Smartphones that transform into sizeable tablets used to be pure sci-fi… but now bendable screens are our tech reality. Besides the obvious wow factor, these book-style foldables offer innovative flexibility that could change the way you use your mobile – while also packing in hardware to rival the best phones with more traditional form factors.
Think folding phones are just a hinged gimmick? Think again. The best foldable phones are about as versatile as handsets get, even if they almost exclusively come at prices that make regular flagships look cheap. We’ve tested them all to work out which is best, and highlighted the upcoming foldable models to look out for.
Maybe you’d prefer a more compact clamshell foldable? Read all about the best flip phones here.
Why you can trust Stuff: Our team of experts rigorously test each product and provide honest, unbiased reviews to help you make informed decisions. For more details, read how we test and rate products.
Quick list: what is the best foldable phone?
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 (buy now) is an astonishing year-on-year update that’s now top of the class for slimness and an impressive set of cameras. Plenty of power and great global availability make it the best foldable all-rounder we’ve seen.
The Honor Magic V5 (buy now) is super-thin, yet thanks to silicon-carbon battery tech, still finds room inside for a massive 5820mAh cell. It delivers epic endurance, and it’s not like Honor had to skimp on performance to achieve it.
The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (buy now) isn’t a generational turnaround like its predecessor, but brings some world-firsts like Qi2 magnetic wireless charging and IP68 resistance. A 5x telephoto and fantastic picture processing help retain Google’s camera crown.
The best foldable phones you can buy today:
Best foldable phone overall
1. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
Stuff Verdict
Slimmer than ever, and with a superior camera setup; the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is a monumental year-on-year upgrade. Samsung has finally given foldable fans (almost) everything they’ve been asking for.
Pros
- Finally, a properly thin and desirable Z Fold
- Rear camera trio put in a fab performance for a foldable
- Larger screens make all the difference to usability
Cons
- Battery capacity is now the weak link
- A small minority will miss S Pen support
| Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 specs | |
| Screen | 6.5in, 2520×1080 120Hz AMOLED (outer) 8in, 2184×1968 120Hz AMOLED (inner) |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy |
| Memory | 12/16GB |
| Cameras | 200MP + 10MP telephoto + 12MP ultrawide rear 10MP front 10MP inner |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB |
| Operating system | Android 16 w/ OneUI |
| Battery | 4400mAh w/ 25 , 15w wireless charging |
| Dimensions | 158x143x4.2mm (unfolded) 158x73x8.9mm (folded) |
| Weight | 215g |
After years of iterative updates, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 shocked the tech world when it arrived in July 2025. Samsung had finally listened, slimming the book-style folder down to phenomenally svelte proportions, and ditching the overly skinny outer screen for one with a much more usable aspect ratio. Inheriting the 200MP lead camera from the S25 Ultra non-folding flagship also instantly propelled it to the top of the foldable photography leaderboard, even if the 3x zoom lens didn’t see any upgrades.
While Samsung still needs to get its act together on battery chemistry and capacity, this is still a phone that’ll last all day – and has impressive potency thanks to a Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset. A bulging selection of AI-assisted apps and the first phone to run Android 16 out of the box help it impress in daily use, too.
Ultimately it’s Samsung’s worldwide presence that’ll make this the book-style foldable of choice for many – only now it doesn’t feel like you’re buying one because you have no other options. This is a fantastic folding phone, even if you live somewhere that’s spoiled for choice by other brands.
- Read more: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review
Best foldable phone for battery
2. Honor Magic V5
Stuff Verdict
So skinny you’ll never want to go back to a non-folding phone. The Magic V5 also impresses with its strong stamina and crisp, colourful cameras.
Pros
- Wonderfully slim and sleek
- Very capable rear camera trio
- Superb battery life and rapid charging
Cons
- Software not quite as polished as rivals’
- AI tools aren’t all worthy inclusions
| Honor Magic V5 specs | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 6.43in 2376×1060 120Hz OLED (outer) 7.95in 2352×2172 120Hz OLED (inner) |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite (8-core) |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 512GB |
| Software | Android 15 |
| Cameras | 50+50+64MP rear, 20MP inner, 20MP front |
| Battery | 5820mAh |
| Dimensions | 157x146x4.1mm (unfolded) 157x74x8.8mm (folded) |
| Weight | 217g |
Honor raised the bar for slimness with the last-gen Magic V3, and did so again with the Magic V5 – even if it probably didn’t expect Samsung to practically match it less than a month later. That doesn’t take away from the fact the Magic V5 is a wonderfully svelte handset, being just 8.8mm when folded and weighing only 217g. Essentially it feels like a non-folding flagship when in your pocket, but unfurls to show off a gorgeous 7.95in inner screen that’s ideal for multimedia and productivity.
The firm still has some work to do on making its software as slick as the competition, but the V5 has a commanding lead on battery life thanks to silicon-carbon chemistry dramatically boosting capacity. It also takes excellent photos courtesy of a trio of high pixel count cameras. Factor in the price – which undercuts both Samsung and Google even before you consider Honor’s regular, generous discounts – and this is one seriously appealing foldable.
- Read more: Honor Magic V5 review
Best foldable phone for photography
3. Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
Stuff Verdict
Doesn’t set pulses racing in the way other new foldables have, but the Pixel 10 Pro Fold still brings some world-first features. Streamlined software and capable cameras are the other big highlights.
Pros
- Excellent point-and-shoot camera trio with useful software assists
- First foldable with IP68 protection and Qi2 magnetic wireless charging
- Google’s usual refined take on Android
Cons
- Thicker and heavier than the class best
- Camera gains are marginal from last year
- Not the last word on performance or battery life
| Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold specs | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 6.4in, 2364×1080 OLED w/ 120Hz (outer) 8.0in, 2152×2076 OLED w/ 120Hz (inner) |
| Processor | Google Tensor G5 |
| RAM | 16GB |
| Storage | 256GB/512GB/1TB on-board |
| Software | Android 16 |
| Cameras | 48MP+10.8MP+10.8MP (rear), 10MP+10MP (front) |
| Battery | 5015mAh |
| Dimensions | 155x150x5.2mm (unfolded) 155x76x10.8mm (folded) |
| Weight | 258g |
The Pixel 10 Pro Fold doesn’t look all that different from the previous generation, which was a little surprising given rivals had suddenly embraced slimness. It’s bigger and heavier than Honor and Samsung’s efforts, but makes up for it with a more robust IP68 resistance rating, and the addition of Qi2. No other foldable has magnetic wireless charging on board.
A new generation of Tensor silicon, with boosts to Gemini AI processing and better power efficiency, is the hardware highlight, while battery capacity has grown enough to keep it competitive. The rear camera arrangement hasn’t really changed, so the gap to the competition is narrower than ever, but improved picture processing (and some clever AI-based composition tips) keep it at the top of the foldable pile.
- Read more: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold review
What other folding phones are available?
Western audiences don’t have a huge selection of foldable phones to choose from, but it’s a different story in Asia. These are the most recent ones worth talking about:
Huawei has the most foldable variety of any brand, Chinese or otherwise. There’s the Mate X6, an ultra-slim foldable with a trio of rear camera lenses, including a periscope telephoto – still a rarity in this category. It’s well-made and has stunning screens. The Pura X toes the line between flip and foldable form factors, with much larger screens than a typical clamshell. There’s also the Mate XT, a first of its kind three-fold phone that’s jaw-droppingly cool – but super expensive. And while the firm is banned from using Western hardware or software, there’s little incentive to release it outside of China.
The Vivo X Fold5 launched in China in July 2025, with a typically giant battery and three high pixel count rear cameras. There’s no Pro variant this year, and the differences between generations are pretty minor.
Xiaomi might have a big presence in Europe, but the Mix Fold 4 remains China-only for now. It’s super-slim, lasts an impressively long time per charge, and takes wonderful photos. The region-specific software could be a headache for anyone wanting to import one, though.
Finally the Tecno Phantom V Fold2 is the most affordable book-style foldable around. MediaTek power and a set of rear cameras that are merely decent show how the firm managed to keep costs in check, as does the slightly thicker build. But it does well to keep its screen crease subtle, and you can’t argue with the price.
Upcoming foldable phones
Want to wait and see what the next generation of foldable phones bring to the table? These models should all arrive to take on the established class leaders… eventually.
Samsung officially revealed the Galaxy TriFold in December, but it’ll only be sold in Korea for the foreseeable future. The US will eventually get it in 2026, but Europe will seemingly be left out. it’s a 6.5in phone that unfurls into a 10in tablet, with a design very similar to the Z Fold 7 – and largely identical hardware, too. Only the bigger battery stands out, while the camera and chipset are unchanged. It’ll likely cost over $2500.
Motorola has teased its first book-style foldable ahead of CES 2026. There’s no confirmed name just yet, and hardware specs are a mystery too, but given Moto is essentially the only choice of flip phone other than Samsung in the West, it’ll be great if the firm can also give the Z Fold 7 a run for its money when it launches later in the year.
Apple is also widely believed to be working on its first foldable – some consider the iPhone Air a test bed for the sort of slim dimensions needed to compete with the ultra-skinny Android offerings – but it’s very unlikely to see the light of day before September 2026.
How we test smartphones
We’ve tested every phone on this list ourselves, so you can trust our picks. We treat each handset like a daily driver – not a staged demo – and that makes a big difference to the recommendations we give.
Typically, we spend a week or more with each phone, using it for calls, streaming, navigation, photos, messaging and gaming. That hands-on time lets us spot real-world strengths and quirks that a quick bench test would miss. We stress-test performance by multitasking and running demanding games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty: Mobile, check battery life across different usage patterns, and time how long each device actually takes to charge from 0 to 100%.
Displays get judged for brightness, colour accuracy and outdoor readability, but also for how they handle different media. We watch HDR shows on Netflix, scroll through Instagram’s bright feeds, stream YouTube videos in varying resolutions and browse photos to see how punchy – or natural – colours look. We also note how smooth adaptive refresh rates feel when scrolling or gaming, and whether viewing angles hold up under harsh light.
Camera testing includes daylight, low-light and video scenarios – everything from shooting portraits in busy city streets to night scenes and 4K stabilised clips – to see how lenses, autofocus and image processing behave. We also pay attention to build quality (does it scratch easily?), speaker performance when playing music or YouTube, and any software oddities, like app crashes or slow animations. We look at how clean the interface feels, whether there’s bloatware, and how strong the manufacturer’s update promise really is.
Our reviews cover the essentials separately – battery, screen, camera, performance and everyday usability – so you get a clear picture of what owning the phone will be like, not just what its spec sheet says. The goal is simple: help you buy a phone that actually fits your life.
For more information on Stuff’s rating and review process, read our page on how we test products.
Recent updates
12th December 2025: Samsung Galaxy TriFold, unnamed Motorola foldable added to upcoming phones list
15th October 2025: Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Honor Magic V5 added, China-specific phones list refreshed with latest models
- Related: Best camera phones – smartphone cameras for perfect shots tested
