The foldables ‘fad’ may have come and gone, but folding phones have more than proven their worth as reliable and adaptable devices. They can change the way we interact with our all-important smartphones, such as using a flip phone’s cover screen instead of opening it every time or multi-window productivity on large-screen foldables. Samsung and Motorola still dominate the foldable space here in the U.S. with years of Samsung’s hardware refinements and Motorola’s price-shaving. Even relative newcomer Google has made enormous leaps between its first Pixel Fold and the Pixel 9 Pro Fold.
Folding phones come in two main varieties for now: candy bar, book-style phones, which open up like a book to become larger, tablet-size devices (like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5) and flip-style phones, which fold in half to become smaller and more pocketable (like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Moto Razr series). Because of the still-recent technology, all foldables are more expensive than their regular smartphone equivalents, making them a luxury option. But if you’re looking to turn heads when you whip out your foldable display and bend your phone in half, they’re worth looking into. Here are our picks for the best foldable phones available now.
Most models on this list have newer models, but with the higher prices of foldables, newer isn’t always the best value. If you are looking for a clamshell or ‘hamburger’ style foldable, I also highly recommend checking out our guide to the best flip phones, which showcases the current and previous-generation Motorola Razr and Samsung Z Flip lineups. You can also read our reviews for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold if you’re looking for the latest phone-to-tablet or ‘hot dog’ style folding phones. Oppo has also just released the new Oppo Find N5, but that phone won’t be coming to the United States.
What’s the best foldable phone?
So far, Samsung’s Galaxy Z line has the lead with the most iterations of folding phones with its two foldable designs — the book-style folding tablet Galaxy Z Fold series and flip-phone-like Z Flip series — but it’s no longer the only company with skin in the game.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 sits at the top of our list of best foldable phones, largely because it has an approachable price for a foldable. At $1,000, it is still expensive, but we believe it packs a lot for that price. The design and build quality feel sturdy, the software is polished, and the Z Flip gets four years of Android version support. On top of it all, the clamshell form factor and large cover screen make it one of the most portable and fun phones you can own.
Best foldable phones
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The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an incremental improvement that further refines Samsung’s large-screened foldable. If you’re looking for a phone that can double as a tablet for viewing work-related documents, running multiple apps on screen at once or watching movies, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is our top choice. The Google Pixel Fold may have better cameras, but the Galaxy Z Fold 5’s bright screen makes Samsung’s phone better at its intended purpose: providing a big display that fits in your pocket.
The Galaxy Z Fold 5’s $1,800 price is still hard to swallow and puts the phone out of range for most people. But if you can afford it, this large folding phone is the best iteration of Samsung’s phone-tablet hybrid yet. Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.
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Google got a lot of things right with its first attempt at building a folding phone. The Pixel Fold’s large outer screen is great for using when closed, and its slim design means it doesn’t bulk out your pockets too much. It closes totally flat, too, which makes it very usable as a regular phone when snapped shut, while still letting you take advantage of the 7.6-inch internal screen when you need it.
Its overall performance is solid and the cameras are good too, making it a great all-round option if you’re wanting to dive into the exciting world of foldables, though for the same $1,799 starting price, you can get the new Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold with larger screens, a much-improved hinge and a longer support life.