Our Experts Written by Andrew Lanxon Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. Reviews ethics statement Why You Can Trust CNET 16171819202122232425+ Years of Experience 14151617181920212223 Hands-on Product Reviewers 6,0007,0008,0009,00010,00011,00012,00013,00014,00015,000 Sq. Feet of Lab Space How we test CNETs expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. What to consider Size Phones are big in general, with the smallest ones having a 6.1-inch screen and large models topping out at 6.8 inches. That makes visiting a store and trying a phone out before you buy it quite important. Cameras Phone cameras have gotten better over the past five years. But dont be fooled by how many cameras a phone has. More is not necessarily better. Software support Phone-makers promise varying lengths of long-term software and security support, ranging from just one year to as many as seven. These updates not only ensure you get many of the latest features, but also keep your phone secure. Table of Contents Our Picks Best for productivity and entertainment Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 View details $1,450 at Amazon View details Best foldable for Google lovers Google Pixel Fold View details $1,325 at Amazon View details Last year's flip phone is still great Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 View details $900 at Best Buy View details Best compact Samsung alternative Motorola Razr Plus (2023) View details $1,000 at Best Buy View details Best foldable for budget buyers Motorola Razr 2023 View details $700 at Amazon View details Best flip phone with a telephoto camera Oppo Find N3 Flip View details $829 at Amazon View details Best foldable to stand out from the crowd OnePlus Open View details $1,104 at Amazon View details Table of Contents Foldable phones have become one of the hottest trends in the smartphone space in recent years. We've seen some major design improvements, making it worthwhile to consider a folding phone for your next upgrade. Samsung recently unveiled its newest flip and foldable phones at Galaxy Unpacked, and Motorola debuted its new Razrs. ThePixel Foldis the first folding phone from Google, and it's a good effort despite a few quirks. Google's Pixel 9 Pro Fold is also a solid offering. Motorola's folding2023 Razr Plusflip phone scored well in our review, too, and the company'scheaper Razris the most affordable attempt we've seen to date. And we likeOnePlus' first attempt at a foldable phone as well.Folding phones come in two main varieties for now: candy bar, book-style phones, which open up like a book to become larger, tablet-size devices (like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5), and flip-style phones, which fold in half to become smaller and more pocketable (like the Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Moto Razr series). Because of the still-recent technology, all foldables are more expensive than their regular smartphone equivalents, making them a luxury option. But if you're looking to turn heads when you whip out your foldable display and bend your phone in half, they're worth looking into.Here are our picks for the best foldable phones available now. This story is part of Samsung Event, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Samsung's most popular products. Wed be remiss not to mention again that Motorola, Samsung and Google all launched their latest models in the past few weeks. So were still testing and reviewing these devices and havent included them in this guide. With that in mind, it might be worth holding off on buying a new foldable phone until you see what these new models have to offer.What's the best foldable phone?So far, Samsung's Galaxy Z line has the lead with the most iterations of folding phones with its two foldable designs -- the book-style folding tablet Galaxy Z Fold series and flip-phone-like Z Flip series -- but it's no longer the only company with skin in the game.TheSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5sits at the top of our list of best foldable phones,largelybecause it has an approachable price for a foldable. At $1,000, it is still expensive, but we believe it packs a lot for that price. The design and build quality feel sturdy, the software is polished, and the Z Flip gets four years of Android version support. On top of it all, the clamshell form factorand large cover screen make it one of the most portable and fun phones you can own.Best foldable phones Photo Gallery 1/1 $1,450 at Amazon $1,800 at Best Buy Pros Better battery life New hinge Brighter screen Cons S Pen doesn't work on cover screen Cameras are still just OK The $1,800 price $1,450 at Amazon $1,800 at Best Buy The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is an incremental improvement that further refines Samsung's large-screened foldable. If you're looking for a phone that can double as a tablet for viewing work-related documents, running multiple apps on screen at once or watching movies, the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is our top choice. The Google Pixel Fold may have better cameras, but the Galaxy Z Fold 5's bright screen makes Samsung's phone better at its intended purpose: providing a big display that fits in your pocket.The Galaxy Z Fold 5's $1,800 price is still hard to swallow and puts the phone out of range for most people. But if you can afford it, this large folding phone is the best iteration of Samsung's phone-tablet hybrid yet. Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review. $1,325 at Amazon Google got a lot of things right with its first attempt at building a folding phone. The large outer screen is great for using when closed and its slim design means it doesn't bulk out your pockets too much. It closes totally flat, too, which makes it very usable as a regular phone when snapped shut, while still letting you take advantage of the 7.6-inch internal screen when you need it.Its overall performance is solid and the cameras are good too, making it a great all-round option if you're wanting to dive into the exciting world of foldables.