Best flip phones 2024

Flip phones made a comeback in grand fashion, redesigning the smartphone experience once again. These modern foldables bend in half and bring you all the best Android features despite that fact. Needless to say, a flip phone today is just as cool as it was in the early 2000s.

Growth was slow at first, but now the foldable market offers a bold and vibrant selection. Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip model continues to dominate the segment, followed closely by excellent competition from Motorola and OPPO. If you want uncompromising quality backed by years and years of software support, Samsung is the ultimate choice.

At a glance

Best overall

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 took the Z Flip 4's tried-and-tested recipe and improved on it, but only in a few select areas. The most notable improvement with this generation of Samsung's flip phone is the cover display. You now get a much larger screen which is capable of doing so much more.

On the inside, the bendy 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x screen is even brighter. You get a better, more solid hinge and the Flip 5 retains the Flip 4's IPX8 water resistance. Besides the newer, more powerful Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chipset, the rest of the specs are nearly identical to the last-gen Z Flip. You get the same old battery and charging, as well as five years of OS and four years of security updates.

Consistency is key, and that is what has given Samsung such a strong position year after year. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is one of the most reliable Android flip phones.

Best design

Motorola sent us on a trip down memory lane with its Razr foldable phone lineup a few years ago. The Motorola Razr Plus is peak foldable, giving us perhaps the best flip phone yet in terms of design alone. On top of that, the phone doesn't even cost as much, making this our number two choice beaten only by the Z Flip 5.

The large cover display has plenty of uses, with around nine different functions. The chipset might be old, but the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 still packs a hefty punch. Gaming, multitasking, and processor-heavy tasks are a breeze for this flip phone. We just wish the displays were brighter under the sun.

Best budget

Motorola killed it with the cheaper Razr+ counterpart as well, even if the Razr (2023)'s cover screen is nearly useless. The price is too good to be true, making a high-quality foldable very accessible. You get really good performance out of the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 SoC and the displays are nice and bright.

You get fantastic battery life from the Motorola Razr (2023), with its 30W wired charging winning over the Galaxy Z Flip 5's 25W charging. The IP52 water and dust resistance is a mixed bag though. While we appreciate the dustproofing, the device is more susceptible to water damage. Cameras could also use some improvement, especially in the video capture area.

Best last-gen

If you don't mind an older device, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is still a great choice by today's standards. The last-gen foldable from Samsung has a much smaller cover screen, so you can't do as much on it. However, the rest of the experience is phenomenal.

You get decent cameras, good software, and reliable build quality. The Z Flip 4 doesn't cost as much anymore, now that it's a bit older. The battery lasts for about a day, which is good for any Android phone, and you're guaranteed to get five years of security and four major updates. Plus, the Z Flip 4 touts IPX8 water resistance as well.

Best international

Non-U.S. residents enjoy a much wider selection of Android phones in general. This applies to flip phones too, meaning you get to choose the overpowered OPPO Find N3 Flip which costs less than the Z Flip 5 but gives you just as many, or maybe even more features for the price.

The OPPO Find N3 Flip is so good, that it is widely regarded as the best flip foldable in the international market. Everything about it is nearly flawless, from the stellar cameras to the all-day battery life and fast charging. The cover screen is pretty big and useful too. You miss out on wireless charging, but the biggest letdown is the lack of an IP rating.

Best international budget

TECNO isn't a very famous smartphone brand, but it definitely put itself on the map with the launch of the PHANTOM V Flip. The budget smartphone maker made the cheapest foldable phone ever, with specs that add plenty of value to the user.

You get all-day battery life, speedy 45W wired charging, and a splendid vegan leather design. The cheap flip phone isn't available in North America, which is a bummer for U.S. residents. If you don't live in the region, you can rest easy.

While the cameras aren't as spectacular as other phones on this list, the TECNO PHANTOM V Flip tries hard. You don't get a high-end software experience or ingress protection, but the build quality is surprisingly decent and the displays are sublime.

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Flip phones come in delicious shapes and forms

Foldable phones that bend in half come in so many unique designs these days. If you're in the U.S. though, you're stuck with a far more limited collection. In that case, there is nothing above the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.

Samsung's software support and experience live up to the mark, consistently delivering on expectations. With years of guaranteed updates, cool new features are also available periodically. Your Z Flip 5 will stay fresh and secure for an extended period, and the hardware is built to match that. Factor in the IPX8 water resistance and you've got yourself the best flip phone that money can buy.