Methodology

Spec-based rankings

Each “best” list scores phones on the specifications that matter for that feature, for example battery capacity and charging speed for battery life, or optical zoom, sensor size and video modes for cameras. Specs come from the manufacturer and carry a source and a date. These are spec-based rankings, not lab tests.

Feature scores

Each phone gets a score from 0 to 100 for each feature below. A score is a percentile rank: it shows where the phone sits among the smartphones we track, so 100 means the best figure on our list and 50 means the middle. Basic phones with screens under 3 inches are not scored.

Feature	What goes into it
Battery	Battery capacity (60%), wired charging power (25%), wireless charging power (15%)
Camera	Optical zoom (40%), best video mode (30%), main camera megapixels (30%)
Display	Peak brightness (45%), refresh rate (35%), OLED panel (20%)
Software support	Years or generations of Android or iOS upgrades the maker promises
Charging	Wired charging power (70%), wireless charging power (30%)
Lightweight	Weight, lighter is better
Compact	Height × width, smaller is better
Water resistance	IP rating: IP69, then IP68, then IP67, then lower

If a maker does not publish a figure, we leave it out rather than guess, and the score uses the inputs that remain. A feature is only scored when at least half of its weight is available. Apple does not publish battery capacity or wired charging power, so iPhones have no battery or charging score. Peak brightness is the figure the maker claims, and makers measure it in different ways. Formula version 1, 28 October 2026.

Fit Score

Fit Score (0 to 100) will combine the feature scores above (battery, camera, display, software support, charging, weight and water resistance) for phones with at least four of them, using weights you choose in Phone Finder together with your budget. With no answers, it uses equal weights. Fit Score is not shown yet: we are reviewing it so that claimed figures, such as very high peak brightness, do not lift phones unfairly.

True cost

For every phone we compare three ways to pay over 24 months: the cheapest contract, buying the phone outright plus the cheapest suitable SIM only plan, and a refurbished phone plus SIM only. Totals include upfront costs and every price rise the network has announced in pounds.

Price rises

Since January 2025, Ofcom requires networks to state mid-contract price rises in pounds and pence. We take the amounts from each network’s own price change pages and review them every month, more often in February and March when April rises are confirmed.

Coverage

Coverage figures come from Ofcom Connected Nations. They are predictions supplied by the operators, so real signal can vary indoors and in rural areas. Networks that run on another operator’s masts get that operator’s coverage.

Prices

Prices and deals come live from our comparison partner and are refreshed automatically. We record the lowest outright and contract price for each phone every day for our price tracker.

Corrections

If you spot an error, tell us through the contact page and we will check and correct it.