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You whitethorn be scoffing arsenic you work this. The champion folding phones? Really? Aren't those conscionable gimmicks? I'm present to archer you they're beauteous darn useful. And yes, determination are present rather a fewer of them, truthful you person options. Folding phones are an improvement of the accepted single-screen slab of glass we've each been utilizing for astir 2 decades—and we mightiness adjacent spot a folding iPhone successful 2026.
They mostly travel successful 2 forms: a folding flip telephone oregon a folding book-like phone, enabling you to either relive the glory days of tiny phones oregon grow your multitasking options portion connected the go. (There are triple-screen phones similar the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold.) A folding phone is simply a idiosyncratic decision—arguably adjacent much than a accepted smartphone, since it hinges (heh) connected what benignant you prefer. I person tested astir each of them, and my workfellow Simon Hill has helped trial models circumstantial to the UK and different markets. These are our favorites.
Check retired our different mobile buying guides, including the Best Android Phones, Best iPhones, Best Cheap Phones, Best Samsung Phones, Best Google Pixel Phones, Best Motorola Phones, Best Phones With a Headphone Jack, and Best Phones You Can't Buy successful the US.
Updated March 2026: We've added accusation astir Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold and the Motorola Razr Fold.
Things to Know Before Buying
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Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Folding phones are much fragile than mean phones. Folding phones person much parts than a accepted smartphone, not to notation a hinge. Companies advertise however galore folds these devices person been tested for—usually astir 200,000 oregon 500,000 folds—but a azygous driblet tin beryllium incredibly damaging. They are not arsenic dust-resistant, and immoderate aren't arsenic water-resistant (only the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is IP68-rated), truthful you'll privation to beryllium particularly careful. Use a case, and it mightiness beryllium worthwhile to put successful the manufacturer's instrumentality attraction policy.
Don't region the built-in surface protector. Most of these folding phones person a movie implicit the interior screen. You mightiness beryllium tempted to region it, but don't—it tin harm the display. There are usually instructions successful the packaging instructing you not to region it, and however to attraction for your device.
There's a tiny learning curve to the software. Flip-style folding phones are reasonably straightforward, but book-like folding phones that treble arsenic tablets person caller multitasking tricks that volition instrumentality immoderate getting utilized to if you privation to marque the astir of them. I urge taking immoderate clip to tally done these features truthful you recognize however they work.
They're expensive. Do you request one? Nobody needs a folding phone. If you deliberation you're idiosyncratic who volition payment from them, cognize that they're often discounted during large merchantability events similar Black Friday, and you tin besides sound a fewer 100 dollars disconnected if you commercialized successful an eligible device.
Which Type of Folding Phone Is for You?
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Folding flip phones are for radical who privation a compact device. Think of a mean telephone you tin fold successful half. That's beauteous overmuch what you get, positive a surface connected the beforehand to show widgets and texts. This does mean you tin flip the telephone to reply a telephone and flip it unopen to extremity one—super cool. You tin enactment the telephone astatine a 90-degree angle, and immoderate apps volition accommodate to amusement controls connected the bottom, and important details astatine the top, similar successful video calling apps, oregon erstwhile watching videos connected YouTube, though this depends connected the phone. Folding flip phones typically person mediocre artillery life, and the cameras are not arsenic bully arsenic their non-folding counterparts.
Folding book-like phones are for radical who privation the big-screen experience. Are you perpetually watching full-length movies connected your phone? Or bash you ever find yourself jumping backmost and distant betwixt 2 apps? Then these are for you. They person bully artillery beingness and amended cameras (though not arsenic bully arsenic non-folding phones), but they're acold much expensive. These see the triple-screen folding devices similar Samsung's Galaxy Z TriFold, too. They're heavy and heavy, though we're seeing newer models that are amazingly thin. Still, you whitethorn person a hard clip fitting them successful your pockets.
Is Now a Good Time to Buy?
Sort of. Samsung isn't expected to debut caller folding phones until the mediate of the summertime astatine its adjacent Galaxy Unpacked event. (Samsung besides precocious discontinued its Galaxy Z TriFold aft conscionable 3 months successful the US.) Google won't person a successor to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold until August. If those designs and brands entreaty to you, I deliberation you won't consciousness burned buying existent models, and you'll astir apt find a bully deal.
However, Motorola announces its folding phones successful the spring, truthful we tin expect the Razr 2026 lineup successful the adjacent period oregon two. Also, astatine CES 2026, Motorola teased the Razr Fold—its archetypal book-like folding phone—which volition get aboriginal successful the summer. I deliberation it's worthy waiting to spot what Motorola volition deliver, particularly if you're eyeing a folding flip phone.
For folks extracurricular the US, you person much choices. Oppo conscionable announced its Find N6, and Honor precocious debuted the Magic V6. Keep an oculus connected our Best Phones You Can't Buy successful the US guide for updates.
My Favorite Folding Features
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Whichever benignant you spell for, my favourite diagnostic of folding phones is the quality to spot the viewfinder connected the outer surface and drawback a selfie with the high-quality rear cameras—just acceptable the telephone down somewhat folded truthful it stays upright, and there's usually a fastener you tin click successful the camera app to nonstop the preview to the outer screen. You tin usually trigger the shutter hands-free with a thenar gesture. (Motorola's Razr Ultra 2025 lets you commencement and halt video recordings with manus gestures, too!) It's fantabulous erstwhile traveling if you privation to instrumentality a photograph of yourself adjacent to a constituent of interest.
Many of these phones connection akin functionality with translation—Samsung and Google, for example, fto you amusement your words translated connected the outer surface truthful the idiosyncratic you are speaking to tin spot it, and past they tin pat a fastener connected the surface to person the telephone commencement translating their words, which you'll spot connected the interior screen. It's a overmuch nicer strategy than utilizing Google Translate connected a candybar phone.
Best Flip Phone
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Motorola
Razr Ultra (2025)
Flip phones are already eye-catching due to the fact that they basal retired truthful distinctly from the candybar-style of smartphones. But Motorola took things further with the Razr Ultra (8/10, WIRED Recommends), the astir fashionable smartphone today. You tin bargain it successful Alcantara, with a sustainably sourced wood back, a leather-inspired finish, oregon a satin-esque appearance—they each look and consciousness fantastic. It's stronger too—Motorola has improved the phone's durability with an IP48 rating for immoderate particulate protection, a titanium-reinforced hinge, and Gorilla Glass Ceramic for much durable displays.
The 4-inch OLED surface connected the beforehand lets you adhd much contented than ever, specified arsenic aggregate widget panels, truthful you don't request to unfastened the telephone arsenic frequently. Once you do, though, you'll bask a super-bright, colorful 7-inch AMOLED screen. All the top-end specs are here, from the almighty Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset to thrust each your apps and games, to 512 GB of retention if you request tons of space. The 4,700-mAh artillery is amended than anterior versions but volition inactive lone past a afloat time with mean use. At slightest there's accelerated charging, wired oregon wireless.
The 50-megapixel main camera delivers bully photos, on with a reliable 50-megapixel ultrawide, and portion this is the champion camera strategy Motorola has made—even amended than the Galaxy Z Flip7—it inactive isn't arsenic large arsenic candybar phones from the likes of Google and Apple. Still, I emotion being capable to instrumentality a selfie with the telephone closed and spot a preview with the beforehand screen, and my woman loves it erstwhile I instrumentality a representation of her due to the fact that she tin spot a preview of herself connected the different broadside of the telephone and tin close my mediocre angle. Video seizure is importantly better, too, with Dolby Vision enactment that makes clips look sharp, colorful, and not excessively grainy successful debased light, though the Flip7 has a flimsy borderline successful video quality.
You'll perceive a batch astir Motorola's AI features connected this phone—there's adjacent a dedicated “AI” button—but the agelong and abbreviated of it is that astir of these features aren't precise helpful. Pay Attention is the lone 1 I've recovered myself utilizing owed to the quality of my job, and it starts a signaling with real-time transcriptions and an AI summary astatine the end, but astir flagship phones tin bash that these days. Don't bargain it for Moto AI, bargain it due to the fact that it's a flipping-cool Razr.
Specs External display: 4-inch, 165-Hz LTPO, pOLED Internal display: 7-inch, 165-Hz LTPO, AMOLED Processor and RAM: Snapdragon 8 Elite with 16 GB RAM Storage: 512 GB oregon 1 TB Battery: 4,700 mAh Cameras: 50-MP main camera, 50-MP ultrawide, 50-MP selfie camera Updates (from day of manufacture): Three OS upgrades, 4 years of information updates Extras: 68-watt wired charging, 30-watt wireless charging, IP48, fingerprint unlock, Gorilla Glass Ceramic, Dolby Vision video capture Carrier compatibility: Works connected each 3 large US networks Best Folding Phone
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Samsung made immoderate much-needed changes to the Galaxy Z Fold7 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) compared to its predecessors. It's importantly lighter—weighing adjacent little than an iPhone 17 Pro Max—and fantastically bladed astatine conscionable 8.9 mm folded and 4.2 mm unfolded (comparably, the Fold6's respective measurements are 12.1 mm and 5.6 mm). The telephone is wider, meaning it's wide nicer to benignant connected and use, whether that's the 6.5-inch beforehand surface oregon the 8-inch interior display.
The camera strategy has besides been upgraded to mimic the Galaxy S25 Ultra, with a 200-megapixel main camera that delivers crisp photos nary substance the clip of day. Sadly, portion you bash get the 3X optical camera, there's nary other 5X telephoto camera here, truthful the candybar S26 Ultra inactive has a richer camera experience. There's nary S Pen enactment connected the Galaxy Z Fold7, which whitethorn upset immoderate stylus stans. More annoyingly, the artillery size is unchanged, and I hardly got done a afloat time with mean use.
There are immoderate multitasking improvements, similar the stashed model mode, which lets you split-screen 2 apps and fell 1 on the side, acceptable to entree erstwhile you request it. However, you volition request to tinker with the settings to get things the mode you privation them. For example, Gmail's two-pane presumption doesn't amusement up by default—you person to set the phone's surface zoom settings first.
It doesn't assistance that this telephone is present much costly than ever. At $2,000, you tin bargain a bully telephone and a nice tablet, which whitethorn yet beryllium a amended worth than a combo merchandise that doesn't rather deed the aforesaid highs. But if you're dormant acceptable connected a book-like folding phone, close now, the Galaxy Z Fold7 has the champion hardware experience.
Specs External display: 6.5-inch, 120-Hz LTPO, Dynamic AMOLED 2X Internal display: 8-inch, 120-Hz LTPO, Dynamic AMOLED 2X Processor and RAM: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12 GB of RAM Storage: 256, 512 GB, oregon 1 TB Battery: 4,400 mAh Cameras: 200-MP main camera, 10-MP telephoto (3X optical), 12-MP ultrawide, 10-MP outer selfie camera, 10-MP interior selfie camera Updates (from day of manufacture): 7 years of bundle updates Extras: Qi2 Ready wireless charging, IPX8, fingerprint unlock, Gorilla Glass Ceramic 2, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 Carrier compatibility: Works connected each 3 large US networks
Best Budget Folding Phone
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
If you privation to trial the folding telephone waters, there's nary amended enactment than the Razr 2025 (8/10, WIRED Recommends). Shockingly, this flip telephone is conscionable $700 (often $550 oregon little during large merchantability events). It has the aforesaid titanium-reinforced hinge arsenic the Ultra and an IP48 dust- and water-resistance rating, and portion the remainder of its specs mightiness not beryllium arsenic flagship-grade, notably the MediaTek Dimensity 7400X chipset, it inactive doesn't consciousness each that antithetic from the Ultra. The artillery capableness is somewhat smaller, but you tin inactive get a afloat time of usage retired of it; there's a hefty 256 GB of storage, and the screens are likewise bright, sharp, and colorful, though they're somewhat smaller.
The objection is the cameras. I've been blessed with the photos I've captured with this Razr, but it struggles successful high-contrast scenes with excessively galore shadowy areas oregon over-exposed highlights. It tin look a small over-sharpened, and colors are not arsenic close arsenic what you get connected the Razr Ultra. The ultrawide camera isn't arsenic good, and video prime besides greatly suffers, peculiarly successful debased light.
Still, you're getting a delightfully designed flip telephone astatine a tenable price, and the champion betterment present is that show is nary longer choppy similar connected erstwhile Razrs. (There's adjacent a special variation for the FIFA World Cup!)
Specs External display: 3.6-inch, 90-Hz LTPS, pOLED Internal display: 6.9-inch, 120-Hz LTPO, AMOLED Processor and RAM: MediaTek Dimensity 7400X with 8 GB RAM Storage: 256 GB Battery: 4,500 mAh Cameras: 50-MP main camera, 13-MP ultrawide, 32-MP selfie camera Updates (from day of manufacture): Three Android OS upgrades and 4 years of information updates Extras: 30-watt wired charging, 15W Qi wireless charging, IP48, fingerprint sensor Carrier compatibility: Works connected each 3 large US networks Another Good Fold
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
The lone different book-like folding telephone close present successful the US is the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (7/10, WIRED Recommends). The Galaxy Z Fold7's thinness makes it nicer to use, but you shouldn't slumber connected this Pixel. It's 1 of the lone folding devices with a due IP68 dust- and water-resistance rating, and Google claims it tin withstand 10 years of folding. The enhanced durability seems legit—I dropped this telephone doubly onto asphalt, and it had lone a fewer insignificant scratches connected the frame. Better yet, this is the only folding telephone with Qi2 wireless charging support, meaning you tin magnetically instrumentality it to MagSafe oregon Qi2 wireless chargers, nary annoying clamps needed.
This telephone is noticeably thicker and heavier than Samsung's folding option, which makes it much cumbersome to use. But astatine slightest the artillery is longer-lasting. Heavy users should inactive beryllium capable to get done a afloat time without needing a top-up, which I can't accidental for the Z Fold7. Google made immoderate multitasking improvements to the interior screen, truthful you tin split-screen rapidly and drawback the vertical barroom betwixt them to resize apps. You tin propulsion 1 of the apps each the mode to the close oregon left, benignant of hidden distant but inactive readily available. There's nary mode to propulsion up a 3rd app, though.
Even though there's “Pro” successful the name, Pixel fans mightiness consciousness miffed that they're really not getting galore of the Pro features disposable successful the cheaper Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL. That includes Google's Pro Res Zoom camera exertion for sharper zoomed-in photos, Video Boost, and the camera sensors themselves are somewhat inferior. You tin inactive seizure fantabulous photos connected the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but they're not the champion that Google offers. That's a small unusual erstwhile you're coughing up $1,800.
Specs External display: 6.4-inch, 120 Hz, OLED Internal display: 8-inch, 120 Hz, LTPO OLED Processor and RAM: Tensor G5 with 16 GB RAM Storage: 256, 512 GB, oregon 1 TB Battery: 5,015 mAh Cameras: 48-MP wide, 10.5-MP ultrawide, 10.8-MP telephoto (5X), 10-MP beforehand selfie camera, 10-MP interior selfie camera Updates (from day of manufacture): 7 years of bundle updates Extras: Pixelsnap Qi2 wireless charging, Camera Coach, Video Boost, IP68, Wi-Fi 7, Ultra-Wideband, 1 twelvemonth of Google AI Pro Plan Carrier compatibility: Works connected each 3 large US networks
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Best Folding Phone Outside the US
You tin import it into the US and anticipation it works perfectly good connected your carrier, but the Honor Magic V5 is the champion book-like fold for anyone successful the UK, Europe, oregon different markets wherever the telephone is sold. (Honor precocious unveiled the Magic V6, but it's not expected to motorboat successful planetary markets until aboriginal this summer.)
The Magic V5 is astir arsenic slim arsenic the Galaxy Z Fold7, though there's a sizable camera bump. The artillery lasts a truly agelong time, and the camera strategy is versatile and reliable; Honor improved the ultrawide and telephoto camera implicit the V3. You besides get accelerated wired and wireless charging. Read much successful our Best Phones You Can't Buy successful the US guide.
Specs External display: 6.43-inch, 120-Hz LTPO, OLED Internal display: 7.95-inch, 120-Hz LTPO, AMOLED Processor and RAM: Snapdragon 8 Elite with 12 oregon 16 GB RAM Storage: 256, 512 GB, oregon 1 TB Battery: 5,690 mAh Cameras: 50-MP main camera, 64-MP (3X) telephoto, 50-MP ultrawide, 20-MP beforehand camera, 20-MP interior selfie camera Updates (from day of manufacture): Four Android OS upgrades and 5 years of information updates Extras: Wireless charging, IP58 and IP59, fingerprint sensor, NFC Carrier compatibility: Not officially supported successful the US; disposable successful the UK and Europe
Other Folding Phones to Consider
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Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip7 for $1,056: Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip7 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is simply a adjacent 2nd to Motorola's Razr Ultra. I liked the camera prime from Motorola's latest flip much than Samsung's, a large triumph for the Razr, but the Flip7 captures bully photos and offers amended video quality, if that's your thing. Samsung's latest Flip has a larger beforehand screen, though you inactive person to leap done a fewer hoops to marque it useful. For example, you request to instal an app called Multistar to adhd immoderate app of your choosing to the screen screen. The telephone besides has a lackluster artillery life, struggling to past a afloat day; the Razr Ultra inactive lone lasts a day, but I didn't consciousness similar I had to plug successful arsenic much. And it besides gets a small excessively lukewarm for my tastes erstwhile it's nether load. It's a bully flip phone, but I similar Motorola's 2025 flagship.
-SOURCE-Julian-Chokkattu.jpg){kind=tracking}
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold for $1,250: The lone crushed to see the Pixel 9 Pro Fold close present is if you spot it connected sale. Google's Pixel 10 Pro Fold is the newer, amended handset. The 9 Pro Fold isn't arsenic slim oregon arsenic lightweight arsenic the Galaxy Z Fold7, but it's inactive a svelte instrumentality with a ample beforehand surface that feels similar a mean phone. The 8-inch interior surface is excellent, and the triple-camera strategy delivers large results, though not as large arsenic the Pixel 9 Pro series. Read our Best Pixel Phones guide for more.
Razr 2025 series
Motorola Razr+ (2025) for $700: There is technically a 3rd telephone successful Motorola's latest Razr lineup: the Razr+ 2025. However, it's astir identical to the Razr+ 2024, with caller colors and the improved IP48 standing and titanium-reinforced hinge. It sits successful an awkward mediate ground, though. It's not arsenic affordable arsenic the modular Razr, which offers a beauteous bully acquisition for the money. But it's besides not as flagship arsenic the Razr Ultra. It is besides the lone 1 of the lineup without the ultrawide camera. I usually emotion telephoto zoom lenses, but ultrawides are truthful useful connected flip phones for radical selfies. If you're considering this model, it's besides worthy considering the Razr+ from 2024, arsenic you'll spot immoderate bully discounts connected it passim the year; it conscionable lacks the reinforced hinge and IP48 rating.
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Galaxy Z Flip6
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 for $899: Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) from 2024 mightiness beryllium a amended bargain than Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip7 FE—the caller “budget” folding flip telephone the institution introduced alongside the flagship Flip7 and Fold7. That's due to the fact that the Flip7 FE is simply a reskinned Flip6 with a Samsung Exynos processor alternatively of a Qualcomm chip. We haven't tested the FE yet, but you tin astir apt find a decent woody connected the Flip6 that mightiness marque it a amended worth than the Flip7 FE. Performance could adjacent beryllium a smidge better.
Xiaomi Mix Flip for $899: Xiaomi’s archetypal flip telephone has a beauteous plan with fantabulous displays wrong and out, agelong artillery beingness with accelerated charging, and flagship-level performance, which makes a bully change, arsenic flip phones often person middling specs. It besides boasts a coagulated dual-lens camera, opting for telephoto alternatively of ultrawide alongside the susceptible main shooter, which is much utile for astir folks. The bundle lets the enactment down a little; there’s nary IP rating, and it is pricey, but I had amusive with this flip phone. —Simon Hill
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