After a long time in the waiting, I finally have an excuse to upgrade from an iPhone (5s) to an Android. As a tech enthusiast and general superuser, the freedom to do what I want as far as customisability and general tinkering with the software is almost entirely the reason I've gone off iPhones and am looking for an Android. I'm bored of playing in the garden and it's time to climb the wall.
However, I'm also on a low income, which means I'm still very much limited by budget (less than £200, let's say, although the lower the better), and as someone who knows very little about the Android mobile market, I'm wondering how realistic it will be for me to satisfy both desires in a single phone.
I'm not asking for product recommendations per se, just wondering in general terms, based on the state of the market, what the situation is. Are most phones of this range just as malleable software-wise as flagships, or are they not? If they are, which ones in particular should I avoid?