5 Android phones you should buy instead of the Nothing Phone 3

Well, folks, it’s here: the Nothing Phone 3. Nothing’s “true flagship” smartphone is official, and it’s certainly an attention-grabber. The new Glyph Matrix on the back of the phone houses fun games and tools in the miniature LED circle, Nothing’s funky hardware design is in full force, and the spec sheet leaves little to complain about.

Triple 50MP cameras on the back, including an ultrawide sensor and a periscope telephoto camera? Check. A 5,150mAh battery with 65W wired charging? Yep. A big AMOLED display, a powerful Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 chipset, and five years of Android OS updates? Yes, yes, and yes.

The Nothing Phone 3 makes a great first impression, and with a $799 starting price (which includes 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage by default), it stands to be one of the year’s most competitive Android handsets. But that doesn’t mean it’s your only option.

As good as the Nothing Phone 3 may be, here are five other Android phones you might want to buy instead.

Of all the Android phones on this list, the OnePlus 13 stands out as the best alternative to the Nothing Phone 3 for most people. It’s slightly more expensive at $899, but I think there’s an easy argument to be made for spending the extra $100 on OnePlus’s handset.

While you don’t get the fun Glyph Matrix on the OnePlus 13, you do get a blue leather back that looks and feels outstanding. OnePlus’s design may not be as unique as the Nothing Phone 3, but I think the OnePlus 13 is a much more sophisticated-looking phone, and given the choice between the two, it’s the one I’d want to carry around with me.

OnePlus handily beats Nothing in the specs race, boasting a sharper and bigger display, a much larger 6,000mAh battery, and even faster 80W wired charging. Further, the Snapdragon 8 Elite powering the OnePlus 13 is a league above the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 in the Nothing Phone 3.

And the list keeps going. The OnePlus 13’s camera system is damn impressive, its OxygenOS 15 Android skin is one of my personal favorites, and its combo IP68/IP69 rating should give you even more peace of mind by the pool. There’s just so much to like here, and as cool as the Nothing Phone 3 looks, the OnePlus 13 is the phone I’d choose every single time.

That’s great if you can afford the OnePlus 13, but what if you really can’t spend more than $799? In that case, I’d recommend looking at the Google Pixel 9. While we expect the Pixel 10 to be released in late August, if you’re in the market for a phone right now, the Pixel 9 is still very much worth considering.

As is always the case with Pixel phones, one of the main reasons to buy one is the software experience, and that holds true for the Pixel 9. Whether it’s the AI calling tools, the excellent Pixel Weather app, the quirky but helpful Pixel Screenshots, or the deep Gemini integrations, Google’s Pixel-exclusive software features are unmatched.

The Pixel 9 has one fewer camera than the Nothing Phone 3, but even without a dedicated telephoto sensor, the Pixel 9 still delivers a strong and reliable photography setup. It’s certainly not as versatile as the Nothing Phone 3, but there’s something to be said about the consistency and reliability of shooting with a Pixel.

What else does the Pixel 9 have going for it? The smaller 6.3-inch display makes it a great choice for those who prefer a more compact phone, and the seven years of Android updates are hard to beat. The Nothing Phone 3 has battery capacity, charge speed, and chipset horsepower on its side, but if you really value the Pixel software and camera experience, your money is better spent on the Pixel 9.

If you want to stay with a $799 Android phone but the Pixel 9 isn’t the right fit for you, the Galaxy S25 may be a better choice. Like the Pixel 9, it also offers seven years of guaranteed Android updates, a compact display, and comes with its own share of AI features. However, if you’re OK living without some of those Pixel features, there are tangible benefits to choosing the Galaxy S25 over Google’s phone.

Perhaps the most significant of these is the chipset. While Google’s Tensor G4 chip is fine, the Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Galaxy S25 is considerably better. It’s more powerful, more efficient, and also runs cooler. The main and ultrawide cameras on Samsung and Google’s phones are pretty similar, although the Galaxy S25 gives you the telephoto camera you don’t get on the Pixel 9.

Compared to the Nothing Phone 3, the Galaxy S25 has significantly worse battery and charging specs (a 4,000mAh battery and 25W wired charging), and the base $799 model comes with just 128GB of storage (compared to 256GB for the Nothing Phone 3). Further, while Samsung’s One UI 8 software has a lot to like, you may find it overbearing and overwhelming compared to the simplistic approach of Nothing OS.

The Galaxy S25 isn’t a perfect Android phone, but if you want a smaller form factor and a true flagship Snapdragon chip, it’s still worth considering before you buy the Nothing Phone 3.

Launched earlier this year, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is a decidedly less capable phone than the Nothing Phone 3. However, if you aren’t concerned about chasing specs and just want a Nothing handset at a great price, it’s a really compelling option.

Compared to the other phones on this list, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is the only one that still gives you a phone with Nothing’s unmistakable design language. Nothing’s iconic Glyph Interface is here, as is a giant camera bump, which I honestly prefer to the weird, staggered camera design on the Nothing Phone 3.

Despite being a mid-range handset, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro has a surprisingly strong spec sheet. There’s a triple camera system (including a periscope telephoto camera), a big AMOLED display, and a 5,000mAh battery with 50W charge speeds. You also get the same Nothing OS software and Essential Space AI feature found on the flagship Nothing Phone 3.

The biggest drawback to the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is its limited band support for US carriers. The phone technically supports 4G and 5G networks on T-Mobile, AT&T, and Verizon; however, activating the Nothing Phone 3a Pro can be tricky, and you may not have as good coverage as with the other phones mentioned here.

That’s a big point to consider, but if it doesn’t deter you, the Nothing Phone 3a Pro is a darn good phone — and at just $459, it’s significantly cheaper than the regular Nothing Phone 3.

My fifth and final pick is a bit of a wild card, but just hear me out. If you’re thinking about buying the Nothing Phone 3, you likely want an Android phone that’s original and stands out from the sea of iPhones and Samsung Galaxy handsets. But if that’s true, why not get the Motorola Razr (2025) instead?

The Nothing Phone 3 certainly boasts an eye-catching design that’s unlike most other phones on the market. But would you rather have a phone with strange camera sensors and a transparent back, or a phone that folds in half? I know I’m choosing the latter.

The Razr (2025) has just about everything you want in a flip phone foldable, including a large 3.6-inch cover display, a solid dual-camera setup, and really fun finishes/colors. The best part? It costs $100 less than the Nothing Phone 3. The Motorola Razr (2025) may not be the first Nothing Phone 3 alternative that comes to mind, but for the right person, it could easily be the best.