For most of us, mobile phones are at the center of our universe. The typical feature set of these palm-sized marvels is astounding. It's your phone, messaging device, web browser, camera, music player, GPS, and more. The phone you choose affects your life in a multitude of ways. That's why we're here to help you pick exactly the right one.
We're a smartphone-dominated nation, with 5G now widely available across much of the land. We're down to three major, nationwide wireless carriers, but a new entrant, Dish, recently launched coverage for over 120 million people and is slowly building out a 5G network. Moreover, virtual carriers such as Google Fi, US Mobile, and Visible keep competition alive and push prices down. But some of our choices have constricted a bit: The smartphone OS marketplace is basically down to Apple's iOS and Google's Android. It's surprisingly difficult to find a really good simple voice phone nowadays, too.
We've reviewed almost every smartphone available for AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless, as well as for many of their sub-brands such as Cricket, Metro, and Visible. But rather than simply choosing the phones with the highest ratings here, we aim to deliver a list of devices that covers every budget. We generally focus on the hottest, newest releases, but you can also find great value in slightly older phones, so make sure to shop around. We also include some helpful buying advice below the list that can help you throughout your search.
The Best Phone Deals This Week*
- Google Pixel 7 5G 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) (Opens in a new window) — $449.00 (List Price $599)
- Samsung Galaxy S23 128GB Unlocked Phone (Black) (Opens in a new window) — $749.99 (List Price $799.99)
- Moto G Stylus 128GB Unlocked Phone (Twilight Blue) (Opens in a new window) — $179.99 (List Price $299.99)
- Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max 256GB Unlocked Phone (Renewed) (Opens in a new window) — $700.00 (List Price $1,099)
- Moto G 5G 256GB Unlocked Phone (Moonlight Gray) (Opens in a new window) — $199.99 (List Price $399.99)
*Deals are selected by our commerce team
Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
Best iPhone Overall
Why We Picked It
The iPhone 14 Pro Max is the most iPhone you can get, with the fastest processor, the best screen, the biggest battery, and the most capable cameras.
Who It's For
Simply put, this is the best iPhone money can buy.
PROS
- High-quality hardware
- Always-on display includes widgets
- Top-notch cameras
- Stellar wireless performance
CONS
- Pricey
- Dated design and Lightning connector
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | $1,099.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Amazon | $1,046.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Google Pixel 7
Best Midrange Android Phone
Why We Picked It
In a rare feat, the Pixel 7 impressed us more than its pricier sibling, the Pixel 7 Pro. Between its excellent cameras, silky smooth Android experience, and slick design, it's one of the best midrange phones we've tested.
Who It's For
The Pixel 7 is an excellent phone for anyone who wants a premium device for not a lot of money.
PROS
- Fantastic value
- Incredible cameras
- Excellent performance
- Great-looking display
- Smooth Android 13 experience
CONS
- No telephoto camera
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | $449.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Amazon | $449.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
Best for Artists and Photographers
Why We Picked It
The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra offers superb specs including a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy processor, up to 1TB of storage, up to 12GB of RAM, and the best camera stack you can get in the US. The built-in S Pen stylus is another significant point in its favor for artists and notetakers.
Who It's For
If you want 10x telephoto zoom power, a 200MP primary lens, and stylus support, stop your search here. Just make sure you have the funds to afford this pricey flagship.
PROS
- Large, bright display
- Speedy performance
- Excellent cameras
- S Pen integration
- Solid battery life
- Durable hardware
- Strong software update commitment
CONS
- Expensive
- Big, heavy build
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $1,099.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Samsung | $1,199.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4
Best Folding Phone
Why We Picked It
There isn't a lot of competition in the folding phone space (at least in the US), so the Galaxy Z Fold 4 is your only viable choice. Fortunately, it feels premium, offers strong connectivity, and makes good use of its extra screen real estate. Just prepare to spend some big bucks.
Who It's For
If you aren't afraid to jump into the deep end with some fairly new technology, the Z Fold 4 might be your ideal next phone. It's the latest (and by far the best) entry in Samsung's Fold lineup and is sure to turn a few heads.
PROS
- Fast and powerful
- Useful multi-window mode
- Excellent signal strength
- Fully usable with one hand
CONS
- Very expensive
- Heavy
- Some applications are buggy
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | $1,319.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Amazon | $1,899.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Best Buy | $1,919.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Apple iPhone 14
Best iPhone for Most People
Why We Picked It
The base model iPhone 14 offers everything you want from an iPhone for a lot less money than a Pro version.
Who It's For
If you don't need bleeding-edge hardware or the largest screen, the standard iPhone 14 won't let you down.
PROS
- Solid performance
- Capable cameras
- Helpful emergency features
CONS
- Not that different from the iPhone 13
- Dated design and Lightning connector
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Best Buy | $799.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Apple.com | $799.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Motorola Moto G Power (2022)
Best Phone Under $200
Why We Picked It
The Motorola G Power costs less than $200 and delivers a suitable experience for the price. The main highlights include a 90Hz screen and extensive battery life.
Who It's For
We recommend the Moto G Power to anyone looking for a smartphone for under $200.
PROS
- Long battery life
- Solid performance
- 90Hz refresh rate
CONS
- Ships with Android 11
- Noticeable pixelation on 720p display
- Underwhelming audio
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $126.48 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Samsung Galaxy S23+
Best Android Flagship
Why We Picked It
The Galaxy S23+ hits the sweet spot among Android flagships. It's not as massive as the Galaxy S23 Ultra, but still has plenty of screen real estate and nearly as powerful internals. It can also take stunning photos, even without its larger sibling's 10x telephoto lens. Other positives include fast 45W wired charging, a bright panel, and long battery life.
Who It's For
If you want a high-end Android phone that costs just a little less, this is the device to buy.
PROS
- Excellent performance
- Big, vibrant display
- Fantastic cameras
- Impressive battery life
- Industry-leading software upgrade policy
CONS
- Lower resolution than the Galaxy S23 Ultra
- No S Pen
- Expensive
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $899.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Sunbeam F1
Best Simple Voice Phone
Why We Picked It
We haven't forgotten about the humble feature phone. The Sunbeam F1 prioritizes communication over everything else and we applaud it for that reason.
Who It's For
Anyone who doesn't need a smartphone should check out the Sunbeam F1.
PROS
- Thoughtful design
- Solid construction
- Loud earpiece
- Three levels of feature restrictions
CONS
- Lacks band 71 for T-Mobile
- Long-term support not guaranteed
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Sunbeam Wireless | $195.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Unihertz Titan Pocket
Best QWERTY Keyboard Phone
Why We Picked It
Few phones on the market still have a QWERTY keyboard, but the Unihertz Titan Pocket is an exception. We're fans of its sculpted key layout, as well as its dual-SIM design and reasonable price.
Who It's For
If you want a phone with a physical keyboard, you won't find a better option than the Unihertz Titan Pocket.
PROS
- Unique design
- Dual-SIM and compatible with all carriers
- Good performance for the price
CONS
- Small 1:1 screen isn't great for all apps
- Lacks some speed and coverage bands
- Terrible cameras
| Sold By | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon | $309.99 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
| Kickstarter | $299.00 | See It (Opens in a new window) |
Which Cell Phone Carrier Has the Best Coverage?
Despite all the recent hardware and mobile software innovation, choosing a wireless service provider remains the most important decision. No matter what device you buy, it's a paperweight unless you have solid wireless coverage. You should choose a carrier that offers fair prices and provides the best coverage in your area.
If you're interested in performance and you live in a metro area, pay the most attention to where carriers have "mid-band" 5G and use phones that support that technology. T-Mobile won our Best Mobile Network award in 2022 because it's far ahead of the other carriers on both counts. It has speedy mid-band in more places than the other carriers, and all its current 5G phones support mid-band.
AT&T performed best in areas away from cities and off the interstates. Verizon's C-band 5G is spreading fast: it now covers some 200 million Americans, but you need the right phone to take advantage of it.
UScellular is available only in about half the country. It has a reputation for good customer service, but we haven't been able to test it because its service is not available near where our staffers live.
The newest national carrier is Dish. We headed out to test its network and found it's in a very early beta state—exciting for wireless geeks, but ordinary consumers probably should wait a while. It's only available in 12 markets, covering about 30 million people.
There are also plenty of virtual operators that use the big three networks for service but offer lower monthly rates, cheaper international calls, or other benefits. They're typically better for less intensive users, and most don't have family plans.
Mint Mobile (on T-Mobile's network), Consumer Cellular (on AT&T's), and Spectrum Mobile (on Verizon's) all got higher ratings in our Readers’ Choice survey than the companies that host their service.
What Is 5G?
AT&T owns Cricket, T-Mobile owns Metro by T-Mobile, Verizon owns Visible, and Google owns Google Fi. Verizon now also owns Net10, Page Plus, Simple Mobile, Straight Talk, Total Wireless, and Tracfone, although it might sell off some of those brands. We spotlight some of our favorite virtual operators in our roundup of the best cheap phone plans. We also have a story on the best cheap phones.
Do You Need a 5G Phone?
5G arrived in 2019, and most new smartphones now support some form of it. Though 5G may change everything eventually, it won't happen immediately.
As noted above, our Best Mobile Networks tests for 2022 showed that T-Mobile's 5G mid-band network is making a considerable difference in performance. If you're on T-Mobile, you should use a mid-band 5G-compatible phone. That's an easy choice—all T-Mobile 5G phones are mid-band-compatible now.
AT&T has a strong 4G network and not much mid-band 5G. It has been studiously installing a new form of mid-band called 3.45GHz(Opens in a new window), but you need an iPhone 14, Samsung Galaxy S23, or fourth-generation Samsung Galaxy foldable model to take advantage of it. Hopefully, more upcoming phones will support this spectrum.
Verizon Wireless is famous for its top-notch network quality. It recently turned on C-band 5G in areas covering more than 200 million people, and data shows that it's making a difference. If you're in one of the C-band areas, upgrading to a C-band compatible 5G phone with Verizon is a good move. Otherwise, Verizon's "nationwide" 5G is only slightly faster than LTE, and you don't need to concern yourself with it too much. You can find more 5G recommendations on our list of the best 5G phones.
(One note: you may see a "5G E" icon on your existing AT&T phone. That isn't 5G; it is a marketing ploy. Your phone is still running on LTE 4G.)
Should You Get an Unlocked Phone?
Carriers have moved to increasingly more confusing service and pricing plans, so the value of unlocked phones has risen accordingly.
Unlocked phones are those you buy from a third-party store or directly from the manufacturer; they aren't tied to a specific carrier. Usually, you can use them with AT&T or T-Mobile. But some popular unlocked phones work on all three major carriers, including Verizon. For the most flexibility, look for a recent Apple iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S flagship, or Motorola phone. If you use a low-cost MVNO service, make sure your unlocked phone works on its network; we've received several emails stating that some MVNOs don't support phones that should work on their networks.
In the past, unlocked 4G phones typically worked on all the major carriers, but 5G phones are different. Apple, Google, and Samsung's 5G phones work on every major US carrier, but many other brands either have limited band support or are only certified for specific carriers. AT&T customers should take extra caution before buying an unlocked 5G phone because the carrier has not yet certified many of the phones its network theoretically supports.
What Is the Best Smartphone?
As more people become accustomed to instant email, web, music, and messaging access at all times of the day, regardless of where they are, smartphones have become almost indispensable. But that doesn't mean everyone wants the same mobile experience. Sometimes, a platform's user interface or app selection speaks to you, and that's all there is to it. With that in mind, and at the risk of attracting flames, let's break it down as well as we can for those who aren't so fully vested.
Recommended by Our Editors
There's actually less diversity in smartphone platforms and designs than ever. Android and iOS are the two remaining major smartphone platforms, both in US sales and in the availability of third-party apps. The iPhone has the best app store and the best media features. But Apple's tightly controlled ecosystem can feel stifling to some, and iOS isn't easy to customize or modify. There's far more variety among Android handsets, and Android's open-source nature makes it a tweaker's dream. But it also means fragmented third-party app compatibility, occasional bugs, carrier bloatware you can't remove, and less consistent OS updates.
Strictly interested in Android? Head over to our roundup of the best Android phones. Baffled by the variety of iPhones? Here's how to decide which iPhone to buy. And if you want to document the world around you with your phone, we've rounded up the best camera phones, too.
What Is the Best Feature Phone?
Some people still use simpler phones, even though the number of choices is steadily dwindling. The top reasons to consider these models are their lower price, ease of use, and often cheaper associated service plans (because mobile data isn't a factor). There are some great deals for voice-only plans on virtual carriers such as TracFone and Consumer Cellular.
Unlike smartphones, feature phones are a matter of "what you see is what you get." They don't receive software upgrades or run thousands of additional apps. For voice quality, read our feature on how to make your cell phone calls sound better. Wireless network coverage is always the biggest factor, but individual phones can vary in reception, earpiece quality, transmission quality through the microphone, and sidetone (the echo of your voice that helps prevent you from yelling at the other person). A phone with middling to poor reception quality can be almost impossible to use in a marginal coverage area. In contrast, one with excellent reception can make the best of the little signal that's available. Another point to consider: Some phones have much louder speakerphones than others.
For more, see our picks for the best phones for seniors. We also have a roundup of the best phones for kids.
What's the Best Time to Buy a New Phone?
The best time to buy a new phone is when you need one. If your phone took a header into the pool or met its demise on the pavement, get whatever is available that best meets your needs. But if you're watching your budget or riding the cutting edge, a little knowledge and planning can keep you from buying a phone that's about to be discounted or replaced with something newer and cooler.
The pandemic and the global chipset shortage upended the usual phone release cycles for some time, but things seem to be returning to normal now. For instance, Apple released the iPhone 14 models in September, as it has done in the past. Google's new Pixels came out in October. And Samsung stuck with its usual schedule of Galaxy S devices in February and foldable phones in August.
Note that we update this story every time we review a new phone worth a spot on the list, so it changes often. Be sure to check back soon for our latest recommendations.
