We use our phones in such different ways that we should focus on how we hold or position it far more than we do. Holding it in your hand is rarely the best position. Balancing it on a knee or leaning it up against a book are not proper solutions to reducing neck, shoulder, back and wrist strain. You can’t hold your phone all the way through a 40-minute Zoom call, or watch a movie with it lying flat on your sofa or table. A phone stand is an answer to many of these situations. Fortunately, there are many different types and models of phone stand, and most are affordable. Your wrist and posture will thank you for this minor investment. We’ve tested the best phone stands we can find—simple, smart, bendy, and wireless-charging stands—and there should be one reviewed here to make your life easier and more comfortable. The wireless charging phone stands reviewed here come with cables but require a USB wall charger.
Affordable Stable tilt Color range
Not height adjustable
It holds your phone in either portrait (vertical) or landscape (horizontal) modes, and angles nicely so you can adjust its position against glare or get the best camera angle for video calls. With a low centre of gravity, it’s stable enough to allow touchscreen control, and is also great for more passive viewing usage, such as watching videos or engaging in video calls. Rubber pads prevent sliding, and also reduces scratches to your phone. There’s a hole at the back so you can discreetly attach your charging cable. Compatible with 4- to 8-inch phones, it’s available in a wide range of colors: Black, Red, Gold, Green, Rose Gold, and Silver.
Foldable, portable Height adjustable Color range
Less stable at height
It tilts, too, and raises the phone to a more ergonomic viewing height than Lamicall’s more static Phone Stand. Like that model, this one also comes in a wide range oof colours, from the expected black and white, to pink, green and gold, although strangely not red.
Foldable Stable tilt
Not height adjustable
What makes it special is its foldable form, which means you can pop it in a bag or a deep pocket and take it with you to the coffee shop or just to another room in your home or office. It weighs 207g, which is a little more than an average phone, so you won’t notice its weight when carrying it around. It is adjustable to a wide range of angles, so you can get the right screen for viewing or camera angle for video calls. It’s made from aluminum, but is heavy enough for stability and touchscreen use. Rubber pads on the bottom of the stand further improve stability. to help prevent slipping. Phones can be set in landscape or portrait mode. Compatible with 4- to 8-inch phones, it lacks color options but looks smart all the same in its neutral gunmetal grey.
Foldable
Not height adjustable
It’s adjustable but adds no height, and if you want to charge at the same time, the cable will stick out one side as there is no hole at the back to tidy most of it from sight. It’s basic but well made and portable. And, well, we like the white color option. Compatible with 4- to 7.9-inch phones, and available in both Black and White.
Wireless charger Pops out to make charging pad
Not height or angle adjustable Expensive
Being able to pop out the pedestal’s charger into a pad, mean you can also charge an earbud charging case or another device that supports Qi. The 75-degree angle is not adjustable, and might be a little steep for close video calls. It comes with a 1.5m USB-A-to-USB-C cable, but you need to add your own wall-charging plug. Compatible with 4- to 7-inch phones.
Wireless charger Affordable
Not height or angle adjustable 5W charging for iPhones MicroUSB cable
There’s no way to adjust the 60-degree angle or height, but it’s a simple and effective stand for passive viewing purposes. It’s a little slow at charging an iPhone as it maxes out at 5W unless you have a Samsung phone that charges at a more impressive 10W. You need to add your own wall-charging plug, and possibly a USB-C to MicroUSB cable as this ships with a USB-A-to-MicroUSB cable. Aim for at least a 10W charger for the fastest results.
Wireless charger Stylish
Expensive
Our favourite for looks and (minimal) height adjustability is the stylish Moshi Lounge Q, in cool Nordic-gray cloth “inspired by Danish furniture design”. The ability to adjust the charging pad’s height means there should be less manoeuvring of the phone to pick the correct spot for charging and screen angles. It charges in both vertical and horizontal modes. Qi-compatible, it can fast-charge any device up to an impressive 15W. It supports both Apple (7.5W) and Samsung (9W) fast-charging. The Lounge Q features a 1.2m (4ft) USB-C cable, so you will need a USB-C charger to connect this to. Compatible with 4- to 7-inch phones.
Twisty and flexible Secure grip
Expensive with mount
Joby has a wide range of Octopus grips, but this is our favorite because of its secure grip and robust build. Note that you’ll find the grip much cheaper but the cost of the smartphone mount makes this more of a premium-priced product. It’s very flexible, and it can even be used as a phone bike-mount, or you can wrap it around a slim tree branch, railing or scaffold pole if you wish. It holds your phone vertically or horizontally. Compatible with 4- to 8-inch phones.
Twisty and flexible Bluetooth control
Not super stable for touchscreen use
You can hold it like a selfie-stick, and it comes with a Bluetooth remote control that allows you to take photos or video from a distance of up to 30 feet. Compatible with 4- to 8-inch phones.
Flexible
Not super stable for touchscreen use
It’s strong enough to hold a phone or a tablet, and is secured to your desk or table by its firm grip, and will fit on a surface up to 3in thick. The phone fits into the top grip, and feels secure, although the device will wobble if you are using a firm finger on the screen to control it. As such, we recommend it for passive watching videos or engaging with Zoom video calls. Compatible with 4- to 8-inch phones.
Ring light Tripod Remote control
Tripod legs can get stuck
You don’t have to be a YouTuber. For those working from home or in dark offices, the rechargeable LED light is great for ensuring you are not in silhouette or complete darkness on Zoom and other video calls. It has three filters (warm white, cool white, and daylight) and ten brightness levels controlled by a touch panel. The sturdy tripod features a phone clip that extends up to 4.5 inches, and a remote to take well-lit photos and videos up to 30 feet away. It can also be used for photos or just as a lamp for applying your makeup. It can extend from 16 to 50 inches, and folds up for easy travel. Compatible with 4- to 6.5-inch phones.
Height adjustable
Wobbles when touched
That said, it’s metal base does give it weight stability compared to some pole-based stands that are all plastic. You can adjust the height by up to 5cm—not a lot, but more stable than placing a static stand on a pile of books. Compatible with 3.5- to 7-inch phones.
Height adjustable Plasticky
Wobbles when touched
It’s best suited for passive viewing or video calls that don’t require you to frequently use the phone’s touchscreen, as it is wobbly when touched and could fall over. It’s not the best-looking stand and is a little plasticky, but it does offer that small height adjustment (10-15cm) if you need it. Compatible with 4- to 12-inch phones. Check out our best phones feature for our recommended devices to place in your favoured phone stand. If you’re looking at other form factors, check out our best tablet stands and best laptop stands round-ups. Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.
