Skip to main content

Best phones for creators (2026)

Ranked for creators. Editorial scores, MSRP bands, and links to full guides—no sponsored picks.

Jump to a price band

Under $200Under $400Under $500Under $600Under $800Under $1000

Other guides

GamingCameraBatteryStudents

Top picks

Top pick

Galaxy S24 Ultra

$1,299–$1,999

The Galaxy S24 Ultra (2024) — a Samsung phone in the flagship tier with editorial scoring for camera, battery, performance, display, and value.

Catalog label: Top quartile

Galaxy S24 Ultra guideCompare Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked)
Strong alternative

Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked)

$1,299–$1,689

The Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked) (2024) — a Samsung phone in the flagship tier with editorial scoring for camera, battery, performance, display, and value.

Catalog label: Top quartile

Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked) guideCompare Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked) vs Galaxy S24 Ultra
Also consider

Galaxy S25 Ultra

$1,299–$2,079

The Galaxy S25 Ultra (2025) — a Samsung phone in the flagship tier with editorial scoring for camera, battery, performance, display, and value.

Catalog label: Top quartile

Galaxy S25 Ultra guide

Side-by-side: Galaxy S24 Ultra vs Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked) →

Why these phones?

We start from every device in our catalog with validated US MSRP bands, apply your filters, then rank using the same 1–10 category scores documented in our methodology. “Top pick” is the highest composite for this page’s intent—not a paid placement.

Full ranked list

SU

Galaxy S24 Ultra

Samsung · 2024

$1,299–$1,999
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S24 Ultra (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2024

$1,299–$1,689
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
SU

Galaxy S25 Ultra

Samsung · 2025

$1,299–$2,079
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S25 Ultra (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2025

$1,299–$1,429
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
XU

Xiaomi 15 Ultra

Xiaomi · 2025

$1,299–$1,999
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
X(

Xiaomi 15 Ultra (Unlocked)

Xiaomi · 2025

$1,299–$1,624
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
AM

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple · 2023

$1,199–$1,949
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 15 Pro Max (Unlocked)

Apple · 2023

$1,199–$1,439
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
AM

iPhone 17 Pro Max

Apple · 2025

$1,199–$1,724
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 17 Pro Max (Unlocked)

Apple · 2025

$1,199–$1,439
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
SU

Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung · 2023

$1,199–$1,799
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S23 Ultra (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2023

$1,199–$1,499
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
XP

Xiaomi 15 Pro

Xiaomi · 2025

$999–$1,624
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
AP

iPhone 15 Pro

Apple · 2023

$999–$1,559
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 15 Pro (Unlocked)

Apple · 2023

$999–$1,149
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
AP

iPhone 16 Pro

Apple · 2024

$999–$1,559
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
AM

iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple · 2024

$1,199–$1,799
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 16 Pro Max (Unlocked)

Apple · 2024

$1,199–$1,439
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 16 Pro (Unlocked)

Apple · 2024

$999–$1,099
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
AP

iPhone 17 Pro

Apple · 2025

$999–$1,689
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
A(

iPhone 17 Pro (Unlocked)

Apple · 2025

$999–$1,299
Top quartile
PerformanceDisplay
Scan this phone →
XU

Xiaomi 14 Ultra

Xiaomi · 2024

$1,199–$1,689
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
X(

Xiaomi 14 Ultra (Unlocked)

Xiaomi · 2024

$1,199–$1,439
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
vP

vivo X200 Pro

vivo · 2024

$1,079–$1,586
Top quartile
CameraBattery
Scan this phone →
OP

OPPO Find X8 Pro

OPPO · 2024

$999–$1,559
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
AP

iPhone 14 Pro

Apple · 2022

$999–$1,494
Top quartile
DisplayCamera
Scan this phone →
HU

Huawei Pura 70 Ultra

Huawei · 2024

$1,199–$1,799
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
HU

Huawei Pura 80 Ultra

Huawei · 2025

$1,299–$1,839
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
SV

Sony Xperia 1 VI

Sony · 2024

$1,299–$1,759
Upper middle
DisplayCamera
Scan this phone →
O1

OnePlus 12

OnePlus · 2024

$799–$1,429
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
X1

Xiaomi 15

Xiaomi · 2025

$799–$1,374
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
X(

Xiaomi 15 (Unlocked)

Xiaomi · 2025

$799–$959
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
SS

Galaxy S25

Samsung · 2025

$799–$1,319
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
SP

Galaxy S25 Plus

Samsung · 2025

$999–$1,494
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S25 Plus (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2025

$999–$1,249
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S25 (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2025

$799–$999
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
O1

OnePlus 13

OnePlus · 2025

$829–$1,468
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
SE

Galaxy S25 Edge

Samsung · 2025

$1,219–$1,975
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S25 Edge (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2025

$1,219–$1,585
Top quartile
PerformanceCamera
Scan this phone →
SP

Galaxy S24 Plus

Samsung · 2024

$999–$1,429
Top quartile
CameraBattery
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S24 Plus (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2024

$999–$1,099
Top quartile
CameraBattery
Scan this phone →
SP

Galaxy S23 Plus

Samsung · 2023

$999–$1,689
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S23 Plus (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2023

$999–$1,099
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
SS

Galaxy S24

Samsung · 2024

$799–$1,209
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
S(

Galaxy S24 (Unlocked)

Samsung · 2024

$799–$879
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
OX

OPPO Find X8

OPPO · 2024

$749–$1,259
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
vX

vivo X200

vivo · 2024

$829–$1,242
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →
AM

iPhone 14 Pro Max

Apple · 2022

$1,099–$1,539
Top quartile
CameraPerformance
Scan this phone →

Showing top 48 of 192 matches—refine with links above or browse all phones.

Related guides

Frequently Asked Questions