Do you love folding phones? It’s ok if you don’t, but there’s never been a better time to buy one. Eight years after the launch of the Galaxy Fold, we have folding phones in multiple sizes, form factors, and aspect ratios. You can also find them at a wide range of prices, although folding phones still aren’t as cheap or ubiquitous as non-folding slap phones.
We’ve seen folding phones arguably hit their most ergonomic design in the Galaxy Z Fold 8, while the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is thicker but more durable, and the Moto Razr Fold aims to be the Goldilocks middle-ground between them.
Outside the US, it’s even fiercer, with new folding phones from Xiaomi, Huawei, Vivo, Honor, and Oppo all breaking new ground in different ways. The last two set new benchmarks for battery life and crease visibility, respectively. Against this backdrop, Apple also entered the race last week with its first foldable, the passport-sized iPhone Duo. It aims to marry the durability of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold with the size of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 in a combination I hope other phone makers will also adopt soon.
I’ve used every major Android foldable of 2026, and these are the ones I’d actually buy, and why.
My favorite foldable in the US: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8
The size and experience place it miles ahead of the competition
I was wrong about the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Initially, I dismissed it entirely, but within 15 minutes, I realized I was completely wrong. The in-hand feel is second to none, and the size is perfect; when phones went supersized a decade ago, we lost the ability to use a phone comfortably in one hand, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 fixes that. This balance is also why I think folding phones will eventually be as ubiquitous as regular phones.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 also deserves special mention for its battery life; it’s fantastic. Samsung’s first foray into Silicon Carbon in its batteries, coupled with a larger capacity and faster charging, yields exactly what we’ve been waiting for: all-day battery life. Samsung doesn’t have the best battery life all-around – that’s the Honor Magic V6 and Oppo Find N6 below – but it is far better than I expected given the size of the phone.
This is even more astounding when you consider the main reason to buy the Galaxy Z Fold 8: it’s extremely thin. It measures 4.5mm when unfolded and 9.7mm when folded, making it the second-thinnest foldable in the US, second only to its bigger brother, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. It’s also only 201 grams, making it lighter than most pro phones.
It has two 50MP cameras, and the lack of a telephoto does hurt the Galaxy Z Fold 8, but it is one of only a few compromises. All-around, this is the most complete folding phone experience in the US, even though it isn’t the most feature-rich on paper. It proves a phone experience can’t be quantified, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8, like the iPhone Duo, is a phone you have to feel in the hand rather than judge on paper.
With enough drawbacks that I can’t recommend it
Ask phone users in the US about phone makers, and you’ll get the usual litany of manufacturer names. It starts with Apple and Samsung, with Motorola and Google often lagging behind. Ask the same question to someone who’s used a Google Pixel, and they become almost bewitched by the experience.
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 won’t appeal to everyone, as Samsung makes a host of compromises to achieve its impressively thin frame, but Google took the opposite approach and built a tank. It has IP68 dust and water resistance, which remains rare on foldable phones, and is particularly important given it means the hinge is protected against dust and sand. It also has magnetic charging, with Google remaining the only Android phone maker to include Qi2.2 magnets in all its flagship devices.
Against this comes the undeniable fact that it’s large and hefty, measuring 10.1mm thick when unfolded and weighing 239 grams. The camera bump makes it feel top-heavy, and it feels denser than the Razr Fold, despite being the same thickness and four grams lighter. The battery is also the smallest in the US at 4,806 mAh, although the Tensor G6 is better optimized than in previous years, so battery life has improved.
The other challenge is the software tradeoff: the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the best AI-powered foldable you can buy, but I don’t love the Pixel launcher experience. There are also noticeable bugs on my retail device, including the phone turning off mobile data several times per day in my pocket. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold feels unpolished, especially compared to the best Samsung has to offer.
The Razr Fold is the Goldilocks of folding phones
The perfect phone if you want the best of both worlds
Motorola is probably the biggest surprise in folding phones: its Razr lineup has dominated the flip-phone market with a wide advantage over other limited choices, including the Galaxy Z Flip 8. Meanwhile, the Razr Fold is arguably the best for those who want enhanced durability, great battery life, and strong performance in a sleek build.
The Razr Fold is the heaviest option in the US at 243 grams, but its sloped-edge design makes it just 4.7mm thick at its thinnest point when unfolded. Folded, it’s the same 10.1mm thick as the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, but the thinner edges and better weight distribution make the Razr Fold feel thinner and sleeker.
The 6,000 mAh battery is the largest in the US, with Motorola adopting Silicon Carbon before its rivals did. This is paired with the fastest wired and wireless charging at 80W and 50W, respectively. If battery life matters most, the Razr Fold is hands down the best in the US.
Then there are the cameras, with the 50MP setup up there with its rivals in overall image quality. All three options in the US are mostly on par in the camera stakes, although they all fall considerably short of the rest of the competition outside the US. Overall, I still really enjoy using the Razr Fold, even though I prefer the overall size of the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Motorola is working on a passport-size foldable phone, and I can’t wait to see it.
Special mention: Honor Magic V6 and Oppo Find N6
Outside the US, these complete my top 3
If you’re outside the US, the calculation is considerably different. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold and Razr Fold have much stronger competition, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 remains in my top three mostly because of its compact size and form factor.
If you want the best crease on a foldable phone, plus stylus support on both displays, phenomenal battery life, and the best foldable multitasking, the Oppo Find N6 is the best foldable you can buy. The key problem? It’s only sold in a few Asian countries. Here’s hoping the next one goes global.
Then there’s the biggest competition on this list, at least until the iPhone Duo launches next month. The Honor Magic V6 is a durability champion with IP68 dust and water protection, and it’s strong enough to survive a trip through my washing machine. There’s also the biggest battery of any foldable, excellent cameras, and the thinnest folding phone body. It’s not sold in the US, but it is available in many global markets.
- Brand
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Samsung
- Battery
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4,800 mAh silicon-carbon
- Weight
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201g
- IP Rating
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IP48
The Galaxy Z Fold 8 won’t win awards for being the best in any category other than its build, but it’s precisely this that makes it so compelling. Samsung has packed a lot of great tech into a tiny frame, making this my favorite foldable ever and easily the best for most people.