Best smartphones under R10,000 in South Africa

There are numerous highly capable smartphones that South Africans can buy from online stores for under R10,000.

Due to the rand weakening significantly in the past few years, it is no longer uncommon for flagship smartphones to launch at more than R20,000 locally.

While there is a plethora of budget smartphones on the market at less than a quarter of that price, these might fall far short of the expectations of those who have become accustomed to premium devices.

However, somewhere between budget and flagship are many higher-end midrange smartphones and old flagships that offer a great balance between performance and reasonable pricing.

If you opt to pay for these devices over 24 months on a credit card with a budget facility and a 20% interest rate, you will pay roughly R500 per month.

That is a level many consumers might consider far more reasonable than the R1,000-per-month prices of many 36-month flagship contracts.

MyBroadband looked at all the best smartphones South Africans can buy from prominent online stores for under R10,000.

We found a plethora of smartphones that offer great value for money, priced between R6,499 and R9,950.

Our focus was on recent mid-rangers and flagships released over the last four years, which have seen their prices reduced as their successors launched.

All the smartphones feature camera systems that can take high-quality photos and videos.,

They also boasted high-resolution displays, large batteries, fast charging, and NFC support.

Most models can also put out high screen refresh rates of 120Hz, support 5G connectivity, and some can even load eSIMs.

A few also had packed support for wireless charging, typically only available on premium smartphones.

There was even an Apple device in the bunch — 2020’s iPhone 12. While it might be getting a bit long in the tooth, Apple’s smartphones are highly reputed for their longevity.

Below are some of the best smartphones you can buy for less than R10,000 in South Africa in November 2024.

Samsung Galaxy A55 5G — R6,499 (Bob Shop)

Honor 200 Lite — R6,499 (Takealot)

Nothing Phone (1) — R6,899 (Takealot)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 13 Pro+ — R8,999 (Takealot)

Oppo Reno12 F — R8,999 (Technomobi)

Samsung Galaxy S21 FE — R9,075 (Takealot)

Google Pixel 7 Pro — $539.22 | R9,500 (Amazon.com)

OnePlus 10 Pro— $550.82 | R9,704 (Amazon.com)

Apple iPhone 12 64GB — R9,950 (Takealot)