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The smartphone market has rapidly moved towards bigger phones, with screen sizes of 6.6 to 6.8 inches now becoming standard. And while there are merits to using a big phone, like more screen real estate for work, gaming, and video calls, as well as bigger batteries and cameras, small phones are finally making a comeback. People are once again appreciating their compact and lightweight designs, which make them easy to use with one hand and allow them to fit easily into even small pockets.

But while the best small phones, like the Samsung Galaxy S26 or S25 or the Google Pixel 11 , are easy picks, you shouldn't have to splurge a lot for a compact Android smartphone. The thing, though, is that the number of small budget Android phones on the market is far lower, as the mid-range and budget segments usually prioritize large screen sizes to look closer to flagships.…