I tested the best foldable phones for Android users in 2026 — see top picks from Samsung, Motorola, OPPO, and beyond

Foldable phones are finally mature — folding display creases are nearly imperceptible, certain models are just as durable as slab phones, and designs are becoming thin and light. There's no better proof of that than Apple's new iPhone Duo, which is sure to bring attention to the current crop of Android foldables as well.

You can find foldables in premium and budget-friendly Android smartphones alike, whether you're searching for a space-saving clamshell or a productivity powerhouse book-style foldable. Wide foldables are starting to find a resurgence, too. From the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 series and the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold to the Motorola Razr Ultra 2026 and the Galaxy Z Flip 8, we've tested all the best options and can help you decide which one you should buy.

Nick Sutrich

Nick grew up in a telecom-savvy household and has been reviewing phones since 2011. Whether it's waxing poetic about Nokia's glory days or flipping open the latest foldable phones, he knows what makes a good phone and can help you understand which one to pick.

At a glance

Best overall

Samsung has been gradually increasing the size of the outer cover screen with its previous Z Flip models, and the Galaxy Z Flip 8 finally has the software to help you make the most of it. It's equipped with a 4.1-inch Super AMOLED display, complete with a 120Hz refresh rate. Samsung also lets you fit multiple widgets onto a single panel, although you still need to set up the external display using Labs or Good Lock to run all your apps.

At 4.1 inches, this screen is big enough to use a full-sized keyboard to reply to messages, run full apps, and more while relying on the larger, inner display less often. That's convenient for everyday use — it's certainly more glanceable than having to open the phone — plus, using a smaller display more often will inherently improve daily battery life since the phone doesn't have to power a big display every time you use it.

Starting with the Galaxy Z Flip 7, Samsung made the Flip a bit wider. This also applies to the Galaxy Z Flip 8. As a result, the phone feels more akin to the Galaxy S26 Plus, which should make for a more comfortable experience overall. Samsung reversed a Flip 7 chipset change, equipping the Flip 8 with a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor that outperforms the Exynos 2500 in its predecessor.

We last saw Samsung upgrade the Galaxy Z Flip cameras with the Flip 6, and unfortunately, those same cameras return with the Flip 8. As such, there's a 50MP primary wide-angle camera, paired with a 12MP ultrawide, and a 10MP selfie camera on the inner screen. Just don't expect to zoom in very far since there's still no telephoto lens.

And finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 has been promised a whopping seven years of major OS and security updates. It launches with One UI 9, based on Android 17. It's ready for Gemini Intelligence, and supports a host of both Google AI and Galaxy AI features.

Best budget foldable

This year's budget winner is the base-model Motorola Razr (2026), which can be purchased for $800. That's $400 less than the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8, making it the most affordable new foldable phone you'll find today. The new model retains some of its best features like an IP48 rating, strong hinge, and new Pantone colors. It has gotten upgrades too, like a larger battery, faster charging, and a better MediaTek Dimensity 7450X chipset. The update policy is a bit better too: three years of OS upgrades with five years of security updates.

The MediaTek Dimensity 7450X processor inside is plenty snappy as it's similar to the one used on the 2025 model, but there were a few times where we felt like the phone could be more powerful. The battery capacity has also been bumped up to 4,800mAh battery means you'll actually be able to get through a full day's use on a single charge and maybe more, unlike most other flip-style foldables.

The external 3.6-inch 90Hz OLED display is the star of the show, easily taking on the flagship Z Flip 8 and kicking its butt in terms of functionality. You can do so much with the cover display that it's like having two phones in one. In fact, you can use the phone in its entirety without even opening up the main screen, because Motorola doesn't put any restrictions on what you can do with the cover display.

Best cover display

The Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) is two phones in one, outclassing the Galaxy Z Flip 8 in quite a few surprising ways. The biggest reason to choose the Razr Ultra (2026) is the cover screen, which is now even more functional than the one on the 2025 model. In fact, the Razr Ultra (2026)'s cover display even outdoes the stylus-supporting Motorola Razr Fold because of its usability.

The Razr Ultra (2026) is a new addition to the lineup and features the powerful flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC, a dedicated AI button, impressive 50MP cameras all-round, and a large battery with fast wired and wireless charging. Not to mention the IP48 rating, Pantone finishes, and bright, snappy displays. The downside of all this is the higher price. This is Motorola's most expensive flip phone yet, but it does pack enough specs and features to justify its price.

It's hard to find fault with its capabilities as it simply aced all our tests. The Razr Ultra (2026) is a fantastic phone to live with, the cameras are improved and produce very good details, the displays are excellent, and the all-day battery life is well above average. We just wished Motorola committed to a longer software update cycle than just three years for OS updates, though the five-year security update guarantee is better.

Best premium foldable

Samsung is splitting its book-style foldable offering into two separate models this year: the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The latter is the true successor to the Galaxy Z Fold 7, and the new model earns its "Ultra" name. However, it also comes at a higher cost. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra starts at $2,100 for the base model, making Samsung's flagship foldable more expensive than ever. But what does it do to justify that higher cost?

We have a svelte design that measures just 8.9mm thick when shut, and weighs just 215 grams. That's the same thickness as the Fold 7, but the Fold 8 Ultra has a large 5,000mAh silicon-carbon battery for the first time. It charges faster, too, at 45W with a cable and 20W using Qi2 wireless charging. You'll need to bring your own magnets, though, as the Fold 8 Ultra omits them entirely.

At the helm of the Fold 8 Ultra, we have the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, paired with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Essentially, you can expect the same level of performance out of the Fold 8 Ultra as the Galaxy S26 Ultra — hence the new Ultra moniker.

That's not the only commonality here, as Samsung finally upgraded the ultrawide camera on the Fold 8 Ultra to a 50MP sensor. It relies on the same 200MP wide-angle primary shooter and 50MP ultrawide lens found in the S26 Ultra, which is joined by a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra ships with One UI 9, based on Android 17. It's guaranteed to get seven years of Android OS updates. It also has Gemini Intelligence, Galaxy AI, and Google AI features.

It's also worth mentioning the regular Galaxy Z Fold 8. It doesn't have all the same flagship specs as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, but it feels just as premium and sports a wider 4:3 main screen aspect ratio that's better for widescreen content. It's also cheaper, at $1,900.

Best passport-style

Google brought the passport-style foldable form factor to the U.S. with the original Pixel Fold, but quickly left it behind. Don't call it a comeback — Samsung and Apple are here in full force popularizing the short and wide foldable aspect ratio once again. Samsung's offering is the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and it's certainly the best passport-style foldable on the Android side of things, but it makes a strong case for besting the iPhone Duo overall.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8's calling card is its thin-and-light form factor. This phone measures just 9.7mm thick when folded and weighs only 201 grams, making it the lightest foldable Samsung has ever released. It doesn't skimp on power or battery life to get there, because this phone runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy and a 4,800mAh silicon-carbon battery.

Want to know what using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 will feel like? Pull out your passport. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is almost exactly the same size, and this comparison gives you an idea of how the 5.5-inch cover screen and 7.6-inch main screen will look in the real world. The folding display has a 4:3 aspect ratio. It won't completely eliminate black bars when watching 16:9 content, but it's far more enjoyable than traditional 1:1 (square) foldables.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is not without compromises. This foldable skips Flex mode and Qi2 magnets. It also lacks the superior camera system found on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. But at $1,899, the trade-offs seem acceptable to get that joyous wide experience.

Best design

The Motorola Razr Fold is a strange foldable — but also an excellent one. The phone's spec sheet doesn't blow you away in any specific area, although it proves to be more than the sum of its parts. The Razr Fold's design is a key reason why. It's not the thinnest (10.04mm) or the lightest (243 grams), but it's not the thickest or heaviest either. While Motorola could've made another flat, rectangular foldable to match the likes of Samsung, Google, or OPPO, it took design risks.

Those materials, finish, and build quality risks paid off. Motorola's Razr Fold is a joy to use, in large part due to the vegan leather back and PANTONE Blackened Blue or PANTONE Lily White colorways. It has excellent weight distribution, and feels lighter than its actual dimensions would make you think. The square camera housing on the rear has a sloping design that flows into the vegan leather back for a particularly sharp look.

What's impressive is how much Motorola managed to cram inside the Razr Fold while still achieving a sleek design. The headline feature is the 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery and its 80W wired charging speeds, which are just about unheard of in the North American foldable market. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip is fast enough, and the camera system on the back sports a trio of 50MP sensors. Plus, Motorola brought Moto Pen Ultra support to the Razr Fold, right after Samsung ditched the functionality on Galaxy Z Fold models.

The Honor Magic V6 also makes a compelling case for the best-designed foldable, but I have to give the edge to the Razr Fold. At only $1,899 at full price, it undercuts many of the top big-screen foldables sold in the U.S.

How to choose

What's the best foldable phone?

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We rank the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 as the best foldable phone for most people because of its powerful processor, solid camera performance, good battery life, and large cover screen. Plus, Samsung's foldable phones have proven to be more durable, and capable of withstanding hundreds of thousands of folds more than the competition.

But a flip style isn't for everyone, and all of our staff who use foldables regularly prefer the larger form factors of the OPPO Find N6 or Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. These two phones give you the option of having a tablet-sized display when you need it with the pocketability of a standard phone the rest of the time. If you're specifically looking for a good looking foldable, the Motorola Razr Fold gets our strong vote.

Plus, companies like Samsung and OnePlus have created powerful multitasking software systems that make it a joy to use multiple apps at once on that big screen.

Are foldable phones worth it?

Any fledgling technology tends to cost more, which means that many people often get priced out of choosing a foldable phone as an option. Companies like OnePlus and Samsung often run great deals on their foldable phones, and trading in an older phone could get you hundreds off a new foldable.

But while large foldables tend to cost more, phones like the Motorola Razr have pushed the price of clamshell foldables to less than half the price they debuted at in 2019. That's a great track record for getting more foldables into people's hands affordably, and some even cheaper options from companies like Nubia, TECNO, and Xiaomi.

Then, you have foldables from brands that are not easily available in the U.S. Take the Vivo X Fold 5 which is just as thin as the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra while offering better battery life and 100W charging. There's also the Honor Magic V6 which has an incredible design and solid specs.

What are the disadvantages of foldable phone?

Aside from price, foldable phones are more difficult to repair than traditional slab phones. Our own Andrew Myrick had several problems getting his Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 repaired, and he's not alone in this conundrum. While many companies like Samsung partner with shops like uBreakiFix, a broken display on a foldable is still a more difficult, costly process to repair.

We've also seen plenty of examples where foldable displays crack without any obvious damage infliction point. When this happens, there's a possibility that it could be covered under warranty. The problem is that repair shops aren't always consistent with how they identify warranty-eligible replacements, and we've run into these issues several times when trying to get foldables repaired over the years.

It's also worth noting that, traditionally, foldable phones have worse battery life and camera quality than a similarly-priced slab phone.

Do foldable phones last long?

Normally, a foldable phone will last you years without issue. Most foldable phones are rated for at least 200,000 consecutive folds before the hinge will start giving out, and companies like Samsung and OnePlus tout hundreds of thousands of folds beyond that before problems start to develop.

Foldables also tend to be more durable when dropped simply because the foldable display is encased within a protective clamshell.

But ultrathin foldable glass is still just ultrathin glass, and there's always the probability that it could break when you're using it normally, however unlikely that may be.