As one of the biggest carriers in the U.S., it's no surprise that the best Verizon phones are in hot demand. In addition to providing great coverage nationwide and loads of carrier perks, Verizon offers a ton of money-saving opportunities on most of the best Android phones around, particularly if you're able to trade in. You can also pick up an unlocked phone and bring it to Verizon if you prefer a little flexibility with your carrier. No matter which route you want to take, the best Verizon-compatible smartphones can be found below.
These are the best phones for Verizon's massive network
Why you can trust Android Central Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Best overall
The Google Pixel 7 punches above its weight class with the powerful Google Tensor G2 chip, delivering smooth performance on the 6.4-inch OLED display with the latest version of Android. It's equipped with two cameras on the back, a 50MP primary shooter, and an ultra-wide 12MP backup that our Pixel 7 review found to be sharp and accurate. This phone also supports Verizon 5G with Ultra Wideband support, including the upcoming C-band network.
Most premium
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is one of the most powerful smartphones around, taking a lot of the premium specs that made the S22 Ultra legendary and smartly refining them. Alongside a huge, stunning AMOLED display and an integrated S Pen, you get the benefits of the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset and a whopping 200MP main camera. If you can get past the steep price tag, you'll also enjoy updates and security upgrades for years to come.
Compact folding design
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is Samsung's latest compact foldable and it has the latest hardware powering it. The AMOLED display is fast and vibrant with a 120Hz refresh rate. It's also got a display on the front for notifications. It runs on the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 platform so it shouldn't break a sweat keeping up with any app you throw at it. And despite its folding design, you don't need to panic if it starts to rain with an IPX8 rating.
The best of Android
The Google Pixel 7 Pro takes the screen size up to 6.7 inches with a variable 120Hz refresh rate, and adds a 48MP telephoto camera, bringing the total to three with the 50MP primary camera and 12MP ultra-wide option. It also gets a bump in RAM with 12GB, allowing you to make better use of the extra screen size. Our Pixel 7 Pro review found the Tensor G2 chip from Google to deliver more than enough performance. This phone supports Verizon's 5G network, including Ultra Wideband with C-band.
Best mid-range performance
With a sharp 120Hz AMOLED display, 5G support, a 64MP camera, and a massive 5,000mAh battery, the Samsung Galaxy A53 5G is one of the most capable phones you'll find at this price. Our A53 review found this mid-range phone's performance to be more similar to flagships with the Exynos 1280, and it's already received the update to Android 13.
The pen is mightier
Our Moto G Stylus 5G review shows just how much of an upgrade the Snapdragon 695 5G CPU in this phone is, with smooth and snappy performance on Android 12. If you want a stylus for input, but don't need the features of an S22 Ultra, the Moto G Stylus might be the perfect fit. With good 5G support on Verizon's network including mmWave and C-band, just make sure to get the 2022 version with the centered hole-punch camera.
Pixel features for less
As we saw in our Pixel 6a review, this phone punches well above its weight class with a high-end CPU and fantastic cameras at the right price. It has the same Google Tensor CPU under the hood as the rest of the Pixel 6 lineup, which allows it to keep up with demanding tasks as well as quickly process images to look vibrant and sharp. Of course, Google handles the software so you'll also get longer-term support than many other phones.
Flagship greatness
As we already mentioned, Samsung focused more on intelligent refinement than transformation with the S23 series, and that’s a great thing. The base model Galaxy S23 comes with everything you could possibly want in a modern flagship, including an outstanding Snapdragon processor, a two-day battery life with ultra-fast charging, and some improved camera software. The color options here may be a bit dull, but that’s a small price to pay for a great smartphone experience.
A durable choice
This durable Kyocera phone isn't designed to be fast; it's designed to be tough. With an IP68 water and dust resistance rating and MIL-STD-810H drop rating, this phone can withstand the elements. The Snapdragon 480 CPU inside isn't breaking any records, but it has plenty of power for daily tasks as well as 5G support on Verizon. The battery is fairly large at 4,500mAh and should easily make it through a day of work without dying.
Plenty of choice on Verizon's network
Verizon supports the majority of the best Android phones if you want to buy unlocked. If you want to buy your phone from Verizon, you can pay full price to get the phone from the carrier, or can opt for monthly payments on your bill. The latter is required for some discounts, so it can be worth it. However, with 36-month payment plans being the only option, you may find yourself paying the device off early if you like to upgrade frequently.
The Google Pixel 7 is priced like a mid-range phone, but it stands toe-to-toe with the best phones on the market. Google's Tensor G2 CPU delivers plenty of performance, and the camera hardware works with the software to provide rich photos and realistic colors. You also get a beautiful display, with the 6.3-inch 90Hz OLED showing off the newest builds of Android.
The Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the latest iteration of Samsung's compact foldable design. Unlike folding phones that open up like a tablet, this phone folds vertically to easily fit in a pocket or bag. Since it's got the latest Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 CPU, you don't give up any performance in pursuit of style either. Or, if you're a Samsung fan who prefers a classic phone design, you can also get any of the latest Galaxy S22 phones on the carrier.
