If you want a phone without Google's tracking, the Pixel 8a, Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 are the three most sensible buys in September 2026. All three can run GrapheneOS (the free privacy version of Android), all three are on its recommended list, and all three get security updates well into the 2030s. So the choice comes down to price, battery, camera and how long you want to keep it.
The short answer
- Cheapest that ticks every box: Pixel 8a.
- Longest updates and biggest battery: Pixel 9a.
- Best camera and most memory: Pixel 9.
What matters most for privacy: updates
A privacy phone is only as good as its security updates. Google guarantees 7 years of updates for the Pixel 8 and everything after it, counted from when each model first went on sale in the US Google Store:
- Pixel 8a: on sale May 2024, updates until at least May 2031.
- Pixel 9: on sale August 2024, updates until at least August 2031.
- Pixel 9a: on sale April 2025, updates until at least April 2032.
One catch with a refurbished phone: the clock runs from launch, not from the day you buy it. A 9a bought today still has more years left than an 8a bought today. More in our guide to Pixel update dates.
GrapheneOS: all three are recommended
The GrapheneOS project only “strongly recommends” the Pixel 8 generation and newer, and all three of these are on that list. One reason is a security feature called memory tagging, built into 8th-generation Pixels onwards. It helps stop a common kind of attack, and GrapheneOS switches it on by default. Older Pixels, including the 7a, don't have it. Our which Pixel to buy guide covers the older models too.
How they compare
- Screen: the 8a is the smallest at 6.1 inches; the 9a and Pixel 9 are both 6.3 inches.
- Memory: the 8a and 9a have 8GB; the Pixel 9 has 12GB, which helps if you keep lots of apps open.
- Battery: the 9a has the biggest (5,100mAh), then the Pixel 9 (4,700mAh), then the 8a (4,492mAh). Bigger isn't everything, but the 9a is the one most likely to last a long day.
- Chip: the 8a uses Google's Tensor G3; the 9a and Pixel 9 use the newer Tensor G4.
- Camera: all three take good photos. The Pixel 9 is the step up, with the better main camera of the three, and is the one to pick if photos matter most to you.
Figures are for the standard 128GB versions. Specs from each phone's published specifications.
What they cost refurbished
Checked on 14 September 2026 on a UK price-comparison site, the cheapest refurbished, SIM-free prices were about:
- Pixel 8a: £175 (good condition)
- Pixel 9a: £280 (good condition)
- Pixel 9: £280
Prices move every week, and condition grades vary between sellers, so treat these as a guide. Always buy an unlocked, SIM-free phone: some network-locked models can't have GrapheneOS installed at all.
Which would we pick?
For most people on a budget, the 8a. It's compact, much cheaper, recommended by GrapheneOS and supported until 2031. For a phone mainly used for calls, messages, maps and the odd photo, it's plenty.
If you're doing it yourself and want it to last, the 9a. Updates until 2032 and the biggest battery, for about the same money as a refurbished Pixel 9. It's an excellent choice. To be upfront: we don't sell the 9a set up (yet), so if you want one, our free guide walks you through installing GrapheneOS yourself.
If the camera or speed matters most, the Pixel 9.More memory and the best photos of the three.
If you'd rather we set it up
We sell two of these ready to use, with GrapheneOS installed, updated and checked, free Special Delivery and a 12-month warranty. The price is what the phone costs us plus a flat £149 for the work:
Whichever you choose, check your apps first. Most work fine without Google, but banking apps vary: see our UK banking apps guide.