5 of the best small phones you can buy in 2026

The introduction of foldable flip phones in recent years has given consumers another way to carry a relatively compact phone, as they are significantly smaller than traditional slab-format phones when folded. However, despite the relatively limited number of options for small phones, it can be difficult to find one that suits your needs. We looked at expert reviews and our own testing of different smartphones to find the best small phones on the market.

It houses a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display with a peak brightness of 3,300 nits and supports a refresh rate of 1Hz to 120Hz, like any respectable flagship. There’s also a 4,870mAh battery on board, which is decent for a phone this size, and as we mentioned in our Pixel 10 Pro review, it should last around a day of use. More importantly, the phone supports Google’s Pixelsnap technology for magnetic wireless charging and compatible accessories. You also get 30W wired charging or 15W wireless charging support.

The Pixel 10 Pro comes with a triple camera setup. There is a 50 MP main lens, a 48 MP ultra-wide, and a 48 MP telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom. On the front, you get a 42 MP selfie camera. Additionally, Google has built AI features into Pixel phones that can make your photos look better. That said, the base model costs $985 on Amazon but only comes with 128GB of storage, which many users won’t like.

The phone also comes with a dual rear camera setup consisting of a 48 MP primary shooter and an ultra-wide lens of the same resolution. You’re obviously missing a telephoto lens, which is still limited to the Pro models. Additionally, the battery is 3,692 mAh, but Apple claims that it can offer up to 30 hours of video playback on a full charge. As noted in our iPhone 17 review, the phone offers good value for money and starts at $799 for the base 256GB variant.

The Galaxy S25 is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite and 12GB of RAM on all storage variants. You also get a 6.2-inch AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 2,600 nits. More importantly, it’s an LTPO panel that supports refresh rates from 1Hz to 120Hz.

The triple rear camera setup includes a 50 MP primary lens, a 10 MP telephoto lens, and a 12 MP ultra-wide lens. In terms of software, it has already received Android 16 with the latest One UI 8 update, giving you most of what you get in its successor. Additionally, it should benefit from Android OS updates for another six years. While there are no major downsides, the phone charges fairly slowly at 25W, and the design can seem a bit dated.

As we mentioned in our iPhone 17e review, the phone fixes some of the issues that plagued its predecessor. For example, it supports MagSafe, giving you access to a huge ecosystem of compatible accessories, including magnetic wireless chargers. It also comes with 256GB of storage in the base model. The phone cuts corners in the camera department, featuring only a single 48MP primary camera.

Although the phone has a larger 4,005mAh battery than the base iPhone 17, it only supports 15W charging. The phone’s biggest downside is its 60Hz display in a world where even mid-range phones now feature higher-refresh-rate panels. Plus, it has thicker bezels than the rest of the iPhone 17 lineup.

Besides traditional, relatively compact smartphones, you can opt for a foldable clamshell like the Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) for an even smaller profile, since you carry it in your pocket. Although Motorola introduced the 2026 iteration of this phone, the 2025 model remains a better buy due to its lower price. Additionally, the upgrades are limited to a new, slightly larger battery, an updated main camera, and a slightly brighter main screen. The rest is pretty much the same, and you can get the previous generation for $700-$800.

The Razr Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and 16GB of RAM. The interior display is a 7-inch LTPO AMOLED display with a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. There is also an exterior screen measuring 4 inches. Additionally, you get a 4,700mAh battery, with support for 68W wired charging and 30W wireless charging. The battery can last a full day even if you only use the larger interior display, as we mentioned in our Motorola Razr Ultra review. Additionally, the phone’s dual rear camera setup includes a 50 MP primary lens and a 50 MP ultra-wide lens, but it lacks a telephoto lens.

The phone comes with Android 15 onboard with Motorola’s Hello UI. However, the company promises only three years of software updates, which is a bit disappointing, since Google and Samsung already offer seven years.