More than four years after the launch of Samsung's first Galaxy Z Fold, foldable phones have finally become commonplace. Despite the astronomical prices, buyers have found themselves lured in by the promise of perfected mobile productivity or — in the case of clamshell phones — portability in a fun-sized package. What may have seemed like a novelty has proven to be a new type of device and some of the best Android phones around, destined to win over power users and gadget fanatics everywhere.

Samsung has sort of been the undisputed leader in the US foldable smartphone market for a while now, but things have changed drastically with the entry of new players such as Google with the Pixel Fold and OnePlus with the Open. Samsung is not just facing competition in the book-style foldable segment, as Motorola has also chosen to return to the US market with two clamshell foldable smartphones to challenge the Galaxy Z Flip 5. If you are in the market for a foldable smartphone, there's never been a better time than now, as you will see from our list of the best foldables in 2023.

The Motorola Razr+ isn't just my favorite folding phone of 2023 — it's my favorite foldable ever. While readers who find themselves drawn to the promise of a pocket-sized tablet will need to look for other options, anyone who misses smaller smartphones will find themselves head over heels in love with Moto's latest clamshell.

Its design isn't far from what Samsung has perfected over several Galaxy Z Flip generations, but it has a couple of key improvements. For one, the entire chassis is slimmed down, allowing the whole phone to fold flat while staying thin and light in your pocket. Its rounded edges also feel excellent to the touch. Performance is also great, with the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 balancing speed and efficiency for all-day battery life.

Of course, it's not a perfect phone. The cameras, unsurprisingly, suffer thanks to the limited sensor space and Motorola's subpar image processing. It also picks up plenty of smudges on the front display, which might leave you cleaning your fingerprints off constantly. But if you're after a phone that balances feeling small and large without much compromise, you can't do better than the Motorola Razr+.

The OnePlus Open has not only earned the badge of being the best tablet foldable, but it's also one of the best smartphones released in 2023. While this is OnePlus's first foldable smartphone, it's actually the same device sold as the Oppo Find N3 in other markets. Notwithstanding, this is still an amazing device. The OnePlus Open has received praise for hitting the right spot when it comes to how a foldable should feel in the hand. From the quality of materials to the form factor to its weight, which is lighter than its rivals, it gets a lot of things right.

It doesn't just feel or look great; it also packs some pretty impressive specs. Under the hood, the OnePlus Open has Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, 16GB of RAM for running multiple apps concurrently, and 512GB of ample storage. Pair that with a 6.3-inch cover display and a 7.82-inch inner screen, both of which are 120Hz LTPO panels with impressive peak brightness levels. The signature OnePlus features are available, too, like the Alert Slider and the Hasselblad-branded cameras.

The OnePlus Open still has its shortcomings. It is aggressive when it comes to optimizations, and this results in delayed notifications. Also, its lack of wireless charging can be considered a deal-breaker for some, but it makes up for that with impressive battery life and support for 67W fast charging, which trumps what its rivals offer. On top of that, there is a charger in the box, a rarity when it comes to premium smartphones, whether they are foldable or not. There is also a case in the box, but you may want to pick up a case that offers better protection.

When it comes to tablet-sized foldable phones, the new Galaxy Z Fold 5 should be the choice for you. It has a tall and narrow design when folded up; the 6.2-inch OLED screen with 2316x904 resolution remains perfectly usable if just a bit cramped when typing. Opening the Z Fold 5 reveals the main screen that measures 7.6 inches with a 2176 x 1812 resolution. It also uses OLED tech for stunning pictures, and it's large enough to feel like a small tablet when you're using your favorite apps. The new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset can keep up with pretty much any task without overheating.

Samsung didn't make any huge design changes for this generation, but it did eliminate the gap between the two halves of the phone when folded. In my Galaxy Z Fold 5 review, I noted that "the Galaxy Z Fold 5 is finally slim enough to fit in your pocket comfortably." The look might be a bit stale, but at least this generation has slimmed things down. Cameras have also gone unchanged, save for a new lens coating that should reduce lens flare.

As for battery life, you can expect nearly all-day performance. As mentioned in our review, it's not a bad idea to plug it in before heading out for the night. A quality power bank is also a solution for those who are always on the go. One drawback is the 25W charging cap. This phone is expensive, and you'd expect at least 45W charging here to go along with the Galaxy S23 phones.

Nevertheless, the Z Fold 5 is one of the few options actually available in the US. It's not a huge upgrade over the Z Fold 4, but it's been heavily polished and is the best version of the Samsung Z Fold so far. Be sure to check out our Z Fold 5 vs. Z Fold 4 comparison for more details about the changes for this generation.

Like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, the clamshell Galaxy Z Flip 5 is a 2023 release that builds on the previous generation. Comparing the Flip to the Fold, it's clear that the former device got a bit more love this time around.

New to the Z Flip 5 is a 3.4-inch cover display that's nearly four times the size of the front screen on the Z Flip 4. The 720p resolution at 60Hz works wonders for checking notifications and interacting with widgets, and you can even use a keyboard to answer messages. The internal 6.7-inch screen remains the same, though it does have a new hinge that apparently lessens the shock of impacts when dropped or bumped.

The Z Flip 5 comes in four colors, including Mint, Graphite, Cream, and Lavender. Buying straight from Samsung opens up additional Blue, Gray, Green, and Yellow colors. Unfortunately, there's no Bespoke Edition program that lets you select individual colors for each part. The phone's cameras remain unchanged compared to the Z Flip 4, and it still has IPX8 certification for water resistance.

You should expect slightly better performance this time around from the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. It comes with 8GB of RAM and either 256GB or 512GB of storage space; no more 128GB option. It also uses the same size battery as the Flip 4, and it suffers from the same slow 25W charging as the Z Fold 5.

All that being said, Samsung is offering the Z Flip 5 — with a new cover screen, new CPU, and 256GB of storage space to start — at the same launch price as the Z Flip 4. Be sure to take a look at our Z Flip 5 vs. Z Flip 4 comparison for more information on how the two generations compare.

While foldable smartphones have gotten significantly better over the years, the price has held lots of people back from picking up one, but that changes with the Motorola Razr (2023). Motorola's budget clamshell smartphone is priced at $700, less than half the price of the Galaxy Z Fold 5, and $300 cheaper than the other clamshell foldables on this list.

Despite its lower price tag, Motorola doesn't skimp on build quality. As a matter of fact, this is one of its selling points. The Razr (2023) has an aluminum frame, Gorilla Glass Victus on top of its cover display, a vegan leather finish in a variety of hues, and an IP52 dust and water resistance rating.

The specifications are commendable, too. It has a 144Hz LTPO main panel that is pretty bright, above-average cameras, a best-in-class battery with 30W fast charging, and a clean and fast software experience with useful additions. Where Motorola has made tradeoffs includes the miniature cover display, which doesn't allow you to do much without unfolding the phone. The Razr (2023) also has a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chipset, which isn't a flagship chipset. There is also only one configuration available.

Not everyone is into Samsung's software experience, and thankfully, there's finally another option in the US. The Google Pixel Fold is far from a perfect device — it suffers from the same first-gen hiccups that we often see from the company's products — but if you're after a Pixel-style experience on the biggest screen you can find, the Pixel Fold is the one to get. Plus, thanks to an improved design, the outer display is usable for most tasks, which is not true with Samsung's form factor.

At 5.8" and with a more rectangular aspect ratio than most phones these days, the screen is a great introduction to the Pixel Fold. The interior display, however, feels a generation or two behind compared to what Samsung is doing. While the displays are the exact same size and shape, the Pixel's been rotated 90 degrees to open wide, and the larger bezels and lower quality compared to the Galaxy Z-series might turn off some users. Nevertheless, the Pixel software experience continues to mostly shine.

The biggest problem has to do with apps. Google chose to prevent third-party apps from filling the entire screen unless they're enhanced by developers, which means lots of apps fail to use up the available screen real estate. The Pixel Fold more than makes up for that in the camera department, though. There's much to love about how this phone takes photos, and it's by far the best camera you'll find on a foldable. Although some might choose to wait for a second generation to help smooth out some of the bugs here, it's still a solid alternative to what Samsung is doing, especially if you don't care for One UI.

Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 has upgraded most aspects of the Z Fold 4 from last year, but the older model is still an excellent folder for those looking to upgrade without spending new phone prices. The star of the show is the large 7.6-inch OLED inside running at 120Hz and powered by the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. With another 6.2-inch 120Hz OLED on the outside for quick tasks, this phone can run just about anything you throw at it with ease. It's also a multitasking master with plenty of screen real estate on the inside for multiple windows. You can even pick up an S Pen for fine inputs or note-taking.

The battery isn't winning any awards at a modest 4,400mAh and only charging at 25W, but our Galaxy Z Fold 4 review found that it should still make it to the end of the day with moderate usage. Luckily, it supports 15W wireless Qi charging, so if you've equipped your desk with one of the best wireless chargers for Z Fold phones, you can leave work with a full charge. This phone also has a solid camera system with telephoto and ultrawide cameras in addition to the 50MP main shooter, which is still a match for the Z Fold 5 most of the time.

Samsung has also gone to great lengths to keep its flagship models up-to-date longer than most other manufacturers, including Google. Samsung has promised four major OS upgrades and five years of security updates for the Z Fold 4. That means that you can download and install the latest Android 13 update with One UI 5.1 right out of the box.

The Galaxy Z Flip 4, like the Z Fold 4, is still a strong pick for many people with hardware that can still keep up with modern apps and tasks without breaking a sweat. This phone has a solid 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display on the inside that folds right down the middle. Once folded, you can still get basic notifications on the 1.9-inch external display. This clamshell folder is powered by Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 with 8GB of RAM, so it still has the same sort of compute power you'd find in a standard Galaxy S phone. It will even keep working if it takes a quick swim with an IPX8 rating.

This phone, however, does have to make a few cutbacks to accommodate its compact size, starting with the battery. The 3,800mAh battery will struggle to sustain a heavy user through the whole day, and charging isn't blazing with 25W wired and 10W wireless charging available. The USB port is also only USB 2.0 spec, meaning you won't be using Samsung features like Dex with this phone, and transferring large files to a PC could be quite slow at just 480Mpbs peak transfer speeds.

While a clamshell folding phone definitely isn't for everyone, this folder is still a strong choice for those it does work for. Samsung has extended its promise of four OS upgrades and five years of security updates to this device, so you're not stuck using old software. In fact, this phone is ready to be updated to Android 13 with One UI 5.1 as soon as you get it connected to Wi-Fi.

Picking the right foldable

It's taken a few years, but Samsung finally has a couple of rivals in the United States. With the Motorola Razr+ and Razr (2023), buyers now have more choices in the clamshell space aside from the Galaxy Z Flip 5. If you prefer book-style foldable phones, then the Galaxy Z Fold 5 isn't the only option either, as Google's Pixel Fold and OnePlus' OnePlus Open have also got you covered.

You can also save some money by picking up the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4, Samsung's offerings from the previous year. There aren't a lot of upgrades when compared to their successors, and they are frequently discounted by some sellers.