The best stylus phones of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

One of the best smartphone features that you almost never see anymore is a smartphone with a stylus. Most smartphones will accept stylus input from a third-party maker, but the phones that come with the stylus and have a place to keep it inside the body of the phone are particularly wonderful to have and use.

The stylus allows you to do a few things. First, it replicates the writing experience on your phone's screen. From our earliest years, we communicate via writing -- keyboards come later. Handwriting is often quicker and can feel more creative and spontaneous. A stylus also gives you a level of precision that your fingers can't reproduce on a phone screen. When you're using a stylus, you can drill down almost to the exact pixel that you want to touch and/or swipe. 

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What's the best stylus phone right now?

At ZDNET, we've extensively tested dozens of smartphones this year, including several with a stylus. Our pick for the best stylus phone overall is the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which is also our favorite smartphone overall that you can buy right now. Read on for the rest of our top picks.

In our January update, we replaced our top pick with the more recent Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, as well as replaced our budget pick with the newer Motorola G Stylus model. 

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The best stylus phones of 2026

Why we like it: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best Android phones you can buy, and it's the best in several different categories. It has a large, beautiful screen, a large battery, the best processor, and it's the most popular version of Android around. Samsung has a great ecosystem of supporting devices as well, including watches, earbuds, laptops, tablets and more.

Adding to that the stylus gives you that extra amount of control you'll be looking for when navigating your phone or playing games. The stylus is passive, which breaks the tradition of years past. In the past, a lot of functionality was packed into the stylus, like a remote camera shutter, which is no longer there. But it still works for jotting down quick notes even when the screen is off.

Who it's for: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best, and it's for people who need to have the best. This is not a budget-friendly phone, to be sure, but its price tag comes with everything you expect it should have. It's the best of everything, with very little compromise. Mostly this phone is going to be for power users who want to edit and export video on their phone (the stylus is great for that) and those who want to be future proof for as long as possible before it's time to upgrade.

This phone is also one of the best cameras you can buy on a phone. We recently pitted it against the OnePlus 15, which is another top contender in the camera space. The variety of lenses and zooms you can play with is pretty great — ultrawide, wide, 2x, 3x, 5x, and 10x. Even going up to 30x zoom is very respectable, though things fall apart quickly after that.

Who should look elsewhere: Of course, the opposite is true as well. This phone is the best, so if you don't need the best, look elsewhere. The premium price tag on this phone is simply too high for it to be for anyone except those who need (or want) the pinnacle of smartphone technology. If all you want is a phone to jot down some notes and surf websites, the S25 Ultra is overkill.

If you're on a budget, and/or you're not worried about future proofing, the S24 or S23 Ultra on the second-hand market might be a good place to go. You'll still get the integrated stylus, but at a substantial discount.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Display size: 6.9 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB or 16GB with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB | Battery: 5,000 mAh | Camera: 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP 5x telephoto, 10 MP 3x telephoto, and 12MP front | Price: Starting at $1099.99

• Power to spare
• Great display
• Smart stylus features

• Expensive
• Stylus lost Bluetooth functionality

Why we like it: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best Android phones you can buy, and it's the best in several different categories. It has a large, beautiful screen, a large battery, the best processor, and it's the most popular version of Android around. Samsung has a great ecosystem of supporting devices as well, including watches, earbuds, laptops, tablets and more.

Adding to that the stylus gives you that extra amount of control you'll be looking for when navigating your phone or playing games. The stylus is passive, which breaks the tradition of years past. In the past, a lot of functionality was packed into the stylus, like a remote camera shutter, which is no longer there. But it still works for jotting down quick notes even when the screen is off.

Who it's for: The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra is the best, and it's for people who need to have the best. This is not a budget-friendly phone, to be sure, but its price tag comes with everything you expect it should have. It's the best of everything, with very little compromise. Mostly this phone is going to be for power users who want to edit and export video on their phone (the stylus is great for that) and those who want to be future proof for as long as possible before it's time to upgrade.

This phone is also one of the best cameras you can buy on a phone. We recently pitted it against the OnePlus 15, which is another top contender in the camera space. The variety of lenses and zooms you can play with is pretty great — ultrawide, wide, 2x, 3x, 5x, and 10x. Even going up to 30x zoom is very respectable, though things fall apart quickly after that.

Who should look elsewhere: Of course, the opposite is true as well. This phone is the best, so if you don't need the best, look elsewhere. The premium price tag on this phone is simply too high for it to be for anyone except those who need (or want) the pinnacle of smartphone technology. If all you want is a phone to jot down some notes and surf websites, the S25 Ultra is overkill.

If you're on a budget, and/or you're not worried about future proofing, the S24 or S23 Ultra on the second-hand market might be a good place to go. You'll still get the integrated stylus, but at a substantial discount.

Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra tech specs: Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy | Display size: 6.9 inches | RAM/Storage: 12GB or 16GB with 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB | Battery: 5,000 mAh | Camera: 200MP wide, 50MP ultrawide, 50MP 5x telephoto, 10 MP 3x telephoto, and 12MP front | Price: Starting at $1099.99

Why we like it: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 adds a slew of new features for the S Pen with Galaxy AI. You can Circle to Search, sketch to get AI-generated images, and more. The expansive 7.6-inch main display and stylus pairing may be enough to entice your penmanship endeavors. Like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, having the S Pen gives you the power to use Air Commands and gesture controls, with up to 4,096 pressure levels for precise inputs.

Review:Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6

However, like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the stylus remains an optional accessory for the Fold 6. It can only  be used and housed in a case, which is made by Samsung. At the base level, the Z Fold is a dual-screen handset that can transform into a tablet. 

And while Samsung updated to the Z Fold 7, this latest model does not include stylus support at all, so we are still recommending the Z Fold 6 as the best Samsung foldable. 

Who it's for: With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 12GB of RAM, and an IP48-rated design for dust and water resistance, this may just be your best bet for a stylus-supported tablet experience without buying an actual tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Main display: 7.6 inches, 2,208 x 1,840 pixels | Cover display: 6.3 inches, 2376 x 968 pixels | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Cameras: 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP with 3x optical, 10MP front, 4MP main display | Battery: 4,400mAh

• Armor Aluminum material for a lighter yet more durable design
• IP48 dust and water resistance
• S Pen support with the large 7.6-inch display is a killer pairing

• More expensive than before
• S Pen is sold and stored separately

Why we like it: The Galaxy Z Fold 6 adds a slew of new features for the S Pen with Galaxy AI. You can Circle to Search, sketch to get AI-generated images, and more. The expansive 7.6-inch main display and stylus pairing may be enough to entice your penmanship endeavors. Like the Galaxy S25 Ultra, having the S Pen gives you the power to use Air Commands and gesture controls, with up to 4,096 pressure levels for precise inputs.

Review:Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 6

However, like the Galaxy Z Fold 5, the stylus remains an optional accessory for the Fold 6. It can only  be used and housed in a case, which is made by Samsung. At the base level, the Z Fold is a dual-screen handset that can transform into a tablet. 

And while Samsung updated to the Z Fold 7, this latest model does not include stylus support at all, so we are still recommending the Z Fold 6 as the best Samsung foldable. 

Who it's for: With a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, 12GB of RAM, and an IP48-rated design for dust and water resistance, this may just be your best bet for a stylus-supported tablet experience without buying an actual tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 tech specs: Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Main display: 7.6 inches, 2,208 x 1,840 pixels | Cover display: 6.3 inches, 2376 x 968 pixels | RAM/Storage: 12GB RAM with 256GB/512GB/1TB | Cameras: 50MP wide, 12MP ultra-wide, 10MP with 3x optical, 10MP front, 4MP main display | Battery: 4,400mAh

Why we like it: While smartphone prices are on the rise, it's good to know that you can still get a good smartphone for less than $400. I carried the Moto G Stylus for several weeks in the spring of 2025, and I found it to be a nice little smartphone that didn't really disappoint in any but a couple of key areas. Motorola software has historically been very good, and that is the case here as well. It's a mostly-stock take on Android with a few embellishments.

The stylus still gives you the same precision you're looking for in a stylus. Like most others, it's a passive stylus, so there's no Bluetooth functionality. Of course, since this phone is a budget phone, the stylus is fine, but not great. I ran into issues with palm rejection and the like, but if you don't have a lot of disposable income, this is a good option.

Who it's for: The Moto G Stylus is for people who don't want a lot of bells and whistles, are willing to accept compromises, and still want a stylus. There aren't a lot of options out there, and this is one of the cheapest you can buy. That's not a bad thing. The phone can get you through almost two days of use on the 5,000 mAh battery, so those who wander away from the plug will also enjoy it.

The cameras on this phone are passable in good light, so if you are not a night owl, nor a clubber, this phone will do a good job for you. The display is also quite good and the vegan leather backplate is a delight to hold.

Who should look elsewhere: People who really want to push their phones to the limits should shy away, unless they want to find those limits very quickly. To be frank the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor is fine for the most basic tasks. Push it beyond that and you'll run into trouble with advanced tasks taking a very long time to complete and most games dropping frames and stuttering.

Additionally, if you're looking for anything beyond a passable camera, this will not satisfy you. When the lighting is great, the phone is capable of some good photos, but as you drift beyond sunset, the quality suffers greatly.

Moto G Stylus tech specs: Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Display size: 6.7 inches | RAM/Storage: 8GB with 128GB or 256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 32MP front | Price: Starting at $399.99

• Built-in Stylus
• Large battery
• Vegan leather backplate
• Excellent Moto Software

• Underpowered
• Cameras are not good

Why we like it: While smartphone prices are on the rise, it's good to know that you can still get a good smartphone for less than $400. I carried the Moto G Stylus for several weeks in the spring of 2025, and I found it to be a nice little smartphone that didn't really disappoint in any but a couple of key areas. Motorola software has historically been very good, and that is the case here as well. It's a mostly-stock take on Android with a few embellishments.

The stylus still gives you the same precision you're looking for in a stylus. Like most others, it's a passive stylus, so there's no Bluetooth functionality. Of course, since this phone is a budget phone, the stylus is fine, but not great. I ran into issues with palm rejection and the like, but if you don't have a lot of disposable income, this is a good option.

Who it's for: The Moto G Stylus is for people who don't want a lot of bells and whistles, are willing to accept compromises, and still want a stylus. There aren't a lot of options out there, and this is one of the cheapest you can buy. That's not a bad thing. The phone can get you through almost two days of use on the 5,000 mAh battery, so those who wander away from the plug will also enjoy it.

The cameras on this phone are passable in good light, so if you are not a night owl, nor a clubber, this phone will do a good job for you. The display is also quite good and the vegan leather backplate is a delight to hold.

Who should look elsewhere: People who really want to push their phones to the limits should shy away, unless they want to find those limits very quickly. To be frank the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor is fine for the most basic tasks. Push it beyond that and you'll run into trouble with advanced tasks taking a very long time to complete and most games dropping frames and stuttering.

Additionally, if you're looking for anything beyond a passable camera, this will not satisfy you. When the lighting is great, the phone is capable of some good photos, but as you drift beyond sunset, the quality suffers greatly.

Moto G Stylus tech specs: Processor: Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 | Display size: 6.7 inches | RAM/Storage: 8GB with 128GB or 256GB | Battery: 5,000mAh | Camera: 50MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 32MP front | Price: Starting at $399.99

Why we like it: Like Motorola, TCL has found most of its retail success in the low to mid-end markets. The strategy is sound; users who don't want to pay up for Samsung, Apple, or even Google's premium offerings can spend less on a TCL phone, even if flagship features like wireless charging, higher RAM, and better cameras are forfeited along the way.

Review: TCL Stylus 5G

Who it's for: Still, there's a lot of bang for your buck with the TCL Stylus 5G which, at the time of writing, is available exclusively on T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile for $269. For the price, you're getting a large 6.8-inch display, 128GB of base storage that's expandable via MicroSD, a quad-camera setup, and of course, the built-in stylus.

Who should look elsewhere: One of the tradeoffs to note is the lack of palm rejection when writing with the stylus. Fortunately, when ZDNET tested the device, the absence of the stylus feature didn't significantly affect the usability of the writing experience, but if palm rejection is important to you, then you should choose another smartphone.

TCL Stylus 5G tech specs: Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G | Display: 6.8 inches, 2,460 x 1,080 pixels | RAM/Storage: 4GB with 128GB | Cameras: 50MP main camera, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor, 13MP front | Battery: 4,000mAh

• Feasible stylus experience for the money
• Large and vibrant display
• Great-sounding stereo speakers
• Much more affordable than others on this list

• Camera quality is just passable
• Limited RAM
• No palm rejection when writing

Why we like it: Like Motorola, TCL has found most of its retail success in the low to mid-end markets. The strategy is sound; users who don't want to pay up for Samsung, Apple, or even Google's premium offerings can spend less on a TCL phone, even if flagship features like wireless charging, higher RAM, and better cameras are forfeited along the way.

Review: TCL Stylus 5G

Who it's for: Still, there's a lot of bang for your buck with the TCL Stylus 5G which, at the time of writing, is available exclusively on T-Mobile and Metro by T-Mobile for $269. For the price, you're getting a large 6.8-inch display, 128GB of base storage that's expandable via MicroSD, a quad-camera setup, and of course, the built-in stylus.

Who should look elsewhere: One of the tradeoffs to note is the lack of palm rejection when writing with the stylus. Fortunately, when ZDNET tested the device, the absence of the stylus feature didn't significantly affect the usability of the writing experience, but if palm rejection is important to you, then you should choose another smartphone.

TCL Stylus 5G tech specs: Processor: MediaTek Dimensity 700 5G | Display: 6.8 inches, 2,460 x 1,080 pixels | RAM/Storage: 4GB with 128GB | Cameras: 50MP main camera, 5MP ultra-wide, 2MP macro, 2MP depth sensor, 13MP front | Battery: 4,000mAh

What is the best stylus phone?

While the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra takes the crown for best stylus phone, here's how the top performers measure up to each other in price, display size, and battery:

Which stylus phone is right for you?

The biggest question you should ask yourself is: How much money am I willing to spend? The best picks from the list, including the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5, can run you as much as $1,800. With the average ownership times of phones ranging from three to five years, the investment may be worth it.

Factors to consider when choosing a stylus phone

If you're considering buying a phone with a stylus, consider the following:

• Stylus function: There are numerous phones on the market with styluses, but only the best utilize the accessory to its fullest. Samsung is a front-runner in this aspect, with an S Pen experience that has gone through more than 10 years of refinement. 
• Price: Motorola has seen great success with its Moto G Stylus line thanks to the accessibility it brings to the budget market. Not everyone is willing to spend $1,000 or more for a stylus phone, so trailblazers deserve some recognition as well. 
• Competitive phone construction: Lastly, while the end goal is to get the best stylus experience, we recommend phones that play just as well on their own. Every selection on this list carries specs, processors, and features that can go head-to-head with non-stylus counterparts.

How we test phones

At ZDNET, our reviews team spends around a year testing every major phone release, including stylus phones, evaluating the day-to-day performance, camera quality, battery life and endurance, and special features. Here's a breakdown of every factor we consider before we make recommendations:

• Design and ergonomics: How good a phone looks and feels plays a big role in many users' buying journeys, so we consider these aspects heavily when testing.
• Performance: Several factors affect a phone's performance, including LTE/5G signal, battery life, and background tasks. Therefore, we typically begin our evaluations with a fully charged handset, with all background tasks closed, and with as stable of a mobile connection as possible.
• Camera quality: ZDNET tests phone cameras by capturing hundreds of photos and videos of various subjects and in various lighting conditions. We also compare the output to that of older models.
• Battery life and charging: It's also important for us to evaluate how long phones last under light, moderate, and heavy usage, how long they take to recharge, and how they do it (wired, wireless, or both). 
• Special features: These features distinguish tested devices from a bustling smartphone market and hopefully bring added value to users, not the opposite.
• Pricing and availability: Beyond budget considerations, we also note if a phone is available in the US or only internationally.

For a more extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive phone testing methodology page.

What if the stylus breaks?

Whether your stylus breaks or is nowhere to be found, most manufacturers offer replacements at an additional cost or free with a qualified insurance plan. Samsung's S Pen, for example, can be purchased from its online store or at retailers like Amazon.

Also: The best stylus pens

You can also look for stylus pens that offer exceptional durability and support. That way, you don't have to worry about replacing them often. 

Do stylus pens work on all phones?

Stylus pens work on all devices that have touchscreen capabilities. However, some phones have a stylus designed specifically for that device or brand. Buying the right one ensures you maximize all the features available to you. 

Meanwhile, there are some phones that don't offer these capabilities. To demonstrate, the Apple Pencil doesn't work on any iPhone models, only iPads. 

Are stylus phones worth it?

Stylus phones are perfect if you plan to create artwork, scribble notes, or do other activities that require a more precise touch. And with many note programs, you can jot down notes on PDFs, create whiteboards for collaboration, and much more. 

Latest updates 

• In our January 2026 update, we replaced the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with the S25 Ultra as our overall top pick. We also replaced the Moto G Stylus 5G with the newer 2025 model. 

Other stylus phones to consider

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra features some practical hardware changes, like a flat-screen design that serves as the ideal canvas for note-taking and sketching, and a display that's tougher, brighter, and more glare-free than last year's model.

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