iPhone 18 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra Top the Phone Reviews

Going by the reviews, the highest-rated phone is the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which averages 9.4 out of 10 from TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and CNET; the highest-rated Android phone is the Galaxy S26 Ultra, a tenth behind at 9.3. For most people on iPhone the $899 iPhone 17 averages 9.0, and on a budget the $599 Pixel 10a averages 8.1.

The shortlist, at a glance

Phone	Best for	Outlet average	Spread	US list price
iPhone 18 Pro Max	The best iPhone	9.4 / 10	1.0	From $1,299
Galaxy S26 Ultra	The best Android phone	9.3 / 10	0.5	From $1,399.99
iPhone 17	Most people on iPhone	9.0 / 10	0.1	From $899
Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra	A phone that opens into a tablet	8.8 / 10	1.5	From $2,099.99
Galaxy S26	A Samsung for less than the Ultra	8.1 / 10	0.3	$999.99, 256GB
Pixel 10a	A budget	8.1 / 10	0.2	From $599

Each average is three published scores converted to ten; the spread is the gap between the highest and lowest of them. Prices are list prices on Apple’s, Samsung’s and Google’s US stores, read on 12 October 2026. The “best for” column is ours, read off the outlets’ own guides and reviews.

The two flagships are a tenth apart

The iPhone 18 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra drew nearly the same marks, so the average cannot pick between them, and the platform you already use probably will. TechRadar gave the iPhone five out of five for cameras it calls Apple’s biggest leap this year; it gave the Ultra 4.75. CNET scored both 9.3.

The complaints are about money and weight. All three reviews of the iPhone count the $100 rise against it, the same rise set out in iPhone 18 Pro, on paper. All three reviews of the Ultra note it still has no built-in magnets for magnetic wireless charging. TechRadar and Tom’s Guide review both Pro sizes on one page, so the smaller $1,199 iPhone 18 Pro has the same scores if 6.9 inches is too much phone.

The cheaper picks were mostly scored at lower prices

The iPhone 17, Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10a each list for $100 more than when most of their reviews were written. Tom’s Guide and CNET reviewed the Pixel 10a at $499 and Tom’s Guide listed “great value for $499” as a strength; the Google Store now starts it at $599. A score given at one price does not carry over automatically to a higher one. Which phones went up, and by how much, is set out from the makers’ own stores.

That matters most for the S26, which averages 8.1 at $999.99. On 12 October Samsung’s US store had it at $899.99, and the S26 Ultra 256GB at $1,099.99 against its $1,399.99 list. At those prices the Ultra is $200 more than the S26 for 1.2 points more on average.

The iPhone 17 is the steadiest result here: 9.0 from TechRadar and Tom’s Guide and 9.1 from CNET, which names it its best iPhone. TechRadar’s one listed con is that it has no telephoto lens, and Tom’s Guide also marks down its zoom.

Tom’s Guide still files the Pixel 10a under “best phone under $500”, a label its current $599 list price no longer fits.

The foldable costs more than any phone here

The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the foldable TechRadar and Tom’s Guide each pick. Its 1.5-point spread comes from PCMag’s 4 out of 5, under a headline that says it impressed but costs a lot. It lists at $2,099.99. CNET reviewed the standard Galaxy Z Fold8, a different, passport-shaped phone at $1,899.99 by PCMag’s account, so CNET’s 8.6 is not counted here.

The disagreement: Pixel 11

The Pixel 11 has four published scores, and they do not agree. CNET gives it 9 out of 10 and says it makes the most compelling case yet to switch from an iPhone. PCMag and Wired give it 8. Tom’s Guide gives it 3 out of 5 under the headline “Lackluster upgrades that cost $100 more”, citing flat battery life and minor performance gains. Averaged, that is 7.8, with a three-point spread, the widest of any phone we scored.

We list it here rather than as a pick because its reviewers weigh the same phone so differently that the average says little on its own. If you are considering one, what changed against the Pixel 10 is in Pixel 11, on paper. It lists at $899.

What to actually do

• On iPhone and happy there: the iPhone 17, unless you want the 18 Pro’s cameras enough to pay $300 to $400 more.
• On Android, or open to it: the Galaxy S26 Ultra for the top score, the S26 for less, or the Pixel 10a if the budget is $600.
• Switching platforms: moving your number goes more smoothly once you know the difference between an eSIM and a physical SIM.
• Judge a sale against the list price above, not the percentage off. Two of these phones were already discounted at Samsung on 12 October.

Questions people ask

What is the best phone in 2026?

Going by published reviews, the iPhone 18 Pro Max: it averages 9.4 out of 10 from TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and CNET. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is a tenth behind at 9.3 and is the higher-rated Android phone. We have not tested either.

What is the best Android phone?

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, at 9.3 out of 10 from TechRadar, Tom’s Guide and CNET, and TechRadar’s pick as the best Android phone. It lists at $1,399.99 on Samsung’s US store; on 12 October Samsung was selling the 256GB model for $1,099.99.

What is the best Samsung phone?

On review scores, the Galaxy S26 Ultra at 9.3. For less money, the Galaxy S26 averages 8.1 at $999.99, and CNET calls it the Samsung phone for most people. The Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, at 8.8, is the one to choose for a large folding screen.

Which iPhone should I buy?

For most people, the iPhone 17: it averages 9.0 out of 10 at $899, and CNET names it its best iPhone. The iPhone 18 Pro Max scores higher, 9.4, for its cameras and battery, and costs $400 more at $1,299.

What is the best cheap phone?

Of the phones here, the Pixel 10a, at 8.1 out of 10 and $599 on the Google Store. All three outlets name it their budget pick, but two of them reviewed it when it cost $499.

Is the Pixel 11 a good phone?

Reviewers disagree more about it than about any phone here. CNET gives it 9 out of 10 and Tom’s Guide 3 out of 5, with PCMag and Wired at 8 out of 10, an average of 7.8. Read the Tom’s Guide and CNET reviews before you decide.

How are these phones ranked?

By the average of published review scores from three outlets per phone, each converted to a score out of ten and read from the review page itself on 12 October 2026. Every score is linked. We have not tested these phones and give no score of our own.