Small Smartphones: Top Picks for 2026

No doubt about it—smartphones have steadily grown in size over the past decade. Many modern flagships now blur the line between phone and tablet, offering massive screens and equally large frames. Yet despite this trend, there remains a dedicated audience looking for something smaller, lighter, and easier to live with. Compact and foldable smartphones continue to thrive in this niche, offering the perfect mix of portability, premium performance, and practical everyday usability.

In this expanded guide, we explore three of the most notable compact smartphones of the year: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, the Apple iPhone 17, and the Apple iPhone Air. Together, they represent the strongest options available for users who want a capable phone that won’t dominate their pocket or their hand.

Why Small Smartphones Still Matter

As displays get bigger and internal components more powerful, small smartphones have moved from center stage to niche category. However, their value hasn’t changed. People who want a comfortable one-handed device—or simply don’t want to carry a brick around all day—are increasingly turning to compact options or modern foldables.

Today’s compact phones aren’t the stripped-down budget devices of years past. Instead, they deliver impressive cameras, fast processors, long battery life, and designs that rival the best flagships. Whether you value convenience, ergonomics, or portability, small smartphones continue to offer something the largest devices can’t: an everyday device that fits seamlessly into your life, not the other way around.

The Phones We’re Featuring:

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7
• Apple iPhone 17
• Apple iPhone Air
• Motorola Razr+ (2024)

These devices represent the strongest players in the compact and foldable category for 2026, and each one approaches the idea of “small but mighty” in its own way.

Best Small Android Smartphone: Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

The Galaxy Z Flip 7 remains Samsung’s most compact flagship, merging portability with performance in a way few devices can match. When folded, it becomes a small, pocketable square that’s incredibly easy to carry around. The sleek hinge and updated exterior display make checking notifications, controlling music, or taking quick photos effortless—without opening the phone at all.

Once unfolded, the Z Flip 7 reveals a spacious, high-quality display suitable for multitasking, streaming, reading, and gaming. Samsung continues to refine the foldable experience with improved durability, slimmer bezels, and better outdoor visibility. For Android users who want the best balance between portability and power, the Z Flip 7 stands out as the most compelling option.

Best Small iPhone: Apple iPhone 17

The iPhone 17 defines what a modern compact iPhone should be. While it isn’t as tiny as older mini models from Apple’s past, it strikes a more practical balance by offering contemporary flagship performance in a comfortable size that doesn’t overwhelm the hand. Its updated camera array, brighter display, and battery improvements make it noticeably better than previous generations.

Perhaps the biggest leap forward comes from the latest Apple Intelligence features integrated directly into the phone’s design and software. From on-device assistance to improved automation and smarter photo editing, the iPhone 17 feels genuinely future-ready. Its manageable size makes it easy to carry, easy to type on, and easy to use without sacrificing the performance and features expected from Apple’s marquee product.

Best Affordable Compact iPhone: Apple iPhone Air

For anyone who wants the smallest and most affordable modern iPhone, the iPhone Air fills a gap in Apple’s lineup. It’s thinner, lighter, and more compact than the iPhone 17, yet offers impressive performance for the price. Its approachable size makes it ideal for casual users, younger users, or anyone who wants an Apple device without the premium flagship price tag.

Even though it’s the budget-friendly option, the iPhone Air remains surprisingly capable. Everyday apps, photography, browsing, messaging, and streaming all feel smooth and responsive. Its light frame also makes it one of the easiest iPhones to hold for extended use—an important consideration for people who use their phone constantly throughout the day.

Best Small Flip Phone: Motorola Razr+ (2024)

Even though it’s a model from last year, the Razr+ remains a standout choice for users who want a highly portable flip phone without jumping to the newest devices. When collapsed, it becomes incredibly compact, making it one of the smallest modern smartphones available. Once expanded, its large foldable display feels right at home among premium Android devices.

Its exterior display is especially useful for quick interactions, and its combination of battery life, water resistance, and clean software continues to appeal to users who prefer Motorola’s take on Android. For shoppers who want a foldable under flagship pricing—or who love the nostalgia of the classic Razr form factor—the Razr+ offers plenty of value.

Why Smartphones Are Getting Bigger

There are practical reasons device sizes keep climbing. As our expectations grow—more gaming, more streaming, more reading, more content—the need for large batteries, large displays, and powerful internal components increases. Bigger phones offer performance stability, cooling improvements, and more immersive experiences.

But the desire for compactness hasn’t gone away. Some users prefer something that fits neatly into a pocket or can be comfortably operated with one hand. For these users, compact phones and foldables like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 exist precisely to fill that gap. They offer the same power and modern features as larger devices, but with a form factor that is far easier to live with.

The Small Smartphone is Dead—Long Live the Small Smartphone

Traditional small slab smartphones may be disappearing from manufacturer lineups, but the modern landscape offers something arguably better. Foldables have become the spiritual successor to the small phone, offering both compactness and full-screen usability. The Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Motorola Razr+ demonstrate exactly why this category is thriving.

At the same time, Apple’s iPhone 17 and iPhone Air prove that the company still respects the value of smaller, lighter devices—just not the ultra-tiny sizes of years past. Instead, Apple is focused on a more balanced compact form factor that supports longevity, battery life, and advanced computing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do small smartphones still exist?

If this list is any indication, small smartphones still very much exist, and many of them pack flagship-level specs into their diminutive frames for a modern smartphone experience. Our favorite small smartphone right now is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6.

Does Samsung have a compact phone?

Yes, Samsung has a compact phone. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 folds up into a small little square, measuring 85.1 x 71.9 x 14.9 mm. When you're ready to enjoy some immersive browsing or streaming, unfolding the device reveals a vivid 6.7-inch Foldable Dynamic AMOLED display.

Why doesn't Apple make small phones?

Apple has veered away from small phone due to the lackluster sales of its iPhone mini devices. The iPhone SE (2022) is certainly small, but it's a couple of years old now, and Apple hasn't released an updated version of the device since.