Compare phones in India: how to choose between two

People in India who search to compare phones usually want one of two things: the specification sheets side by side, or an answer to which one to buy. Spec databases do the first well. This page helps with the second, and covers what is different about buying a phone in India.

Updated

What to compare beyond the spec sheet

  • How long the maker promises software and security updates.
  • Battery life as tested, not the capacity.
  • The screen: panel type, brightness outdoors and refresh rate.
  • The camera you will actually use, judged on sample photos in your kind of light.
  • What owners report going wrong after a few months.
  • The warranty and who repairs it in your city.

Buying a phone in India

Phones in India are bought from Amazon.in, Flipkart, Croma, Reliance Digital and the makers' own stores, and often from the carriers. What differs there:

  • In India most phones are sold across Amazon.in, Flipkart and the makers' own sites with different prices, so compare the same storage variant across all of them.
  • Check the service network in your city, and the software update promise, which differs a lot between mid-range brands.
  • Phones sold during sales may be a different batch or offer different bank discounts. Compare the price without any card offer first.

Compare in one step

Type two to six phones into compare⁄io, say how you use a phone and your budget in rupees, and it researches each with a live web search, fills a sourced table, and gives the problems owners report a card of their own. For more on what matters, see how to compare two phones side by side.

Phone comparisons already researched

Questions people ask

What is the best website to compare phones in India?

For raw specification sheets, a spec database such as GSMArena. For which phone to buy given your budget and how you use it, with sources and follow-up questions, compare⁄io. Many people use both.

Can I compare more than two phones?

Yes. compare⁄io compares up to three at once on the free plan and six on Pro.

Does it use prices in India?

Name the model as it is sold there and mention India in the box under the items. The search is a live web search, so it looks for local information, but check the shop's price before you pay.