5 of the best small phones you can buy in 2026

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The definition of a small phone has changed a lot over the years as smartphones have continued to evolve. Phones that once would have been considered large are now considered standard-sized, and we’ve pretty much reached the screen size of a small tablet from over a decade ago in the phone form factor. For example, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is currently a popular flagship, has a 6.9-inch screen, just below the screen size of the Google Nexus 7, one of the most popular Android tablets of its time. A small phone in 2026 is anything that’s relatively compact, roughly the same size as an iPhone 17 or the Google Pixel 10.

The introduction of foldable flip phones in recent years has given consumers another way to get a relatively compact phone to carry around, as they are significantly smaller than traditional slab-format phones when folded. However, despite the relatively limited number of choices when it comes to small phones, it can be difficult to find a phone 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.

If you want a compact Android smartphone, you can consider the Google Pixel 10 Pro. Users like it for its design, camera performance, and decent battery life. Its Tensor G5 may not be the most powerful in raw benchmarks, but it’s good enough for most tasks. Additionally, the phone comes with 16GB of RAM right from the base model. Like most other modern Pixels, the phone is set to receive Android OS updates for seven years.

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 iPhone 17 is another compact phone that you can consider if you want to go for an iOS device. It’s relatively lightweight, has a 6.3-inch LTPO OLED display, and comes with the A19 chip. Notably, the phone comes with the same ProMotion display as the Pro model, which was absent from previous generations of the base iPhone. Another feature coming from the Pro models is the 18 MP Center Stage selfie camera, which offers a wider field of view and allows clicking selfies in both portrait and landscape modes.

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.

While Samsung has already launched the Galaxy S26 series, the previous generation Galaxy S25 remains a capable compact phone. It’s smaller than the Galaxy S26, but doesn’t compromise much on the hardware, since it’s just over a year old. Additionally, Samsung hasn’t really offered any major improvements in its latest flagship lineup. The arrival of the Galaxy S26 also means it’s easy to find the Galaxy S25 at a discount, and the phone is still officially offered through Samsung and major carriers. You might not find every color or storage variant, but the phone is still widely available.

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, supporting 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 has fairly slow charging at 25W and the design can seem a bit dated.

Outside of clamshell foldables, the iPhone 17e is the most compact consumer smartphone you can buy right now. It’s even smaller than the iPhone 17; however, the difference is not huge. It’s certainly not the most powerful or feature-rich phone, but it also costs $200 less than the base iPhone 17. It may lack some features of its more expensive cousins, but it has the same A19 chip as the iPhone 17.

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 and only features a single 48MP primary camera.

Although the phone has a larger 4,005mAh battery compared to the base iPhone 17, it only supports 15W charging speeds. The phone’s biggest downside is the presence of a 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 have the choice of opting 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 comes with a 50 MP primary lens and a 50 MP ultra-wide lens, but you miss out on a telephoto lens.

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

Very small phones are quite rare these days; However, manufacturers offer relatively compact phones that you can take advantage of if you are not a fan of massive devices. When selecting the best small phones, we considered traditional phones relatively similar in size to the iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10, as well as clamshell foldables. We consulted expert reviews and our own testing of different phones to select devices with a good balance of performance and price to ensure buyers get good value for money. All of our recommendations are widely available in the United States and will receive software updates for at least two more years.