Best Phones in the US 2026
The best phones you can buy in the US right now, ranked by PhoneRanked score. Every phone here is officially sold in the US and was announced in the last two years, so you can buy it from US stores with a local warranty.
Updated Top 10 of 73 phones that qualify How we picked
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Top pick
OnePlus 15
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1. OnePlus 15
Overall9.4- 6.78″ OLED, 165 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- 50 MP main camera
- 7,300 mAh, 120 W
- Pro: 7,300mAh silicon-carbon battery
- Pro: 120W wired and 50W wireless charging (80W wired in the US)
- Con: No microSD slot or headphone jack
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2. Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max
Overall9.2- 6.9″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Apple A20 Pro
- 48 MP main camera
- 5,567 mAh
- Pro: 6.9-inch 120Hz OLED with 3,000 nits outdoor peak brightness
- Pro: Variable-aperture 48MP main camera and 4x tetraprism telephoto
- Con: Starts at $1,299, $100 more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max
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3. Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Overall8.9- 6.9″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- 200 MP main camera
- 5,000 mAh, 60 W
- Pro: Built-in Privacy Display limits side viewing
- Pro: Built-in S Pen stylus
- Con: Battery capacity unchanged at 5,000 mAh
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4. Motorola Razr Fold
Overall8.9- 8.1″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Gen 5
- 50 MP main camera
- 6,000 mAh, 80 W
- Pro: Large 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery
- Pro: 80W wired and 50W wireless charging
- Con: Heavier (243 g) and thicker than some rivals
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5. Apple iPhone 18 Pro
Overall8.8- 6.3″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Apple A20 Pro
- 48 MP main camera
- 4,288 mAh
- Pro: First iPhone main camera with variable aperture (f/1.48 to f/4.0)
- Pro: Three 48MP rear cameras, including a 4x tetraprism telephoto
- Con: Starts $100 higher than the iPhone 17 Pro
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6. Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra
Overall8.6- 8″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- 200 MP main camera
- 5,000 mAh, 45 W
- Pro: 8-inch main screen with 1–120 Hz refresh and 3,000 nits peak brightness
- Pro: 200 MP main, 50 MP ultrawide and 3x telephoto rear cameras
- Con: High starting price of $2,099.99
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7. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra
Overall8.6- 6.9″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Elite
- 200 MP main camera
- 5,000 mAh, 45 W
- Pro: 6.9-inch QHD+ LTPO display with 1–120 Hz refresh rate
- Pro: Built-in S Pen
- Con: High starting price of $1,299.99
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8. Apple iPhone Duo
Overall8.5- 7.6″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Apple A20 Pro
- 48 MP main camera
- 4,883 mAh
- Pro: Two 120Hz OLED displays with the same aspect ratio
- Pro: IP68 rating (6 m for 30 minutes)
- Con: Starts at $1,999
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9. Google Pixel 11 Pro XL
Overall8.4- 6.8″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Google Tensor G6
- 50 MP main camera
- 5,115 mAh, 45 W
- Pro: 6.8-inch LTPO OLED display with up to 3,600 nits peak brightness
- Pro: 48 MP 5x telephoto camera with optical stabilization
- Con: Base model has 12 GB of RAM, down from 16 GB on the Pixel 10 Pro XL
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10. Samsung Galaxy S26+
Overall8.4- 6.7″ OLED, 120 Hz
- Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
- 50 MP main camera
- 4,900 mAh, 45 W
- Pro: 6.7-inch QHD+ AMOLED display with 1–120Hz adaptive refresh
- Pro: Seven Android upgrades and seven years of security updates
- Con: US starting price is $100 higher than the Galaxy S25+
How we picked
We take every phone that is officially sold in the US (it has an official US launch price or a US model), is on sale and was announced in the last two years. Then we rank it by its overall PhoneRanked score, the same score we use in all our rankings. Scores are calculated from specs, so every phone is judged by the same rules. Learn more about how we rate phones.
What to look for
Check your carrier
Most unlocked phones sold in the US work on AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon, but support for every band and feature isn't guaranteed. Check your carrier's compatibility list for the exact model before you buy.
Unlocked or carrier model?
Carrier models often come with deals and monthly payments, but they can be locked to that carrier for a while and may include extra apps. An unlocked phone from the maker or a big retailer works on any compatible carrier.
Look at update promises
Samsung Galaxy S and Google Pixel phones get seven years of updates, and Apple promises at least five years of security updates for iPhones. Each phone's page lists its update promise.
FAQ
What is the best phone you can buy in the US right now?
Right now it's the OnePlus 15, with a PhoneRanked score of 9.4 out of 10. The Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra round out the top three.
Why isn't the iPhone at the top of this list?
Every phone is scored by the same rules, and no brand gets extra points. The best iPhone here is the Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max, at No. 2 with a score of 9.2. Compared with the No. 1 OnePlus 15, it scores higher on performance but lower on display, battery, design and value for money. Our score is built from specs, so it can't measure everything an iPhone does well, like video processing, the app ecosystem and resale value. If those matter most to you, an iPhone can still be the right pick.
Why are some phones from your main ranking missing here?
This list includes only phones officially sold in the US. Phones sold in Europe or China but not in the US appear in our main ranking of the best phones and in our ranking of the best Chinese phones.
Are the prices on this list current?
We show official US launch prices of the cheapest version. Stores and carriers often sell phones for less, so check current prices before you buy.
How often is this list updated?
Automatically. When we add a phone or update its specs, the list is rebuilt within a few minutes. The date at the top of the page shows the last update.