Best Android phones for selfies

For many, selfies have become an integral part of life. Some may be looking for that perfect solo for their latest social media post, while others may be looking to capture themselves during a special moment. No matter what your selfie needs are, a great front-facing camera is crucial to ensure the picture looks spectacular.

But a phone with just a great selfie camera isn’t enough. An overall lackluster device will quickly make for a frustrating user experience. Luckily, many of the best smartphones for capturing a great selfie are also some of the best Android phones currently available. No matter the situation, this curated list of the top phones will get your perfect shot.

The best Android phones for selfies

The Google Pixel 8 is a great all-around device that excels at a lot, especially when it comes to taking photos. The front-facing camera features a 10.5MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens for getting that perfect selfie. You aren’t limited to taking stills, either, as the selfie camera can record 4K and 1080p content at up to 60fps. Since it’s a Pixel device, the Pixel 8 includes a comprehensive suite of AI tools, such as Face Unblur, that will help you get the perfect shot. At 150.5 x 70.8 x 8.9 millimeters and weighing only 6.6 ounces (187 grams), the Pixel 8 is quite small for a modern smartphone, making handling it with one hand a breeze.

In addition to the great front-facing camera performance, the Pixel 8 is a capable performer where it counts. The device’s Tensor G3 processor might not be as strong as a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, but will easily handle just about any need and excels at AI performance. It has 8GB of RAM and either 128GB or 256GB of storage. When you aren’t looking to snap a selfie, the rear cameras are no slouches. The dual camera system features a 50MP f/1.7 wide lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens, which are quite capable of getting some excellent pictures.

The 6.2-inch, 120Hz OLED display is stunning to look at. With a peak brightness of 2000 nits, you’ll never struggle to see it, even on the brightest days. For those disappointed with the small screen and who aren’t afraid to wield a larger device, the Google Pixel 8 Pro is another solid option. While the Pixel 8 Pro has some solid improvements over the Pixel 8, the selfie camera isn’t one of them as they utilize the same setup. If your priority is getting the best selfie, spending three hundred dollars more on the Pro version may not be worth it.

Read our full Google Pixel 8 review.

For many, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the cream of the crop of the Android world. This sentiment is well deserved as Samsung has built one heck of a smartphone with its latest Ultra series device. The Galaxy S24 Ultra has a blend of power, durability, and all-around greatness that few devices or manufacturers could ever hope to achieve.

With a device this capable and well-built, you might imagine that it comes with an equally ballooned price tag, and you’d be right. The S24 Ultra starts at $1300, making it one of the most expensive devices currently available. If the upfront cost doesn’t scare you, you can’t do much better than this amazing device.

The Galaxy S24 Ultra handles selfies with ease, thanks to its 12MP f/2.2 front-facing camera. In addition to snapping great selfies, the S24 Ultra’s front-facing camera can record 4K and 1080p video at up to 60fps. Depending on how you are holding the device and the size of your hands, getting the perfect selfie might be a bit difficult due to the device’s sheer size. At 162.3 x 79 x 8.6 millimeters and weighing 8.18 ounces (233 grams), this device is large, making it difficult for some to grasp it with one hand.

Moving past selfies, Samsung packed out the S24 Ultra’s spec sheet. It has a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor, 12GB of RAM, and either 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor is a powerhouse and will have no difficulty keeping up with your daily use. It also has a 5000mAh battery that should easily get you through a day and then some. Let’s not forget the top-of-the-line camera setup. You are getting a 200MP main lens, a 50MP periscope telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, and a 12MP ultrawide lens.

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an amazing device that will last for years. If your priority is strictly taking great selfies, or your budget doesn’t allow for it, it would be best to look elsewhere. For those that must have the latest and greatest from Samsung, you really can’t do any better than this.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review.

The Google Pixel 7a is one of those devices that just turns price to performance expectations on its head. With a retail cost of $500, the Pixel 7a brings along yesterday’s flagship performance at an unbeatable price. If you can find it for $400 or less (as it frequently does when on sale), it’s simply unbeatable. It uses the same Tensor G2 processor from the Pixel 7 and improves the camera system and display of previous A-series devices, making it a flagship-capable device.

The Pixel 7a ships with a 13MP f/2.2 selfie camera that is capable of recording 4K and 1080p content at up to 30fps. The dual rear camera setup has a 64MP wide lens and a 13MP ultrawide lens. Like most of the recent Pixel devices, Google utilizes its software prowess to get the most out of its camera system. At 152.4 x 72.9 x 9 millimeters and weighing 8.3 ounces (193.5 grams), it’s not the lightest device on the market, especially for its size. The Pixel 7a is still easily used with one hand thanks to its small stature.

The Tensor G2 processor used in the Pixel 7a is a little slower than the Tensor G3, but not wildly so. It comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of onboard storage and has a 6.1-inch screen with a 90Hz refresh rate, which is a nice bump over the Pixel 7 but falls behind the more recent Pixel 8. If your budget keeps you from grabbing one of the more expensive phones on this list, the Pixel 7a is the perfect fit for $500 or less.

Read our full Google Pixel 7a review.

Flip phones are an interesting smartphone breed. They offer a unique design with some pretty unique capabilities. Even though flip phones have been around for several years now, the formula is still being perfected. If you are interested in experiencing the future of smartphones, something like the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 may just be the perfect device.

One of a flip phone’s most interesting aspects is the use of the outer display. The Z Flip 5’s outer display grew to 3.4 inches this year, which is a significant leap over previous generations. The large outer display coupled with the device’s unique ability to bend in half, allows you to get selfies from the rear camera. There are three lenses on this device, all of which can be used to take that perfect selfie. The dual-camera rear setup includes a 12MP f/1.8 primary lens and a 12MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens. It can also record video at 4K up to 60fps. If you plan on keeping the device completely open for increased screen size, then the front-facing camera is a 10MP f/2.2 lens that can record 4K content at up to 30fps.

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 has great performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor and 8GB of RAM. It offers either 256GB or 512GB of onboard storage, leaving plenty of room for pictures and videos. The main cameras aren’t as good as some of the traditional smartphones on this list, and its 3700mAh battery leaves a bit to be desired. If you are tired of the current trend of large devices, then the small stature of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 will likely put a smile on your face.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review.

Competition is always good, and Motorola is pushing Samsung along in the flip phone race. The Motorola Razr+ is a great little device that advances the entire category. Released just before the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Razr+ was the first flip phone to bring a large outer display. Unlike Samsung’s attempt, Motorola’s device works with just about every app. The flip form factor and large outer display are perfect for anyone looking for a device to take a great selfie.

The flip form factor allows you to use the dual rear camera for all your selfie needs. It has a 12MP f/1.5 primary lens and a 13MP f/2.2 ultrawide lens when using the 3.6-inch outer display. If you want to use the large 6.9-inch display, you will be utilizing the 32MP f/2.4 front-facing camera. Both the rear and front-facing cameras are capable of recording 4K and 1080p content at up to 60fps.

Motorola went with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, which isn’t as fast as the more recent Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 but should offer plenty of oomph for most needs. It ships with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, giving you plenty of space for photos and videos. Taking selfies is a breeze thanks to its small size. When closed, the Razr+ is only 73.95 x 88.42 x 15.1 millimeters; when open, the phone measures 73.95 x 170.83 x 6.99 millimeters. It weighs 6.6 ounces (188.5 grams), making it relatively light and great for extended selfie sessions. The 3800mAh battery also offers decent battery life, giving you a full day of use.

Read our full Motorola Razr+ review.

OnePlus believes that you should never settle, not for ultra-high prices or lackluster specs. The OnePlus 12 is a device that could easily cost over $1,000 but sells for $800. While not the value king the original OnePlus was, this device does more than enough to hang with devices that cost hundreds of dollars more.

Starting with the camera system, the OnePlus 12 takes some fantastic photos. The selfie camera is a 32MP f/2.4 lens that records content at 4K or 1080p at 30fps. The back has a triple camera setup that features a 50MP primary lens, a 64MP telephoto lens, and a 48MP ultrawide lens. Overall, the camera system used here is quite capable. Although it’s a little disappointing that the selfie camera tops out at 30fps when recording. It’s also a sizable device, at 164.3 x 75.8 x 9.2 millimeters and weighing 7.76 ounces (220 grams). The OnePlus 12 lands in the middle of the pack for size.

Performance is top-notch thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 processor. It comes in various configurations, including 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage or 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. It also gets excellent battery life from its 5400mAh battery. And the 6.82-inch 120Hz LTPO display is capable of hitting an insane peak brightness of 4500 nits.

Read our full OnePlus 12 review.

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is perfect for any Samsung fan on a budget. With a similar overall design to the standard Samsung Galaxy S23, the Galaxy A54 looks and feels far more premium than its budget price would suggest. Another notable similarity is that the Galaxy A54 uses the same main camera lens as its more expensive sibling.

It has a 50MP main lens, a 12MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens, which can largely be ignored as its picture quality is lackluster. More importantly, the selfie camera is 32MP f/2.2, for getting some solid pictures of yourself. The selfie camera can also record video at up to 4K at 30fps or 1080p at 60fps.

Another Galaxy A54 highlight is its display. Samsung equipped it with a 6.4-inch 120Hz AMOLED display that looks amazing, regardless of the price. Samsung dropped the ball a bit when it comes to overall performance. Powered by an Exynos 1380 processor and up to 8GB of RAM, the Galaxy A54 isn’t as strong as some of its competitors. The Exynos 1380 can handle routine tasks, but don’t ask it to do too much, or it will begin to struggle. That same processor also makes the Galaxy A54 get quite warm when put under load.

Battery life is quite good thanks to its 5000mAh battery. And measuring 158.2 x 76.7 x 8.2 millimeters and weighing 7.1 ounces (202g), the Galaxy A54 is easy to hold at that perfect angle.

Read our full Samsung Galaxy A54 review.

The Google Pixel 6a was excellent value when it first launched in 2022, but now it’s in a class of its own with its $350 retail price tag. The Pixel 6a is powered by the original Tensor processor and 6GB of RAM. The processor is a couple of generations behind but still holds up today.

Google retained its tried and true camera sensor from the Pixel devices that came before it, and not the newer sensors that can be found in everything released since the Pixel 6. It has a 12.2MP main lens and a 12MP ultrawide lens that can take some amazing photos thanks to Google’s image post-processing. It has an 8MP f/2.0 selfie lens that is capable of recording video at 1080p at 30fps.

With a 6.1-inch OLED display, the overall size of the device is quite small. At 152.2 x 71.8 x 8.9 millimeters and weighing only 6.3 ounces (178 grams), the Pixel 6a is about as light as devices get. It has a 4410mAh battery that is good, but not great. It will get you through an entire day of use, but not much more than that.

The Pixel 6a can struggle a bit with maintaining a connection in weak service areas and the optical fingerprint sensor is a tad slow. Neither are deal-breakers but something that buyers should be aware of. If your budget is very tight, and you need a device that won’t break the bank, the Pixel 6a is your best option, especially if you can find it on sale.

Read our full Google Pixel 6a review.

Getting great selfies has never been so easy

Selfies or not, the Google Pixel 8 is an amazing device. It has a bright and beautiful display, great battery life, and a stellar camera system. It’s hard to take a bad photo with the Pixel 8; many of them will be downright breathtaking. With seven years of software updates, it’ll also be around for many years to come. Just make sure you get a great Pixel 8 case to ensure it lasts as long as Google’s support does.

If you have a little more money to spend, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra offers just about everything you could want out of a phone. Blistering fast performance, a top-tier display, an amazing camera system, and one of the best software upgrade policies in the business. It may not be worth the price of entry for selfies alone, but get it if you want one of the most capable and versatile phones on the market.

If the price of the Pixel 8 is a bit too much for your budget, then its less expensive sibling is your next best option. The Google Pixel 7a offers a lot of the same features and capabilities for a few hundred dollars less. It still offers great performance and a camera system that takes some stunning photos. The device does use a previous-generation processor and the display isn’t as good, but you would be hard-pressed to tell the difference in day-to-day use.

Overall, these top devices are amazing at getting those precious shots of yourself. Nobody wants to look bad when posting on social media and the devices will ensure that you will always look your best.