Best Foldable Phones in 2023: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold, Z Flip, Moto Razr, Pixel Fold

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an incremental improvement that further refines Samsung's large-screened foldable. If you're looking for a phone that can double as a tablet for viewing work-related documents, running multiple apps on screen at once or watching movies, the Z Fold 5 is our top choice. The Pixel Fold may have better cameras, but the Z Fold 5's bright screen makes Samsung's phone better at its intended purpose: providing a big display that fits in your pocket.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5's $1,800 price is still hard to swallow and puts it out of range for most people. But if you can afford it, the Z Fold 5 is the best iteration of Samsung's phone-tablet hybrid yet. Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.

Pros:

• Better battery life
• New hinge
• Brighter screen

Cons:

• S Pen doesn't work on cover screen
• Cameras are still just OK
• The $1,800 price

Google got a lot of things right with its first attempt at building a folding phone. The large outer screen is great for using when closed and its slim design means it doesn't bulk out your pockets too much. It closes totally flat, too, which makes it very usable as a regular phone when snapped shut, while still letting you take advantage of the 7.6-inch internal screen when you need it. 

Its overall performance is solid and the cameras are good too, making it a great all-round option if you're wanting to dive into the exciting world of foldables.

Pros

• Large cover screen is great
• Thin design for a foldable
• There's no gap when the device is shut

Cons

• Expensive
• Thick bezels on the inner screen
• Some apps are not optimized for the internal display
• Drag and drop functionality can be finicky

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the biggest leap forward that Samsug's flip phone has seen in years. Samsung has significantly expanded the size of the cover screen located on the outside of the device, meaning you can look up directions, take photos and send messages without opening the phone. It's this combined with the Z Flip's solid battery life and sturdy design that makes it a top pick.

The Z Flip 5 may be our favorite flip phone, but there are still some drawbacks to be aware of. At $1,000, it's still expensive for a phone without a telephoto camera. And not all apps work natively on the front screen as they do on the Motorola Razr Plus. 

Pros:

• Big cover screen is fun to use
• New hinge eliminates the gap when closed
• Solid battery life
• More storage in base model

Cons:

• Expensive
• Not all apps work on the cover screen natively
• Apps don't transition from main screen to cover screen
• Minimal camera updates

The Motorola Razr Plus raised the bar for what a flip phone should be in 2023. Its 3.6-inch cover screen allows you to use almost any app without opening the phone, plus battery life is long enough to get you through a busy day. It's also thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 5, which could make it the ideal choice for those who prioritize portability in a phone.

While I recommend the Galaxy Z Flip 5 as the best flip phone overall, the Razr Plus is worth considering if you prefer a thinner design and want to use more apps on the phone's front screen without much extra fuss. The Razr Plus felt more fragile than the Z Flip 5 during my testing, but it's certainly thinner, making it a great choice for those who care about compactness above all else. Read our Motorola Razr Plus review.

Pros:

• Large, useful cover screen
• Crease is barely visible
• Thin design
• Good battery life
• Fun photography features like photo previews

Cons:

• Not as many Android updates as Samsung
• Flex View feels limited
• Front screen gathers fingerprint smudges easily
• $1,000 is still expensive

The Oppo Find N2 Flip's standout feature is its massive outer display, which at 3.26 inches, dwarfs the cover screens on both the Galaxy Z Flip 4 or Moto Razr. It gives loads of room to properly see incoming notifications or other information, meaning you don't need to unfold your phone every time you want to check something. 

Open it up though and its 6.8-inch screen is bright and sharp, with a minimal crease that we found to be generally unobtrusive in everyday use. The dual rear cameras perform well and the phone's Mediatek processor is powerful enough for any of your daily needs. 

It's a solid foldable phone and a great rival to the Galaxy Z Flip 4. But before you get too excited, keep in mind that it isn't available in the US. Following an initial launch in China, the phone is now available more widely across Europe and the UK, but there are no plans to make it available in the US.