with multitasking
Cheap phones are better than ever, and truthfully, a lot of people can get by just fine with a phone like the Galaxy A15 5G without much issue. While it’s not Samsung’s cheapest model, it’s not far off at a penny shy of $200. Despite that, it’s got a 90Hz AMOLED display that looks great and a MediaTek Dimensity 6100+ SoC that does a respectable job keeping up with it. This phone also keeps the 3.5mm headphone jack around with microSD storage expansion.
The cameras are nothing special, with a main 50MP camera, 5MP ultrawide, and 2MP macro cameras onboard. The main camera does a decent job in good lighting, though it will struggle in some scenarios. The 5,000mAh battery can easily make it to the end of the day on a single charge, though with charging speeds we found to be unimpressive.
Samsung Galaxy A15 5G review: Everything you need for only $200
It’s not flashy, but the A15 gets the job done for people who don’t read reviews or care about specs
The phone supports 5G on Boost as well as most other carriers making it a good pick to bring with you to another carrier if you decide to switch later on. Since it’s a Samsung, it launched with Android 14 and is planned to be updated with four Android versions, which is a match for some flagship phones.
Samsung Galaxy A35
Cutting all the right corners
The Galaxy A35 sits right in the middle of Samsung’s A series of phones with a large 6.6-inch Super AMOLED display, Android 14, and a large battery. The Exynos 1380 SoC is nothing special but gets the job done if you’ve got the right expectations.
- Good camera quality
- Large AMOLED display
- All-day battery life
- Performance can be slow
- SoC struggles to keep up with the fast display
- No headphone jack
Samsung covers just about every price point for a phone, and the Galaxy A35 sits confidently in the $400 slot. This phone is equipped with the unimpressive Exynos 1380 SoC with 6GB of RAM, which can struggle to keep up with the beautiful Super AMOLED display running at 120Hz. The display is even bright enough to use outdoors with 1000 nits of peak brightness. There’s no headphone jack, so you’ll need some of the best Bluetooth earbuds if you want to listen to music.
The cameras are decent with the same 50MP sensor we’ve seen in a few phones, plus an 8MP ultrawide, and a 5MP macro camera. You can take photos all day long thanks to a large 5,000mAh battery with 25W charging support, which takes about 30 minutes to reach 50% in our experience.
Samsung Galaxy A35 review: How to compromise effectively
If you don’t expect much, it’s great
While it drops the 5G name, this phone supports 5G on Boost Mobile and should work well with most of Boost’s coverage. This phone launched with Android 14 and is set to get four Android version updates, so it should remain up-to-date as long as you want to keep using it.
Which should you pick?
If you’ve been checking out the best Android phones you can get, you may notice there isn’t a whole lot of variety on this list. This is down to Boost’s relatively light support for BYOD phones. While the biggest models are supported, including Samsung and Apple phones, smaller brands like OnePlus and Google Pixel aren’t as well supported.
Some users report phones like the OnePlus 12 working with a simple SIM swap, but with Boost working on its own 5G network, it’s a good idea to stick with the approved list. That being said, if you want better phone support and are looking for prices that compete with Boost Mobile, you might find another one of the best value data plans is a better fit.
If you’re looking for something cheap, the Galaxy A25 is a great starting point with a large battery, a good software update schedule, and a great display. The 6.5-inch AMOLED display looks anything but budget with a 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits of peak brightness. If, on the other hand, you want one of the best Android phones money can buy, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is a great phone with a gorgeous 6.8-inch display, fast SoC, and fast charging. The Ultra also comes with the S Pen stylus which is great for writing, drawing, or precise input.
The best overall pick for Boost Mobile is the Galaxy S24+ with its impressive large display and top-tier performance with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 SoC. It’s got faster charging than the base S24 at 45W and the large 4,900mAh battery means it will easily make it to the end of the day. One of the best things about the S24+ for a prepaid carrier is that it works well on other carriers, so you can switch if you find a better price.
Samsung Galaxy S24+
The Galaxy S24+ is one of Samsung’s best phones with a large display, fast charging, and excellent software support. If you’re looking for a powerful phone that works with most prepaid carriers, including Boost Mobile, the Galaxy S24+ is a great pick
