Overview
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![Apple iPhone 15 Pro]()
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best Small iPhone - Jump To Details
![Samsung Galaxy S24]()
Samsung Galaxy S24
Best Small Android Phone - Jump To Details
![Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5]()
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Best Folding Phone - Jump To Details
![Google Pixel 8]()
Google Pixel 8
Best Camera Quality - Jump To Details
![Apple iPhone SE (2022)]()
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most Affordable Small iPhone - Jump To Details
![Nokia 2780 Flip]()
Nokia 2780 Flip
Best Flip Phone
Smartphones have been slowly expanding in size, and we're now at the point in which the majority are difficult to use with just one hand. Flagships are huge: Apple and Samsung reserve their best cameras, biggest batteries, and most capacious storage for the 3-inch-wide, hand-buster phones in their Max and Ultra models, respectively. But it's still possible to find small(ish), good phones that fit in your hand, give you all the features you want, and cost a reasonable amount.
With that in mind, these are the best small phones we've tested.
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Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
![Apple iPhone 15 Pro]()
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Best Small iPhoneWhy We Picked It
The iPhone 15 Pro incorporates most of the features from Apple's flagship Pro Max into a size that's far easier to grasp. It runs on Apple's most advanced A17 Pro chip, offers excellent image and video quality, employs a classy titanium frame, and has a vivid screen with an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz. A customizable, physical action button and USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 (both new for this generation) round out the experience.
Who It's For
If you want a high-end iPhone that fits in your pocket, the iPhone 15 Pro is the way to go. You lose out on the 5x tetraprism telephoto camera of the Pro Max and a bit of battery life, but those are worthwhile trade-offs if you want a phone that's comfortable to use in one hand.
Pros
- Compact size
- Lots of processing power
- Customizable Action button
- Advanced USB-C features
- Excellent cameras
- Pro video capture
Cons
- Shorter battery life than iPhone Pro Max
- Less optical zoom than iPhone Pro Max
Learn MoreApple iPhone 15 Pro Review![Samsung Galaxy S24]()
Samsung Galaxy S24
Best Small Android PhoneWhy We Picked It
Samsung's Galaxy S24 packs Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for Galaxy processor, a speedy Snapdragon X75 modem, 8GB of RAM, and up to 512GB of UFS 4.0 storage into its reasonably sized frame. The phone's 50MP main camera also takes sharp, vibrant photos, while its FHD+ panel offers 2,600 nits of peak outdoor brightness and HDR10+ support. Battery life is better than average, while wireless charging is a welcome convenience.
Who It's For
If you prefer Android to iOS, the Galaxy S24 is the best compact phone you can buy. And because Samsung commits to seven years of OS updates, you won't have to worry about finding another small phone for a long time.
Pros
- Compact, premium build
- Flagship performance
- Useful AI features
- Seven-year software support commitment
Cons
- Limited RAM and storage offerings
- Can get warm while gaming
Learn MoreSamsung Galaxy S24 Review![Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5]()
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5
Best Folding PhoneWhy We Picked It
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 doesn't make you give up screen real estate in the name of practicality: It folds down to easily fit inside your pocket and expands to show a 6.7-inch display when you open it back up. An outer display is useful for everything from taking selfies to interacting with widgets, while the phone's IPX8 rating, Gorilla Glass Victus 2 panels on the front and back, and flat-folding hinge make it sufficiently durable. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy chip keeps everything running smoothly.
Who It's For
If you want to carry the smallest phone possible, it's hard to beat the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It combines the compactness of a flip phone with the advanced features of a traditional smartphone.
Pros
- Beautiful design and finish
- Excellent performance
- Sharp screens
- Surprisingly rugged build
Cons
- Outer display functionality is limited by default
- Poor app continuity between screens
Learn MoreSamsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 Review![Google Pixel 8]()
Google Pixel 8
Best Camera QualityWhy We Picked It
The Pixel 8 is the smaller of Google's flagship phones, but it still packs a fast Tensor G3 processor, lots of AI-assisted features, a gorgeous screen, and the best cameras in its price range. Moreover, it offers a clean software experience and comes in at a midrange price.
Who It's For
The Pixel 8 is for Google fans who don't want to deal with the size and price of the 8 Pro but still want most of the high-end features.
Pros
- Competitively priced
- Advanced AI features
- Terrific cameras
- Compact
- Excellent build quality
Cons
- Unimpressive battery life
- No telephoto camera
- Storage capped at 256GB
Learn MoreGoogle Pixel 8 Review![Apple iPhone SE (2022)]()
Apple iPhone SE (2022)
Most Affordable Small iPhoneWhy We Picked It
Apple's iPhone SE doesn't have the latest specs or the most cutting-edge design, but it's an affordable entry into the iOS ecosystem and among the most suitable phones for one-handed use. Its A15 processor is still fast enough for most tasks and its rear camera works fine in sufficient light. Battery life is a bit behind the times, but that's not a deal breaker.
Who It's For
If the iPhone 15 is out of your budget, the iPhone SE is the most cost-effective way to experience Apple's mobile OS in a compact design. And if you're not a fan of Face ID, the integrated Touch ID button should be a welcome sight.
Pros
- Most affordable new iPhone
- Speedy performance
- Supports T-Mobile and Verizon mid-band 5G
- Longer battery life than the previous model
Cons
- Outdated body design
- No Night mode in camera
- Lacks support for AT&T's 3.45GHz mid-band 5G
- Shortest battery life of any current iPhone model
Learn MoreApple iPhone SE (2022) Review![Nokia 2780 Flip]()
Nokia 2780 Flip
Best Flip PhoneWhy We Picked It
Nokia's 2780 Flip is a low-cost voice phone with a few modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi, an FM radio, and a passable rear camera. We would have liked better battery life and a smoother OS, but neither of those drawbacks detract too much from the phone's primary purpose of making calls.
Who It's For
If you miss the simplicity of your old flip phone, this Nokia model should appeal. It does what it needs to do just fine and is a good choice if you simply need a phone for voice calls.
Pros
- Good call quality
- Wi-Fi connectivity
- FM radio
- Affordable
Cons
- Operating system is a bit clunky
- Group texting could be better
- Several key apps are missing
- Middling battery life
Learn MoreNokia 2780 Flip Review
Buying Guide: The Best Small Phones for 2024
How Big Is Too Big?
Smartphones have increased in size, but our hands haven't. Back when LG launched its G2 smartphone, the company said that most people could comfortably hold a phone as wide as 2.8 inches. That might be why the base size for Samsung's flagship Galaxy S phones and Apple's base iPhones has hovered between 2.7 and 2.8 inches for years.
Palm breadth tells you how wide a phone can be before it falls out of your hand; thumb length tells you how wide a screen can be before it's inoperable with one hand. According to an old NASA study a HealthLine article mentions, the average handbreadth is 3.1 inches for women and 3.5 inches for men. The Center for Construction Research and Training estimates are a bit lower: 2.91 inches for women and 3.3 inches for men. A New York Magazine story cites a US Army study that claims the average thumb length is 2.74 inches for men and 2.49 inches for women. So, that 2.8-inch phone width from LG is just a hair wider than the full reach of the average male thumb.
We've used the 2.8-inch-wide measure as the maximum width for phones to be eligible for this roundup, but it’s getting progressively more difficult to find phones that meet this requirement. As such, a couple of phones on the list are just a hair over the 2.8-inch mark. Many people might still find these phones to be a bit wide for one-hand use, but small phone beggars can't currently be choosers.
Why Are Phones Getting Bigger?
The push toward mobile internet and video consumption originally drove the growth of phone screens. With phones becoming people's primary windows to the internet and video streaming apps becoming hugely popular, bigger screens are now more compelling than smaller ones.
When the physical size of hands stopped manufacturers from making phones wider, they still went taller, pushing the screen height-to-width ratio from the common 16:9 to 19:9 or 19.5:9. Sony has gone as far as 21:9, making very tall, narrow phones that beautifully display 21:9 video originally intended for wide-screen TVs. If you care about "small" only in the sense of reaching across your phone, one of those phones might be a good option.
People like bigger batteries, too, and the easiest way to pack in a bigger battery is to make the phone bigger. Unlike other technologies, battery capacity has been extremely resistant to technological improvement—try to get too smart at squeezing more battery capacity into a smaller space, and you end up with a problem.
Finally, phone makers want to charge more. There's a deep theme in the American consumer culture that bigger is better and is worth more: bigger cars, bigger houses, bigger TVs, and bigger phones. It's been difficult for phone makers to convince consumers that something small is still valuable.
If you're looking for a small phone because you find big screens distracting or exhausting, small voice phones are worth considering. These little flip phones fit just as well in your hand now as their ancestors did in 2006.
The Future of Small Smartphones
Alas, it looks like small smartphones will remain a niche market. For example, Apple ceased selling the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini because they sold so poorly. Asus, Samsung, and Sony are sort of keeping smaller premium devices in their lineups. Folding phones (specifically those that mimic the design of old-school flip phones) are also worth considering, as they are at least pocketable.
Still thinking big? Check out our roundup of the best phones overall.
Dave LeClair and Sascha Segan contributed to this story.
