The best Android phones in 2025: the 12 best ones you can buy

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Get straight to the top tech—no junk, just the best.

Updated less than 6 days ago

It’s been a great year for Android phones, as phone makers expand the horizons of smartphones to everything from ultra-thin phones to 1-inch camera phones with large camera humps.

Phones like the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy Z Fold 7 prove that smartphones can be a flagship despite their thin profile, and the latter is just 0.7mm thicker than the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra, which features a 100x camera zoom. Then there’s the Pixel 10 Pro, which also adds native MagSafe-like Qi 2 charging to Android phones for the first time.

From the ultra-thin to the feature-rich, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of the best Android phones below. Many of these also appear on our lists of the best phones and the eight best folding phones available.

OnePlus 13

Why you should buy this: The flagship killer has become a flagship, yet it still delivers incredible specs for the price. Despite being the oldest phone on this list, it remains the best option available.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the very best Android phone money can buy.

Why we picked the OnePlus 13:

Formerly known as the “flagship killer” for offering killer specs at a lower price, OnePlus has since shifted its products up the price scale. But it hasn’t lost sight of what made its phones great to begin with, and as a result, the OnePlus 13 is a flagship smartphone that can take on much more expensive smartphones at their own game.

The Snapdragon 8 Elite powers the OnePlus 13, the latest processor from Qualcomm, which is also at the heart of most Android flagships. It’s a monster of a chip, and it’s happily trounced any test we’ve put it through. Even the most demanding 3D games can barely faze it, and it’s backed up by either 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on the storage option you buy.

The OnePlus 13 also features a distinct design that’s similar to OnePlus’ previous phones, but also features a textured faux-leather finish that’s absolutely delightful. The OnePlus 13 features a 6.82-inch AMOLED display with a 1Hz to 120Hz dynamic refresh rate, 1440p resolution, and a high peak brgihtness of 4,500 nits.

The triple camera setup is extremely capable, even at high zoom lengths. The consistency between all three 50MP cameras means you can take great photos with any of the lenses. The periscope telephoto lens offers a 3x optical zoom, but OnePlus also utilizes AI effectively to provide up to 100x zoom, and the OnePlus 13 excels at most of these focal lengths.

The 6,000 mAh battery is one of the largest and sets the benchmark for both endurance and charging, as the 80W charging can fully charge the phone in just 45 minutes. There’s also 50W wireless charging and 10W reverse wireless charging, which match or exceed benchmarks for the industry.

At a price of just $900, the OnePlus 13 offers exceptional value and can compete with the $1,300 Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, ultimately coming out on top. It’s the best Android phone you can buy in 2025.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra

Why you should buy this: This smartphone defines the Ultra

Who’s it for: If you want the best performance on a smartphone.

Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra:

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is undoubtedly the phone for those who want an Ultra experience. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is heavily optimized for Samsung phones, featuring a higher clock speed to deliver exceptional performance.

From a design standpoint, the S25 Ultra is lighter than the Galaxy S24 Ultra. As our own Andy Boxall put it, “ultra in name, and not in size and weight.” It has rounded corners that are more comfortable to hold, but an angled body that is less comfortable.

The 200MP main camera, as well as the dual telephoto cameras, return from the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The 10 MP telephoto lens offers 3x optical zoom, while the 50 MP periscope telephoto lens delivers 5x optical zoom. A key defining trait of the camera is the 100x space zoom, which has been a mainstay of Samsung’s Ultra lineup since the first generation.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra launched on One UI 7 on top of Android 15, but is set for the One UI 8 and Android 16 update in the near future. This is the first of seven planned Android updates, as well as seven years of security updates.

The Galaxy S25 Ultra is potentially Samsung’s best AI smartphone yet, thanks to several new Galaxy AI features. These include two key new features: Now Brief and the Now Bar. The Now Brief will summarize your activities throughout the day. The Now Bar is reminiscent of Apple’s Dynamic Island, but found at the bottom of the screen rather than the top.

Videos and images shine on the 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display. The Galaxy S25 Ultra has a 120Hz refresh rate and a maximum brightness of 2,600 nits — more than enough to see your screen even on a sunny day.

The battery capacity is identical to that of the OnePlus 13. At 5,000mAh, the Galaxy S25 Ultra can last up to two days under light use, but the average person can probably expect closer to a day and a half at most. The phone supports 45W wired charging and 15W wireless charging.

The downside? At $1,300, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the priciest devices on this list. It’s more expensive than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and the much-less-expensive OnePlus 13 gives the Galaxy S25 Ultra a run for its money.

Google Pixel 10 Pro

Why you should buy this: Google’s small phone is its best yet and is packed with AI.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the flagship AI-focused Android phone experience that Google envisions.

Why we picked the Google Pixel 10 Pro:

The Google Pixel 10 Pro is the best smartphone Google has made, although the performance of the new Tensor G5 chip isn’t as good as that of its key rivals.

While many on this list are lighter than last year, the Pixel 10 Pro bucks that trend by adding magnets for native Qi 2 magnetic charging. Dubbed Pixelsnap, it offers 15W native magnetic charging on an Android phone for the first time, but it isn’t as fast as the 25W Qi 2.2-based charging on the bigger Pixel 10 Pro Xl.

Google has confirmed that this difference is due to thermal concerns and is intended to prevent the Tensor G5 from overheating. The new processor is the first from Google’s new partnership with TSMC, and is built on the same 3nm process as the Snapdragon 8 Elite. Despite offering an improvement over the Tensor G4, Google’s new processor still falls short of the raw performance offered by rival phones.

That said, the Pixle 10 Pro offers an incredible smartphone experience. The camera is the best for photos, and the new 100x ProRes Zoom feature sets a benchmark for other smartphones to aspire to, including the Galaxy S25 Ultra. There are parts of the Pixel 10 Pro experience that leave us wanting, but this is the best phone that Google has ever made.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge

Why you should buy this: This is the ultra-thin phone that we’ve been dreaming of. There’s nothing like it on the market.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the thinnest and lightest Android phone.

Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge:

The Galaxy S25 Edge is an impressive phone to hold. Holding is believing, and once you hold the Galaxy S25 Edge in your hand, it’ll stand out compared to any other smartphone. However, it’s more than just a thin phone: a few compromises aside, this is one of the best phones you can buy.

One of the reasons it appeals is that, despite its ultra-thin body, Samsung has packed it with the same 200MP camera as the flagship Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, alongside that, Samsung only included a 12MP ultrawide sensor, and there’s no telephoto lens, meaning zoom performance is crippled beyond 4x.

The lack of a telephoto lens is a by-product of the ultra-thin design, but despite this, Samsung was able to include the same Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset as the rest of the best Samsung phones. This is paired with 12GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage, and for the most part, delivers a similar experience to other Samsung phones, albeit with performance often throttled to prevent overheating.

One key downside is the 3,900 mAh battery, which can only extend to last a full day, but will most likely not make it through the night. It’s a key downside, but the 25W does make it easy to charge up to 55% in just 30 minutes. Overall, this is a great thin phone that sets a key benchmark for Apple and others to follow.

OnePlus 13R

Why you should buy this: It’s not often you come across a phone this good for just $500.

Who it’s for: Anyone who appreciates a real cut-price king.

Why we picked the OnePlus 12R:

We’ve already highlighted how the OnePlus 13 is no longer a true flagship killer, as it has become a flagship in its own right. But there’s another OnePlus smartphone on the prowl, and it really is a flagship killer. The OnePlus 133R is essentially a 2024 flagship smartphone, but priced at $600, making it an unmissable bargain.

The root of this lies, as ever, with OnePlus, in the spec sheet. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 can be found inside the 13R — and it’s the very same processor you’ll find in the Samsung Galaxy S24, Motorola Razr+, and other flagship phones from last year. Combine that with a very respectable 12GB or 16GB of RAM, and the OnePlus 13R flies through tasks and games alike. Performance looks even faster thanks to the 1Hz to 120Hz refresh rate on the 6.78-inch AMOLED display, and the resolution is clean and crisp with 450 pixels per inch.

It’s not let down by a bad design either. The 13R evokes the same design spirit as the OnePlus 13 and the OnePlus 12 before it, and it looks great as a result. It even has an alert slider and an IR blaster, which are things you’d be hard-pressed to find on any phone these days.

The OnePlus 13R features a 50-megapixel primary camera, a 50MP telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom, and an 8MP ultrawide lens. The terrible 2MP macro camera from the 12R thankfully did not reappear.

The 6,000mAh battery is the largest OnePlus has ever used, and it shows its size with impressive battery life. Two days is more than possible with this phone, and moderate use may see it stretch to a third. It features the same 80W fast charging as its more expensive cousin, allowing you to get a quick 10-minute charge and enjoy hours of extra juice.

A phone this good shouldn’t cost $600, but it does. Admittedly, OnePlus’s phones don’t come with a lot of extra features, which makes a lot of this possible, but considering how easy it is to live without even the best special features out there, the OnePlus 13R is a real steal.

Google Pixel 9a

Why you should buy this: The Pixel 9a drops the iconic camera bar but keeps the fantastic camera and outstanding value for money offering.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants an incredible Android phone at a fantastic price.

Why we picked the Google Pixel 9a

The Google Pixel 9a proves that you don’t have to pay a lot of money for a great smartphone experience. For under $500, you get a phone with a great camera, one of the biggest batteries on a Google phone, and flagship performance from the Tensor G4 chipset.

The 48MP primary camera is excellent, the same one used in many of the best Google phones. Meanwhile, the 13MP ultrawide camera and 13MP selfie camera both capture vibrant and detailed images. There’s no telephoto lens, unlike alternatives such as the Nothing Phone 3a Pro, but the Pixel 9a’s camera is the best in class at this price point.

The 5,100 mAh battery delivers outstanding battery life, even though the 23W wired charging is slower than that of many competitors. However, the seven years of guaranteed software and security updates mean the Pixel 9a has the best longevity of any phone at this price point. If you don’t upgrade your phone often, and you’re on a limited budget, this is the phone to buy.

Nothing Phone 3

Why you should buy this: This smartphone stands out in a good way. It looks and feels different from anything else.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants a smartphone with a funky and unique design.

Why we picked the Nothing Phone 3:

There’s no smartphone like the Nothing Phone 3. It builds on the iconic past of Nothing phones but evolves the unique Glyphs into the Glyph Matrix, a small micro-dot LED display on the rear that can be used to display information and widgets, play games, or show specific notifications.

Beyond the Glyph Matrix, the Nothing Phone 3 boasts a 6.67-inch OLED display with a 1-120Hz dynamic refresh rate and a peak brightness of up to 4,500 nits. The 5,150 mAh battery delivers outstanding battery life, while 65% charging is rapid to recharge the phone. However, the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor falls short, especially given the $800 flagship price.

All four 50MP cameras are great in all lighting conditions, as Nothing has finally delivered on the true flagship camera promise. The three 50MP cameras on the rear include a periscope telephoto with 3x optical zoom, while the 50MP selfie is fantastic in most conditions. It took Nothing two years to follow up on its last flagship, but the Nothing Phone 3 was worth the wait.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

Why you should buy this: This is the folding phone that changes everything, as it’s virtually indistinguishable from a regular smartphone when it’s folded. This is despite the flagship specs sheet.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the best Android folding phone in their hand.

Why we picked the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7:

The Galaxy Z fold 7 doesn’t have the best specifications on a folding phone — that’s the Honor Magic V5 below — but it has one thing that makes it stand out: the boxy design is virtually indistinguishable from the Galaxy S25 Ultra when it’s folded.

This was Samsung’s aim, and as we found out from 30 people, Samsung excelled in this aim. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is 0.7mm thicker than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but as it shares the same design language and is just three grams lighter than Samsung’s powerhouse, it reaches the pinnacle of folding phone design.

Despite the ultra-thin body and dual displays, Samsung didn’t skimp on the main camera, which shares the same 200MP sensor as the Galaxy S25 Edge and Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, like the Galaxy S25 Edge, the rest of the camera array is inferior to the competition, as is the 4,400 mAh battery and 25W wired charging.

Despite these flaws, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is the best folding phone in the hand and sets a new benchmark for what a foldable Android phone should be.

Honor Magic V5

Why you should buy this: The Honor Magic V5 proves that folding phones can be ultra-thin without compromising on features. It does this while also being the world’s thinnest folding phone.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants a folding phone without any compromises.

Why we picked the Honor Magic V5:

The Galaxy Z Fold 7 boasts an outstanding design and is considered the best folding phone in the US; however, if you cross the pond to Europe, you’ll find the most compelling folding phone overall.

At 4.1mm thick when unfolded, the Honor Magic V5 is 0.1mm thinner than the Galaxy Z Fold 7 when unfolded — specifically, the white version — but outclasses Samsung’s folding phone in several key areas. The other color choices vary in thickness, whereas every Galaxy Z Fold 7 color option has the same thickness.

Despite being the thinnest folding phone, the Magic V5 packs incredible specs, including a 7.95-inch main display, a 6.43-inch Cover Display, and the flagship Snapdragon 8 Elite processor paired with 12GB or 16GB of RAM. The entire package is powered by a large 5,820 mAh battery, which is 30% larger than the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Additionally, it features 66W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, both of which are more than double the top speeds of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

The 50MP main camera and the 50MP ultrawide sensor are both outstanding. The 64MP periscope telephoto offers 3x optical zoom with excellent performance at up to 100x zoom, proving that an ultra-thin folding phone can have an exceptional all-around smartphone camera. This is a folding phone that cuts no corners, but is let down by its lack of availability in the US.

Motorola Razr Ultra 2025

Why you should buy this: This is the uncompromising flip phone that we’ve been waiting for, and it sets new standards in almost every category.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the best all-around Android flip phone.

Why we picked the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025:

If you’ve been waiting for a flip phone with no compromises, look no further than the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Motorola proved that the long wait for an Ultra-style flip phone was worth it, and the Razr Ultra 2025 set new benchmarks for flip phones in every category at launch in May 2025.

Since then, Honor’s new Magic V Flip 2 has taken the shine off the 50MP main camera and 50MP ultrawide setup. However, while there’s no telephoto lens, the Razr Ultra camera is still extremely capable of taking photos at all focal lengths, from ultrawide to 10x.

The 4,700 mAh battery is the largest on a flip phone in the US, and 68W wired charging rapidly charges the phone to full in under an hour. The whole package is powered by the same Snapdragon 8 Elite processor as many of the best Android phones on this list, paired with 16GB of RAM and 512GB or 1TB of storage.

If you want a flip phone with the specs of a flagship non-folding phone and broad global availability, look no further than the Motorola Razr Ultra 2025. Motorola built the perfect flip phone, setting a high benchmark that its key rival, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, can’t match.

Honor Magic V Flip 2

Why you should buy this: Although it’s not easily available, the Honor Magic V Flip 2 is worth mentioning, as it features the first 200MP camera on a flip phone, resulting in an incredible smartphone camera.

Who is it for?: Anyone who wants the best Android flip phone camera that money can buy.

Why we picked the Honor Magic V Flip 2:

It was inevitable that flip phones would join the ranks of the best folding phones and best phones with a 200MP camera, and Honor has achieved this for flip phones just weeks after Samsung achieved it for the book-style form factor.

Honor’s second-generation flip phone isn’t currently available outside of China, but the 200MP main camera and 50MP ultrawide camera capture outstanding images that are on par with the best smartphone cameras. Yes, the telephoto lens can be hit or miss, but when it works, it captures phenomenal images.

Unlike the Razr Ultra and Galaxy Z Flip 7, the Honor Magic V Flip 2 is made from an aluminum frame, which doesn’t quite convey the same premium feel. However, the unique Jimmy Choo-inspired Dreamweaver colorway is distinctive and easily captures attention.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 doesn’t deliver the same performance as the Razr Ultra. Honor’s approach to the cover screen is innovative, and while the text can sometimes be hard to read, it’s one of the best implementations of software on a Cover Screen.

The entire package is powered by a 5,500 mAh battery, complete with 80W charging that can fully recharge the phone in just 42 minutes, as well as 50W wireless charging. This is a phenomenal flip phone with outstanding battery life and a camera designed to capture your memories.