Top 10 Best Android Phones: High End to Budget Smartphones
Shako Memon
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A great Android phone should have a high-quality camera, long battery life, compelling software features, and 5G support.
From Samsung Galaxy phones to Google Pixel phones, you have a lot of fantastic Android phones to choose from. With so many options, the process of buying a phone can be confusing or overwhelming. We’re here to help you find the best Android phone for you.
Top 10 Best Android Phones
1. Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold
One of the best Android phones in 2025, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a bit different hardware-wise from the flagship Pixel 9 Pro. But it's still one of my favorite book-shaped folding phones. It's incredibly thin, and with its 6.3-inch external screen, you can almost forget you're holding a folding device in your hand.
When you open it, you'll find one of the largest internal displays around, which is great for gaming or watching YouTube. It's also great for split-screen apps, so you can multitask without worrying about screen size.
Like the Pixel 9 series, this Pixel has pretty much all the smart software features I mentioned earlier, including some fun new camera features. Read more in our guides to the best folding phones and best Pixel phones to buy.
2. Google Pixel 9 Pro
When it comes to camera performance, you can’t go wrong with any of the flagship devices from the big three (Apple, Samsung, Google). Depending on your preferences for color temperature and feature set, you might favor one manufacturer over the other.
But for the most part, Google’s Pixel camera system will satisfy most users, and the latest Pixel 9 Pro remain the champions of both out-of-the-box shooting and post-processing.
Both sizes of the latest models feature a solid triple-lens setup consisting of a 50MP primary lens, a 48MP ultra-wide, and a 48MP 5x telephoto lens for long-range shots.
There are plenty of software features to go around, like Google’s Super Res Zoom (up to 30x zoom), 8K video upscaling, and a new Add Me feature that lets you take two photos and merge them so everyone is in the same shot.
There’s also a new 42MP selfie camera that captures a sharper, wider field of view than last year’s 10.8MP sensor. That should be great for group selfies and scenic shots.
Again, real-time capture is only half the battle when it comes to mobile photography. There’s also the flexibility of the device to edit and adjust your subject and post-process it.
In that regard, the Pixel 9 Pro, powered by the new Tensor G4 chipset, could offer the most flexible and creative photography toolbox on the market, with AI features like Magic Editor, Photo Unblur, and Best Take that can turn bad photos into good ones.
Overall, the Pixel 9 Pro has one of the most versatile camera systems on the market, with balanced colors and generally pleasing output.
3. Samsung Z Flip 6
Unveiled at Samsung Unpacked in July, the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 packs a lot of features and functionality into a tiny clamshell that pays homage to flip phones of the past.
Aside from the shape-shifting display, the Z Flip 6 looks very similar to a standard Samsung Galaxy S series flagship, with a large, sharp and bright 6.7-inch AMOLED panel, up to 512GB of RAM for high-res photos and videos, and a healthy 4,000mAh battery to power it all. That’s an upgrade from the Z Flip 5.
There’s now also the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset and, for the first time on a Z Flip device, a vapor cooling chamber, both of which make the phone more efficient and thus less draining on the battery. The phone is also thinner and lighter than its predecessor.
The Z Flip 6’s camera system has also been nicely improved, with an improved 50MP main sensor and a 12MP ultra-wide. There’s also a new AI-powered auto-zoom feature that automatically detects the number of people in the frame and any potential background objects you might want to include in your shot, then digitally repositions them.
The flip phone’s external display, the Flex Window, also gets some fun new features on the Z Flip 6, including interactive wallpapers, suggested replies to text messages, and a new Interpreter mode for real-time translation.
4. Nothing Phone 2
Nothing has been one of the most popular Android manufacturers in recent years, with a flashy, transparent design language that resonates with retro tech enthusiasts. It’s also one of the few (and only) new entrants to the smartphone market, joining the pack at a time when others have pulled out.
Thankfully, the successor to the Nothing Phone 1, the Nothing Phone 2, has that appeal and the substance to back it up. Powering the phone is an improved Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor with up to 12GB of RAM, Nothing's minimalist, digital wellness-focused software experience.
As one Reddit user noted, the Nothing Phone 2 runs smoothly and has a ton of battery life. The Phone 2's key selling point is what Nothing calls its Glyph Interface, an assembly of LED strips on the back of the phone that flash in unique patterns based on incoming notifications and alerts.
It's a clever way to encourage users to stare less at their phone's screen by utilizing the transparent back panel. It's a bold design philosophy.
At $549, the Nothing Phone 2 is cheaper than most flagships on the market today, like the Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the OnePlus 12, while still offering a solid, attractive smartphone package that most design enthusiasts and fashionistas will love.
5. Google Pixel 9
If you want a high-quality Android phone for around $800, this is a no-brainer. And with Google promising seven years of OS and security updates, it’s an especially good choice if you want to keep your phone for a long time.
The Google Pixel 9 strikes an attractive balance of power, connectivity, and price among Android phones. With a great dual-camera setup that supports a ton of AI-enhanced editing features, a bright 6.3-inch OLED screen, and a capable Tensor G4 processor, it’s a solid contender.
It also feels classy thanks to its compact aluminum frame and attractive color options.
6. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 improves on the already excellent Z Fold 5 in several key ways. For example, its lighter and more compact design makes this powerful productivity machine easier to carry around than ever.
The larger cover screen is also more useful than ever. This phone is expensive, but Samsung justifies the cost with excellent multitasking capabilities, S Pen stylus support, the latest 5G and Wi-Fi wireless, and fast performance.
If you’re looking for a single device to replace your phone, tablet, or even laptop, the Z Fold 6 is the one for you. Plus, it’ll last you a long time thanks to its seven-year software support.
7. CMF Phone 1
CMF, a sub-brand of Nothing, has released an amazing smartphone for just $199. Of course, you can change the back of the phone to a different color with the included screwdriver.
And there’s a fun system of attaching various accessories, such as a lanyard, stand, or wallet, via the thumbscrews on the back corner of the phone. But these accessory points are just a bonus; the hardware itself is what’s impressive.
The CMF Phone 1 is a great phone for the price, with a surprisingly good camera system and battery life that lasts two days with average use. The screen is quite bright, sharp, and smooth.
However, there are a few drawbacks. First, this phone is only available in the US through a beta program, so you have to sign up and then buy it once it’s approved.
It also has poor carrier compatibility. It works best on T-Mobile and had no issues on AT&T, but you might not get the best 5G coverage. I wouldn’t recommend the CMF on Verizon. Another complaint I have is that there’s no NFC, so you can’t use this phone for tap-to-pay. Still, it’s the best value Android phone on the market today.
8. Google Pixel 8a
If you're looking for performance for your money, consider the Google Pixel 8a. There are three main reasons to buy the latest Pixel over any other mid-range phone: For $499, you get a comfortable 6.1-inch OLED display with a refresh rate of up to 120Hz, a reliable 64MP camera system, and Google’s catalog of AI features like Magic Editor, Audio Eraser, and Gemini—all of which comes with seven years of operating system updates.
Software is at the heart of the Google Pixel phones, and the extensive support provided to the 8a series, powered by the new Tensor G3 chip, is expected to keep it relevant in terms of features until 2031. For reference, most phones in this price range, including last year’s Pixel 7a , typically receive software and security updates for two to four years.
Overall, the Google Pixel 8a brings the most appealing features of other Pixel phones to a lower mid-range price point. Its combination of high-quality hardware and Google’s computational photography algorithms allows you to take great photos.
The beautiful 6.1-inch OLED display is viewable even in bright sunlight thanks to its 2,000 nits peak brightness. It also has the same Tensor G3 processor as its more expensive Pixel 8 sibling for fast AI performance.
9. Motorola Razr+ (2024)
Folding flip phones are the answer for people who hate big screens and want something small that can fit in very small pockets. This year’s standout is the Razr+ 2024. It has a large 4-inch cover screen, so you can run all your apps, scroll through widgets like the calendar and weather, and play fun mini games that are designed to fit into its compact form.
What I like best about it is that you can see the camera preview on this screen, so you can take high-quality selfies and make sure everyone is in the picture.
Opening the screen, you get a very typical Android phone experience with a 6.9-inch internal AMOLED display. Even though this phone uses the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chipset, which is a slightly lower-end version of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 found in other top-end Android phones, the performance was more than satisfactory.
Battery life won’t wow you; enthusiasts may need to charge before the end of the day. At least Motorola has improved the camera system thanks to a new image processing algorithm, but the processing time takes a few seconds longer than I would like.
Still, this is a good-performing flip phone, and one of the only smartphones to come in hot pink.
10. Samsung Galaxy A25 5G
Budget phones don’t usually have great cameras, but the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G’s 50MP main imager takes photos with rich detail and good color. Otherwise, the phone is powerful enough for everyday use and light gaming, thanks to its Exynos 1280 processor and 6GB of RAM.
It’s not Samsung’s flagship device, but it does get four years of OS updates and five years of security patches.
If you like the look of Samsung’s Galaxy phones and want a high-quality camera, the Galaxy A25 delivers both at a reasonable price.
11. Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
Samsung’s new Galaxy S24 line is the first to go all-in on AI, and the S24 Ultra, the most premium of the three, is the best Android phone you can buy today.
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The new Galaxy AI model built into the device offers a ton of generative features, including real-time phone call translation, the ability to circle objects on the screen to perform image-based Google searches, AI-assisted photo editing and transcription, and even a Chat Assist feature that figures out how to phrase your messages in different tones.
Like its predecessor, the S23 Ultra, the S24 Ultra is built with a large 6.8-inch AMOLED display and a reliable 5,000mAh battery. The price has gone up to $1,299 (that’s $100 more than the S23 Ultra), but the upgrades to this phone are worth it.
The S24 Ultra is made with a lighter yet more durable titanium frame than last year’s aluminum, and features Corning’s latest Gorilla Armor.
Under the hood, the S24 Ultra packs an upgraded Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset for improved graphics and AI capabilities, 12GB of RAM (up from 8GB last year), and 2,600 nits of brightness (a significant improvement over last year’s 1,750). As for the new camera system, the big upgrade comes in the form of a 50MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.
As Hiner found, the result is sharper, less noisy images, and an overall camera system that can pull in more light than ever before.
12. OnePlus Open
Thanks to the combined efforts of all the manufacturers, including Google’s Pixel Fold, Motorola’s Razr lineup, and OnePlus’s OnePlus Open, there are more foldable phones on the market than ever before.
Samsung has held the title of best foldable phone for years, and the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold is still in testing, but I’d give the top spot to the OnePlus Open right now.
Unlike its competitors, the OnePlus Open strikes the best balance in terms of size to weight ratio. When folded, the phone is as light as an iPhone, and when unfolded, it expands into a thin visual advantage.
OnePlus takes advantage of its 7.8-inch display to offer some of the most intuitive multitasking features I’ve tested, dubbed the “Open Canvas.” It lets you open up to three apps at once, and when you tap on each app, one or two of the others will slide to the side, ready to reappear when you need them.
While housed in a more striking case, the triple-camera setup captures stunning photos and videos, accentuating the blue-orange hue that cinematographers and photography enthusiasts know and love. The foldable form factor makes the Open great for hands-free selfies and group shots.
OnePlus has nailed the basics with the Open, too. That includes 65W fast charging (a charger is included in the box), which beats the Samsung Z Fold 5 and Google Pixel Fold standards, a base configuration of 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and a crease-free internal display.
13. Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro
If there’s one area where Android completely dominates iOS, it’s gaming. Whether you’re playing games on traditional mobile apps or moving to the cloud for streaming, Android manufacturers have spent the last decade creating a new category of smartphones tailored to gaming, and the Asus ROG Phone 8 Pro may be the best in its class.
Here’s a quick rundown of its key gaming features. The phone has a 165Hz refresh rate display for smooth visuals, 16GB of RAM, the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset to power games and background tasks, capacitive side triggers that can be mapped to various in-game functions, an extra LED back panel that one Reddit user says is “shouting my name,” and a 5,500mAh battery to keep the lights on. That’s a long description, I know.
The latest model also has a variety of AI tools, like a wallpaper generator that matches your theme preferences. For gamers, the phone supports X Sense 2.0, which uses AI to learn in-game patterns so it can automatically perform tasks like picking up objects as you move around in Genshin Impact.
I tested out a few of these AI features at CES earlier this year and was impressed by how seamlessly Asus has built them into the phone’s software.
But perhaps the most essential addition to this year’s ROG Phone is the AeroActive Cooler. And it’s odd to think that there’s more to all the madness above. It’s ostensibly just a cooling fan that snaps onto the back cover of the device.
When turned on, the phone opens a small vent to vent internal heat. The cooler acts as a subwoofer for improved audio output, and there’s an additional button to give you more control while gaming.
14. OnePlus 12
OnePlus has had its ups and downs over the past four years, going from value-focused smartphones to ultra-high-end and back again with last year’s OnePlus 11. This year, it’s focusing more on value-focused flagships.
The OnePlus 12 starts at $899, which is cheaper than its closest competitors, the $999 Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus and the Google Pixel 9 Pro, and it comes with everything you need for that price.
You get a large 6.8-inch AMOLED 120Hz display, a 5,400mAh battery, a triple-camera setup with a capable 50MP main lens, and the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor.
Again, that’s $899. That’s before the $100 discount OnePlus gives you when you trade in any of its phones. Take advantage of that offer.
Value aside, the OnePlus 12 really shines when it comes to charging speeds. Once you realize you don’t have to keep your phone plugged in for two hours every day, you’ll quickly come to appreciate it.
The phone’s 80W wired charging can charge from 0 to 50 percent in under 10 minutes. A full charge takes less than 30 minutes. “80W fast charging is life-changing,” added one satisfied Best Buy customer.
The OnePlus 12’s new 50W wireless charging is also impressive, a feature many users have asked for and sorely missed on last year’s model. The OnePlus 12 doesn’t “go all in” on generative AI features, but it does offer a versatile, high-performance Android experience for a few hundred dollars less than other flagships.
15. Google Pixel Fold
Google's Pixel Fold is a different take on the foldable phone idea. It has a 7.6in screen that folds into a giant square that's almost a full-fledged tablet, great for watching videos or working.
Plus, it has a full-screen front panel so you can interact with it like a regular phone, meaning you can (for example) reply to emails without having to unfold the entire screen.
The curious thing here is that the Fold costs a whopping ￡1,749, compared to just ￡624 for Google’s non-folding Pixel 8. Is it more than twice as good?
Well, it’s a really fun device to use. It feels great in your hand. It’s very thin and closes without any gaps, and to be fair, the aluminum, glass, and stainless steel finish feels more premium than most in this category, with a nice premium finish.
As always with Google Pixel devices, the camera is excellent (not a guarantee in the folding market) and the 7.6-inch screen is sharp and beautiful.
As with anything relatively groundbreaking (there are similar Samsung devices, but none with such a square screen), there are the occasional game-defying apps, but they’re fresh, innovative, and fun to use.
As always with Pixel devices, it’s not full of weird bloatware apps that no one wants, making it an easy transition for iPhone fans. Expensive but Beautiful.
FAQs
When is the best time to buy a new Android phone?
The Android release cycle is perpetual, with new flagship phones coming out almost every month. For example, this year we’ve already seen updated Samsung Galaxy S and OnePlus hardware, as well as new options from Motorola and Google.
Motorola released its updated folding phone in June, while Samsung and Google held events in July and August, respectively.
What are the cheapest Android phones?
This list features phones ranging from $200 to nearly $2,000. At the lower end of the price range, Motorola, OnePlus, and Samsung models offer great value for money. Carrier-branded phones that don’t mention the manufacturer are often not as good, and should be avoided.
Most phones sold in the United States cost $600 or more, as they’re purchased on monthly payment plans that hide the cost for 24 to 36 months. However, there’s a thriving market for phones under $300.
For more, check out our stories on the best cheap phones, the best cheap cell phone plans, and our top tips for getting the best deal on a phone.
How reliable are Android phones in 2025?
Android phones come in all shapes and sizes. They range from a few hundred dollars for a basic smartphone to $1000 for a cutting-edge foldable phone. All the phones on this list are durable, with IP ratings for water and dust resistance and years of software support.
How long do Android phones last?
All the phones on this list have different software support periods and extended warranties, but most should last for several years or more.
What’s the best version of Android in 2025?
Generally, the latest version of Android is the best version of Android. As of this writing, Android 15 is the latest version of Google’s mobile platform, but Android 16 is coming soon. However, some phones on store shelves still don’t have access to Android 14.
No matter what you do, don’t buy a phone that includes features older than Android 14. The older the Android software version, the more likely it is to have security vulnerabilities.
Also, check how many full operating system upgrades and security patches the manufacturer promises. Google offers seven years of software updates for its Pixel 8a and Pixel 9 series, while Samsung does the same for its Galaxy S24 and latest Z devices. Other competing phone makers are still catching up.
Finally, remember that not all versions of Android are created equal. If you want a pure Google experience, go with a Pixel device. It’s the first device to get an upgrade.
Motorola and Nokia (HMD Global) generally offer clean Android interfaces, but they’ve lagged behind on long-term software support. Samsung, OnePlus, TCL, and other phone makers offer phones with skins that change the look and functionality of Android to some extent.
Which brand is best for your Android phone?
The beauty of Android is that there are so many options. So the answer to the question, “Which brand is best?” depends on your preferences for features, user interface, and design.
If you prefer a more minimalist approach to hardware and software, Google’s Pixel line is a good choice. If you want everything but the kitchen sink in your smartphone, go with Samsung.
If you want a more unique value proposition, like super-fast charging and a slick interface, try a OnePlus phone. Budget is worth considering, but it’s not the biggest deciding factor these days, with all the major manufacturers, including Google and Samsung, offering Android phones at every price point (budget, mid-range, premium).
Which smartphone brand is the most reliable?
Overall, Apple is the most reliable smartphone brand, offering the longest and most consistent after-sales service of any manufacturer.
If we look at Android manufacturers alone, Samsung would take the top spot, promising up to seven years of software updates for its latest phones, extensive carrier support across the US (and abroad), and one of the most reliable repair and insurance infrastructures.
Which version of Android is best?
The latest version of Android is the best version 99% of the time. It’s currently Android 14, which has beefed up security and privacy settings.
Which is better, iPhone or Android?
Customization is still one of Android’s biggest strengths, but Apple has done a commendable job of giving users more autonomy in the last two or three iOS versions.
We can expect Android phones to support some of the most innovative features in the mobile industry, like foldable displays and faster USB-C charging. A hint at something more experimental is that Android phones aren’t as consistent and stable as iPhones.
On the other hand, iPhones are notorious for their reliability and ease of use. If you don’t like fiddling with gadgets, you’ll probably fit right into the iOS ecosystem.
Features like iMessage and FaceTime are also important differentiators when comparing iPhones to Android. These two features alone can make your decision.
Can I use eSIM on my Android phone?
While Apple’s iPhone 14 made headlines for its eSIM integration, the digital service also works on Android devices, including the latest Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy, and OnePlus smartphones, and has been for some time. As always, it’s best to check with your local carrier before switching to eSIM.
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