Metro by T-Mobile is a prepaid brand owned by T-Mobile that uses the entire T-Mobile network, including LTE and 5G. This carrier has four main plans starting with 5GB of data and going up to unlimited. The Metro by T-Mobile network has full support for unlocked phones and even allows a 5G connection on every plan as long as the phone supports it. The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is the perfect companion for Metro thanks to its low cost, solid performance, and great-for-T-Mobile 5G.

These are the best phones for Metro by T-Mobile

(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)

The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is a mid-range Android phone that looks and feels a lot nicer than its price tag would suggest. In our review, we found that if you only have $300 to spend on a phone, it had better be the N20 5G. Even those that can spend more might not need to with the Snapdragon 695 CPU keeping up well with Android 11. It is worth noting that OnePlus has only promised one software update for this device so it will likely never move beyond Android 12. At least OnePlus is offering three years of security updates.

The main rear camera comes in at 64MP with a 2MP macro and 2MP monochrome camera assisting. Photos with this camera system are great and far exceed anything else at this price range. This phone also has a 3.5mm headphone jack so you don't need to rely on Bluetooth for your music. You also get microSD expansion in addition to the onboard 128GB of storage so you can download as much music or take as many photos as you like. While the OnePlus Nord N20 5G doesn't quite keep up with flagship phones, it outpaces every other phone at this price.

(Image credit: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)

The Google Pixel 5a, also known as the Google Pixel 5a with 5G, is everything a mid-range Android phone should be. It has great cameras powered by excellent software for flagship-like images and a large battery for all-day battery life. The display is also great with a 6.34-inch 2400x1080 AMOLED display with perfect blacks and rich colors. The Snapdragon 765G powering it easily keeps up with modern apps and feels good to use.

This Pixel includes 5G support for most 5G coverage in the U.S. though it does leave out support for mmWave. Still, for most people, the performance will be more than fast enough. This phone is IP67 rated for water and dust resistance so you can take it just about anywhere. It also keeps the fingerprint reader on the back, meaning you can quickly unlock your phone even with a face covering.

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The Galaxy S22 is the smallest phone in Samsung's Galaxy S series featuring a 6.1-inch display but it still has all of the performance of its larger siblings. This S22's Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 CPU can power through just about any app without slowdown on Android 12. It has 8GB of RAM to keep the OS running smoothly and the 3,700mAh battery, while not terribly impressive, can at least get you charged up fairly quickly with 25W charging support.

The main camera has a 50MP sensor with a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP 3X telephoto camera giving the user plenty of options to get the right shot. In general, the photos were good even though our review found the shutter response time to be a bit longer than we would have liked.

One of the best things about the S22 series is the software updates. The phone ships with Android 12 and OneUI 4.1 and Samsung has committed to providing four OS updates to Android 16 with five years of security updates.

(Image credit: Ara Wagoner / Android Central)

The Google Pixel 6 is the definitive high-end Android phone with software straight from Google and the Pixel series' excellent camera software. This phone also has top-notch wireless tech sporting support for Metro's entire 5G network and even Wi-Fi 6E. While something like the Galaxy S22 can stand toe-to-toe with the Pixel 6 in performance, the Pixel's lower price tag makes it an overall better value. As expected, Google provides great software support with three years of system updates and five years of security updates planned.

The Pixel 6 has a 6.4-inch 90Hz AMOLED display so everything from YouTube videos to photos looks sharp and accurate. Speaking of photos, the 50MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide cameras produce amazing shots for a phone thanks to Google's photo processing. As we found in our review, the battery should make it to the end of the day with a 4614mAh typical capacity and if it doesn't, 30W fast charging is supported.

(Image credit: Motorola)

The Moto G Stylus 5G (2022) updates the G Stylus formula with better hardware and network support on Metro by T-Mobile. This phone sports the same Snapdragon 695 CPU that's in the Nord N20 5G, though it takes a RAM cut to 4GB. Still, as we found in our review, this should be more than enough for most apps and with 256GB of onboard storage plus another 256GB via microSD expansion out of the box, you'll be able to download to your heart's content.

The phone is available in a dark Steel Blue color or a lighter Seafoam Green. On the back, you get three cameras with the main shooter coming in at 50MP. An 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera enable you to take better photos in challenging spaces. You also get good 5G support on Metro by T-Mobile with sub-6 bands including mid-band Ultra Capacity 5G coverage.

While Motorola isn't known for speedy OS updates, you do get Android 12 out of the box so you can start off up to date. Even so, the stylus paired with this phone's 6.8-inch 120Hz will be more than worth it for those looking for precision input without stepping up to an expensive flagship.

(Image credit: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)

The Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is an excellent mid-range device with a sensible combination of hardware. While the Exynos 1280 CPU isn't topping any benchmarks, it has more than enough grunt to power through Android 12 with One UI 4.1., as we noted in our review. Samsung has also extended its excellent update plans to this model with four OS updates planned. These software updates can keep this phone feeling fresh and modern for years.

The screen is a 6.5-inch 120HZ AMOLED so colors are vibrant and navigating the OS feels smooth. Compared to its predecessor, the cameras on the A53 are a solid upgrade. The 64MP main camera takes good photos in both bright and low-light conditions. You also get a 12MP ultra-wide, 5MP macro, and 5MP portrait camera on the back so you can be ready for nearly any conditions.

There's plenty of choice with Metro

The great thing about Metro by T-Mobile's network is that it supports most unlocked phones, including many international models. So if you have an unlocked phone with GSM and LTE support from the last few years, it will probably work on Metro. In fact, most of the best Android phones will work with the entire network with just a SIM.

Overall, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G is the standout value with plenty of performance for most people, solid camera performance, 5G support, and a low price. This phone looks great with its dark matte finish making it look quite premium. While its software update plans leave a lot to be desired, the overall package makes the OnePlus Nord N20 5G a great fit for T-Mobile's prepaid carrier.