The best flip phones you can buy: Here's how Samsung and Motorola stack up
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Flip phones of 2025 aren't exactly what they used to be a decade ago. After their resurgence with the first Galaxy Z Flip, the best flip phones have only gotten better over the years. The new Motorola Razr Ultra, for instance, packs an AMOLED foldable display, feature-rich user interface and a comfortable in-hand feel, alongside a bunch of AI features. It's truly the best flip phone of 2025. However, the $1,300 might not suit many consumers. If you're on a budget and still want a flip phone, fret not. There are plenty of clamshell foldable phones under $1,000 that marry form and factor and are priced in an accessible (and reasonable) manner.
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What is the best flip phone right now?
Samsung and Motorola are the top two brands making flip phones right now. Of all the flip phones we've tested and reviewed so far, the Motorola Razr Ultra is our pick for the best flip phone of 2025. It houses the latest AI features alongside a powerful flagship chipset but the biggest update comes in the form of a new titanium-reinforced hinge plate, which Motorola says is four times stronger than surgical-grade stainless steel and can withstand up to 35% more folds than last year's models.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is another good pick. It's a tight race between the two, but the Razr Ultra edges out with a more useful and larger outer display -- which is one of the main appeals of a modern-day flip phone -- as well as better battery life and faster charging.
Also: The best Android phones in 2025
Best flip phones in 2025
Why we like it: Motorola's Razr Ultra is better than the Galaxy Z Flip 6 in multiple ways. I went hands-on with the new Razr Ultra model recently, and was thoroughly impressed by the improved hinge system, which makes the phone feel sturdier to flip open and close. Moreover, it features the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset and 12GB of RAM for a slew of AI features and powerful performance.
As for the outer display, it supports virtually any app you throw at it. You can browse the web, play games, scroll TikTok, and do other mobile tasks without ever needing to flip open the device. In comparison, Samsung's platform is more limited in this regard. The Motorola Razr Ultra also has a textured backing, including new Alcantara and Wood finishes, which I've found to be easier to hold and grip than competing flip phones.
Review: Motorola Razr Ultra (2025)
Who it's for: At $1,299, the Razr Ultra is not a cheap flip phone. It's ore expensive than the Samsung counterpart. That said, it packs a bigger and faster charging battery, larger screens, two 50MP cameras, and AI features that are actually useful. If you want the most complete, durable, and visually-stimulating flip phone on the market right now, you'll have to pay to play with the Razr Ultra. It is for those who want a fashion-forward flip phone without any compromises.
Who should look elsewhere: The Razr Ultra includes top-notch specs, but if you want a phone that'd last at least five years, Motorola might not be your favorite brand. It offers a relatively short software update cadence, which ranges from 2 to 3 years, versus Google and Samsung's 7 years. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 might be better in this regard.
Motorola Razr Ultra (2025) tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite | Display sizes: 4-inch exterior and 7-inch interior | Storage options: 512GB, 1TB | Rear cameras: 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide | Front camera: 32MP wide | Battery: 4,700mAh | Price: $1,299
Why we like it: While the Motorola Razr Ultra is the top dog, Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6 should appeal to a wider audience thanks to its brand power and software longevity.
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is very similar to the standard Samsung Galaxy S-series flagship, with a large 6.7-inch AMOLED panel that's crisp and bright, up to 512GB of storage for those high-resolution pictures and videos, and a healthy 4,000mAh battery powering it all -- an upgrade from the Z Flip 5. It also includes the first vapor cooling chamber ever on a Z Flip device, which makes the phone run more efficiently and reduces battery drainage. We also like it for its smooth and snappy One UI.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6
Who it's for: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 runs One UI 7, and is rated to be supported for at least six years with software updates. That's more than Motorola's offering. It can deliver fine camera results, thanks to an improved 50MP main sensor and 12MP ultra-wide. It's also geared towards content creators with features like AI-powered Auto Zoom feature, which automatically detects how many people are in a frame and potential background objects the user may want to keep in the shot and repositions the capture digitally.
Who should look elsewhere: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 isn't for those who want the best flip phone. It doesn't have a great battery backup and is powered by a generation-old chipset. If you want an all-day flip phone, the Razr Ultra might be a better pick.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display sizes: 3.4 inches and 6.8 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB of RAM with 256GB/512GB of storage | Battery: 4,000mAh | Cameras: 50MP wide angle, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP from | Price: Starting at $1,099
Why we like it: The Motorola Razr 2025 is the best mid-range flip phone right now, thanks to its meaningful upgrades over the predecessor and less competition. It is mostly the same as Razr 2024 but includes an upgraded processor and a bigger battery. So, you can expect smoother performance, better software longevity and a longer battery backup.
In his review, ZDNET's Cesar Cadenas said, "A screen like this allows the foldable to deliver excellent visual output. For testing, I watched Ozarks on Netflix to see how well the inner panel displays content. The first thing I noticed is that the screen is really good at capturing subtle lighting and the intricate details in scenes. It adds a lot to the immersion. Moreover, I can't forget the Dolby Atmos speakers, which output impressive audio."
Review: Motorola Razr 2025
Who it's for: The Motorola Razr 2025 should be your pick if you want a flip phone but don't want to spend $1,000. It offers just the right compromises to land at a good price-to-performance ratio. You won't be disappointed by the overall usability.
Who should look elsewhere: There's not much to fault with the Razr at $700. But if you want flagship performance on a flip phone, this isn't for you. You'll need to settle with a slab phone or increase your budget if that's your primary requirement.
Why we like it: At $350, Motorola's "best budget foldable phone" in 2023 carried over into 2024, in the most affordable flip phone you can buy in 2025. It is not as flashy as its Plus sibling and has a smaller 1.5-inch external display that's just sizable enough for quick scans of basic information (weather, alarms, contacts, etc.). But, it's also hundreds of dollars less.
Review: Motorola Razr (2023)
At its current sale price of about $350, the 2023 Razr is the most affordable foldable that money can buy right now, and that's not counting the various second-hand flip phones that have since dropped in value and reliability. Even then, the device is specced just well enough for a smooth daily operation, from scrolling through webpages to emailing to multimedia consumption.
Who it's for: The 2023 Motorola Razr is for those who want a flip phone but don't want to drop thousands of dollars on their next phone. It is one of the only flip phones that's available for under $500 in 2025. Of course, you'll experience some compromises with a cheaper foldable, including the just-passable camera system and less performant processor. If you can shoulder all of that, the Motorola Razr may just be the best starting point for users to board the foldable hype train.
Who should look elsewhere: The Motorola Razr 2023 isn't for those who want great cameras or excellent performance. The Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 is still passable but it isn't the most powerful or most supported processor in terms of software longevity.
Motorola Razr (2023) tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 | Display sizes: 1.5 inches and 6.9 inches | RAM/Storage: 8GB of RAM with 128GB of storage | Battery: 4,200mAh | Camera: 64MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP front | Price: Starting at $349
Why we like it: The Nokia is one of the better dumb phones I've tested, with a relatively large 2.7-inch inner display and 1.7-inch outer display for information at a glance. The keys and navigation buttons are also very spacious, making for a more comfortable typing experience than most phones of this size and price. Naturally, the software experience is minimal, so the 512MB of RAM and nerfed Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 chip are reasonable specs.
Also: Gen Z embraces dumb flip phones, a smarter life hack than you'd think
Who it's for: If your definition of a flip phone involves fewer screens and more digital wellness, then you may be looking for a "dumb phone," made popular recently by Gen Z, who encouraged taking digital detoxes. Of course, such devices are also essential for users who just want a bare-bones phone that can still make calls, send text messages, and dial into the internet, but with less chance of leaving digital fingerprints.
Who should look elsewhere: The Nokia 2780 isn't for those who want a smartphone. This is for only those of us who want a dumb phone without any distractions.
Nokia 2780 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 215 | Display sizes: 1.77 inches and 2.7 inches | RAM/Storage: 512MB of RAM with 4GB of storage | Battery: 1,450mAh | Camera: 5MP wide | Price: Starting at $88
What is the best flip phone?
The best flip phone is the Motorola Razr Ultra, which offers the most well-rounded mobile experience with up to 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite, a 4,700mAh battery with 68W fast charging, and more. However, it costs $1,300, which might not be appreciated by many.
Flip phone | Price | Displays | Camera |
Motorola Razr Ultra | $1300 | 4-inch and 7-inch | 50MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP front |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | $1070 | 6.3-inch and 6.8-inch | 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP front |
Motorola Razr 2025 | $700 | 3.6-inch and 6.9-inch | 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP front |
Motorola Razr (2023) | $350 | 1.5-inch and 6.9-inch | 64MP wide, 13MP ultra, 32MP front |
Nokia 2780 Flip | $102 | 1.77-inch and 2.7-inch | 5MP wide |
Which is the right flip phone for you?
To help you decide, see below for the key reasons to buy each of ZDNET's top flip phone picks.
Choose this flip phone… | If you want… |
Motorola Razr Ultra | The best flipping foldable on the market, with a 4-inch outer display that's highly personalizable and a 4,700mAh battery. |
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 | A flip phone that's backed by brand power and infrastructure, with benefits that include longer software support, more refined features, and greater trade-in values. |
Motorola Razr 2025 | A foldable for less. If you can live with its compromises, the $699 Motorola Razr is, without question, the most accessible device of its kind. |
Motorola Razr (2023) | The most affordable modern-day flip phone, with a $349 price tag that's hard to beat. The Razr also has the same screen size as its Plus siblings. |
Nokia 2780 Flip | A dumb phone that promotes digital wellbeing and detoxing, with bare-bones features and specs for phone calls, texting, and light internet browsing. |
Factors to consider when choosing a phone
The process of making our phone selections includes real-world testing and researching about the phones for weeks, consulting with colleagues, industry experts, and analysts who also have hands-on experience with the smartphones, and then selecting the best from all of the available choices.
Ultimately, we weigh in the following aspects when curating this list:
- Design: The best-designed flip phones are practical to use, require a low to moderate learning curve, and should have a burdenless hand feel.
- Software optimization: A flip phone relies on more than just the standard software features of a traditional handset; it needs specialized tools and services built for the outer displays.
- Durability: The best flip phone can withstand a beating, whether that's in the form of waist-high drops or pouring rain. It helps when a device is certified IPX8 or IP52 or has been tested to meet above-average durability standards.
- Value: It's difficult to ignore how expensive flip phones can be, so price-to-performance is something deeply considered when evaluating between devices. Carrier store promotions, trade-in deals, and other offers are also factored in.
How we test phones
ZDNET's review team spends upwards of a year testing the ins and outs of every major phone release, evaluating the day-to-day performance, camera quality, battery life and endurance, and special features. Here's a breakdown of every factor we consider before we make recommendations:
- Design and ergonomics: How good a phone looks and feels plays a big role in many users' buying journeys, so we consider these aspects heavily when testing.
- Performance: Several factors affect a phone's performance, including LTE/5G signal, battery life, and background tasks. Therefore, we typically begin our evaluations with a fully charged handset, with all background tasks closed, and with as stable of a mobile connection as possible.
- Camera quality: ZDNET tests phone cameras by capturing hundreds of photos and videos of various subjects and in various lighting conditions. We also compare the output to that of older models.
- Battery life and charging: It's also important for us to evaluate how long phones last under light, moderate, and heavy usage, how long they take to recharge, and how they do it (wired, wireless, or both).
- Special features: These features distinguish tested devices from a bustling smartphone market and hopefully bring added value to users, not the opposite.
- Pricing and availability: Beyond budget considerations, we also note if a phone is available in the US or only internationally.
For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive phone testing methodology page.
FAQs on flip phones
Will Apple make a flip phone?
It's the question everyone's been asking since the very first foldable was launched back in 2019: whether or not Apple will put out a foldable iPhone of its own. While the company has yet to unveil any plans of making one, and the rumor mill has been rather slow in that regard, it would not be surprising if there's a team within Cupertino already building one out.
Also: Why foldable phones are still so expensive, according to analysts
And, as is often the case with consumer technology, once Apple does feel comfortable enough to release a mass-market foldable phone, we can expect there to be a drop in overall pricing in the market, as manufacturers scramble to compete in value. The latest rumors point to a release as soon as in 2026.
Latest updates
- In our May 2025 update, we added the Motorola Ultra Razr as our top pick, as well as replacing the Motorola Razr (2024) with the latest Razr from 2025.