The Best Small Smartphones 2025
Finding the ideal smartphone isn’t always about the biggest screen or highest resolution; for some handset owners, balancing performance and portability can be a significant priority. Whether you’re after a small iPhone, Android, or just in the market for a top compact device, we’ve rounded up the best small phones you can buy.
Explore our recommended pocket-friendly picks or browse our wider collection of contract and refurbished options.
Why choose a small smartphone?
From the iPhone 16e (the smallest in its series) to the foldable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6, compact smartphones can deliver flagship-level power in a petite form factor. These devices are ideal for travellers, multitaskers, or anyone who wants to downsize their handset without losing out on features.
iPhone 16e
Why we picked it
• Smallest of the iPhone 16 series
• Affordable iPhone option
• Superb performance
• Apple Intelligence
The iPhone 16e is the spiritual successor to Apple’s SE line of handsets. Taking all the incredible software features of the 16 series, it boasts the same sleek design and aluminium frame that makes the iPhone so distinctive, albeit with a flush camera bump on the back that helps the 16e slot comfortably into any pocket.
Weighing just 167g and only 146.7mm in height, the iPhone 16e is small but powerful and provides an exceptional viewing experience when streaming videos or gaming. You’ll not find much difference between this handset and the base iPhone 16, with a resolution of 2532 x 1170 that matches it blow-for-blow. Both also sport a 6.1” Super Retina XDR OLED display, so you’re losing little in the display department by opting for the iPhone 16e.
Another area where the iPhone 16e impressed us is how it delivers supersized performance thanks to the A18 processor. It’s a superb chipset that easily handles heavy usage across a range of activities, particularly when gaming. Alongside the A18 processor are iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence, which come with handy customisation and AI features respectively.
Google Pixel 9
Why we picked it
• Smaller and faster than the Pixel 9a
• Superb cameras
• Leading AI features
The Pixel 9 carries a number of hardware advantages over the Pixel 9a, but the most curious fact is that Google’s base model is actually smaller than its entry-level option. This is noteworthy because we don’t always see this play out; the iPhone 16e being smaller and lighter than the base iPhone 16 as an example.
A height difference of 2mm might not seem significant, yet over time it became clear just how much easier the Pixel 9 was to store in the pocket. It’s also 0.4mm thinner, making it even more portable.
We came away very impressed with the Pixel 9’s abundant features, such as the stunning 6.3” Actua OLED display and lightning-fast Tensor G4 processor. The Pixel 9 also includes one of the best AI toolkits we’ve seen, with standout features like Circle to Search, Video Boost and Best Take.
Google Pixel 8a
Why we picked it
• Still a powerful smartphone option
• Smaller than the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9
• Main wide camera has a higher MP count than the Pixel 9a
The Google Pixel 8a is still a great choice of phone several years after launch, combining Google’s signature AI features with a small, user-friendly profile. Its 6.1” Actua OLED display is as vibrant as we remember, and the slim bezels ensure it looks sleek from every angle.
Google’s commitment to software updates has kept the Pixel 8a secure and up-to-date. You won’t get every feature that successor Pixel phones have due to possessing the older Tensor G3 chip, but it still offers impressive performance for multitasking and gaming.
If your budget necessitates an older smartphone option or you’re buying for a child, the Pixel 8a is a small, powerful and affordable alternative.
iPhone 16
Why we picked it
• Unique features that the iPhone 16e doesn’t have
• More variety when it comes to camera hardware
The iPhone 16 is undoubtedly one of the best small smartphones on the market. Whilst it lacks the slightly smaller form factor of the iPhone 16e, this is offset by a more versatile camera array and features not found on the 16e such as the Dynamic Island.
Sporting a 6.1” Super Retina XDR display, it provides a fantastic balance between size and immersion. Apple’s Super Retina XDR technology always impresses us; colours are exceptionally vivid and every detail pops, whether you’re gaming or watching a film.
On the performance front, the iPhone 16 is very similar to the 16e except for one detail: it comes equipped with an additional GPU core. This gives the iPhone 16 a performance boost by improving its ability to render graphics and run higher graphical settings in games.
Samsung Galaxy S25
Why we picked it
• Smallest Samsung phone outside of the flip models
• Fast and responsive
• Excellent battery life
The Samsung Galaxy S25 offers a flagship experience in a smaller, more compact design compared to other handsets in the series. Performance-wise, the Galaxy S25 is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, which serves up exceptional speeds in a myriad of scenarios. The 12GB RAM that’s included further improves performance by easing the processor’s workload and freeing it up for more demanding tasks.
The impressive triple-camera system includes a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP telephoto lens. This array delivers high-quality photos packed with vibrant colours, deep contrasts and rich detail that look fantastic on the Galaxy S25’s 6.2” AMOLED display.
Another standout area on the Galaxy S25 is Galaxy AI, which introduced tools like Live Translate and Note Assist. This is easily one of the best – and smallest – phones for enjoying the benefits of AI.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6
Why we picked it
• Superb foldable design
• Incredibly durable
• Bright and vivid screens
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip6 continued the brand’s run of excellent flip phones. When folded, it fits easily into a pocket due to only measuring 85.1mm in height; upon unfolding the Z Flip6, it expands into a traditional 165.1mm form factor. Durability is vitally important for a foldable device, and Samsung nailed it here by including a flex hinge that can withstand over 200,000 folding cycles.
The 6.7” AMOLED main display provides amazing clarity and is paired with a 120Hz refresh rate, offering smooth visuals and reduced stutter. The external 3.4” AMOLED cover display pulls no punches either and is incredibly handy for checking notifications, taking selfies or checking the weather without unfolding the phone.
Samsung equipped the Z Flip6 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, which grants this phone flagship-level performance for all tasks. Battery life is also a very respectable 4,000mAh, so you can use the Z Flip6 throughout the day before needing to think about recharging it; we wouldn’t recommend long gaming sessions though.
Those are our picks for the very best small smartphones. Whether you opt for an iPhone or an Android device, learn how to easily move your old data across with our step-by-step guides.
FAQs
Do small smartphones have good battery life?
Modern small smartphones are designed to optimise battery life despite their size, thanks to battery-saving features provided by the CPU. As a result, form factor often doesn’t have to come at the expense of battery capacity.
What if I currently have an Android and want to swap to a small iPhone?
Swapping over contacts from an Android phone can feel like a huge task, but it’s actually pretty simple and easy. We’ve put together a guide for that here.