The best foldable phones of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

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Before AI, foldable smartphones were the belle of the ball. Samsung led the scene with the original Galaxy Fold in 2019, and since then, consumers have had more options than ever before, whether they prefer a foldable that can transform into a tablet or one that flips outward at the flick of the wrist, paying homage to the classic Motorola Razr.

What is the best foldable phone right now?

ZDNET has tested and reviewed every single mass-market foldable during the past year, and the devices below represent the best of the best. Our pick for the best foldable phone overall is the OnePlus Open, a handset that personifies the company's industrial design prowess and "never settle" mentality in performance and speed. The Open has the fastest charging speed of all the foldables we've tested, and it's also less expensive than its closest competitors. Read on for more of our top picks.

Best foldable phones in 2024

OnePlus Open

Best foldable phone overall

With Chinese phone maker Oppo having released several foldable phones throughout the years, it was only a matter of time before its sister company, OnePlus, would unveil one of its own -- bringing about some much-needed competition in the US market.

With the OnePlus Open, the company's latest phone-to-tablet foldable, the company has not only undercut the price of Samsung's and Google's respective models but also introduced some useful features that we've yet to see in the product category. For example, the OnePlus Open is one of the lightest and thinnest foldables in the North American market, matching that of the Galaxy Z Fold 6. It also supports 67W fast charging, a much quicker rate than the 25W to 45W standards on competing handsets.

Review: OnePlus Open

Perhaps more importantly, the OnePlus introduced Open Canvas, a multitasking feature that lets you glide between several app windows for a seamless multitasking experience. This alone makes usability on the larger inner display much more intuitive than what I've seen on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Pixel 9 Pro Fold. From my tests, the camera system is also very capable, with a triple-lens configuration helmed by a 48MP sensor that captures vivid and sharp imagery throughout various lighting conditions.

The well-roundedness and aggressive pricing -- OnePlus will deduct at least $200 from the Open when you trade in any phone in any condition -- make this the foldable phone to beat going into 2025.

OnePlus Open tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 | Display sizes: 6.3-inch exterior and 7.8-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 16GB with 512GB | Battery: 4,805mAh | Camera: 48MP wide, 48MP ultrawide, 64MP telephoto, and 32MP front | Price: Starting at $1,699

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

Best Samsung foldable phone

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6 and OnePlus Open went tooth and nail for the top spot on this list, but key feature advantages put the latter ahead. Still, the Z Fold 6 remains a formidable option for foldable shoppers this year thanks to its more refined and durable design, productivity-inducing software, and undervalued after-sales support.

Review: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

The Z Fold 6 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which has proven to yield better on-device and hybrid-based AI capabilities, including Samsung's new Sketch-to-Image, Interpreter Mode, Composer, and more. Samsung also upgraded the hinge this year, making the Fold notably thinner and lighter yet still durable enough to withstand 200,000 bends -- maybe more -- throughout its lifespan.

Thanks to a brighter 2,600-nit display and a crease that's a little less noticeable when open, "the Z Fold 6's 7.6-inch screen is a near-perfect canvas for watching movies, playing games, and getting work done," I mentioned in my review. It's unfortunate that Samsung didn't upgrade the cameras or charging speeds all that much with the latest generation; otherwise, it would've given the OnePlus even more of a run for its money.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Display sizes: 6.2-inch exterior and 7.6-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 12GB with 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB | Battery: 4,400mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, and 10MP front | Price: Starting at $1,899

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Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Best camera foldable phone

While the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 forges ahead with better design and productivity features, the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also close behind thanks to its user-friendly form factor and market-leading camera system. Google took the traditional smartphone route when refining the outer display of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, opting for a shorter and wider panel than Samsung's taller approach.

Review: Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold

Naturally, all the content you're used to consuming, like video streaming and social media, is portrayed in a familiar manner; nothing feels disorienting. While the foldable doesn't match its Pixel Pro sibling spec-for-spec, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold truly shines and more than makes up for the "inferior" camera system in long exposure shots and selfies, thanks to its self-standing nature.

This year's Pixel 9 Pro Fold succeeds the previous model with a more capable Google Tensor G4 chipset, Google AI features like Pixel Screenshots, Reimagine, and Gemini Live, and a lighter form factor for a more comfortable user experience.

Google Pixel 9 Fold tech specs: Processor: Google Tensor G4 | Display sizes: 6.3-inch exterior and 8-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 16GB with 256GB or 512GB | Battery: 4,650mAh | Camera: 48MP wide, 10.8MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto, and 10MP front | Price: Starting at $1,799

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Motorola Razr Plus (2024)

Best flip-style foldable phone

Deciding on the best flip-style foldable phone also came down to the wire, with Motorola's Razr Plus (2024) just scraping by Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 6. I went hands-on with both devices this summer and was left impressed by both, but I ultimately sided with the Motorola because it lets you do more with the outer display.

Review: Motorola Razr Plus (2024)

Not only is the outer display on the Razr Plus an impressive 3.6-inch panel, but the software supports virtually any app you throw at it, meaning you can browse the web, play games, scroll TikTok, and do other mobile tasks without ever needing to flip open the device. Samsung's platform is more limited in this regard.

The under-the-hood upgrades this year are meaningful, too, such as the Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 chip that's optimized for AI workloads, the 12GB of RAM, and the larger 4,000mAh battery that can be charged wired or wirelessly. Motorola's more ambitious new AI features like "Remember this," which is akin to Microsoft's Recall, will be released later this year, but for now, I'm cautiously optimistic about the company's latest flip phone.

Motorola Razr Plus (2024) tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 | Display sizes: 4-inch exterior and 6.9-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 8GB/12GB with 256GB | Battery: 4,000mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 50MP telephoto, and 32MP front | Price: Starting at $999

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Motorola Razr (2024)

Best cheap foldable phone

When the market is competitive, both manufacturers and consumers are winners. Case in point: No one, including myself, expected the $699 Motorola Razr to be as good as it is.

Review: Motorola Razr Plus

In some ways, the standard Razr model yields a better experience than the more expensive Plus variant, with a larger 4,200mAh battery and ultrawide lens that allows for more flexible shooting styles. ZDNET's Max Buondonno tested the Razr and also commended its variety of cover designs, citing, "The Koala Gray version I have comes with a vegan suede material, while the Beach Sand and Spritz Orange (a.k.a. the best color) have vegan leather."

Under the hood is a weaker but still passable MediaTek Dimensity 7300X chipset, with Moto's minimalist approach to Android. There are a few gesture-based perks, like twisting your wrist to prompt the camera or doing a chopping motion to turn on the flashlight, and the front screen is just as customizable as the one on the Razr Plus.

Motorola Razr (2024) tech specs: Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 7300X | Display sizes: 3.6-inch exterior and 6.9-inch interior | RAM/Storage: 8GB with 256GB | Battery: 4,200mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 32MP front | Price: Starting at $699

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The best foldable phone is the OnePlus Open, which offers the most complete mobile experience with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, a 4,805mAh battery with 67W fast charging, and more. Just as important, the Open undercuts the competition by as much as $200.

Foldable phone	Price	Display	Camera
OnePlus Open	$1,699	6.3-inch and 7.8-inch	48MP wide, 64MP ultrawide, 48MP telephoto, 20MP front
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6	$1,899	6.2-inch and 7.6-inch	50MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP telephoto, 10MP front
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold	$1,799	6.3-inch and 8-inch	12MP wide, 12MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto, 10MP front
Motorola Razr Plus (2024)	$999	4-inch and 6.9-inch	50MP wide, 50MP telephoto, 32MP front
Motorola Razr (2024)	$699	3.6-inch and 6.9-inch	50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 32MP front

To help you decide, see below for the key reasons to buy each of ZDNET's top foldable phone picks.

Choose this foldable phone…	If you want…
OnePlus Open	The best foldable phone right now, with top-of-the-line RAM and storage, market-leading fast charging, and a price to beat. It's also the lightest tablet-style foldable in the US.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6	The most refined, industry-backed foldable that money can buy. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 also supports S Pen stylus inputs and seven years of OS updates.
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold	An S-class camera system in a foldable form factor. Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold nails the large-screen form factor and excels with AI-powered camera features.
Motorola Razr Plus (2024)	The best flipping foldable on the market, with a highly personalizable 4-inch outer display and a 4,000mAh battery.
Motorola Razr (2024)	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.

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 the available choices.

Ultimately, we weigh in the following aspects when curating this list:

Design: Currently, foldable phones come in two designs: regular phones that unfold into tablets, and ones that flip inward to become more pocketable. The best-designed foldables are practical to use, require a moderate learning curve at most, and should have a burdenless hand feel.Software optimization: A foldable phone relies on more than just the standard software features of a traditional handset; it needs specialized tools and services built for larger (and smaller) displays.Durability: The best foldable phone can take a beating, whether that's in the form of waist-high drops or pouring rain. Every device on this list is either certified IPX8 or IP52 or has been tested to meet above-average durability standards.Value: It's difficult to ignore how expensive foldables can be, so price-to-performance is something we deeply consider when evaluating devices. We also factor in carrier store promotions, trade-in deals, and other offers.

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.

It's the question everyone's been asking since the very first foldable was launched back in 2019: will Apple release a foldable iPhone? 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 is comfortable enough to release a mass-market foldable phone, we can expect there to be a drop in prices, as manufacturers scramble to compete in value. The latest rumors point to a release as soon as in 2026.

The best foldable phones listed above strike the perfect balance of design, functionality, and innovation. If you're still on the fence, here are some alternatives to consider.