Best foldable phones of 2024
These are the best foldable phones you can buy right now
We've seen big changes to the best foldable phones in recent months. What used to be a Samsung-dominated zone now has some new competition — and it turns out some of the new options are pretty fantastic.
Galaxy Z Fold and Galaxy Z Flip models used to be your best choices for foldable phones, but the field is wider now, with Google, OnePlus and Motorola coming out with new phones. In fact, Motorola even makes multiple foldable devices. As a result of this stepped-up competition, the bar for the best foldable phones has been raised. We've even seen the prices on some of these notoriously expensive handsets drop a little bit.
Here's what we think of the various contenders, along with our recommendations on which foldable you should buy based on our extensive testing and comparisons. With 2023 a quarter of the way complete, it'll be interesting to see how phone makers evolve foldable phones. One trend we're hoping to see carry over from last year is having more variety, along with cheaper prices.
On the horizon, we anticipate to see all of their successors — like the Google Pixel Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Galaxy Z Flip 6, and Motorola Razr Plus (2024). Apple is noticeably absent, so it could be a long time before an iPhone Flip ever sees the light of day.
The quick list
Here’s the best foldable phones you can buy right now based on our testing and reviews. Scroll on for our full in-depth reviews.
Best overall
Best foldable overall
The OnePlus Open takes the foldable phone crown by offering the biggest screens at the lowest price for a notebook-style device. Its take on multitasking is the best we've yet seen.
Best alternative
Runner-up
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 improves upon previous versions thanks to its excellent cameras, tons of multitasking options, long battery life, and a gorgeous display.
Best flip phone-style foldable
Best flip phone-style foldable
Sporting a stylish design, the Motorola Razr+ has everything we want in a flip phone-style foldable — including full apps access with its external screen.
Best foldable for cameras and usability
Best foldable for cameras
With its 5x optical zoom lens, no other foldable can get you closer to your subjects than the Google Pixel Fold. Its cameras are great, plus it's easier to handle.
Most affordable
Most affordable foldable
At $699, you won't find a better price on a foldable phone than the Motorola Razr 2023. Good battery life and decent cameras make sure this scaled-back Razr still delivers value.
Best flip foldable for cameras
Best flip foldable for cameras
With a much larger Flex Window, you'll be able to capture incredible selfies and vlogs using the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5's cameras.
The best foldable phones you can buy today
Why you can trust Tom's Guide
Best foldable phone overall
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The OnePlus Open is the best foldable you can buy thanks to its ample screen real-estate, excellent performance and overall value. It's $100 less than similar notebook-style foldables from Samsung and Google, which is a step in the right direction given the high prices that these kind of phones demand.
OnePlus didn't cut too many corners to lower the price, as the Open takes excellent photos for the most part. (The exception is in low-light settings.) We also appreciate the Open Canvas multitasking features that let you run multiple apps simultaneously in any size window you want. OnePlus seems to understand that the appealing thing about foldable phones is that they double as tablets and should perform as such.
As for the displays, the 7.8-inch main screen is the largest you can get on a foldable right now, though the OnePlus Open's hinge keeps the overall phone slender and light. This is really a great device that moves the entire foldable market forward.
Read our full OnePlus Open review.
Best alternative foldable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Samsung didn't change much about the Galaxy Z Fold 5 compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, but it's enough of an improvement for Samsung to edge out an up-and-coming device like the Pixel Fold for a spot near the top of this best foldable phones list.
With a new Flex hinge that made the Galaxy Z Fold 5 lighter and easier to fold flat, plus enhancements to the phone's cameras, main display, performance and multi-tasking abilities, it's ahead of a lot of other phones as an all-round top quality foldable. The optional S Pen adds to the appeal, as you can use the stylus to be even more productive on Samsung's ultimate portable.
Read our full Galaxy Z Fold 5 review
Best flip phone-style foldable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
It took Motorola a couple of earlier tries, but it finally has a foldable phone that can compete with Samsung's offerings. And not just compete — we think the Motorola Razr+ tops the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as the device to get if you like a clamshell-style phone.
What vaults the Razr+ ahead of the Z Flip 5 is the large cover display Motorola puts on its phone. At 3.6 inches and with sharp resolution, it's big enough to run apps without ever having to open the phone. When you do, there's an expansive 6.9-inch screen waiting for you, and you can pick up where you left off with apps you were using on the outer screen. The phone is easy to tote around when it's snapped shut, and the solid hinge mechanism lets the Razr+ remain flush when you have it open.
Some may balk at the older processor in the Razr+, though its the same chipset found in the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But you won't complain about battery life, as this is one of the longer lasting foldable phones we've tested.
Read our full Motorola Razr+ review.
Best foldable for cameras and usability
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Google Pixel Fold has been overshadowed by Samsung's latest foldables, but the fact that Google was able to get so much right on its first attempt at a folding phone is quite impressive.
The Pixel Fold stands out with a wide 5.8-inch front display that’s easy to use (and type on), the thinnest design on a foldable when open and a super smooth hinge that feels natural.
Other highlights include a stellar camera system that includes a great 48MP main sensor and 5x telephoto zoom, along with great low-light performance. We also like the intuitive software for split-screen multitasking, handy tabletop and tent modes and bevy of apps optimized for the big internal 7.6-inch display. The performance from the Tensor G2 chip could be faster and the bezels smaller but overall this is a super foldable phone for those willing to pay the premium price.
Read our full Google Pixel Fold review.
Most affordable foldable
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
If the price of foldable phones gives you sticker shock, you'll be pleased to see that $699 asking price for the Motorola Razr (2023). Motorola has removed a few key features from the Motorola+ to deliver a more affordable foldable flip phone that still manages to look good and perform well.
The biggest changes involve the chipset — Motorola opts for less powerful Snapdragon system-on-chip here — and the exterior screen, which is now just a 1.5-inch strip. That's going to frustrate anyone who likes to use a foldable's cover display to get things done, but others may happily accept that sacrifice if it means paying hundreds of dollar less.
The vegan leather material on the outside of the Motorola Razr makes it easy to hold, and the cameras put up a decent fight against rivals like the Galaxy Z Flip 5. This phone should bring more people to foldable devices, and thanks to the Razr's overall polish, they'll be glad they made the switch.
Read our full Motorola Razr (2023) review.
Best flip foldable for cameras
Specifications
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
Sadly for Samsung, it no longer produces the best flip-style foldable around. But the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is still a worthwhile product thanks to its upgrades.
The tiny front cover display has now been replaced by a much more usable Flex Window, although mostly you'll be using it just for app widgets rather than full usage. The cameras remain potent, and with other upgrades to the design, battery life and chip power, it's still worth shortlisting. If only it wasn't so iterative, it could have been a champion just like its predecessors.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 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.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | Geekbench (single-core / multicore) | 3DMark Wild Life Unlimited (FPS) | Adobe Rush Premiere (minutes, seconds) |
OnePlus Open | 1,087 / 4,203 | 84.8 | 1:08 |
Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 1,995 / 5,342 | 81.33 | 0:41 |
Motorola Razr+ | 1,817 / 4,635 | 66.80 | 0:44 |
Pixel Fold | 1,390 / 3,291 | 40.47 | 1:00 |
Motorola Rar (2023) | 1,053 / 3,053 | 18.8 | 1:47 |
Galaxy Z Flip 5 | 1,857 / 5,115 | 76.17 | 0:42 |
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.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | Brightness(nits) | DCI-P3 (%) | Delta-E |
OnePlus Open | 1,158 | 79.2 (Natural), 76.6 (Pro), 120.2 (Vivid) | 0.14 (natural), 0.17 (Pro), 0.29 (Vivid) |
Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 1,085 | 140.6 (Vivid), 78.6 (Natural) | 0.11 (Vivid), 0.09 (Natural) |
Motorola Razr+ | 1,084 | 71.9 (Natural) / 155.1 (Saturated) | 0.22 (Natural), 0.35 (Saturated) |
Pixel Fold | 1,172 | 90.1 (Adaptive), 76.2 (Natural) | 0.06 (Adaptive), 0.05 (Natural) |
Motorola Rar (2023) | 1,003 | 155.3 (Saturated) / 75.7 (Natural) | 0.32 (Saturated) / 0.29 (Natural) |
Galaxy Z Flip 5 | 804 | 128.7 (Vivid), 80.8 (Natural) | 0.21 (Natural) / 0.39 (Vivid) |
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.
Row 0 - Cell 0 | Battery Life (hours:minutes) | Recharge level at 15 minutes (%) | Recharge level at 30 minutes (%) |
OnePlus Open | 12:07 | 50% | 85% |
Galaxy Z Fold 5 | 11:24 | 26% | 55% |
Motorola Razr+ | 10:09 | 35% | 66% |
Pixel Fold | 10:21 | 18% | 38% |
Motorola Rar (2023) | 10:48 | N/A | N/A |
Galaxy Z Flip 5 | 9:53 | 26% | 52% |
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.
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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.
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Laurent_4
I suggest not buying the OnePlus Open due to the warranty limitations. I bought one and the screen stopped working (no physical damage or reason) after two months. The customer service refused to repair it for free and asked me for around 900 euros. It is just not acceptable. Beware.admin said:A growing number of phone makers are coming out with devices you can fold into more compact designs. These are the best foldable phones we’ve tested.
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