A few years ago, small phones seemed to be going the way of the headphone jack, the removable battery, and the dodo. They were disappearing at an alarming rate, making way for 6.5-inch displays to become the floor rather than the ceiling. It felt like before long, the iPhone would be the only actual small phone left — not a great sign for us Android fans. Then, things flipped. Small phones became cool again, bringing back the idea that less can be more, much to the delight of bona fide small phone fans and portable design champions like me.
I’d go so far as to say that we’re in a golden age of small Android phones — or small phones in general. Samsung’s Galaxy S25 has settled at 6.2 inches, the iPhone 17 is a slightly larger 6.3, and even Google has a Pro-level Pixel with just a 6.3-inch display. And you know what? They’re all really good. I’ve spent time with every last small Android phone available in the US, and here are the ones I think are worth buying in 2025.
Google Pixel 10 Pro: The best small Android phone overall Google Pixel 10 Pro Top-tier specs with small display • Excellent cameras • Powerful AI tools • Top-notch software MSRP: $999.00 More power in the smaller form-factor The Google Pixel 10 Pro has everything you could want in a flagship Android phone crammed into a truly compact body with a 6.3-inch display. Google's new Tensor G5 chip is more powerful, the 100x Pro Res Zoom is truly impressive, and there are loads of helpful AI features. Not to mention, you still get seven years of Android updates. See price at Amazon Positives Compact, comfortable design
Compact, comfortable design Built-in magnetic charging
Built-in magnetic charging Tensor G5 runs cool
Tensor G5 runs cool Super versatile cameras
Super versatile cameras Pro Res Zoom is scary impressive
Pro Res Zoom is scary impressive Pixel-exclusive features are still fantastic
Pixel-exclusive features are still fantastic Seven years of updates Cons No physical SIM slot in the US
No physical SIM slot in the US Not a huge performance upgrade
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