Best Android Phone of 2025
Best Android Phone of 2025: From Google’s Pixel 9 and Samsung’s Galaxy S24 to foldable phones like Motorola’s Razr Plus, these are the best Android phones you can buy.
A great Android phone should have high-quality cameras, long battery life and a long commitment to software and security updates.
Best-android-phone-of-2025, from Samsung’s Galaxy S24 to Google’s Pixel 9 and 9Pro XL, there are many fantastic Android phones t choose from. We’re here to help you find the best Android phone. Whether it’s phones like Google’s Pixel 8A or foldable phones like the Motorola Razr Plus (2024), CNET editors have tested and reviewed every phone on this list.
Samsung just announced the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus, the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Edge which are updates to last year’s Galaxy S24 series. We are testing the new phones currently and will have our reviews out shortly.
What’s the best Android phone?
The $800 Samsung Galaxy S24’s battery life is amazing. That’s not the only reason it’s our pick for best Android phone. It gets seven years of major Android updates and the cameras are good (there’s even all the AI features: most are just Ok, but Circle to Search is outstanding. Samsung didn’t reinvent the phone, but it did take a great phone (the Galaxy S23 ) and make it better.
There are plenty of other excellent choices, although the Pixel 8A is another current favorite.
Best Android phone for most people
What impresses me the most about the Samsung Galaxy S24 isn’t the new Galaxy AI features, brighter screens or solid cameras. It’s the battery life. After testing, I can say the larger battery in the Galaxy S24 has no trouble plowing through a long day of use on a single charge.
The S24 is a wonderful, well-built phone that is excellent right out of the box just as the nearly identical S22 and S23 were before it. This similarity to the S22 and S23 can be viewed as either a strength because the design reflects three years of refinements, or a weakness because features like the camera hardware are essentially identical to what came out in 2022. All of these features are overshadowed by the battery life. You’ll never hear anyone complain about getting too much battery life. Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 review.
Pross
- Long battery life
- Long software support
- Bright screen
- Circle To Search
Cons
- Telephoto images are just OK
- AI features are hit-or-miss
Screen size
- 6.2 inches
Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
- 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 12-megepixel (selfie)
Colors
- Jade green, sapphire blue, sandstone orange, onyx black, marble gray, cobalt violet, amber yellow
Best Android phone under $500
The Pixel 8A is a good it makes the regular Pixel 8 almost feel irrelevant. It shares so much in common with its pricier sibling, from its selection of AI-powered features like Circle to Search to its cool aesthetic and powerful Tensor G3 processor, that it’s hard to see why anyone would buy the Pixel 8 instead.
Best-android-phone-of-2025, the Pixel 8 does offer a marginally better camera system, a slightly larger screen and the ability to charge other phones and accessories wirelessly on the back of the device. Those features don’t feel significant enough to impact the buying decision for most people. As I wrote in my review, the Pixel 8A raises the bar for what a $500 phone should be. That also means i’ll be expecting more from the Pixel 9 this fall.
Pros
- Great camera
- 7 years of software updates
- Many of the same features as the Pixel 8
- Good battery life
Cons
- 256GB storage not available on all models
- Zoomed and low light shots aren’t as clear as the Pixel 8’s
Screen Size
- 6.1 inches
Processor
- Google Tensor G3
- Cameras
- 64-megapixel (wide), 13-megapixel (ultrawide), 13-megapixel (selfie)
Colors
- Aloe, bay, obsidian, porcelain
Best phone under $300
The Motorola Moto G Power 5G is the most versatile option in this roundup, offering wireless charging, a 120HZ high refresh rate screen, Google Pay for contactless payments and a fantastic vegan leather design.
Combine that with a camera that takes decent photos in bright environments, and a processor that is capable of most daily tasks, and you have a phone that’s both fun to use without cramming itself with the extra bells and whistles we see in higher-priced phones.
Although this phone does suffer from having a shorter software and security support timeline (1 year of major Android OS, three years of security updates) than Samsung’s Galaxy A25 5G, it is a more useful device.
It’s this appeal that makes the Moto G Power 5G our top recommendation for a phone that costs $300 or less.
Pros
- NFC/Google Pay
- Good battery life
- Wireless charging
- Moto shortcuts
Cons
- Short software support timeline
- Screen is too dim in sunlight
- Lacks IP rating for dust and water resistance
Screen size
- 6.7 inches
Processor
- Mediatek Dimensity 7020
Cameras
- 50-megapixel (main), 8-megapixel (ultrawide), 16-megapixel (selfie)
Colors
- Pale lilac, midnight blue
Best premium Android phone
With a sharper 5x optical zoom, a faster new processor and that familiar giant display an 100x digital zoom,
the Samsung’s “Ultra” phone remains a top choice for mobile photographers who want plenty of screen space.
Best-android-phone-of-2025, the Galaxy S24 Ultra is also one of the first phones with Samsung’s new Galaxy AI features,
which include tools for translating text messages and phone calls instantly and Circle to Search,
a new gesture that lets you launch a Google search for almost anything simply by drawing a circle around it.
Like the previous two generations, the Galaxy S24 Ultra comes with an embedded S Pen for those who like jotting down notes or doodling.
Perhaps best of all, Samsung has committed t updating these devices with new versions of Android for seven years,
meaning it shouldn’t feel out of date anytime soon.
Still, there are some important downsides to consider. At $1,300, this phone is expensive, so be sure to look for trade-in discounts if you plan to upgrade.
Best Android Phone of 2025: For that high price, I had hoped Samsung would’ve added extra Galaxy AI features that are specific to the Ultra — perhaps some that take advantage of the S Pen.
Read our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.
Pros
- Chat translations and Circle to Search are useful
- Sharper 5x zoom
- Good low-light camera performance
- 7 years of software upgrades
Cons
- Expensive
- Some Galaxy AI features aren’t exclusive to S24 series
- No specific S24 Ultra Galaxy AI features
Screen size
- 6.8 inches
Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Cameras
- 200-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 50-megapixel (5x telephoto), 12-megapixel (selfie)
Colors
- Titanium gray, titanium black, titanium violet and titanium yellow
Best for productivity and entertainment
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6
Best-android-phone-of-2025, with the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung is getting closer to its goal of making a device that doubles as a phone and a tablet without compromising too much in either direction. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 has an improved design with a sleeker look that’s easier to grip, a less noticeable crease, a new processor and an upgraded ultrawide camera.
It’s really the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s big, bright and crisp internal screen that makes it the best choice for those who want a foldable phone for entertainment. Be Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at an eye- watering $1,900, making it $100 more expensive than last year’s Z Fold 5 wast at launch.
Pros
- Larger and more symmetrical front screen
- Improved design with less crease
- Inner screen is best on any foldable phone
- Better ultrawide camera
- 7 years of software upgrades
Cons
- $100 more expensive than the Z Fold 5
- Mediocre charging speeds and battery life
- New software features aren’t specific to faldable
Screen size
- 6.3 inches and 7.6-inch (cover)
Processor
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
Cameras
- 50-megapixel (wide), 12-megapixel (ultrawide), 10-megapixel (3x telephoto), 10-megapixel (selfie), 4-megapixel (under display)
Colors
- Navy, pink, silver shadow, white, crafted black
A flashy yet affordable phone
Best Android Phone of 2025: The Nothing Phone 2 stands out for its unconventional design that incorporates flashing LED lights, a relatively low price and fast performance. Unlike the Nothing Phone 1, you can buy the Nothing Phone 2 in the US, for $699. It’s best suite for those who want a phone with a large, bright screen, powerful processor and a design that makes a statement, all for well below $1,000.
It’s important to remember that Nothing has a lot of competition in this price range. If camera quality is your top priority, you can get the Pixel 8A at a lower price of $449. Read our Nothing Phone 2 review.
Pros
- Flashy design
- Powerful processor
- Large, bright display
- Attractive interface
Cons
- Disappointing camera performance
- Needs to be cheaper to compete against rivals
Screen size
- 6.7 inches
Processor
- Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1
Cameras
- 50-megapixel (wide), 50-megapixel (ultrawide), 32-megepixel (selfie)
Colors
- Dark grey
Other phones we tested
The $450 Samsung Galaxy A54 5G proves you can get a phone with solid performance for a very reasonable price. It packs a 6.4-inch display, an octa-core processor that offers enough power for daily essentials ( including light gaming) and a camera that does a decent job of handling your out-and-about snaps. Its 128GB of storage will be enough for most people, and those who need more space can expand it with micro SD cards up to 1TB in size.
The $1,400 Sony Xperia 1 V retains all the best features of previous Xperia 1 phones, like a 4K high refresh rate display, expandable storage, cutting-edge cameras with eye-tracking autofocus, a 5,000-mAh battery, a dedicated hardware shutter button and a headphone jack, all wrapped in Sony’s lovely, mundane utilitarian design. The phone brims with numerous quality-of-life improvements for its target audience of creative types like photographers, filmmakers, musicians and games who want naunced control over the content they make. Its $1,400 price tag keeps this phone squarely aimed beyond most consumers.
