Best folding phones 2025: which one should you get?
With so many great options out there, here's which one you should be buying
📱 The folding phone market has heated over the past few years
👀 There are lots of different foldables you can pick from
📸 Some have better cameras and batteries, while others focus on design
📋 Here’s a breakdown of which foldable you should buy
Foldable smartphones are a recent phenomenon. The first Galaxy Fold from Samsung was released in 2019 and sent waves across the smartphone industry, signaling that the future of the phone is flexible. From then on, we saw new competitors all around the world adopt folding display technology, some doing it better than others.
In the United States, options are fairly limited, if only because the first foldable iPhone hasn’t shipped yet. The three big players - Samsung, Motorola, and Google - are fighting tooth and nail to ship the best foldables they can, and over the past few years, we’ve seen some truly excellent smartphones emerge as a result.
But the question is: which one is right for you? We’ve rounded up the best ones you can get and broke them down to help you figure out which will meet your needs the best (assuming you’re ready to ditch regular smartphones once and for all, of course).
The best overall foldable
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7
✅ Ultra-thin design that feels like a phone when closed
✅ Gorgeous 8-inch display
✅ 200MP camera from the Galaxy S25 Ultra
✅ Fast performance
❌ Battery life is underwhelming
❌ $100 more than last year
Samsung knocked it out of the park with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. It’s our favorite folding phone of the moment, with a stunning design that’s ultra-thin and feels like holding a regular smartphone when it’s closed. Open it up, and you’ll see a gorgeous 8-inch AMOLED display that’s big enough for enjoying your favorite movies and multitasking. There’s a 200MP camera on the back that was taken directly from the Galaxy S25 Ultra for great photos, and the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip inside delivers exceptional performance. It’s the most cutting-edge foldable we’ve ever seen, with a design and spec sheet to match.
Starting price: $1,999.99
The smartest foldable with the best cameras
Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold
✅ Best cameras on a folding phone
✅ Advanced AI features powered by Gemini
✅ Qi2 wireless charging
✅ Longer battery life than Z Fold 7
❌ Design isn’t as pretty as Samsung’s
❌ Limited multitasking features
The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s biggest competitor is Google’s Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and it comes with a number of advantages while being $200 cheaper. The most notable? Better camera quality, all thanks to Google’s excellent post-processing magic. Google also packs in a wide variety of smart AI features that prove to be quite useful the more you use them. You also get longer battery life with Qi2 magnetic wireless charging, beautiful screens, and fast performance thanks to Google’s Tensor G5 chip.
Starting price: $1,799
The best clamshell foldable
Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
✅ Stylish design with strong durability
✅ Best cameras on a flip phone
✅ All-day battery life
✅ Fast performance
❌ Only three years of software updates
❌ The foldable display is quite large
Motorola really impressed us with the Razr Ultra. It’s the company’s highest-end folding phone to date, and it delivers on the fundamentals of a great smartphone while still being able to fold down to a super compact size. It has big, beautiful screens with the best cover display on any clamshell folding phone; between the size and functionality, you’ll find that you’ll use it far more than you’d think. The 7-inch folding screen has a minimized crease and looks stunning, and the design is stylish with materials like wood used for a head-turning look. What’s more, the cameras are the best we’ve tested on a clamshell foldable, and the battery life lasts all day.
Price: $1,299
Runner-up: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
✅ Great design and displays
✅ Solid camera quality
✅ Smart AI features
✅ 7 years of software updates
❌ Performance isn’t as good as the Razr Ultra
❌ Battery runs out quicker than Razr Ultra
If you’re a fan of Samsung phones and want a clamshell, your best bet is the Galaxy Z Flip 7. While we like using the Razr Ultra more (especially for the longer battery life and faster performance), the Z Flip 7 isn’t a bad phone at all. The large cover display gives you a bigger window into your phone for checking notifications, while the folding screen is spacious enough for enjoying movies and reading content. The cameras are also solid, and Samsung guarantees seven years of software updates over the device’s lifespan. Plus, it’s a little bit cheaper.
Starting price: $1,099
The best budget foldables
Motorola Razr (2025)
✅ Useful cover display
✅ Good performance for the price
✅ All-day battery life
✅ Fun color choices
❌ Cameras are mediocre
❌ Limited software support
For those on a budget, get the regular Motorola Razr (2025). It’s the best affordable foldable on the market with a spiffy, durable design that ships in a variety of fun colors (including one coated in Swarovski crystals). The displays are large and high-quality, the performance is solid for the money you spend, and the battery will last all day. It’s the easiest way to adopt the foldable lifestyle without breaking the bank.
Starting price: $799.99
Google Pixel Fold
✅ Compact design that stands out
✅ Versatile camera system
✅ Access to the latest AI features
✅ All-day battery life
❌ Limited software support
❌ Noticeable crease
The original Google Pixel Fold might be a few years old at this point, but it’s still a killer foldable for less than $600. With a premium design that reminds one of holding a passport (something that Apple’s iPhone Fold is rumored to duplicate), the Pixel Fold feels just as high-end to hold as other foldables from 2025. It has two beautiful displays with Google’s software front and center, complete with access to all its latest Gemini AI features. There’s also a versatile triple camera system on the back, all-day battery life, and up to 512GB of storage.
Starting price: $579.99
Max Buondonno is an editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.