Despite the popularity of Apple products, a 2023 report from Statista asserts that Android continues to dominate the mobile space with over 70% of the mobile market. More than 1.57 billion Android devices flew off shelves in 2022, and with a slew of excellent handsets slated to debut in 2024, we expect that trend to continue.
Whether you're an old hat or an Android newcomer, you want the most out of your smartphone. That might mean selecting a new device, updating to the latest Android OS version, learning how to switch from iOS to Android, or troubleshooting—but we've got you covered. Dive into the ultimate guide to Android and explore everything from phones and accessories to tech tips.
Picking an Android phone
Perhaps you're switching from iPhone to Android. Maybe you’re upgrading from an old or broken phone. Regardless of your situation, you want a solid mobile device. Here are our recommendations for the best Android phones on the planet and what to look for in a handset.
What to look for in an Android phone
When you select a new phone, there's a lot to consider, including price, camera quality, processing power, and storage space:
- Cost: Set a budget and find a device that fits the bill. Wallet-friendly phones cost around $300, midrange phones cost about $500, and premium flagship phones cost $600 to $1,000 (or more).
- Camera quality: Although the New York Times claims that point-and-shoot cameras are making a comeback, most people primarily use their phone camera. Thus, you want a great camera with a high megapixel count and multiple lenses.
- Battery life and charging: Long battery life ensures your mobile phone doesn't become a landline, requiring you to tether it to a wall charger constantly. You should also consider wireless charging options and charging speed.
- Storage space: Expandable storage is absent from most flagship phones, although many budget handsets still offer microSD card slots. Check out our guide to see how much phone storage space you need.
- Display: With phone screens, consider size, brightness, refresh rate, and resolution.
- Processor: A fast processor lets you run demanding applications like games with ease.
- RAM: System memory benefits multitasking, so if you constantly run multiple apps at the same time, ensure you have enough RAM.
- Wireless connectivity: Although most modern phones support 5G, they don’t all read the same signals. Our guide to what 5G is explains the different signals and their differences.
- Water resistance: Liquids and electronics don't mix. Luckily, many modern handsets sport water resistance. You want a robust IP68 rating for serious spills or splashes, but you can dive deeper into RS Online’s explanation of IP ratings and what they mean.
- Special features: Consider any special features you need, like a headphone jack, video output support, or folding or flipping designs. Don't worry too much about apps since Androids let you swap out your default apps easily.
Unlocked phones vs. carrier-purchased devices
You can purchase and finance a phone through your mobile carrier or snag an unlocked device. While buying a handset through your carrier is often cheaper up front, you're usually locked to that service provider. On the other hand, unlocked phones are expensive at the onset, but you can use them and switch carriers. Luckily, most mobile phone companies unlock your phone after a set time.
Here are guides for unlocking your phone with major carriers and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) alike:
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Best Android phones
There's no one-size-fits-all solution when phone shopping. The question isn't what's the best Android phone, but which mobile device is right for you.
These are our favorite budget Androids:
In the midrange realm, we recommend these devices:
And these are the best high-end Android phones:
For folding and flipping phones, we suggest these:
To save some money, peruse the best Android deals going on now. For more information, check out some of our other Android phone buying guides:
How to use your Android phone
Now that you've picked out a mobile device, learn how to use your Android phone, from selecting accessories to understanding the fundamentals.
Accessorize your Android
Once you've selected your phone, spruce it up with awesome accessories. We recommend getting a good phone case for stylish protection and a solid set of earbuds for listening to music or taking calls. Plus, extra charging cables, power bricks, and portable battery packs are excellent pickups.
Check out some of our favorite Android accessory guides and reviews:
Android basics
When getting started on an Android phone, you’ll want to tackle the basics like setting up voicemail. However, your phone is essentially a computer in your pocket, so here’s how to take full advantage of your Android:
Connect your phone to your car
Connecting your phone to your car lets you take hands-free calls, listen to Taylor Swift on Spotify, and compose messages with voice-to-text. The easiest way to accomplish this uses Android Auto, a streamlined interface that works with many car stereos. In older cars without Android Auto, you can use Bluetooth, an AUX input, a cassette adapter, or an FM transmitter route.
Switching from Apple to Android
While switching from iPhone to Androids sounds daunting, it's pretty easy. You can easily transfer data from iOS to Android and even keep using most of your same apps or accessories.
Learn more about transitioning from iOS to Android:
Android troubleshooting tips
If your Android phone isn't working well, don't despair! Try clearing your cache or deleting apps on a slow phone to free up storage space. If you have a wet phone, stick it in a bag of rice to dry it out. As the nuclear option, try restoring your phone to factory settings—but remember to back up your data first, since this wipes your storage clean. If all else fails when fixing your phone, try taking it to a local repair shop.
Here are some more terrific troubleshooting tips for Android:
Best cell phone plans
You need one crucial add-on for your Android phone: Cell service. Our favorite cell phone plans are Visible's Visible+ tier and Mint Mobile's unlimited plan. The best unlimited plans include Visible, Mint, and US Mobile options. Alternatively, we recommend many budget-priced carriers like Boost Infinite and prepaid MVNOs such as Twigby Mobile. Peruse the top cell phone plans below:
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#1
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Visible
$25 Visible Plan
$25.00/mo
Taxes & Fees included
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#2
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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.
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#3
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XFINITY Mobile
Mobile Select Plan
$0.00/mo
(for the first year of service) <br>Regular rate of $30/mo. thereafter
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#4
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T-Mobile
Essentials Saver
$50.00/mo
with Auto-Pay - Taxes & Fees NOT included
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#5
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US Mobile
Unlimited Starter Plan
$25.00/mo
$20/mo. for 6 months; $25/mo. thereafter
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#6
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Verizon
Unlimited Plus
$70.00/mo
+ Taxes & Fees. Price includes AutoPay & Paperless discount.
+ $40 Upfront
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#7
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Twigby Mobile
Unlimited Talk, Text and 2GB Data
$5.00/mo
for the first 3 months then $15.00/month
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#8
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Cricket
Supreme Unlimited Plan
$55.00/mo
with AutoPay; $60 for the first month.
+ $9.99 Upfront
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#9
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AT&T
Value 2.0℠
$50.00/mo
+ $35 Upfront
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#10
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Spectrum Mobile
Unlimited Data
$30.00/mo
+ $20 Upfront
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FAQs
What makes an Android phone different from an iPhone?
Android is different from iPhone because there are many manufacturers of Android phones, whereas only Apple makes iPhones. Android is an operating system (OS) running on virtually all smartphones aside from Apple's iPhones, with some notable albeit rare exceptions like Linux phones. Accordingly, you can find more variety, different hardware, and a more customizable operating system with Android compared with iPhones. Apple uses its iOS App Store, while Android features the Google Play Store for Android apps. Apple uses its Siri voice assistant, whereas Android comes with Google Assistant.
How do I switch from iPhone to Android?
The easiest way to switch from iPhone to Android is establishing a phone link to transfer your data over Wi-Fi or using a USB cable. You can bring along your apps, photos, and messages. Alternatively, you can switch from iOS to Android by backing up and restoring your data from a cloud storage service like Google One or Dropbox.
What was the first Android phone?
The first Android phone ever released was the HTC Dream in 2008.
What is the best Android phone on the market right now?
The best Samsung Android is the Galaxy S23 Ultra, while the top Google phone is the Pixel 7 Pro. We also recommend the OnePlus 11 and Motorola Moto Edge Plus (2023).
Moe Long
Senior Writer
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