How to Choose a Phone Under ₹15,000 in India (2026)

1. Decide What Matters Most to You

Before looking at any specs, decide what you actually care about day-to-day. A phone under ₹15,000 will always involve some trade-offs.

Think about how you use your phone: long YouTube sessions, BGMI or Free Fire gaming, camera-heavy use, or mostly calls and WhatsApp.

• Performance & gaming – chipset, RAM, storage speed
• Battery & charging – mAh capacity, charger wattage
• Camera quality – main sensor, night mode, stabilization
• Display – AMOLED vs IPS LCD, refresh rate
• 5G vs 4G – future-proofing vs real benefit right now

2. Minimum Performance You Should Aim For

In 2026, aim for at least 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage if you use many apps and store media locally.

On the processor side, look for newer Snapdragon 6-series / 4 Gen 2, Dimensity 600/700-series or equivalent. Avoid very old entry-level chips if you can.

3. Battery and Camera Trade-offs

Phones under ₹15,000 often give you either great battery or decent camera – very few do both perfectly.

If you travel a lot or game heavily, prioritise a 5000–6000 mAh battery with at least 18W–33W charging.

If you click a lot of photos, look for a good primary sensor with OIS or a reliable brand with good image processing, not just high megapixel numbers.

4. Should You Care About 5G at This Budget?

If you upgrade phones every 1–2 years and mostly use Wi-Fi, 4G with better display or camera might be a smarter choice.

If you stay with the same phone for 3+ years and live in a metro city with stable 5G, then a good 5G phone under ₹15k is worth it.

5. Our Recommended Shortcuts

Instead of manually checking every spec sheet, you can skip straight to our curated lists below.

We regularly update these pages based on live prices, discounts, and stock.