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It's hard to go wrong with most phones in the US today, and it's almost impossible to find a bad premium phone in 2024. Considering that, the "best phone" depends on your budget and priorities. Still, we can make a general assessment of the best phone overall.
Among the best phones available now, Apple's iPhone 16 is our top option for most people due to its balance of performance, camera quality, camera reliability, battery life, and ecosystem for the price. Samsung's Galaxy S24 is ideal for Android users for the same reasons as the iPhone 16.
On the more affordable end of the spectrum, Apple's iPhone 14 and Google's Pixel 8a are superb devices that offer incredible value. These aren't exactly "cheap," but we think they're well worth the price considering their long-lasting performance, camera quality, and other premium features.
Our top picks for the best phones
Best overall: iPhone 16 - See at Verizon
Best phone for Android users: Samsung Galaxy S24 - See at Amazon
Best budget iPhone: iPhone 14 - See at Verizon
Best budget phone for Android users: Google Pixel 8a - See at Amazon
Best camera phone: iPhone 16 Pro - See at Verizon
Best battery life: iPhone 16 Pro Max - See at Verizon
Best foldable phone: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold - See at Amazon
Best overall
Apple's latest entry-level phone, the iPhone 16, runs the company's new AI suite, Apple Intelligence, and boasts some hardware upgrades like useful new buttons and a new-generation processor.
- 'Pro' features like the Camera Control and Action buttons
- Runs Apple Intelligence on a new-generation processor
- Redesigned and improved camera system
- Stronger Ceramic Shield display with new-low brightness
- Outdated 60Hz display
- Lacks a dedicated optical zoom lens
- Some Apple Intelligence features have room for improvement
These days, most smartphone users fall into either Team iPhone or Team Android. If you're platform agnostic and want a phone that requires the fewest compromises, we recommend the iPhone 16. (Our best iPhone guide shows what else we recommend for those who prefer Apple.)
iPhones have stayed relatively consistent year over year, and Apple has largely stuck to a successful playbook for the iPhone 16: A phone that delivers a great user experience that revolves around a stable and familiar operating system, best-in-class camera system, and popular apps.
The iPhone 16 includes several noteworthy upgrades over the iPhone 15, which was already a substantial upgrade over the iPhone 14. Its new A18 processor is incredibly powerful, and the phone incorporates the Action button that was previously an iPhone Pro model exclusive. It also features the new Camera Control button and a refreshed camera design, which houses an improved ultrawide camera that now takes macro photos.
The biggest "new thing" about the iPhone 16 is support for Apple Intelligence AI features. In our testing of Apple Intelligence's initial version in iOS 18.1, we found the AI suite promising, though it needs refinement and expansion.
While the newest Android phones aren't anything to sneeze at, we still recommend the iPhone for most people due to the polished hardware and software, ease of use, an unmatched ecosystem of devices, and Apple's physical retail presence to get support.
Those who could use Apple's latest high-end features should consider the iPhone 16 Pro models, which exclusively offer absurdly powerful A18 Pro processors, new larger displays, pro-level video recording options, dedicated zoom lenses, and faster USB 3 data transfers. They also feature premium 120Hz ProMotion displays, which Apple has continuously denied to its base iPhone models, including the iPhone 16.
Read our full iPhone 16 review and see our guide to the best iPhone 16 cases to protect the phone.
Best phone for Android users
The Galaxy S24 runs on the most powerful processor for Android phones released in 2024. It includes three excellent cameras, a super-smooth 120Hz display, Samsung's effective AI features, and stellar battery life, especially for a smaller phone.
- Gorgeous design
- Supreme performance
- 120Hz display
- Dedicated zoom lens
- Excellent battery life
- Useful AI features
- Slower 25W charging than other S24 models
- Photo quality can be inconsistent
- Includes unwanted bloatware
With its triple-lens camera, class-leading performance, AI features, and excellent battery life, the Samsung Galaxy S24 is the complete package. No other phone offers as much as the Galaxy S24 for an $800 base price, even among iPhones.
Indeed, the Galaxy S24's three cameras set it apart from other Android phones in its 6.1-inch size range and $800 price range. By including a 3x zoom lens, the Galaxy S24 offers a more versatile camera experience, allowing you to take better-quality photos of subjects further away.
Ironically, the Galaxy S24's cameras are among our few complaints. They're very good cameras but generally less consistent than premium phones from Google and Apple, as irregular lighting can produce flat, shallow photos with reduced character.
That said, overall, the Galaxy S24 is our top pick among the best Android phones, as it's likely to satisfy most people with its stellar performance and high-end features at a reasonable price point.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 review, and see our guide to the best Samsung Galaxy S24 cases to protect the phone.
Best budget iPhone
The iPhone 14 could be a worthy choice for people upgrading from the iPhone 11 or older. It's the only current "budget" option somewhat comparable to the iPhone 16 as a standard iPhone.
- Newly discounted price
- Emergency safety features
- Still-smooth performance
- Lacks Action and Camera Control buttons
- Lacks Dynamic Island
- Not compatible with Apple Intelligence
If you're looking for the best iPhone experience for the lowest price, go for the iPhone 14 rather than the iPhone SE (2022). Yes, the iPhone 14 has a $599 starting price, which stretches the definition of "budget" compared to the iPhone SE's $429 starting price. However, we feel the iPhone 14's extras are well worth it.
The iPhone 14 runs on Apple's A15 Bionic processor (the same as the iPhone SE, coincidentally). Although three generations old, we took it for a test drive after the latest iOS 18 update and found it can still easily handle any app or game in the App Store.
The iPhone 14 also features Apple's modern design rather than the iPhone SE's antiquated look with its top and bottom bezels. It also includes Face ID, a larger 6.1-inch OLED display, a dual-lens camera, and support for Apple's MagSafe wireless charging and accessories. To top it all off, the iPhone 14 has significantly better battery life than the iPhone SE.
With all this in mind, we think you'll better enjoy the experience with the iPhone 14 for the years you'll use it. Based on Apple's support cycle, we'd estimate Apple will support the iPhone 14 for another four generations.
However, if budget matters more than features and design, you'll still be happy with the iPhone SE (2022), as it remains another top option among the best cheap phones available. But be aware that the iPhone SE uses an outdated design with a small screen and Touch ID.
Read our full iPhone 14 review.
Best budget phone for Android users
The Pixel 8a is nominally a budget version of the Pixel 8, but you'd have a hard time telling them apart. The Pixel 8a dominates in its price range and comes easily recommended thanks to its stellar value relative to its performance, camera quality, and high-end display.
- Incredible value
- Great performance to price ratio
- Smooth 120Hz OLED display
- Stellar cameras
- Slow 18W charging
- Outdated Pixel design
Starting at $499, Google's Pixel 8a offers the best bang for your buck for Android users. No doubt, you can easily find Android phones with price tags lower than $200, but if you're at all discerning with a budget to spend, you won't regret going for the Pixel 8a.
Most importantly, you won't feel the need to buy another phone for a long time thanks to the Pixel 8a's fast and smooth performance, coupled with its seven-year support window for Android upgrades and security updates. The Pixel 8a runs on the Google Tensor G3 processor, so performance is on par with 2023's premium flagship Pixel 8 models, which run the same processor.
Combine the Pixel 8a's performance with its smooth 120Hz display and 1080p resolution, and the experience is nothing short of premium. It's an OLED panel with superior colors, brightness, and contrast than any LCD or LED display, and it includes a high-end always-on display feature.
The Pixel 8a's cameras also compete with phones that cost twice as much. Even sub-par cameras on less expensive Android phones serve their purpose of capturing memories, but the Pixel 8a's premium-quality cameras simply do it better, especially in reliability and versatility. The Pixel 8a (like any of the best Google Pixel phones) doesn't need ideal conditions and perfectly steady hands to take good, clear, focused photos.
The Pixel 8a is also just a good-looking phone with its frosted matte-texture plastic back and eye-catching color options.
Our only complaint with the Pixel 8a is its relatively slow 18W charging, but it does feature 7.5W wireless charging. That's also slow, but it's still a nice option for all-day desk charging, and it's not one you'll usually find on budget-friendly Android phones. We would also have liked to see an option with a larger display, but that would surely mean a higher price.
If you aren't looking to take advantage of carrier deals (and potentially get locked into a long-term contract) to get a higher-end phone for free or at a significant discount, you can't go wrong with the Pixel 8a, the best budget Android phone on the market.
Read our full Google Pixel 8a review, and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 8a cases to protect the phone.
Best camera phone
The iPhone 16 Pro's upgraded camera system matches its Pro Max sibling with a 5x optical zoom lens for the first time. Other upgrades include a larger, 6.3-inch display, slow-motion 4K video recording at up to 120 fps, and new studio-quality microphones.
- Unrivaled three-camera system with 5x optical zoom
- Pro and Pro Max models offer the same cameras
- Top-tier, pro-level video recording options
- Camera Control button is unique and convenient
- Initial Apple Intelligence suite is in need of expansion and refinement
The three-camera system on Apple's iPhone 16 Pro models outperforms all competitors with its consistency, versatility, and collection of high-end features.
The iPhone 16 Pro is the first base iPhone Pro model with an identical camera system to the contemporary Pro Max model, so there's no camera-related upgrade in opting for the larger and more expensive phone. Both models now include a 5x optical zoom lens, whereas previous Pro models had a 3x zoom.
The iPhone 16 Pro also features Apple's useful new Camera Control button for quickly accessing and adjusting photo and video capture in the camera app; no high-end Android phone in the US has a similar feature. Another point of separation from Android competitors is the iPhone 16 Pro's new and expansive suite of advanced features, including Dolby Vision 4K video recording at up to 120 frames per second (fps), ProRAW photos, ProRES video encoding, and a studio-quality four-microphone system.
For those not interested in Apple's phones or ecosystem, our top camera pick among the best Android phones is the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Its three lenses offer plenty of versatility (including a 5x zoom lens) and consistently produce natural colors and depth that outclass any of the best Samsung phones, which are prone to inconsistency and overexposure.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro review, and see our guide to the best iPhone 16 Pro cases to protect the phone.
Best battery life
The iPhone 16 Pro Max's year-over-year upgrades include a larger, 6.9-inch display, upgraded cameras, the powerful A18 Pro processor, and industry-leading battery life.
- Best battery life of any phone we've tested
- New larger display size
- Incredibly powerful A18 Pro processor
- New Camera Control button can be handy
- Stronger Ceramic Shield display glass with new-low brightness
- Separate fast USB-C cable needed for USB 3 transfer speeds
- No improvements to wired charging speed
Apple claimed the iPhone 16 Pro Max offered the longest battery life of any iPhone to date at its launch. Our testing corroborated the claim, as the iPhone 16 Pro Max finished our intensive battery test with a 74% charge remaining, the best result we've seen from any iPhone or Android phone.
With its large battery, afforded by a huge 6.9-inch display size, the iPhone 16 Pro Max gives you the best chance of any phone to last two days on a single charge (depending on usage).
If you're looking for the best battery life in a base model iPhone for a less expensive option than the iPhone 16 Pro Max, the iPhone 14 Plus and iPhone 15 Plus remain available and are still top performers (both achieved a 73% result). The iPhone 16 Plus surprisingly scored a lower 69% in our tests.
Among the best Android phones for battery life, the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL offered the longest battery life in our testing with a 70% result, followed by Samsung's Galaxy S24 Ultra with 66%.
Our battery tests include a simulated mix of light and heavy usage with three hours of screen-on time. We put every phone we test through a two-hour video stream, two runs on the intensive 3D Mark Wild Life Stress Test, five runs of the Geekbench 6 CPU test, and one hour of music streaming while connected to a Bluetooth speaker.
Read our full iPhone 16 Pro Max review, and see our guide to the best iPhone 16 Pro Max cases to protect the phone.
Best foldable phone
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's 6.3-inch exterior display is the same shape and size as the Pixel 9 Pro, making it familiar and comfortable to use as a simple phone. Unfolding it reveals an 8-inch tablet, which is among the biggest you can find in a foldable phone.
- Vastly improved design from Google's first foldable
- Powerful, generally useful AI features
- Exterior display feels and operates like a normal phone
- Superb cameras include 5x zoom lens
- Large 8-inch interior tablet display
- Some AI features can deliver questionable results
- Cost prohibitive
We prefer book-style foldable phones that unfold into compact tablets for their superior functionality and performance relative to clamshell foldables, which fold into compact squares.
Among the current phone-tablet hybrid foldables available in the US, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is our favorite option for its premium build, large 9-inch tablet display, regular phone-style 6.3-inch cover display, performance, and cameras. It tops the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, mostly due to Samsung's awkwardly narrow cover display.
All phone-tablet hybrid foldables essentially offer the same level of performance, top-of-the-line displays with premium specs, like 120HZ refresh rates and OLED panels, excellent camera quality, and superlative battery life.
What sets the Pixel 9 Pro Fold apart among the best foldable phones is its 8-inch tablet display, which is the biggest available in a foldable in the US. It's also the thinnest hybrid foldable, and its thinness is especially noticeable in tablet mode.
Our only gripe with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is its slow wired and wireless charging speed compared to the rest of the Pixel 9 series.
We still love the OnePlus Open for the same reasons we love the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, but it's more than a year old, and its previous-generation processor offers less long-term value.
Read our Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold hands-on assessment, and see our guide to the best Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold cases to protect the phone.
Which is the best phone to buy right now?
Overall, Apple's iPhone 16 is the phone we'd recommend to most people, at least those who live in the US. Android phones these days are fantastic, but they still lack certain key features, like advanced biometric authentication that's on par with Apple's Face ID. Even minor features, like Apple's Dynamic Island, make us lean toward the iPhone 16, and no Android phone maker can match Apple's physical retail presence, which is invaluable to receiving support.
| Specs | iPhone 16 | Samsung Galaxy S24 | iPhone 14 | Google Pixel 8a | iPhone 16 Pro | iPhone 16 Pro Max | Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold |
| Starting price | $799 | $799.99 | $599 | $499 | $999 | $1,199 | $1,799 |
| Processor | Apple A18 | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Optimized for Galaxy | Apple A15 Bionic | Google Tensor G3 | Apple A18 Pro | Apple A18 Pro | Google Tensor G4 |
| Release date | September 2024 | January 2024 | September 2022 | May 2024 | September 2024 | September 2024 | August 2024 |
| Screen size | 6.1 inches | 6.2 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.1 inches | 6.3 inches | 6.9 inches | 8-inch interior; 6.3-inch exterior |
| Rear cameras | 48MP main, 12MP ultrawide | 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x zoom | 12MP main, 12MP ultrawide | 64MP main, 13MP ultrawide | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP 5x zoom | 48MP main, 48MP ultrawide, 12MP 5x zoom | 48MP main, 10.5MP ultrawide, 10.8MP 5x zoom |
| Storage | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 128GB, 256GB | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB |
How we test phones
We test iPhones and Android phones as if they were our daily drivers for at least a week, often longer, to get a feel for their performance, battery life, cameras, and new features. We have extensive experience testing various phone models from different companies at various price points, which lets us quickly identify any issues.
In addition to real-world usage, we conduct standardized tests on all phones reviewed and included in our guides.
For performance, we put phones through a series of benchmarking apps to check for discrepancies between devices. We use Geekbench 6 for general performance and the 3DMark Wild Life Stress Test to gauge extended heavy gaming performance. These tests help us estimate how long a phone could maintain its performance relative to comparable phones.
For camera testing, we photograph a consistent set of scenes with every phone and compare the results with their direct competitors. We take photos and videos with each lens on each phone and evaluate the differences. We also assess our own personal photos taken with each phone. We even compare budget camera phones to premium options to evaluate the image and video quality discrepancies.
For battery life, we run phones through a stress test that simulates a range of typical daily workloads, like streaming video and music, and high-intensity activities, like playing demanding games. This test includes five runs of the Geekbench 6 app, two runs of the 3DMark Wildlife Stress Test, two hours of video streaming at a set average brightness, and one hour of music streaming with a Bluetooth speaker connected. The tests accumulate to three hours of screen-on time. At the end of the test, we note the phone's remaining battery percentage.
FAQs
How much storage should a phone have?
These days, 128GB is the standard minimum storage option on most phones. Anything lower than that, like 64GB, can be quite limiting in terms of how many apps you can install, and you can basically forget about storing a significant number of photos, videos, and music.
128GB of storage can be enough, especially if you use cloud storage for photos and often stream videos and music. Depending on how many apps you use, you can also get by downloading videos and music for flights.
You should opt for more than 128GB of storage if you tend to download your music rather than stream it or store lots of photos and videos on your phone. More storage can be helpful if you have many apps and games.
How long should a phone's battery life last?
A phone's battery should last you through a typical day, even for heavy users with extensive screen time. Thankfully, most phones tend to have good enough battery life to do so.
Larger phones tend to have longer battery lives than smaller ones, so users with lots of screen-on time would benefit from a larger phone if not for the larger display.
Your best option for a phone that can last longer than a day routinely is Apple's iPhone 16 Pro Max. Android users with high battery requirements should go for the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.
What is a good camera for a phone?
More than anything, a good phone camera should give you confidence that you'll get a high-quality photo or video without making you feel like you need to check and retake your content.
In this regard, we tend to trust Apple's iPhones and Google's Pixel phones the most. Correspondingly, our top overall picks for phone camera systems are Apple's iPhone 16 Pro and Google's Pixel 9 Pro, which both offer a dedicated 5x zoom lens.
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Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected].
