Moto G Stylus (2026) might actually be worth $499, if you really want a pen that badly

Ben Schoon | May 6 2026 - 2:05 pm PT

“Cheap” Android phones are in an increasingly tough spot right now. The Moto G Stylus, one of Motorola’s most popular offerings, now costs $499 which puts it into the territory of more powerful and better-rounded smartphones like the Pixel 10a, but with the shortcomings of a cheaper device. That said, after using it, I think it’ll be a fine device if you really want that pen.

Earlier this year, I spent some time with the Moto G Power (2026), a fine Android phone for what was, at the time, a pretty good value. But like several other Moto G devices, it got a price hike recently that put it into the $399 slot usually held by the Moto G Stylus.

That pushed the Moto G Stylus (2026) to $499, which immediately sets new expectations for this device.

$499 is no longer “cheap” territory, it’s firmly in the upper mid-range realm that Google’s Pixel 10a and Nothing’s Phone (4a) Pro sit in. It’s also at the point where many customers will ask the question, “should I just spend an extra $100 for an iPhone?”

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Purely looking at the Moto G Stylus (2026) from the lens of this customer, I think it has some pros and cons.

On the one hand, the hardware is very well done. While I love the compact size of the Pixel 10a, the Moto G Stylus (2026) has a much bigger, arguably better display. And the design here is really nice. The black model Motorola sent over isn’t as flashy as the pink one I tried prior to launch, but it feels nice in the hand thanks in part to a grippy textured back. It’s a simple slab phone, but one that feels better in the hand than its budget focus would have you expect.

Under the hood, the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 is a fully capable, if overall lackluster performer.

Android 16 (with the measly hope of two future OS updates) runs smoothly for the most part, with Motorola’s usual batch of added features and tweaks being a net positive on the experience. I’ll never tire of the twist gesture to open the camera or the “chop” for activating the flashlight, two things that I wish were available on every phone. Motorola’s always-on display and lockscreen also continue to be among the best you’ll find on Android in terms of functionality. It’s really just the bugs and hiccups that drag the experience down. All too often, the phone will feel slow for seemingly no reason, or I’ll run into a time where something just doesn’t work at all how it should – a good example of that is YouTube, where opening a notification from another app while a video is playing will sometimes leave the screen completely blank, or the picture-in-picture pop-up invisible. Little oddities like that were sprinkled throughout my time with this phone.

For that reason, I think of the Pixel 10a or Nothing Phone (4a) Pro as a better use of $500. Both of those deliver better software and more horsepower to run it, not to mention that Google’s phone will get more than double the number of software updates, and both will get them in a more timely fashion too.

Another point in favor of Google and Nothing is the Stylus’ camera. The cameras here are very underwhelming, capable of a decent shot in good lighting, but also completely falling apart if you even think about zooming in. Back on Motorola’s list of pros, though, the battery life is quite good, and 68W fast charging tops off the 5,200 mAh battery much faster than the Pixel, and you can use 15W wireless charging too if you’d like.

But ultimately, I think the Moto G Stylus (2026) really boils down to how much you want that embedded pen.

Outside of the $1,299 Galaxy S26 Ultra, this phone is the only other option for a Galaxy Note-like experience on a budget, and it is better than ever this year. Motorola swapped out its previous tech, which was really just a more precise version of your finger touching the display, to an active stylus similar to Samsung’s S Pen. Compared to past generations, this leads to even more precise input – including angle detection – as well as additional features.

A new pop-up menu (pictured above) appears when you tap on the pen’s button, with shortcuts for new notes, screen annotation, and whatever else you want – the list of tools is fully customizable for app shortcuts, while also including an AI-powered “Sketch to Image” option.

It’s very responsive, and the hardware feels as good as I can ask for when the stylus is literally built into the phone. You can even customize controls for that button.

Personally, I’m not a pen guy, at least on my smartphone. I get the utility on a tablet or foldable, but even with a Note, I’ve never been a fan on my phone. But that’s just me. Stylus devotees absolutely deserve to have options and, with Motorola’s latest, this is the best bang for your buck you’ll get for a phone with a pen built-in.

And that’s just it. If you really want a stylus in your phone, Moto G Stylus (2026) is a great option, and well worth that $499 price. You’re saving hundreds compared to Samsung’s latest and, even if you buy an older Galaxy S Ultra, you might still pay more for it. The Galaxy S23 Ultra is the cutoff point I see here. It’s going to keep getting software updates for just about as long as Motorola’s new release, and a used model can easily be purchased for $499 or less – Motorola will definitely be discounting this device in a couple of months, though, not to mention carrier deals.

So really, it just comes down to your priority. If it’s all about that stylus and you found a good deal through your carrier, the Moto G Stylus (2026) is a no-brainer. But if a stylus is a nice perk you can live without, Pixel 10a would be my first recommendation.

Moto G Stylus (2026) is available now unlocked, and landing on carriers soon.