- Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip
- Includes S Pen stylus
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 695
- microSD card slot
Unlocked phones provide network hopping freedom. Just pop in a SIM card or activate an eSIM, then you’re ready to begin calling, texting, and using mobile data. Most handsets purchased directly from carriers come locked, though you can usually get them unrestricted following a brief period.
Our favorite unlocked phones include the iPhone 13 Pro Max, Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and OnePlus Nord N20 5G. Let’s dive in and explore the best unlocked phones.
Best unlocked phones available right now
| iPhone 13 Pro Max | Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra | OnePlus Nord N20 5G | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen | 6.7" | 6.8" | 6.43" |
| Resolution (pixels) | 1284 x 2778 | 1080 x 2400 | 1080 x 2400 |
| Cameras | 12MP ultrawide 12MP wide 12MP telephoto 12MP selfie |
12MP ultrawide 108MP wide 10MP telephoto 10MP 3x telephoto 40MP selfie |
643MP wide 2MP macro 2MP monochrome 16MP selfie |
| Processor | A15 Bionic | Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 |
Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 |
| Storage | 128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
128GB 256GB 512GB 1TB |
128GB microSD card |
| RAM | 6GB | 8GB 12GB |
6GB |
| Weather resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP52 |
| Battery capacity | 4352mAh | 5000mAh | 4500mAh |
| 5G | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Learn more | View details | View details | View details |
Best Unlocked iPhones
An unlocked iPhone gets you the ultimate freedom to bounce between major carriers, mobile virtual network operators (MNVOs), and other carriers while traveling abroad. From the top-shelf iPhone 13 Pro Max to wallet-friendly options, here are the best unlocked iPhones on the market.
Apple | iPhone 13 Pro Max | Best unlocked iPhone overall
The iPhone 13 Pro Max gets you a powerful A15 Bionic processor, best-in-class camera, and solid battery life. There’s a large, bright display sporting a 120Hz dynamic refresh rate. Whether scrolling through an article on your favorite website (obviously WhistleOut), streaming an episode of Paper Girls on Amazon Prime Video, or embroiled in an intense Hearthstone match, content looks stunning.
Stepping up to Apple’s iPhone 13 Pro series yields a cinematic video shooting mode, an extra GPU core, and a triple camera system with a great zoom lens. You’ll also enjoy Apple’s ProMotion variable refresh rate (VRR), which ramps down as low as 10Hz or goes as high as 120Hz. Plus, the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max offer a whopping 1TB storage option.
Unfortunately, all of this awesomeness doesn’t come cheap. Expect to pay a hefty premium for the iPhone 13 Pro Max. Especially for the price, we’d appreciate slightly faster charging. You may also consider the iPhone 13 Pro (non-Max), which sports similar underpinnings, but comes with a smaller 6.1-inch screen instead of the Max’s 6.7-inch display. Ultimately, the well-equipped iPhone 13 Pro Max is hands-down the best unlocked iOS device available.
- Pros: Beefy processor, excellent cameras, big and beautiful display
- Cons: Expensive, only 20W charging
Apple | iPhone 13 | Best midrange unlocked iPhone
The iPhone 13 is an excellent handset that’s plenty powerful for a reasonable price. At its core, you’ll find an A15 Bionic chip that easily handles streaming Aesop Rock tracks on Tidal, watching Picard on Paramount+, and FaceTime video chats with friends. In our review, we appreciated the iPhone 13’s outstanding camera quality, generous battery life, and improved processor.
Disappointingly, you’ll miss out on the iPhone 13 Pro variant’s 120Hz display and 1TB storage option. Additionally, you’re limited to a two-lens primary camera array, albeit a system with terrific photo and video capabilities. For a similar experience in a palm-friendly package, look to the iPhone 13 mini. Overall, an unlocked iPhone 13 is a fantastic choice for all but hardcore photographers, videographers, and gamers.
- Pros: Great cameras, powerful processor, long battery life
- Cons: No 120Hz screen, no zoom lens
Apple | iPhone 12 | Best budget unlocked iPhone
The wallet-friendly iPhone 12 may be a generation older than our top pick, but it still features a great A14 Bionic processor. You’ll also benefit from excellent cameras, solid 5G connectivity, and a beautiful display. Throw in long battery life, and the iPhone 12 is an all-around stellar handset.
Admittedly, the iPhone 12 falls short of the 13 in nearly every way. Notably, its base storage model features just 64GB of built-in space. There’s also no 120Hz variable refresh rate display. However, because of its reduced pricing, the iPhone 12 is a compelling budget-priced iPhone that’s available unlocked.
- Pros: Great 5G support, solid processor, excellent cameras
- Cons: No 120Hz refresh rate display, only 64GB storage on the base tier
Compare Apples to Apples and learn which iPhone is right for you.
Best Unlocked Android Phones
You’ve got numerous unlocked Android options from manufacturers like Samsung, Google, and OnePlus. Let’s look at the best unlocked Android phones, from high-end hardware to affordable alternatives and niche offerings.
Samsung | Galaxy 22 Ultra | Best unlocked Android overall
Samsung’s premium S22 Ultra replaces its previous-generation Note series. Accordingly, the S22 Ultra touts a borderline tablet-sized 6.8-inch screen and the S Pen stylus. With its bright 120Hz refresh rate display, you’ll enjoy buttery smooth scrolling and tapping whether immersed in a rousing round of Fortnite, streaming She Hulk on Disney Plus, or double tapping food pics on Instagram.
We appreciated the S22 Ultra’s exceptional camera quality, including commendable low light performance, fast 45W charging, and fantastic Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip. Additionally, the bundled S Pen—one of the best Samsung accessories—is a nice touch. However, battery life is simply average. Moreover, prepare to pay a hefty price for the S22 Ultra. But if you want an incredible all-around device from camera to processor the Samsung S22 Ultra is the unlocked Android phone for you.
- Pros: Powerful processor, excellent cameras, includes S Pen
- Cons: Expensive, middling battery life
Google | Pixel 6 Pro | Best value unlocked Android phone
The Google Pixel 6 Pro packs flagship performance into a midrange price tag. Powered by a beefy Tensor chip with unique artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities, the Pixel 6 Pro is great for snapping pet photos, gaming on the go with Grand Theft Auto Vice City, or streaming Sandman on Netflix. In our review, we liked the Pixel 6 Pro’s extraordinary camera quality and many AI-powered features.
Its unique Magic Eraser feature lets you remove unwanted images from the background of pictures, plus there’s increased transcription and voice recognition accuracy. Moreover, its snappy stock Android experience is a real treat for everyday use. Battery life fell short of our expectations, and upon initial rollout, we experienced a few bugs. Software updates progressively ironed out minor kinks, making the Pixel 6 Pro the best value unlocked Android handset on the market.
- Pros: Terrific camera quality, AI-enabled Tensor processor, gorgeous screen
- Cons: Average battery life, minor software bugs
OnePlus | Nord N20 5G | Best budget unlocked Android
The OnePlus Nord N20 5G is a nearly compromise-free and affordable Android phone. You’ll enjoy a large 6.43-inch display, 128GB of built-in storage, and 6GB of RAM. There’s also a microSD card slot for holding all of your apps, photos, and music. The Nord N20’s great 5G connectivity means you’ll appreciate reliable music streaming, web browsing, and mobile gaming. And the large 4500mAh battery, 33W fast charging, and 64MP triple camera array help the N20 5G punch well above its weight class.
Admittedly, OnePlus makes a few concessions when keeping the price to a minimum. Notably, its Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 chip is fine for basic multitasking and light gaming like playing the Broken Sword series, but don’t expect to max out Genshin Impact. Additionally, there’s only a year of promised operating system (OS) upgrades. Still, for the price, the OnePlus Nord N20 5G is an unlocked phone that’s tough to beat.
- Pros: Large AMOLED display, generous battery capacity, microSD card slot
- Cons: Average processing power, limited software upgrade policy
Discover even more options with a look at the best Android phones.
Methodology: Picking the best unlocked phones
Our mobile experts curated the best unlocked phones based on price, operating system, and carrier compatibility. Additionally, we looked at hardware specs, including camera quality, processing power, and battery life. We began by selecting the most popular handsets, then sorted them into Andriod and iPhone categories. After that, we picked the top options for various budgets and use cases. Additionally, we performed hands-on testing and compared our picks with dozens of other unlocked and locked phones.
Unlocked Phones vs. Carrier-Locked Handsets
While unlocked phones provide unrivaled flexibility and freedom, carrier-locked devices have their own advantages. Here are the main differences between unlocked and locked phones.
Carrier hopping
Most major carriers and MVNOs let you bring your own device (BYOD). While purchasing a phone through a carrier, the bring your own phone (BYOP) route lets you enjoy the freedom to hop between carriers with ease. For instance, you can simply pop in a SIM card or activate an eSIM without the hassle of asking a carrier to unlock your handset.
International travel
An unlocked phone ensures you don’t need to rely on pricey international roaming agreements through your main carrier. For frequent fliers who travel internationally, many unlocked devices work abroad with a SIM card from the destination. On a 2019 trip to Rome, Italy, I purchased a SIM card at the airport, popped it in my Samsung Galaxy S9+, and had instant mobile internet access.
Carrier frequency and band compatibility
Using an unlocked phone means you’ll need to double-check on carrier frequency and band support. Find the compatibility checker on your carrier’s website, then enter your device identification number or IMEI to see if your handset works. Many recent phones work across all major carriers, although that’s not always the case. With a carrier-locked phone, your device will function flawlessly at the expense of connection freedom.
Outright pricing, financing, and trade-in deals
The outright price of an unlocked phone is typically higher than buying from a carrier, and you’ll miss out on sweet device incentives. However, shockingly low carrier cell phone prices are sometimes too good to be true. Rather than paying upfront, the cost becomes device installment payments. Device trade-in deals through carriers help, but this is often a toss-up.
Phone plans for unlocked phones
Since unlocked phones are carrier-agnostic, you’ll need to purchase a phone plan separately. Our favorite phone plans hail from AT&T, Mint Mobile, and Tello. For unlimited data plans, we like US Mobile and Visible. You can also grab some friends or relatives and save with the best family plans.
|
#1
|
Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
|
|
#2
|
Mint Mobile
Unlimited Data Plan
$25.00/mo
$75.00 upfront payment for 3 months (equals to $25.00/month). Intro pricing for new customers only.
|
|
#3
|
T-Mobile
Essentials Saver
$50.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
|
|
#4
|
US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
|
|
#5
|
Verizon
Unlimited Plus
$70.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
|
Best Unlocked Phones: FAQs
What are the best unlocked phones?
The best unlocked phones are the Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra.
What does an unlocked phone mean?
An unlocked phone means that a handset isn't tied to a certain carrier and can freely take virtually any SIM card.
Can you put any SIM card into an unlocked phone?
Yes, you can put any SIM card into an unlocked phone. Most handsets from major manufacturers like Apple, Samsung, and Google provide universal carrier compatibility. However, check your desired carrier's frequencies and bands against what your phone supports.
Are unlocked phones legit?
Yes, unlocked phones are legit, although we recommend purchasing devices from reputable retailers like Amazon or Best Buy.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying an unlocked phone?
Advantages of buying an unlocked phone include outright device ownership, carrier freedom, and limited to no device bloatware. However, a few disadvantages include a higher upfront cost, no device trade-in deals, and potential compatibility issues.
Is it better to buy an unlocked or locked phone?
Buying an unlocked phone is better if you value carrier freedom with easy SIM swapping. A locked phone is a better choice for carrier deals and savings.
Moe Long
Senior Writer
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