The Google Pixel 8a takes what we love about the best Pixel phones and puts it into a budget-friendly handset.
Arriving about seven months after two of the best flagship smartphones from 2023, the Pixel 8 and the Pixel 8 Pro, the Pixel 8a boasts a consistent camera system, a sleek modern design and all-day battery life. Digital Spy tried out the handset and concluded that if you're after an iPhone alternative, this is one of the best Androids to buy.
The launch of the latest Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and 9 Pro XL knocked the 8 series devices off their top spot, but even so, those are still pretty pricey products. With an RRP of £499 and regular discounts dropping it to £420 or less, the Google Pixel 8a is much more reasonable.
Whether you plan to buy the Google Pixel 8a outright or on a contract, we've summed up all the most worthwhile deals available right now. We'll update this page as and when we spot new discounts. The last price check took place on September 6, 2024.
Best Google Pixel 8a deals
Given the phone only launched on May 14, 2024, it won't come as a surprise to learn that we haven't seen many Pixel 8a discounts yet. The best we've seen so far is this Amazon deal for £419 on all colourways of the 128GB edition, which is a 16% price cut on its RRP.
More Google Pixel 8a deals
Lots of retailers are stocking the new Google Pixel 8a smartphone, take a look below to see where.
What to Read Next
Google Store
Shop Google Pixel 8a at Google Store
Amazon
Shop Google Pixel 8a at Amazon
John Lewis
Shop Google Pixel 8a at John Lewis
Argos
Very
Currys
Shop Google Pixel 8a at Currys
Google Pixel 8a contract deals
If you intend to buy a SIM airtime plan to go with your new smartphone, you should take a look below for all the top Pixel 8a contract deals.
EE
Our top pick of the best EE deals gives you the 128GB Google Pixel 8a for £38.31 per month over a 36-month contract with 5GB of 'no frills' data and a £20 upfront cost.
If you buy this deal before September 30, you can also claim a pair of free Pixel Buds Pro, worth £199.99. You'll have until November 14 to claim, with more information including terms available here.
Voxi
Right now, Voxi is offering the 128GB Google Pixel 8a for £15.20 per month over a 36-month contract or £547.20 if you pay for the device in full.
That's the cost for the handset only – you will need to buy it alongside one of its Airtime plans which start from £10/month for 45GB (usually 20GB) on a rolling 30-day subscription.
Shop Voxi Google Pixel 8a deals
Vodafone
Get the Google Pixel 8a for £33 per month at Vodafone. That's for the 128GB handset on a 36-month plan, with 3GB of data on a 24-month plan and £20 to pay upfront.
Shop Vodafone Google Pixel 8a deals
O2
You can buy the 128GB Google Pixel 8a starting from £34.58 a month at O2, for a plan with 1GB of data and £10 upfront on a 36-month contract.
Shop O2 Google Pixel 8a deals
iD Mobile
iD Mobile is offering the Google Pixel 8a from £21.99 a month for a 24-month plan with £9 upfront and 10GB of data.
Why you should buy the Google Pixel 8a
After using the Google Pixel 8a for a week or so, we found lots of reasons why you should buy one. We were so impressed that we called it one of the best budget phones on the planet in 2024 — that’s a huge statement.
What is so good about it? Firstly, the Pixel 8a looks like a much more expensive smartphone than it actually is, even though it's largely made from plastic. The matte casing is sleek and modern, and the handset has smooth rounded corners with Google's iconic camera bar stretched across the back. It feels soft in the hand and it's compact enough to fit in your pocket.
The screen is stunning too, it's a 6.1-inch Actua OLED display with excellent contrast, impressive peak brightness and it even has an Adaptive Refresh Rate of up to 120Hz which not only makes it feel smooth to swipe and scroll through but also allows for an always-on display.
The camera hardware hasn't changed from the Pixel 7a, which is a good thing because we were happy with the pictures it produced. Like any Google Pixel, the software is what makes the camera shine with features like Photo Unblur, Portrait Light and Best Take helping you produce your best work without any effort.
One of our favourite things about this device is the fact that it uses the same processor as the Pro model, the Google Tensor G3. It's not the fastest processor on the market but it does a great job of powering all of Google's extensive AI-based features like Call screening, Clear Calling and Circle to Search.
As well as a solid processor, the Google Pixel 8a has all-day battery life, it runs the purest form of Android 14 and you'll get seven years of software updates (including new feature drops up until 2031).
Now that there's a new A-phone in town, the best Pixel 7a deals have got even better so if you want to save lots more money, we would point you in that direction. But picking up the previous generation will also mean losing out on a bigger battery, a cool new design and a better, brighter screen. Also, only 3 years of software updates were promised – so these phones will stop getting new feature drops before 2026.
How Digital Spy finds deals
The DS team finds deals by trawling the web, keeping an eye on retailers like Amazon, John Lewis, Currys and Argos. We look out for discounts on top products like the Pixel 8a, watching as prices rise and fall so we can report back on only the most worthwhile markdowns.
Why you can trust Digital Spy
Digital Spy has been in business for 25 years, with a team of experts across TV, movies and tech.
Yasmine Crossland, our Tech Ecommerce Editor, has reviewed countless phones and she's an expert on Android in particular. Since starting her career, Yasmine has covered several big sales events too, including the Amazon Spring Sale, Prime Day and Black Friday, so she's very well-versed in deal hunting.
