The 11 best Android phones of 2025, tested and reviewed

Other phones to consider

Google Pixel 9.

Photography: Julian Chokkattu

We test a ton of Android phones. We like the ones below, but you’ll be better off with one of the options above. If you haven’t yet, check out ours The best cheap phones and The best foldable phone guides for more.

Google Pixel 9 for $799: : The Pixel 9 is a really great smartphone (9/10, WIRED Recommends), but between the Pixel 8A and the Pixel 9 Pro series, it struggles to stand out. It shares many features with its more expensive siblings, but you can get one a lot similar experience with the Pixel 8A, all while saving hundreds of dollars. If you love design and want new smart software features, don’t let it stop you! But it may be more prudent to wait for the Pixel 9A this spring.

Samsung Galaxy S24 FE for $650: : The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is in a similar boat to the Pixel 9. It is too close to the price of the Galaxy S24 series, which you can find on sale for not much more, and there are cheaper phones that are simply better value. It is a perfectly capable smartphone with a triple camera matrix (including a 3X telephoto camera), and it offers good performance. It has wireless charging, is IP68 water resistant, and has a solid all-day battery life. It’s a shame that the design is a bit dark.

Google Pixel 8 for $499 and Pixel 8 Pro for $599: : The Pixel 8 or Pixel 8 Pro (7/10, WIRED Recommends) from 2023 are still available to buy and are great devices with a lot of life left in them. Just make sure you don’t spend more than $600. Anything more and you should just buy from the new Pixel 9 series.

Honor Magic V3 for £1,799: : If you’re outside the US, the Magic V3 might be the best foldable phone right now; is definitely the world’s slimmest foldable phone (8/10, WIRED Recommends). It has great battery life, a wide outer screen that feels like a normal phone, and an expansive inner screen when unfolded. Even the cameras are versatile, although the ultrawide is not great, and the general software of the phone can induce some annoyances.

Photography: Julian Chokkattu

OnePlus 12 for $800 and OnePlus 12R for $600: : OnePlus reconnected with its roots in 2024, offering killer specs at surprisingly low prices. The OnePlus 12R is better value than the OnePlus 12 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), but you should only buy these phones if you can catch them on sale. Otherwise, just buy the latest OnePlus 13 and 13R because they don’t cost much more.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6 for $1,900: : The Fold6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is an excellent large-screen foldable smartphone. If you are concerned about durability and repairability when buying a folding, Samsung is your best bet since it has been producing these devices for the longest time. The cameras take great photos, the screens get surprisingly bright, and Samsung promises long-term software support. The Fold6’s outer screen is a bit wider and much more pleasant to use than previous iterations, but otherwise, there aren’t a ton of new changes outside of AI advancements. You can still beat last year Galaxy Z Fold 5 to save some dough.

Photography: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 for $1,100: : The Flip6 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) has some advantages over Motorola’s new Razr+, such as a nicer hinge mechanism, better build quality, stronger cameras and longer software support. But I still preferred the overall experience on the Motorola flip, mostly because of the larger external screen. However, the Flip6’s 3.4-inch cover screen is useful for glancing through widgets, and you can open it up to get a big-screen Android phone experience. U Galaxy Z Flip5 it’s a worthy option if you don’t mind buying last year’s technology at a lower price.

Mobile accessories you may need

Peak Design Galaxy S24 Ultra case.

Photography: Julian Chokkattu

We have case recommendations for a few popular devices, such as Samsung Galaxy S24, Galaxy S23, and range S22 o Google’s Pixel 9 series. It’s smart to slap a case on these glass sandwiches as well as a screen protector to keep the display free of scuffs and scratches. Here are a few other notable accessories, including charging adapters, that many phones does not include anymore. Read our The best USB-C cables guide for other recommendations.

Anker 45-Watt charger for $20: : This little charger will be all that most people need to charge most smartphones. It is compact, reliable and economical, in addition to the prongs fold up. More smartphones than ever can go up to 45-watt charging speeds, so take advantage of it with a 45-watt charger.

Counterpart The Charger for $44: : It’s not the best value, but this forward-thinking charger has a 4-foot retractable cable that makes it a great two-in-one — no need to pack a separate charger and cable! It emits 35 watts, which is enough to quickly charge most phones and tablets, and the points fold up for travel.

Peak Design Samsung and Pixel Everyday Case for $50: : If you have one Samsung o Pixels mobile phone and often mount your mobile phone to a bicycle or scooter, you will owe it to yourself to collect this case and Peak Design’s bike rack. The case snaps perfectly into the mount, is very simple to release, and has not yet fallen after years of riding. Peak Design also sells many other accessories you can attach to the back of these cases, bringing Android in Apple’s MagSafe ecosystem.

Nimble Champ 10,000mAh Portable Charger for $60: : This portable battery is small enough to leave in a bag, but has enough power to charge your phone once or twice. There is a USB-C and USB-A port, it provides 18 watts of power, so it can charge your tablet or phone, and it is housed in 73 percent post-consumer plastic with plastic-free packaging.

Nomad ChargeKey for $25: : When your phone dies, it’s almost always when you forget to bring a charger or battery. The ChargeKey is an ingenious solution – it’s like clipping a tiny USB-C charging cable to your keychain. Just plug one end into your phone and the other into any kind of power source (a friend’s phone or a charging adapter if you manage to find one), and you can power up your phone. Native Union also has a similar article it is more expensive but just as capable.

Choose a Wireless Charger: : Our guide to the best wireless chargers includes dozens of models in different colors, shapes and materials, as well as some designed for specific phones. Not all Android phones support wireless charging, but it’s a luxury you want to enjoy. Take a look at our guide to our favorites.