Discover the Best Foldable Phones of 2025: Your Ultimate Guide to the Top Folding Smartphones!

Editor’s note: Black Friday officially falls on Friday, November 28th, but if you want to get a jumpstart on your shopping, we’ve gathered the best early Black Friday deals that are already available. A foldable phone isn’t for everyone. Generally, they’re heavier, pricier, and often come with less capable cameras compared to traditional smartphones. While they’ve improved in durability over time, they still don’t match the robustness of standard models. However, thanks to Google, we now have a foldable phone that’s fit for beach outings.

Right now, there are two main types of foldables: the book-style that opens up like a book and the clamshell type that resembles a classic flip phone. Think of it this way: a book-style foldable offers the functionality of both a phone and a tablet, while a flip-style foldable combines your phone with a smartwatch experience. Book-style models come with an outer display for everyday use and a tablet-like inner screen for when you want extra real estate. Flip phones feature a smaller outer display that’s handy for quick checks, letting you unfold them for more extensive tasks.

What I’m looking for

How we test phones

There’s no shortcut to thoroughly testing a phone; I insert my personal SIM card (either physical or eSIM) into each phone I review and live with it for at least a week. I configure each device from scratch, install my apps, and carry on with my life—stress-testing the battery, using GPS while biking and streaming music, snapping portrait photos of my kid, and more. Starting fresh with a new phone weekly can sound dreamy or daunting, depending on how much you love phones. For me, switching has become so routine it’s largely painless.

Top-notch software support

The phones featured here come with powerful processors and ample RAM, making them ready for years of use, so you can expect more than just a few OS updates throughout their lifespan. A solid benchmark is four years of OS updates along with five years of security patches, and many of the models here meet or surpass that standard.

A fantastic camera

Most phone cameras perform well in good lighting, whether they’re top-tier models or budget-friendly options around $300. The devices showcased here go a step further, offering features like telephoto lenses, solid portrait modes, or excellent low-light capabilities—and often include all three. Stabilization for the main camera is essential for low-light shots in this category.

Best-in-class build quality

Most modern foldables have an IP48 rating, meaning they can withstand total water immersion and solid particles larger than 1mm. Though these devices aren’t entirely dust-proof, Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold breaks new ground with an IP68 rating, providing complete water and dust resistance.

Value

Among the best devices available at any price, I also consider phones that provide the best combination of must-have features for their cost. This could lead to recommending a lower-tier model if it has particularly appealing features for its price or an older model still sold as new if the latest version doesn’t offer significant upgrades.

While all these devices fit within the foldable category, they cater to two distinct audiences—those who want a phone that offers more functionality and those who desire a slightly less immersive experience. No matter which group you belong to, it’s wise to get an extended warranty with your purchase; repairs can be pricey, and not every phone repair shop will take on foldables. If you forgo the warranty, ensure you can comfortably replace your device if an unexpected accident occurs. A folding screen can break suddenly.

If my warnings haven’t scared you off, you’re likely someone who’ll enjoy the thrill of a foldable. I’ve tested countless phones, and folding models are among my favorites. Run four apps simultaneously! Prop it up like a mini laptop! Shoot video like it’s a camcorder! The possibilities are endless, and the thrill of folding your phone shut never really fades.

$1700

The Good: Full dust resistance! On a foldable! Qi2 support with built-in magnets
The Bad: Heavy and chunky; cameras aren’t as competitive as other 10 Pro phones; pricier than standard phones
Screen: 8-inch, 2076p, 120Hz OLED inner display; 6.4-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED outer display
Processor: Google Tensor G5
Cameras: 48-megapixel f/1.7 main with OIS; 10.8-megapixel 5x telephoto with OIS; 10-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (outer screen); 10-megapixel inner selfie
Battery: 5,015mAh
Charging: 30W wired, 15W wireless (Qi2)
Weather resistance: IP68

Durability has long been a key focus in the foldable market, and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold is a significant step forward. With an IP68 rating, it’s the first foldable to provide complete water and dust resistance. This means you can take the $1,799 device to the beach or on a hike without fear of sand damaging it. Coupled with Qi2 support and Google’s powerful Tensor G5 chip, this is the most well-rounded foldable currently available.

However, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold does have some downsides. While it offers all-day battery life with limited inner display use, the battery can dip into the red if you use the inner screen extensively. Additionally, while it’s more durable than its predecessors, the camera system is less impressive in low light than the other 10 Pro models. It’s also heavier and bulkier than the Galaxy Z Fold 7, which is a fair trade for extra durability.

Read our full Pixel 10 Pro Fold review.

$900

The Good: Samsung finally has a larger cover screen; all-day battery life; reliable camera
The Bad: More prone to dust than average phones; still challenging to run full apps on the cover screen
Screen: 6.9-inch, 1080p, 120Hz OLED inner display; 4.1-inch, 948p OLED cover display
Processor: Samsung Exynos 2500
Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 main with OIS; 12-megapixel ultrawide; 10-megapixel selfie (inner screen)
Battery: 4,300mAh
Charging: 25W wired, 15W wireless, 4.5W reverse wireless
Weather-resistance rating: IP48

The latest Galaxy Z Flip may not be as exciting as the Razr Ultra, but it comes with some notable improvements. Samsung replaced the old folder-style cover screen with a sleek 4.1-inch edge-to-edge display that wraps around the cameras, giving you more space to check messages quickly or perform tasks without fully opening your phone.

Beyond the larger cover screen, the Flip 7 brings other useful updates—it’s thinner than before and has a bigger 4,300mAh battery, an upgrade from the previous 4,000mAh. While the camera system remains the same, it still takes excellent photos, and you can take great selfies using the rear camera.

Despite the improvements, the Flip 7 retains last year’s IP48 rating, meaning it’s not completely dust-proof, which could impact long-term durability. However, Samsung offers a solid warranty and repair program, along with seven years of OS and security updates. While imperfect, the Flip 7 is an exceptional and refined version of its predecessor—just be cautious not to drop it while at the beach.

Read our full Galaxy Z Flip 7 review.

$900

The Good: One of the best-looking phones on the market; great battery life; outer display is unexpectedly handy
The Bad: AI button is wasted space; long-term durability remains uncertain; camera processing can be inconsistent
Screen: 7-inch 1224p OLED, 165Hz inner display; 4-inch 1080p OLED, 165Hz outer display
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.8 main with OIS; 50-megapixel f/2.0 ultrawide; 50-megapixel f/2.0 selfie
Battery: 4,700mAh
Charging: 68W wired, 30W wireless
Weather-resistance rating: IP48

The Razr Ultra is the latest and greatest in Motorola’s foldable series. Compared to the Razr Plus, it features a higher-resolution inner display, Qualcomm’s most powerful processor, double the storage, and an upgraded selfie camera. It’s one of the best-looking phones available, sporting a gold-bronze chassis and wooden back panel that give it an elegant touch, setting it apart in a market where many phones look similar.

Aside from its looks, the Ultra is fun to use. The expansive 4-inch outer display covers almost the entire front panel, making it ideal for checking notifications, replying to messages, and executing quick tasks like hailing rides. The upgraded titanium hinge is a nice touch compared to the previous stainless-steel version. While enjoyable, the phone still grapples with some issues from older Motorola foldables, namely inconsistent camera processing. Additionally, Motorola offers only three OS upgrades and four years of security updates, which is a bit lacking for a device with a $1,300 price tag.

Read our full Razr Ultra (2025) review.

The best battery life in a foldable

$1999

The Good: Slim profile; excellent battery life; minimal crease visibility
The Bad: Foldables remain fragile; not launching in the US or Europe
Screen: 8.12-inch, 2248p, 120Hz OLED inner display; 6.62-inch, 1140p, 120Hz OLED outer display
Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite
Cameras: 50-megapixel f/1.9 main with OIS; 50-megapixel 3x telephoto with OIS; 8-megapixel ultrawide; 8-megapixel selfie cameras (inner and outer)
Battery: 5,600mAh
Charging: 80W wired, 50W wireless
Weather-resistance rating: IPX8/IPX9

Let’s address the downside first: if you live in the US or Europe, the Oppo Find N5 isn’t available to you. This rules out a significant number of potential buyers. However, if you’re in China, Singapore, or any of the other Asian countries where Oppo has made it available, you’re in luck—you can snag one of the world’s thinnest book-style foldable phones, and the rest of us can’t help but feel a bit envious.

The Find N5 isn’t just about its slimness. Its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset performs admirably, the phone is fully water-resistant, and it boasts excellent battery life. Employing silicon-carbon battery technology allows it to feature a large 5,600mAh battery that performs well even after extended use. What’s even more impressive? It’s barely thicker than traditional slab-style phones and only marginally heavier. When a foldable feels almost as light and slim as a regular phone, using the inner screen feels like a fantastic advantage—with minimal sacrifices involved. Oppo accomplishes this impressively, and I can’t help but wish more of us could… find it.

Read our full Oppo Find N5 review.

Other foldables to consider

The latest Huawei Mate XTs deserves a mention for its impressive wow factor. As Huawei’s second trifold phone, it features minor upgrades over the original, which was already a strong foldable but too pricey. The second-generation Mate XTs is more affordable at 17,999 yuan (around $2,520) and includes several new features such as stylus support, an upgraded Kirin 9020 chipset, and a better ultrawide camera at 40-megapixels.

The Motorola Razr Plus 2025 is a recent arrival, replacing last year’s model. While the two models look similar, the biggest difference is the inclusion of a titanium hinge on the $799 Razr Plus 2025, promising improved durability and a less noticeable crease when opened. The Flip 7 also comes with IP48 dust and water resistance, unlike its predecessor’s IPX8 rating. While we haven’t yet tested the latest model, it seems to be a solid alternative to the Ultra.

The standard Motorola Razr 2025 offers a budget-friendly entry into the foldable market, starting at $699. It showcases upgrades in performance, battery life, and durability—typical improvements we expect over time. It has a smaller cover screen compared to its Plus and Ultra siblings, but it still sports a generous 6.9-inch internal display. We haven’t reviewed the Razr 2025 yet, but its reasonable price makes it a worthy option for those looking to dive into foldables.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold from Google is an impressive follow-up, providing a user-friendly form factor. When closed, the outer display resembles that of a regular phone, and the inner screen boasts excellent brightness outdoors. Despite its qualities, it has a slightly downgraded camera system compared to other models and lacks formal dust resistance, creating concerns about its longevity.

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 serves as a commendable alternative to the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. It’s a slim, lightweight option at just 8.9mm thick when closed, close to the thickness of average smartphones. With a spacious inner display that excels at multitasking, it delivers a battery capable of lasting all day under moderate use. However, with a starting price of $1,999 and no complete dust and water resistance, the hinge remains vulnerable to potential damage.

Samsung has been hinting at a trifold device for some time, claiming it will launch later this year. Recently, they showcased a prototype, which will fold differently than the Huawei Mate XTs, featuring an accordion style with an inward-folding middle segment and two sides. More details about the trifold, including its name and pricing, have yet to be revealed. Given that the Z Fold 7 starts at $1,999, we’ll remain cautious about its upcoming announcement.

Update, November 17th: Adjusted pricing and availability. Brandon Russell also contributed to this post.

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