Best foldable phones of 2025

I have been writing about phones for a while now, and honestly, I am always astounded by how foldable phones have changed in recent years. While foldables might have started as something of a gimmick, they have shot up in quality over recent years.

However, this improvement is something of a double-edged sword, as it means that there are more and more models to choose from. This can make it harder than ever to find the best device for you and to know what to look for in the first place. But I and the rest of the Tom’s Guide phones team have reviewed and tested all of these devices, learning that it's the little things that really make a great foldable phone.

When it comes to the best foldable phone, there's a lot to look at, but all of my favorites share something that makes them special. After several valiant efforts, the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 lands in our top spot for its superb thin design, long battery life, Moto AI features, and a flagship chipset that outmuscles everything else out there.

What's surprising is that the OnePlus Open continues to be a strong contender, despite newer devices like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold coming out way after it. Unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to wait longer because a OnePlus Open 2 isn't expected until 2026.

There are many other flip style phones, like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Motorola Razr 2024, that cost much less than their book-style counterparts — all while being more suitable for today's content creators with their flex modes.

The latest Razr 2025 models aren't the only ones arriving on the scene. New Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 offerings are expected to show up this summer. Until they do, I've compiled all of my reviews, along with the ones my colleagues have done, to help you figure out which current foldable is the best for you.

Written by

Written by

John Velasco

I'm the senior editor for mobile at Tom's Guide, where I've been working since 2023. I've been covering mobile tech for 16 years in total, reviewing early foldables like the Kyocera Echo and Sony Tablet P. While those early models got me excited for foldable phones, it took several years before the best foldable phones were perfected. Not only do they have interesting form factors, but foldable phones have extra utility you don't quite get in your typical slate phone; like how they're better vlogging by folding them over to use their rear cameras while seeing yourself on the display.

The quick list

The best foldable phones you can buy today

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Best foldable phone overall

While the base Motorola Razr 2024 is our best-valued phone, its newer cousin in the Razr Ultra 2025 takes flip phones to a new level — putting it into flagship territory for the sheer amount of upgrades it packs. While its overall design language remains the same, a new titanium reinforced hinge and more color options makes it feel incredibly sturdy. And yes, it still has an outer screen that's much larger than other devices.

It's not just the screens where the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 excels. I'm glad that Motorola reverts to a more logical dual-camera setup that ditches the telephoto camera of the previous Razr Plus 2024 and swaps it in for a 50MP ultrawide paired with a 50MP main sensor.

What's even more impressive about the design is that it isn't any larger or heavier, but somehow Moto's able to cram in a bigger 4,700 mAh battery that makes it the longest lasting foldable phone that I've tested. On top of that, the Snapdragon 8 Elite effectively makes it the most powerful flip phone too.

There's also a substantial improvement to the software experience, as Moto AI is properly available from the start. Even though its toolset isn't as robust as the Pixel 9 Pro Fold or Galaxy Z Fold 6, it's a marked improvement over previous Razrs. The only downside here is that you're paying much more now for all of these benefits, plus it has a short 3 years of software support.

Read our full Motorola Razr Ultra 2025 review.

Best book style foldable

As our best overall foldable, there is a lot to love about the OnePlus Open, which we hope to see recreated in the OnePlus Open 2. I reviewed the OnePlus Open and said that the phone should be “a wakeup call for everyone.” Considering how it's OnePlus' first try at a foldable phone, it's really compelling how it's a baseline for any future foldable phone.

OnePlus tried to put in as much as it could in this device, including some impressive cameras. If you want to go even further then you could grab the OnePlus Open Apex Edition. Compared to the base model the Apex Edition boosts the storage and adds pretty cool AI cutout features to make stickers from any photo you take. It also features a VIP mode that lets you turn off the camera and microphone for a little extra privacy.

Regardless of which model you pick the phone comes with everything you could want. Both models feature the same thin and light design, the Dynamic Open Canvas multitasking or the frankly amazing battery life (which is great when watching series on some of the best streaming services) and the chance for a pretty good trade-in deal. However, no phone is perfect as the lack of wireless charging might be a turn-off for some and the camera isn’t amazing in low light.

What's even more impressive is that this came out in late 2023, which shows how OnePlus has created an almost perfect foldable phone that balances out utility, performance, and value. However, it appears that a successor in a OnePlus Open 2 won't happen until 2026.

Read our full OnePlus Open review.

Best foldable phone value

Motorola might not be the dominant force it was in the past, but it can still create a great phone for good value. This is obvious in the Motorola Razr 2024, which is upgraded in all the right areas compared to the prior Razr and is easily our best-value phone. In our review, we noted that the bigger screen offered far more functionality than before, while also being brighter.

Now, it should be noted that there are two variations of the Motorola Razr 2024, and both appear in this guide. (What's more, the 2025 editions arrive in May, and a third Ultra version is joining the mix.) What puts this standard foldable ahead of the Plus version is the balance it strikes between features and cost. Everything from the design to the 50MP camera and 13MP ultrawide for as little as $699 is a real steal. In my 200 photo shoot out between the Razr Plus 2024 and Razr 2024, I mention that the Plus still delivers the better camera performance despite ditching the ultrawide camera for a telephoto one.

If that was the only change then it would be more than enough for a value phone, but there's even more thanks to the outstanding battery life and surprisingly snappy performance. I said in my Motorola Razr 2024 review that even the Galaxy Z Fold 6 “faces a tough competitor.” However, there are some issues as there is no ultrawide camera, which might be a turnoff for some, as well as shorter software support compared to other Samsung devices.

I'd recommend holding off on buying an Razr until we've had a chance to review the Razr 2025 ahead of its May arrival in stores. The new version has new AI features and an improved MediaTek chipset plus a larger battery than before.

Read our full Motorola Razr 2024 review.

Most feature rich foldable

Samsung is probably the most well-known phone maker when it comes to foldable phones and it knows what it is doing. This is no more obvious than with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, which builds and improves upon the prior Galaxy Z Fold 5 and stands as our most feature-rich foldable phone. When TG global editor-in-chief Mark Spoonauer reviewed the phone, he had a lot of positive things to say, especially about the new design, durability and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip.

While there might be some disappointment about the cameras, as they are basically the same as the prior model, there’s a noticeable difference in actual image quality. If you look at the difference in quality in my 200 photo shoot out with the Z Fold 6 vs. Z Fold 4, you can see a marked improvement. Furthermore, it's able to come out on top in my 200 photo shoot out with the Z Fold 6 vs. OnePlus Open. While you might not buy a foldable for the camera, it's certainly an addition that you want to see.

I also can’t talk about a new Samsung phone without mentioning the Galaxy AI features, including the Sketch To Image feature. This allows you to draw anything you want into the Samsung Notes app and then the Galaxy AI will turn it into anything from water art to a 3D cartoon. The results are, as Mark says, “pretty frickin’ impressive.”

I've also been using the Galaxy Z Fold 6 for an extended period of time, trying to use it as a laptop replacement. And while it's not perfect, its the closest thing we have to it.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review.

Best display in a foldable

Google's foldable game has made a massive leap in quality with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold after the Pixel Fold — despite Google’s new awkward naming conventions. There’s a lot to love about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, especially the much bigger and brighter 8-inch main display which is the main reason why it's managed to snag a spot on this list. When we tested the phone in the TG lab, the display was easily the best of any of the foldables we tested. However, that isn’t the only thing to love about the phone.

In my Pixel 9 Pro Fold review, I mentioned that I loved the longer battery life, durable redesign and the host of AI features that help the phone to stand out from the competition. While it is a pretty great phone, there are a few issues namely the lackluster Tensor G4, although honestly, the average user wouldn’t notice that issue in everyday use.

Furthermore, I really can’t emphasize just how bright the screen is. When we tested it, the screen reached as high as 2,319 nits. Now, normally I would expect this level of brightness to mean that the phone would have a pitiful battery life. However, when we tested the phone it reached 11 hours and 36 minutes, which is more than enough time to watch or play anything you please.

Even more remarkable is that my colleague, Richard Priday, shot over 250 photos with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 6 — which ended up being a win for Google's foldable phone.

Read our full Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold review.

Best foldable for cameras

Samsung makes a second appearance in this guide, this time for the Galaxy Z Flip 6. There is a lot to love about this little device, firstly just the size of it. The Z Flip 6 looks like any other phone normally, but it folds horizontally across the middle, making it tiny when folded. That alone might make it a slam dunk for you, but there’s a bit more to be excited about.

In my Galaxy Z Flip 6 review, I praised the overall durable design and the excellent low-light camera performance, not to mention the overall speed of the phone. My biggest praise was easily for the upgrade from a 12MP main camera to a new 50MP main sensor. It offers brighter visuals, and the ability to simulate a 2x zoom. When we compared it in our 200 photo shoot out between the Galaxy Z Flip 6 vs. Motorola Razr Plus (2024) it pulled ahead with ease.

Obviously, we also need to mention the Galaxy AI features which, while missing some of the Fold’s AI abilities, are still pretty impressive. Finally, this is easily the flip foldable with the best camera options, and with the added AI, it’s a dream to shoot and edit images and videos. However, all this does come at something of a premium, as the phone is $100 more than the prior Galaxy Z Flip 5, and $400 more than the Motorola Razr 2024.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 review.

Best design foldable phone

OnePlus and Oppo have a lot in common, especially when it comes to foldable phones. The Oppo Find N5 could be our preview to the OnePlus Open 2, which stands out for reaching a new benchmark with notebook-style designs. When it's opened, the Oppo Find N5 boasts a thinness of 4.21mm. That's mind-boggling thin for such a device, beating out the OnePlus Open.

If the impressive design isn't enough to convince you, it's also accompanied by a very versatile triple camera system that consists of a 50MP main camera, 8MP ultrawide camera, and a 50MP 3x telephoto camera. In my colleague's Oppo Find N5 review, Richard Priday says that the main camera produces brighter shots than the comparable Pixel 9 Pro Fold — while image processing techniques allow its 3x optical zoom camera to deliver even better detail than other cameras with longer optical zooms.

There's also the experience, like Boundless View, that allows for a more practical way of multitasking on its inner display. And finally, he says that the 5,600 mAh battery inside of the phone delivers longer results than both the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold in his testing. The only downside of the Oppo Find N5 is its limited availability, which isn''t directly sold in the U.S.

Read our full Oppo Find N5 review.

Least expensive foldable phone

The Nubia Flip 5G is a bit of a surprise model from a lesser-known company, but it stands as easily the cheapest foldable you can currently grab for a staggering $499. It's a great starter device for anyone who doesn't want to drop hundreds.

When my colleague Richard Priday reviewed the device, he praised the stylish design and smudge-resistant matte texture. The overall look of the phone suggests you paid a lot more for this flip phone-style device than you did. You'll also appreciate the 6.9-inch display that's available when you open up the Nubia Flip 5G.

Battery life seemed so-so in our everyday use, but at least the Nubia Flip 5G offers peppy 33W charging that can top off the phone's battery quickly. If you want a foldable phone, but can't afford a more premium model, you certainly won't feel short-changed by this option.

Read our full Nubia Flip 5G review.

What to look for in a foldable phone

Before you buy a foldable phone, you'll need to consider what that kind of device will be able to do for you that a standard phone can't. With the exception of the $699 Motorola Razr, most foldables still cost $1,000 or more. Unless you really need the extra screen real estate, you may be better off with a phablet or one of the other best big phones that we've tested.

If you do think a foldable phone will help you get more done, though, be sure to pay attention to the device's construction. Early foldable phones like the Galaxy Fold and original Motorola Razr had design quirks that led us to pan those handsets. With the Galaxy Z Fold 2 in 2020, though, Samsung made some critical changes that made the phone more likely to withstand everyday use, and that work has continued with subsequent models. After adding water-resistance to the Galaxy Z Fold 3, Samsung worked on a lighter, slimmer hinge for its latest foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Z Flip 5.

There are two screens to consider when buying a foldable phone — the larger internal display and a secondary screen, usually on the outside of the device. Find out just what you can do with that exterior screen — can you run full apps or is it just there for notifications and a few other features? And does the screen support something like Samsung's continuity feature where the app you're using on the cover screen is waiting for you when you open the device?

Apart from size — you'll want to make sure a closed foldable phone is something you're comfortable carrying around — you're looking at a lot of the same criteria you'd use to judge conventional phones. That includes the processor, cameras and — especially — the battery life. After all, there are usually multiple screens to keep powered up on a foldable phone.

How we test foldable phones

We test for the best foldable phones the same way we review any smartphone. (See our look at how Tom's Guide tests and review smartphones for a more detailed explanation of our process.) We conduct lab tests, including synthetic benchmarks as Geekbench 5 and 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited to measure graphics performance. We also run a real-world video transcoding test on each phone using the Adobe Premiere Rush app and time the result.

To measure the quality of a phone's display, we perform lab tests to determine the brightness of the panel (in nits), as well as how colorful each screen is (DCI-P3 color gamut). In these cases, higher numbers are better. We also measure the color accuracy of each panel with a Delta-E rating, where lower numbers are better and a score of 0 is perfect.

We run a custom battery test in which we have the phone surf the web over cellular with its screen set to 150 nits of brightness. We then time how long it takes the phone to run out of power. For foldable phones, we conduct this test on the phone's main display.

We also test the cameras on each foldable phone, taking them out into the field to perform comparative shots, usually with another device that features comparable specs. In some cases, that's a foldable phone or another device in the same price tier.

How to choose a foldable phone?

Choosing the best foldable phones boils down to two things: the features matter most to you and your budget.

Notebook style foldable phones, like the OnePlus Open and Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, offer the most suitable productivity experience thanks to their expansive displays. For example, you can run about 2 to 3 apps simultaneously. Want something that's more portable and versatility for content creating? Then perhaps flip phone foldables are better for you, like the Galaxy Z Flip 6 or Motorola Razr Plus 2024, which make it easy to use their superior rear cameras with their outer screens.

Now, if your budget is a lot tighter, there are still options for you. There are still very few budget foldable phones, but the Motorola Razr 2024 is a steal for $699 given what it offers.

And finally, do you want the ultimate foldable phone that can replace your laptop? The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the only model in the list that offers a desktop PC-like experience with Samsung DeX. Plug it into a monitor, pair a mouse and keyboard to it, and then you'll have the ultimate on-the-go laptop replacement.