These are the best foldable phones you can buy right now
(Image credit: Future)
When it comes to the best foldable there’s a lot to look at, but all our favorites share something that makes them special. Whether it’s the overall fantastic quality of the OnePlus Open, the wealth of features in the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 or the value of the Motorola Razr 2024. Meanwhile, other devices impressed us due to more specific reasons like the overwhelming brightness of the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the cameras on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or the style of the Motorola Razr Plus 2024. Each of these phones has something to love about them and all offer a generally great user experience.
I got my first foldable relatively recently, and frankly, I love it. While it might have taken some getting used to, it is undoubtedly the best in-between for a phone and a tablet. Honestly, I barely watch YouTube or Disney+ on my other standard phone as the experience on a foldable phone’s screen is just so much better. Not to mention the experience of using one to play games from the Xbox library and more.
We have compiled all our reviews and thoughts about all the foldable phones available to help you figure out which is the best for you.
related:EB-BF741ABE Battery for Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Best flip foldable for cameras
(Image credit: Future)
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Best foldable camera phone
Specifications
Main screen size: 6.7 inches (2640 x 1080) Secondary screen size: 3.4 inches (720 x 748)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 RAM/Storage: 12GB/ 256GB, 512GB Size, opened: 6.5 x 2.8 x 0.27 inches
Size, closed: 3.4 x 2.8 x 0.58 inches Weight: 6.6 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Durable design
+Excellent Galaxy AI features
+Excellent low light camera performance
Reasons to avoid
-Rise in price
-Battery life could be better
Samsung makes a second appearance in this guide, this time for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. There is a lot to love about this little device, firstly just the size of it. The Z Flip 6 looks like any other phone normally, but it folds horizontally across the middle, making it tiny when folded. That alone might make it a slam dunk for you, but there’s a bit more to be excited about.
In our review, we praised the overall durable design and the excellent low-light camera performance, not to mention the overall speed of the phone. Our biggest praise was easily for the upgrade from a 12MP main camera to a new 50MP main sensor. It offers brighter visuals, and the ability to simulate a 2x zoom. When we compared it in our 200 photo shoot out between the Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) it pulled ahead with ease.
Obviously, we also need to mention the Galaxy AI features which, while missing some of the Fold’s AI abilities, are still pretty impressive. Finally, this is easily the flip foldable with the best camera options, and with the added AI, it’s a dream to shoot and edit images and videos. However, all this does come at something of a premium, that’s because it’s more expensive than the previous Galaxy Z Flip 5 and MOTOROLA Razr 2024.
related:EB-BF742ABE Battery for Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Best foldable phone overall
2. OnePlus Open
The best foldable phone you can buy
Specifications
Main screen size: 7.8 inches (2440 x 2268) Secondary screen size: 6.3 inches (2484 x 1116)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 RAM/Storage: 16GB/512GB Size, opened: 6.03 x 5.63 x 0.22 inches
Size, closed: 6.03 x 2.88 x 0.46 inches Weight: 8.4 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Outstanding thin and light design
+Long-lasting battery with fast charging
+Cheaper than comparable foldables
Reasons to avoid
-Low-light photos are subpar
-No wireless charging
As our best overall foldable there is a lot to love about the OnePlus Open, which we hope to see recreated in the OnePlus Open 2. When Phones Editor reviewed the OnePlus Open he stated that the phone should be “a wakeup call for everyone.” And I can only agree that the phone comes with so many amazing design choices that it should be the baseline for any future foldable phone.
OnePlus tried to put in as much as it could in this device, including some impressive cameras. If you want to go even further then you could grab the OnePlus Open Apex Edition. Compared to the base model the Apex Edition boosts the storage and adds pretty cool AI cutout features to make stickers from any photo you take. It also features a VIP mode that lets you turn off the camera and microphone for a little extra privacy.
Regardless of which model you pick the phone comes with everything you could want. Both models feature the same thin and light design, the Dynamic Open Canvas multitasking or the frankly amazing battery life (which is great when watching series on some of the best streaming services) and the chance for a pretty good trade-in deal. However, no phone is perfect as the lack of wireless charging might be a turn-off for some and the camera isn’t amazing in low light.
related:EB-BF947ABY Battery for Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5
Most feature rich foldable
3. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Most feature rich foldable phone
Specifications
Main screen size: 7.6 inches (2160 x 1856) Secondary screen size: 6.3 inches (2376 x 968)
CPU: Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 RAM/Storage: 12GB/256GB, 512GB, 1TB Size, opened: 6 x 5.2 x 0.22 inches
Size, closed: 6 x 2.7 x 0.48 inches Weight: 8.4 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Thinner and lighter design
+Impressive AI features
+Great Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 performance
Reasons to avoid
-Battery life gains not as big as we hoped
-Price rise
Samsung is probably the most well-known phone maker when it comes to foldable phones and it knows what it is doing. This is no more obvious than with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which builds and improves upon the prior Galaxy Z Fold 5 and stands as our most feature-rich foldable phone. When TG global editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer reviewed the phone, he had a lot of positive things to say, especially about the new design, durability and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.
While there might be some disappointment about the cameras, as they are basically the same as the prior model, there’s a noticeable difference in actual image quality. If we look at the difference in quality during our 200 photo shoot out with the Z Fold 6 vs. Z Fold 4 we can see a marked improvement. While you might not buy a foldable for the camera, it’s certainly an addition that you want to see.
We also can’t talk about a new Samsung phone without mentioning the Galaxy AI features, including the Sketch To Image feature. This allows you to draw anything you want into the Samsung Notes app and then the Galaxy AI will turn it into anything from water art to a 3D cartoon. The results are, as Mark says, “pretty frickin’ impressive.”
Best foldable phone value
4. Motorola Razr 2024
Best flip phone-style foldable
Specifications
Main screen size: 6.9 inches (2640 x 1080) Secondary screen size: 3.6 inches (1066 x 1056)
CPU: MediaTek Dimensity 7300X RAM/Storage: 8GB/256GB Size, opened: 6.74 x 2.91 x 0.28 inches
Size, closed: 3.46 x 2.91 x 0.62 inches Weight: 6.63 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Long lasting battery life
+Larger, more usable outer screen
+Affordable close
Reasons to avoid
-Camera struggles under low light
-Short 3 years of software support
Motorola might not be the dominant force it was in the past, but it can still create a great phone for good value. This is obvious in the Motorola Razr 2024, which is upgraded in all the right areas compared to the prior Razr and is easily our best-value phone. In our review, we noted that the bigger screen offered far more functionality than before, while also being brighter.
Now, it should be noted that there are two variations of the Motorola Razr 2024, and both appear in this guide. What puts this foldable ahead of its larger cousin is the balance it strikes between features and cost. Everything from the design to the 50MP camera and 13MP ultrawide for as little as $699 is a real steal.
If that was the only change then it would be more than enough for a value phone, but there’s even more thanks to the outstanding battery life and surprisingly snappy performance. When Technical personnel reviewed it he stated that even the Galaxy Z Fold 6 “faces a tough competitor.” However, there are some issues as there is no ultrawide camera, which might be a turnoff for some, as well as shorter software support compared to other Samsung devices.
Best display in a foldable
5. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Brightest foldable screen
Specifications
Main screen size: 8 inches (2076 x 2152) Secondary screen size: 6.3 inches (1080 x 2424)
CPU: Tensor G4 RAM/Storage: 16GB/ 256GB, 512GB Size, opened: 6.1 x 5.9 x 0.2 inches
Size, closed: 6.1 x 3.0 x 0.4 inches Weight: 9.1 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Smart AI features
+Thinner, lighter design
+Longer battery life
Reasons to avoid
-Underwhelming Tensor G4 performance
-Camera upgrades are minimal
Google’s foldable game has made a massive leap in quality with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold after the Pixel Fold — despite Google’s new awkward naming conventions. There’s a lot to love about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, especially the much bigger and brighter 8-inch main display which is the main reason why it’s managed to snag a spot on this list. When we tested the phone in the TG lab, the display was easily the best of any of the foldables we tested. However, that isn’t the only thing to love about the phone.
In his review, John Velasco mentioned that he loved the longer battery life, durable redesign and the host of AI features that help the phone to stand out from the competition. While it is a pretty great phone, there are a few issues namely the lackluster Tensor G4, although honestly, the average user wouldn’t notice that issue in everyday use.
Having used the Pixel 9 Pro Fold myself a little, I really can’t emphasize just how bright the screen is. When we tested it the screen reached as high as 2,319 nits. Now, normally I would expect this level of brightness to mean that the phone would have a pittiable battery life. However, when we tested the phone it reached 11 hours and 36 minutes, which is more than enough time to watch or play anything you please.
Best flip-style phone
6. Motorola Razr Plus 2024
The best flip-style phone
Specifications
Main screen size: 6.9 inches (2640 x 1080) Secondary screen size: 4 inches (1272 x 1080)
CPU: Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 RAM/Storage: 12GB/256GB Size, opened: 6.74 x 2.91 x 0.27 inches
Size, closed: 3.46 x 2.91 x 0.6 inches Weight: 6.66 ounces
Reasons to buy
+The least expensive foldable ever made
+Excellent design
+Long-lasting battery
Reasons to avoid
-Tiny cover display
-Older Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip
While the base Motorola Razr 2024 might have been our best-valued phone, its larger cousin easily has the best style compared to the other phones here. Like other flip phones the Razr Plus folds into a compact little square, but where it stands apart is the outer screen, which is much larger than other devices. Not only is it larger, but it also offers way more functionality since you can run any app you like on it rather than simple widgets like the Galaxy Z Flip series. Plus you can even customize the screen to mimic the iPhone’s StandBy Mode with different images and backgrounds when the Razr is set to a tent position.
It’s not just the screens where the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 excels. It offers an improved camera array featuring a 50MP telephoto camera with 2x optical zoom and a 50MP main camera. This meant that when we compared it to its smaller brother in our 200 photo shoot out between the Razr Plus (2024) vs. Razr (2024) it blew it out of the water.
The design also has a smaller hinge, meaning that the crease in the phone is much less noticeable than on other foldable phones (primarily Samsung) and the performance is nothing to sneeze at. However, the Motorola Razr Plus 2024 has some of the same issues as the other Motorola Razr, including no ultrawide camera and a shorter-than-average software support window.
Least expensive foldable phone
7. Nubia Flip 5G
Least expensive flip phone
Specifications
Main screen size: 6.9 inches (2790 x 1188) Secondary screen size: 1.4 inches (466 x 466)
CPU: Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 RAM/Storage: 8GB, 12GB/256GB, 512GB Size, opened: 6.69 x 2.97 x 0.28 inches
Size, closed: 3.45 x 2.97 x 0.59 inches Weight: 7.3 ounces
Reasons to buy
+Incredible value for a foldable
+Fast charging
+Attractive and unique design
Reasons to avoid
-Photography is limited in scope and quality
-Lacks performance power
the Nubia Flip 5G is a bit of a surprise model from a lesser-known company, but it stands as easily the cheapest foldable you can currently grab for a staggering $499. It’s a great starter device for anyone who doesn’t want to drop hundreds.
When Technical personnel reviewed the device he praised the stylish design and smudge-resistant matte texture. The overall look of the phone suggests you paid a lot more for this flip phone-style device than you did. You’ll also appreciate the 6.9-inch display that’s available when you open up the Nubia Flip 5G.
Battery life seemed so-so in our everyday use, but at least the Nubia Flip 5G offers peppy 33W charging that can top off the phone’s battery quickly. If you want a foldable phone, but can’t afford a more premium model, you certainly won’t feel short-changed by this option.