The Google Pixel 9a is still our favorite budget smartphone, and now it’s $150 OFF during Best Buy’s Presidents’ Day sale

The launch of the new Pixel 10a is quickly approaching, but why wait when last year’s still-excellent Google Pixel 9a is chilling with a Black Friday-level discount For the first time since the big holiday sales in December, Best Buy is carving $150 off the already-affordable Google Pixel 9a when you buy the device unlocked, OR $250 off when you activate through Verizon or AT&T. That’s a discount of up to 50% off our favorite cheap Android phone on the market today, no trade-in required.

✅Recommended if: you want flagship-level camera tech, performance, and battery life in a sub-$500 phone.

❌Skip this deal if: you’d rather wait for the Google Pixel 10a; you’re looking for a trade-in opportunity or carrier deal.

The Google Pixel 9a earned an exceptional 4.5/5-star rating when it first debuted last spring, thanks to the device’s sophisticated blend of flagship-level specs and an array of AI-boosted software features.

Starting at just $499 before any discounts are applied, the smartphone is powered by Google’s very own Tensor G4 chipset, plus you get a lovely 6.3-inch pOLED display, 8GB of RAM, and over 30 hours of battery life on a single charge.

The phone also comes with an IP68 water-and-dust resistance rating and seven years of guaranteed software updates, two specs that are exceedingly rare in this price range.

In fact, if you’re simply looking at bang for the buck, there are very few negatives associated with the Pixel 9a. Sure, trade in an old device or add a line to your wireless service and you might be able to get a better Android phone for less, but if you want an exceptional deal on an unlocked phone, this Best Buy offer on the Pixel 9a can’t be beat.

The only thing that I’d worry about is the imminent arrival of the Pixel 10a. Google has confirmed that the phone will be unveiled on February 18th, so if you want the newest of the new, it might be worth waiting a few weeks to see what preorder deals become available.

When does the Google Pixel 10a come out?

Google has confirmed that the Pixel 10a will be formally announced on February 18th. Once the device is revealed, we’ll likely have a preorder period of a few weeks before the phone finally hits store shelves.

It’s unlikely we’ll see any $150 straight discounts on the 2026 Pixel, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Pixel 10a received some exceptional trade-in opportunities, storage upgrades, and free gift card deals when the preorder period finally kicks off in earnest.