Best Unlocked Phones for Tracfone BYOP in 2023

Best Unlocked Smartphones - Updated for 2023!

The best unlocked phone list by TracfoneReviewer 

Tracfone offers a good selection of smartphones to use with their prepaid cell service, including Apple devices, Samsung, and many other smartphones (including several options under $100). However, consumers can also choose to purchase their own unlocked phone to bring to Tracfone's BYOP program, and sometimes that means more options, and more freedom.

Bringing your own phone allows for many more smartphone options, and also allows for flexibility to switch to other carriers while keeping the phone.

So what's the best phone to bring to Tracfone's BYOP (Bring Your Own Phone) program? Are there any phones besides the smartphones from Tracfone that I can use with Tracfone prepaid service? Which phones will be compatible with Tracfone? Well we've got a list of our top picks to choose from with a range of prices.

For specific details on the requirements for activating a phone with Tracfone, see our Guide to Transferring/Activating a Smartphone with Tracfone or visit our Tracfone BYOP page (which also has a large list of phone options).

We are choosing these phones based on a variety of factors including popularity, value and cost. These are some of our best suggestions of phones we believe will fit most user's needs. In the end, each person needs to understand what they want out of a phone, and choose a phone according to that.

Most Tracfone users decide to use BYOP because they want a phone with a little more power and performance compared to most Tracfone smartphones, plus a wider selection of devices. In our list, we only include phones priced between $100-$450 as the majority of our readers are looking for a phone in that price range.

Now let's take a look at the list!

Best Unlocked Smartphones to use with Tracfone
Organized by price

Pixel 6a 5G - $450
The Pixel line of smartphones from Google have been an extremely popular lineup due to their excellent specs and relatively affordable price compared to high-end smartphones. The Google Pixel 6a 5G features all the specs of a great phone, including a full HD 6.1" screen, Google's Tensor processor, 6 GB RAM, and 128 GB internal storage. It also has a some impressive features on the dual 12MP rear camera, the latest Android OS (12, with future upgrades), and 5G capability. It is compatible on all the major networks, including Tracfone (Verizon). At a list price of $450, it is more than many Tracfone customers might want to spend, but compared to $1000 high-end devices it sacrifices very little and is half the price. It is one of our top picks for those willing to spend the money.

Get the Google Pixel 6a 5G on Amazon $450 now $339

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G
Newly available in mid-2022, the Galaxy A53 5G is a very competitive mid-level smartphone. It features the impressive Samsung Super AMOLED screen with 120Hz refresh rate, 128 GB internal storage, and solid rear camera setup. The Exynos 1280 processor and 6 GB RAM provide great performance. Tracfone also offers this device, but it is locked to their network. 

Get the unlocked Samsung Galaxy A53 5G on Amazon $399

Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) - $250
Motorola seems to be constantly releasing new phones, and while some recent devices have been a little lackluster, the 2022 Moto G Stylus 5G offers some strong performance at a fair price. It comes with a 6.8" full HD screen, Android 12, and 50 MP rear camera. For performance, it features the Snapdragon 695 5G processor and either 6 or 8 GB RAM, and 128 or 256 GB internal storage. For those that like Motorola's no-nonsense approach to bloatware and excess pre-installed apps, this is a solid mid-level 5G capable device and fully compatible with all the major networks. 

Get the Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) on Amazon $250

Moto G Stylus (2022) - $179
A big screen and long battery life are standard for the Moto G line of phones, and the Stylus (2022) offers that plus lots of updated features. It has a 6.8" full HD screen, 128 GB internal storage, 6 GB RAM and triple rear camera setup. The MediaTek Octa-core processor it comes with is good, but a downgrade from the Snapdragon processor in the 2021 model (See the 2021 Stylus below at sub $200 price or the Snapdragon in the 2022 Stylus 5G above.) For those that like the huge screen (with improved refresh rate), latest Android OS updates, and other new features, the Stylus 2022 is a good option. With a recently reduced price of under $200, it is that much more attractive.

Get the Moto G Stylus (2022) on Amazon $179

Get the Moto G stylus (2022) on Motorola $179

Google Pixel 5 5G - $299
The Pixel 5 was released towards he end of 2020, but offers some excellent features at a discounted price. It has a OLED 6" full HD touchscreen, Snapdragon 765 processor, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB internal storage and dual rear camera. While it is a slightly older device, it packs a lot of top tier features for the price, including 5G network compatibility.

Find the Google Pixel 5 on Amazon $299

Moto G Stylus (2021) - $199
While it is last year's model along with the Power below, it does still pack quite the performance with a Snapdragon 678 that outperforms the 2022 model. It also has 128 GB internal storage, 4 GB RAM, quad rear camera setup and 6.8" screen. There's a lot to like about this device and it is also now available at a sale price of just under $200. For just $20 more than the Power, it might be a great option for those that also like the larger screen and extra internal storage.

Get the Moto G Stylus (2021) on Amazon $199

Moto G Power (2021) - $129
Simple, but powerful, featuring a 6.6" HD touchscreen, 4 GB RAM, 64 GB internal storage and Snapdragon 662 processor, the Moto G Power 2021 is one of the best smartphone under $200 for 2021. Yes, it is odd that this almost 2 year old device would still be so capable, especially with the Moto G Power 2022 recently released, but the 2021 version actually features a more powerful processor, and is less expensive, making it more desirable for the majority of budget shoppers. 

Get the Moto G Power (2021) on Amazon $129

That concludes our list of the the best budget friendly smartphones to use with Tracfone. We hope this list serves to provide some ideas of different phones available to use with Tracfone BYOP.

We want to hear from you! Share your current/favorite phone you use with Tracfone in the comments below!

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Also take a look at our list of the Latest Tracfone Smartphones to see what is new from Tracfone.

And if you need some info on activating or switching your phone to Tracfone, read our full Guide to Activating or Transferring to a Tracfone Smartphone.

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Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (S536DL) Review

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Review, Specs and Features

The A53 5G comes with a 6.5" full HD touchscreen, Octa-core Exynos processor, 128 GB storage and 6 GB RAM. Plus it has Android 12 and a quad-rear camera setup capable of 4K recording.

Tracfone released the A53 to use with their prepaid service along with several other Samsung Galaxy models in mid 2022 and it sits at the top of their budget lineup.

It also is available unlocked, but the Tracfone version comes with a sizable discount to the retail price. 

The Galaxy A53 replaces the previous year's A52 smartphone, which Tracfone never offered. Instead Tracfone released the Galaxy A32 5G. Before that, Tracfone did offer the A51 and A50 devices. So for Tracfone, the A53 5G is the replacement for the A32 5G and A51.

Here's our quick pro's and con's list for the A53.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Quick Facts

What we Like:
-120hz fast screen refresh rate
-Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection
-Dust/waterproof rating
-Long battery life

What we Don't Like:
-No wall charger included
-No headphone connection
-Mediocre Processor

For budget phone users, there's a few things missing that might be a surprise, primarily the 3.5mm headphone jack that has been gone from flagship phones for a while, but still comes standard on low-end devices. The other missing part is the wall charging block which Samsung has stopped including with their phones. 

These 'missing' pieces are pretty easy to forget about when we see that the A53 does come with really nice features like an IP67 waterproof rating, Gorilla Glass 5 protection on the beautiful display, and a rear camera setup that is a step above any budget devices.

How do all the features stack up and does it make the A53 5G worth the extra spend over other models? Let's start with the full list of specs and features.

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G (S536DL) Features and Specs

Below are the features followed by the technical specs

• Android 12
• Samsung One UI 4.1
• 5G (Verizon)
• Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac, dual-band, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot
• Bluetooth 5.1
• Alarm Clock
• GPS
• MP3 Player
• Hearing Aid Compatible
• Access to over 1 Million Apps on Google Play
• Voicemail, Caller ID, Call Waiting
• SMS/MMS
• USB Charger (USB Type-C 2.0)
• Compatible with Samsung Gear Smartwatches
• In-display Fingerprint sensor

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Technical Specs
Size: 6.28 x 2.94 x 0.32 in (6.67 oz)
Camera: Quad rear camera 64+12+5+5MP and 32MP front camera
Screen: 6.5" HD Super AMOLED, 120Hz, 800 nits display (1080x2400 resolution)
Processor: Octa-core Exynos 1280

Memory: 6 GB
Storage: 128 GB internal storage, supports up to 1 TB MicroSD Card
Battery: 5,000 mAh battery (non-removable) with 25W fast charging

Most consumers are familiar with the Samsung brand as they are a global manufacture and the largest consumer electronics maker (by revenue) in the world. They are based in South Korea and have a broad lineup of smartphones with their high end device, like the Samsung Galaxy S22, a contender for some of the best phones in the world.

Samsung phones are well known for their quality, something that can't always be said for some of the other brands Tracfone offers. Samsung also often offers several years of OS updates and security fixes.

The Galaxy A53 5G does get some of the classic design elements of Samsung phones with a familiar layout for the charging port, beautiful screen, and it also features Samsung's UI changes. But a budget phone will have to cut some corners, and we will dive into that below.

Now let's get into the details with our review of the A53.

Tracfone Samsung Galaxy A53 5G Review

Touchscreen

The 6.5" full HD Super AMOLED screen is one of the exciting features on the A53 5G. It has a resolution of 1080x2400, 20:9 screen ratio, and 120hz fast refresh rate. The pixel density is very good at about 405 ppi, making for crisp, clear images and text.

The Super AMOLED screen is a feature we usually only see in more expensive Samsung devices and offers brighter, more vivid display colors while also reducing power consumption. The in-display fingerprint reader for biometric security functions well and adds another feature generally found in flagship models.

The A53 also comes with Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection as well as IP67 waterproof rating for increased durability and resistance to water damage. 

The screen on the A53 5G is about as good as it gets for a phone in this price range and renders very good colors, detail and brightness. 

Performance - RAM, Storage and Processor

With 6 GB RAM, 128 GB storage and an Exynos 1280 octa-core processor, the A53 5G offers excellent performance and storage capabilities. And, in case more storage is needed, there is an expandable storage slot.

For the processor, Samsung opts to use their in-house developed Exynos 1280 in the A53 which has 2x2.4 GHz Cortex-A78 and 6x2.0 GHz Cortex-A55. It offers a good balance between performance and battery life, and also offers 5G network compatibility. It is only slightly better in some ways, than the Snapdragon 695 processor in the Galaxy A23 5G, and we would generally prefer a Snapdragon processor.

Most actions and processes on this device are smooth and reliable, but there are occasional hiccups that are likely due to the processor. We would have preferred to see a more powerful Snapdragon processor.

Camera

The quad-rear camera setup in the A53 offers a lot of features and megapixels, starting with the main, 64MP shooter. The other rear cameras include a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, 5MP macro and 5MP depth 

Image quality is quite good, with sharp, clear shots. And even in moderate lighting, the A53 performs well due to the Optical Image Stabilization.

On the front of the phone is a 32MP selfie camera that captures solid images, but nothing spectacular. 

For video, there is 4K at 30fps on both the front and rear cameras, a great feature to have, and something we don't see on any lower priced phones.

Overall the cameras on the A53 are a nice step up from just about any other budget phone, especially from Tracfone. For better camera quality, consider an iPhone, Google Pixel, or other flagship phones.

Check out our 8 Tips for Better Cell Phone Pictures.

Battery

Most budget phones offer good battery performance and the Galaxy A53 delivers that as well thanks to a 5,000 mAh battery. The additional combination of the more power efficient screen and processor means that the A53 will generally last two days on a single charge with low usage.

25W fast charging helps recharge the large battery quickly, and is a nice feature to have. Many budget devices only have 10W or 15W charging, which is a bit slow.

Android OS

The Galaxy A53 5G comes with Android 12 OS and will likely get an upgrade to Android 13 when that becomes available to Samsung devices. Samsung boasts software support for the A53 for several years, and hopefully the Tracfone version will also take advantage of these updates.

Android 12 comes with a host of design, performance and security updates over previous versions that make it safer and more useable. Some of the updates include more privacy control, the ability to limit apps from using your exact location, and improved accessibility options.

As a Samsung device, the A53 also comes with One UI 4.1 which has features like Smart Calendar, Samsung Pay, Smart Widgets, extra brightness toggle, and pro camera features. For those who are fans of Samsung's additional UI features, the A53 will feel very familiar. But for those who prefer a more stock Android experience, consider devices from Motorola or Google.

Design

Bridging the gap between budget and high-end devices, the A53 takes some features from both when it comes to design. It has a matte plastic back and polished plastic sides which seem to hold up pretty well. The rear camera bump has been reduced a little to not stick out as much as before. And the screen to body ratio of 85% is pretty good and leaves only small bezels on the front.

As we mentioned earlier, there is no 3.5mm headphone jack, only the USB Type-C 2.0 port. So headphones will need to be wireless or get an adapter. 

The A53 5G does feature IP67 waterproof rating, which means it should withstand up to 1 meter in water for up to 30 minutes. While we wouldn't put it to the test, this does indicate it should be capable surviving accidental dips in water without needing a bag of rice to revive it.

On the right side are the volume and power buttons in a familiar place and the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the screen, which is a neat feature

Conclusion 

The Galaxy A53 5G is a very capable smartphone that offers a handful of premium features while keeping the price reasonable. The large, beautiful screen, great camera setup, and waterproof rating are all enticing features. Plus, the Tracfone version is already discounted over $200 off the retail price.

For the retail price of the unlocked version (about $450), there are some other very good options available, specifically the Google Pixel 6a, that we would likely recommend. The unlocked Pixel 6a is about the same price, but offers a better processor, better camera, and cleaner Android experience. The A53 does have the larger screen, and better battery life.

The Bottom Line: The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G from Tracfone is hard to beat for the features and price. But not every Tracfone user will want to spend the money when there are several other options from Tracfone that are $50-$100 cheaper and still offer solid performance and features (and even 5G compatibility). For those that want performance, great camera, and are willing to spend a little more, look no further than the A53 5G from Tracfone.

Alternatives to the Galaxy A53 5G:

There are several other good options available from Tracfone, and budget-conscious shoppers may want to consider some of these as they offer good performance at a lower price.

The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G is almost as good as the A53, minus a few nice upgrades, for about $50 less. It offers a little less RAM (4GB) and storage (64GB) but has a Snapdragon processor that is just about as good as the one in the A53. The A23 does not have any waterproof rating, and the camera setup is a little less capable. The screen is actually a little larger, at 6.6" and is full HD with 120hz refresh rate but is not a Super AMOLED display. The A23 does retain a 3.5mm headphone jack. For some, the A23 5G will be more than capable, and comes at a lower price.

Samsung's A13 5G is another option, and one that is about $100 less than the A53. But that comes with a significant drop in features including a much less powerful processor, lower resolution screen, less RAM, storage and less capable cameras setup. The A13 does still offer 5G network capability, and is one of the cheapest options from Tracfone at this time that offers that. We generally suggest the A13 for light to moderate smartphone users, who won't be playing resource intensive games or planning to download large numbers of different apps.

Motorola is often a big competitor in the budget phone space, and the Moto G Stylus 2022 is an option, and can be found for about $50 less than the A53. It has the same amount of RAM and storage, but an inferior processor and camera setup. And it doesn't have 5G capability. For 5G network capability, the Moto G Stylus 2022 5G is an option, and it packs a more powerful processor, but it is actually the same as the one in the A23 5G. The Galaxy A53 5G is a little less expensive from Tracfone, and offers a little more.

Best Prices on the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G

The A23 is not as widely available as some Samsung devices, but here are the top options we've found:

Get the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G on eBay - $219

Get the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G on Amazon - $219

Get the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G on the Tracfone Website - $219

Get the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G with airtime bundle on HSN - $279

Samsung Galaxy A53 5G User Manual and Device Detailed Information

View the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G User Manual and Tutorials

View the Galaxy A53 5G Detailed Information

That concludes our review of the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G. Please leave a comment below with your thoughts or questions. 

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