What's the best foldable phone you can buy? Here are our 5 top recommendations

While the concept of foldable phones has been around for a while, consumers didn’t go hands-on with one until 2018. Samsung was among the first to enter the scene, quickly becoming the biggest player and the only major option in the US. Thankfully, that has changed recently with Google, Motorola, and even OnePlus helping push foldables to new heights of late. If you’re looking for a foldable phone today, you have more options than ever. So in this article, let’s examine the best foldable phones on the market and whether or not they would be a great fit for you.

The best foldable phones: At a glance

• Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold: The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a major upgrade to the original Pixel Fold in many ways, allowing it to finally compete at the same level as Samsung’s more established Fold.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6: If you’re looking for the most established tablet-phone hybrid choice, the Z Fold 6 is a beast with several features that help take advantage of its unique form factor.
• OnePlus Open: The first OnePlus foldable offers a unique Canvas UI and top-notch imaging specs that make it a worthy contender in the foldable race. It’s not as inexpensive as the company’s reputation would have you assume, but it’s still a notch below more established players.
• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6: Not all foldables are designed to turn into tablets. Looking for a flip phone experience? Samsung delivers the gold standard here, adding a bigger flex window than ever before.
• Motorola Razr 2024: The Razr 2024 has further refined its flip phone design both on the inside and out, which includes greatly improved software and cameras as well.

Not sure what you’re looking for in a foldable or if they are even a good fit? We have a guide on how to find the right foldable phones at the bottom of this page (hit the jump link to go there now).

Now that you know what you’re looking for, let’s dive a bit deeper into each model and who they are for.

Editor’s note: We will update this foldable phone list as more devices hit the market.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

• Release date: September 4, 2023
• When can you expect a successor? Fall of 2025

The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold shares a lot in common with the Pixel Fold but brings a much-needed extra coat of polish. The end result is a device that is incredibly thin for a foldable, despite offering a bigger display than its competition at 8 inches. It’s powered by the same Google Tensor G4 found on the Pixel 9 series and is backed by 16GB of RAM, with storage options up to 512GB. Although the battery is about 171mAh smaller the battery life on the Pixel 9 Pro is very similar to the Pixel Fold and should easily make it through a full day’s use without too much fuss.

All the specs are well and good, but what you really care about is the foldable experience, right? Thankfully, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold steps it up here.

Not only does the new design fold flat, you can hardly see the crease compared to the previous mode. Even better news: the Pixel 9 Pro ditches the Pixe Fold’s odd aspect ratio, adopting a design that’s more like a traditional smartphone display versus the passport style seen previously. The new 8-inch display isn’t just bigger, its new aspect ratio means it no longer defaults to landscape mode. The older display would put black bars around many apps due to its unique aspect ratio, which was one of the device’s biggest downsides.

Pixel Fold specs:

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

• Release date: July 24, 2024
• When can you expect a successor? Summer of 2025

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the latest and greatest foldable device from Samsung, bringing a host of improvements over its successor including a slightly larger footprint, a more traditional-looking cover screen, a better hinge, and more durability and polish than ever before. It’s also a bit lighter too!

The main display is quite big when unfolded at 7.6 inches, while the smaller one comes in at 6.3 inches, which is just a hair bigger than last year. You also get an IPX8 rating, something you won’t find on all the devices on this list.

If you want power and performance, the Fold 6 delivers thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.

Really what truly makes the Fold 6 stick out is that Samsung has been building foldable phones for years, meaning it’s had plenty of time to refine its hardware and software. One UI lets you run three apps at a time, keep different home screens for the external and internal displays, and so much more. There are also a growing number of great AI features on board too.

Galaxy Z Fold 6 specs

OnePlus Open

• Release date: October 26, 2023
• When can you expect a successor? Early 2025F

Do you feel like the foldables above are a bit too expensive? The OnePlus Open isn’t exactly cheap, but it is slightly less expensive at $1,699.99. It is no slouch, either. In our OnePlus Open review, we found that this device is quite capable, and we had very little to complain about. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and 16GB of RAM offer great performance, as you’d expect. Battery life is also among the best we’ve seen in a larger foldable; we would usually average close to a day and a half. The 67W SuperVOOC charging is also super fast, and surprisingly, for OnePlus, these cameras are actually quite outstanding.

Unfortunately, the Open might be the least durable option on this list, as the IPX4 rating is pretty disappointing. It’s also the only option that doesn’t offer wireless charging. Its software also doesn’t have the level of polish that you’d find with Samsung. You can’t specify a different homescreen experience of the internal and external display and there’s a bit more general glitchness when even compared to the Pixel Fold. On the bright side, some of its features like its unique Canvas feature that lets you run three apps but minimize them off to the side, help it stand out from its competitors.

The OnePlus One is a great first attempt and is probably one of the few OnePlus products I’d recommend, but just be aware it may take it a few years to truly reach the same level las some of its competitors in this space.

Open specs:

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

• Release date: July 24, 2024
• When can you expect a successor? Likely in the summer of 2025

So far, all the options on this list have been full-sized phones that turn into tablets, but what about foldable flip phones? That’s where the Flip series comes in. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 isn’t nearly as big of an update aesthetically as the Fold 6 but it does see quite a few major improvements under the hood. The camera gets a major update, ditching its 12MP shooter for a new 50MP main camera that’s in line with the Galaxy S24’s main shooter. The 12MP ultrawide lens remains the same, however. Beyond the camera, there’s also plenty of new AI features and an upgrade to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.

The Flip 6 should also handle heat better than ever before, thanks to the addition of a vapor chamber cooling system for the first time on the Z Flip series. The RAM has also jumped up from 8GB to 12GB, which should let it handle modern gaming and other high-performance activities without skipping a beat.

The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is the most affordable folding option from Samsung in 2024, so it might just be the springboard the company needs to reach the masses. It is also made beautifully and offers a great experience.

Galaxy Z Flip 6 specs

Motorola Razr (2024)

• Release date: July 24, 2024
• When can you expect a successor? Summer 2024

Motorola has been in the foldable game for a few years, but it’s really upped its game recently. While the Plus shined brighter than the cheaper Razr last year, things have flipped a bit. The Mediatek Dimensity 7300X does a great job in almost every task you through at it, which makes it a great option considering it starts at just $700. Now if you want the absolute best performance the Plus is still a solid choice, just that the gap between the two models has shrunk considerably this year.

Overall the Motorola Razr family continues to impress though it’s not all perfect. The Razr Plus has less than average battery life and lacks ultrawide, while the Razr has limited zoom capabilities. Software support also remains a weakness compared to Samsung and Google’s 7-year update and security fix pledge though it does at least offer 3 full yeas of OS updates and 4 years of bi-monthly security patches.

Razr (2024) specs:

Razr Plus (2024) specs:

How to find the right foldable for your needs

If you’ve landed on this page, chances are you’re seriously considering purchasing a foldable phone. But how do you choose the right one for your needs? The first step is to determine whether a foldable phone is indeed a good fit for you. Once you’ve established that, you need to consider what you want from your foldable device: are you attracted to the flip phone style, which emphasizes a cool factor and easier pocketability, or are you in search of a device that can transform into a larger tablet to enhance productivity and other activities? How important is budget to you? Let’s dive a bit deeper into all of this below.

Are foldable phones worth it?

They may be all the hype these days, but are foldable phones worth it? Despite their appeal, they tend to be more expensive and less durable than traditional candy bar  phones. As someone who has used the Z Flip, Z Flip 3, and Z Flip 4, I’m a fan of foldable displays. However, based on my experience, it’s important to clarify: Foldables aren’t for everyone.

Do any of these situations sound familiar to you?

• Your phones inevitably end up with dents, major scratches, or even tiny screen fractures after a few years of use, even with a case.
• You have young children to whom you often hand your phone for mobile games.
• You need your phone around 24/7 for work (or addiction?) and spend a lot of time in dusty or sandy environments.
• People tend to call you clumsy, and you’re generally not great with fragile items.

It might seem obvious, but if you identify with the above, buying a foldable could be an expensive mistake. Personally, I fall somewhere in the middle, yet my Z Flip 3 only lasted about two years of daily use before the hinge jammed. I can’t recall dropping it or anything significant, but I have kids, ADHD, and, well, things happen. If you’re considering a foldable, be prepared to take extra care of it. Many lack waterproofing, and none are dustproof yet.

So, how do you take care of a foldable phone? Simple. Leave it in the car when you go to the beach, or put it in a water- and sand-proof pouch. Ensure you don’t drop it, as hitting the hinge wrong could turn your phone into an expensive paperweight, especially if it’s out of warranty. Be cautious about who you hand your phone to, as not everyone will treat it with care. While a good case can help, most don’t fit snugly and are more likely to slip off compared to traditional phones, at least in my experience.

Durability is the biggest downside to foldables. They are also more expensive, and some users are bothered by the creases in foldable displays, though this is something one quickly adjusts to.

This might sound like I’m discouraging you from getting a foldable. Quite the opposite, I love them but it’s important to understand what you’re getting into investing into a technology that’s only been on the market for a little over five years. If you are certain you’ll take care of a foldable and don’t mind the other downsides mentioned, it can be worth it as long as you have clear expectations going in. Some of the biggest advantages of foldable phones include the ability to transform from a standard phone size to a tablet in the case of tablet hybrids, or they can even fold in half for easy pocketability if we’re talking about foldable flip phones.  Foldables also just look infinitely cooler than their more ordinary counterparts.

Will Apple ever make a foldable and should I wait for it?

For now there an Android foldable phone is the only way to go but will there ever be an Apple foldable phone? While the idea of a foldable iPhone has definitely cropped up in more than one rumor over the years, the strongest claims suggest a foldable iPhone will happen first. Likely sometime in 2025 or even 2026. If you currently are an iPhone user you have no choice but to wait it out or jump ship to Android.

Foldable or Flippable? That is the question

Okay, technology a folding flip phone is still a foldable device but the point here is that you have two main form factors to pick from:

• Tablet hybrid: These models are about hte size of a typical phone when folded but transform into a smaller tablet for improved productivity, bigger screen entertainment, and more.
• Foldable flip phones: These models look more like old school flip phones on the outside, complete with small front displays for glanceable information. Once unfolded, the experience is identical to any other candy bar model.

I can’t tell you which one works best for you, as it’s mostly a subjective thing. Just be aware flip phones have no major advantages over traditional phones outside of cool factor and pocketability, whereas hybrid tablets clearly have the advantage of screen real estate.

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