The above features, alongside the annual hardware upgrades, make the Pixel 9a a big deal, literally and figuratively. The newcomer's under-$500 starting price has remained unchanged, suggesting that it could be an even better bang for the buck than the Pixel 8a it replaces.

It's hard to beat the Google Pixel 9a in terms of bang per buck, especially if some retailers are offering you a free $100 gift card with it!

Android lovers who just want a mostly clean version of the OS with a full feature set and good battery life probably don’t need to look anywhere else. For now, the Pixel 9a is the budget smartphone to beat in 2025.