Before shopping for any phone and falling into their marketing traps, let's start with a list of the three most important things you are looking for. For example:

1. Price
2. Size
3. Support / Warranty
* Camera quality
* Ease of use
* Carrier
* Accessories

https://www.gsmarena.com/compare.php3 is a great place to start for doing side-by-side comparisons.

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My two DogeCoins:

1. Price
Android or certified refurbished Apple devices. As mentioned, Apple devices come with a hefty premium because you're paying for their brand.

2. Size
The iPhone SE has the smallest "current" phone available and runs ~$400. Android phones are all larger screens.

3. Support / Warranty
Google's support is crap. Apple's is typically pretty good, but only if you own a newer device, or you pay extra for their "care" service.

Cameras
Google's Pixels are king here, but Apple's not too far behind. Marques Brownlee did a recent yearly blind comparison.

Ease of Use
No matter what you pick, they're all generally the same. I prefer Android for more privacy and data controls, but many people don't care.

Carriers
Every phone on the market will work with most every carrier. However, if you buy a Chinese phone (which IMO is far superior to American), it will only work with GSM carriers (not Verizon).

Additional Notes
Most importantly, don't let other people convince you what to get because they own it. "Join us" mentality is common. Do your research and make up your own mind.