If you go looking for the best Android phones with a memory card slot, you're not going to find a whole lot of options. From mid-range devices to premium flagships, it's a feature that has become all but obsolete in the modern-day smartphone world. Thankfully, there are still a few brands that continue to make smartphones with expandable storage.
Among them, Motorola is the best brand when it comes to niche features such as expansion slots, or 3.5mm audio ports. The Moto G 2026 series is ripe with well-rounded and affordable choices, with the Moto G 2026 being the finest among the lot. It's a $200 smartphone with a big battery, Android 16 out of the box, and of course, a microSD card slot supporting up to 1TB of expansion. Best of all, you can get it in the U.S., unlike some popular microSD card slot-toting phones from manufacturers like Sony or Nothing.
Namerah enjoys geeking out over accessories, gadgets, and all sorts of smart knickknacks. After writing about consumer tech for nearly a decade, she has become an expert in the Android accessories space. She spends her free time guzzling coffee, writing some more, casual gaming, and cuddling with her furry best friends.
Best overall
Motorola has made quite a reputation for itself over the past few years, delivering devices that offer incredible value for money. The new Moto G 2026 is yet another banger from the company that not only excels at the basics but also manages to pack some nice extras. Undeniably one of the best phones under $200, this one is not to be missed if you don't want to splurge on a flagship. Admittedly, not much has changed from the Moto G 2025, but you do get a larger battery and Android 16 out of the box.
Thanks to the vegan leather back panel that we've all come to love, the Moto G 2026 looks and feel far more premium than what its price tag might have you believe. Up front, there's a 6.7-inch IPS LCD screen that works well for everyday tasks such as media streaming and web browsing. Yes, the HD resolution is a bit low by today's standards, but you do get a 120Hz refresh rate and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 protection. The phone is powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC and 4GB of RAM, which combined should be enough sufficient for casual usage and even some gaming. There's also 128GB of onboard storage, and an expansion slot that can take up the best microSD cards of up to 1TB in size.
If you were to compare the Moto G 2026 and the Moto G 2025, you'd immediately notice the improvements in the camera department. The front-facing camera is now a 32MP unit, although you still get a 50MP shooter on the rear. Photos are captured almost instantly, and the software has also seen a few enhancements.
The smartphone runs Android 16 (with Motorola's Hello UI overlaid on top) and is set to receive two OS updates and three years of security patches, which is quite good given its price point. All essential connectivity and I/O options (e.g., Wi-Fi, NFC, and a 3.5mm audio port) are here, along with a 5,200mAh battery with 30W wired charging support.
Best value
Samsung's flagships and foldables are all the rage, but don't sleep on its fantastic range of affordable A-series smartphones. Among them is the Galaxy A35 5G, one of the best cheap Android phones for anyone who prefers Galaxy devices. It's true that it's two generations old at this point, but the newer models don't offer much in terms of upgrades; instead, they lack storage expansion. Moreover, the Galaxy A35 can now be had for an extremely low price, especially if you don't mind going the renewed way.
Driven by Samsung's Exynos 1380 chipset and 6GB of RAM, the Galaxy A35 5G is more than capable of handling just about everything except the most resource-intensive of workflows. You also get 128GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot that makes storage expansion a walk in the park. The smartphone has a 6.6-inch Super AMOLED panel with a resolution of 1080x2340 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, which is ideal for games, web browsing, and more. You even get an IP67 certification for dust and water resistance.
For photos and videos, the Galaxy A35 5G comes with a triple-lens rear camera system having a 50MP wide-angle sensor, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro module. It runs Android 14 (with One UI 6.1 overlaid on top) out of the box, and thanks to Samsung's excellent software update policy guarantees four major OS updates and five years of security patches. This means this phone will still be perfectly fine for a few more years, even if you get it today. Some other additions include stereo speakers, NFC, and a 5,000mAh battery with 25W wired charging.
Best international
Taking its unique style and mix of premium features into consideration, it's easy to see why the CMF Phone 2 Pro is the best Android phone with expandable storage available in the market. Although it no longer has a removable backplate like the previous-gen model, you still get an (optional) back panel that can be screwed on to the rear. It gives the smartphone at least some level of modularity, while also allowing the use of several add-on accessories such as a magnetic kickstand and extra lenses. The CMF Phone 2 Pro is not available in the United States, but you can still get it imported, should you feel like buying it.
The CMF Phone 2 Pro is powered by MediaTek's Dimensity 7300 Pro SoC and 8GB of RAM, a combination that makes it fairly good at handling everyday things such as web browsing and casual gaming. You get 128GB/256GB of internal storage, as well as a microSD card slot. Up front, there's a 6.77-inch 120Hz AMOLED screen with even bezels on all sides and up to 3000 nits of peak brightness. The phone runs Android 15 (with Nothing OS 3.2 overlay) out of the box and offers a clean yet practical user experience. It's also guaranteed to receive three years of major OS updates, along with six years of security updates.
There's a triple-lens primary camera setup with a 50MP primary lens, a 50MP telephoto sensor (with 2x optical zoom), and an 8MP ultrawide unit. Given the phone's affordable price tag, this is an extremely capable setup that can shoot good-quality photos and videos in well-lit environments. Among other notable features are NFC, an IP54 rating for dust and water resistance, and a 5,000mAh battery with 33W wired charging.
Best premium pick
Sony's smartphones have always stood apart from the crowd, and the Xperia 1 VII is no exception. Bursting at the seams with a bevy of features, it's an incredible device that can still hold its own against the best out there. You get Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC under the hood, along with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of onboard storage. There's also an expansion slot that can take microSD cards of up to 2TB in size, giving you all the space you could possibly need for your photos, videos, and apps.
Up front, the Xperia 1 VII sports a 6.5-inch LTPO OLED panel that doesn't have any obtrusive punch-holes or notches, a design trait that immediately makes it stand out in a sea of boring slabs. The screen is protected by a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, and you also get IP65/IP68 rating for dust and water resistance. The smartphone runs Android 15 out of the box and is guaranteed four years of OS and security updates. As you'd expect from a Sony smartphone, the triple-lens rear camera system is absolutely great. It's comprised of a 48MP primary sensor, a 12MP telephoto lens, as well as a 48MP ultrawide unit. Primarily aimed at pros, it's among the best Android camera phones in the market, having everything from 4K HDR video recording to support for external accessories.
Although the Xperia 1 VII works with most carriers, you'll still need to ensure that it'll work in the United States, if you want to purchase it. All major connectivity and I/O options like Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC, and USB-C 3.2 are included, along with a 3.5mm audio port. The phone packs a 5,000mAh battery with both wired and wireless charging support.
Best with stylus
Offering a laundry list of practical features at a price that's too good to resist, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) is a mid-range smartphone you shouldn't ignore. It has a lot of improvements compared to its already excellent predecessor in many ways, and even packs some flagship-level goodies, all while still costing less than $400. You still get a stunning design with a gorgeous vegan leather back panel that comes in two funky colors.
Under the hood, the Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 chipset, along with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of onboard storage. You also get an expansion slot that can take up microSD cards of up to 1TB, allowing you to carry all your files, documents, and media library everywhere. The phone has a 6.7-inch pOLED screen with a resolution of 1220x2712 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate, so everything from games to 4K videos looks solid. The software (Android 15 with Motorola's Hello UI) is fairly minimal, and the phone will receive two years of OS updates and three years of bi-monthly security updates. There's a dual-lens rear camera system with a 50MP primary sensor and a 13MP ultra-wide module, which should result in decent photos and videos in well-lit environments.
Of course, the standout feature is the integrated stylus that lets you take notes, doodle, and do a lot more. All essential connectivity and I/O options, such as NFC, are there, and you also get a 5,000mAh battery with support for 68W wired charging as well as 15W wireless charging.
Best cheap Samsung
Craving that signature Samsung look and feel but can't afford much? Don't fret, as the Samsung Galaxy A26 5G is a fabulous choice for anyone who's hunting for phones with expandable storage. The Galaxy A26 5G sports a Full-HD Plus Super AMOLED screen that measures 6.7 inches and comes with an impressive 120Hz refresh rate.
Now, although this is (mostly) an entry-level smartphone, but it has just enough goodies that it sits a notch above that banner. For instance, the Samsung phone is kept alive by a big 5,000mAh battery. You also get an IP67 rating and a 50MP primary camera, even if it doesn't hold a candle to the photographic capabilities of the Galaxy S series of Samsung's smartphones.
You get the Exynos 1380 chipset which is just about alright for everyday use and light multitasking but does struggle a bit during intensive gaming sessions. One thing that sets it apart is the promise of six generations of OS upgrades, which is remarkable for a phone at this price. If you must get a cheap Samsung in a very tight budget, the Galaxy A26 5G is a fairly decent choice.
FAQ
What is expandable storage on a smartphone?
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Expandable storage is a functionality that lets you increase the available storage on your device. Most of the smartphones today have at least 128GB of internal storage for apps and files, but if your device has an SD card slot, you can easily increase the storage to up to 1TB by purchasing one of the best microSD cards for Android.
What takes up the most storage on an Android phone?
For the vast majority of users, their smartphones also the default camera for capturing everyday moments. As such, even mid-range smartphones these days come with very good (if not great) camera setups, complete with features like 4K video recording. These photos and videos can often end up taking several GBs of storage space.
Apart from that, modern apps tend to take quite a bit of storage space too, especially some of the best Android games such as Genshin Impact.
What should I do when Android phone storage is full?
If you see that your Android smartphone is running out of storage space, you can take a look at the large-sized files, photos, and videos on it. This can be done via the built-in file manager app, which almost every Android smartphone comes with. Here, you can also check if some of the files, photos, and videos have duplicates. Accordingly, you can delete any unwanted stuff that's just sitting there and recover some storage space.
On the other hand, if the files and multimedia stored on your phone are important and can't be deleted, you can back them up to a cloud storage service. You'll be glad to know that backing up your Android phone is simple. In addition to files and apps, you can even back up text messages, contacts, and much more with little to no effort.
How do I get more storage on my phone?
The simplest way of increasing storage on your Android phone is to just use a microSD card for storing all your files, photos, videos, and multimedia. And to do that, the phone needs to have a microSD expansion slot. If you already have (or plan on getting) one of the smartphones listed in this article, it'll just make things much easier.
How do I free up storage on my phone?
If your phone doesn't come with an expansion slot or you'd simply rather not buy a microSD card, there are a few things you can do to free storage space on your Android device.
Uninstall unnecessary apps: Your phone might have a few apps that you installed at some point but no longer use. In addition, some phones come preinstalled with apps that just use up valuable space but aren't needed. You can uninstall some of these apps and boost some of the available storage space on your phone.
Delete app cache/data: As we use apps on our phones over time, those apps keep on accumulating their own cache and data, which can take up quite a bit of space on the phone. You can delete this cache/data by going to the app's settings (generally accessible via Settings > Apps > App Name > Storage & cache) and clearing the storage and cache. This can be particularly helpful for unwanted apps that can't be uninstalled. Some phones also come with a "Phone Manager" app that can identify the apps using too much space and help you clear the cache and data. However, do note that clearing an app's data/cache resets it, so ensure that you don't use that app before proceeding.
How much storage do I need on my phone?
Most smartphones nowadays come with 128GB, 512GB or 1TB of base storage. That said, there are still a few entry-level Android phones that start with 64GB onboard storage. Now, if the Android smartphone you're considering is available in both 64GB and 128GB storage options, and the price difference isn't too much, getting the former variant really doesn't make much sense.
That said, things change if you're a light user. If you plan on using your phone for only basic tasks (e.g., taking a few photos every once in a while) and don't intend to use a lot of apps, going for the 64GB storage version will probably be just fine, and also help you save some cash.
If you're someone who is regularly gaming, downloading apps, or capturing photos/videos on your phone, going with a larger storage configuration makes a lot of sense. It's also worth noting that many new devices will offer free storage upgrades when you preorder. It means that, with the right phone deal, you can get a 512GB phone for the price of the 256GB model, 256GB of storage for the price of the 128GB, and so on.
How to choose an Android phone with an SD card slot
With majority of the best Android phones moving away from microSD card slots, you might think this incredible option is on its way to becoming obsolete, but don't panic just yet. There are still plenty of great phones with microSD support, although the vast majority of them are budget offerings. Grab some of the best microSD cards, and you'll be able to boost your phone storage with ease.
While its limited availability and carrier support mean that it may not the best pick for everyone, the CMF Phone 2 Pro is a surprisingly well-rounded phone, especially when you remember it can be had under $300. The phone has a quick MediaTek chipset, a strong triple-lens camera system, and good battery life. With three years OS updates and six years of security updates, it punches way above its weight in several categories.
In terms of mainstream full-blown flagships that offer expandable storage, you're out of luck with the latest releases. You won't find a microSD slot in the Galaxy S26 lineup or the Pixel 10 series. You're better off with mid-range value phones such as the Moto G Stylus 5G (2025) or the Galaxy A35 5G. You'll find the internals to be solid in both these phones, pushing out smooth performance consistently. Both devices are good in the camera and battery departments, too.
Not everyone who wants expandable storage is shopping for a cheap Android phone. The Sony Xperia 1 VII is a very expensive phone that's hard to recommend over the likes of the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the OnePlus 15, but it's among the very few high-end smartphones to have storage expansion. It also has a 3.5mm audio port, thus making it a fabulous choice for content creators, or wired audio enthusiasts.
