The best phone mounts for cars aren't just a nice thing to have: they're essential if you're using your smartphone for turn-by-turn navigation, as most of us do these days. They're also really handy for playing music in the car too.
So what's the best cellphone holder for car use right now? Well, that depends what you're looking for, as there are a number of things to take into consideration.
Firstly, there's the issue of where you want your phone mounted in your car. Mounting it on the windshield or dashboard has the advantage of making your phone easy to view and access, but can obscure your view while driving. As an alternative, some phone mounts attach to your air vent or cup holder, although that will of course mean losing an air vent or a cup holder.
There's also the issue of how stable you need the phone mount to be. A cheaper mount will normally be flimsier, which means you run the risk of damaging your phone if it falls over. The larger your phone, and the less smooth the road surface, the more likely this is to happen. Beyond that, you may be looking for specific things, such as the ability to charge your phone via the mount itself.
With all that in mind, we've selected the very best phone mounts for cars available today. All of them do a good job of attaching your smartphone to your car, in a variety of different ways, and all offer excellent value for money.
The best phone mounts for cars
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Attaching a phone mount to your air vent means you don't have to worry about it obscuring the view out of your windshield. And the best phone mount for cars in this style is currently this model from Belkin.
Suitable for devices up to 5.5 inches in diameter, its adjustable brackets allow you to securely mount your smartphone in the air vent slots of your car, with no suction cup or adhesive required. The mount will accommodate most cases up to 3mm thick. Its matte surface makes for good grip on your device. And it can be rotated 180 degrees, for when you need to change between portrait and landscape modes.
Usefully, there's a cable holder on the back to save you from dangling cables when you need to charge your phone. The main downside is that you'll have to turn the airflow to that vent off if your heater is running. As long as you're happy to do so, this is best cellphone holder for car use we can recommend.
Another way to avoid obscuring your windshield view is by buying a phone mount that attaches to your cup holder. Our top recommendation is this model from Topgo. The circular base can be adjusted to fit the specific size of your cup holder securely. An adjustable gooseneck, which extends up to 11 inches, makes it easy to move your phone into your preferred position. And 360 degree rotation allows you to switch your screen from vertical to horizontal mode.
Two grips to the side, two holding feet and soft sponge cushions provide all-round protection for your phone, and keep it safe from damage. This mount is suitable for devices between 1.77 and 3.54 inches in width, and as long as you can cope with losing a cup holder, it's a solid and easy to use choice.
If you prefer your phone to be mounted to your windshield, then you'll want one that's as flexible as possible, to minimise the degree by which it obscures your view. In which case, let us point you towards this extra-long car phone mount, which does a great job in enabling you to position your phone in the best possible way.
The mount attaches to your windshield or dashboard via a doubled-up suction cup, and features a flexible gooseneck, 30.5 inches (300mm) long in total, which has a 21.6 inch (215mm) bendable portion for adjusting it to your desired angle.
At the other end, a universal bracket fits any smartphone between 4 and 6 inches in width. Placing or removing your phone is easy with a one-touch release mechanism, and the arm rotates through 360 degrees. Overall, then, this is the best cellphone holder for car windshields: solidly made, very flexible and a great option if you want a mount that attaches to your windshield.
Worried about your phone mount gripping your device securely, even when you go over a bump in the road? Then you'll have extra peace of mind with this magnetic phone holder.
It has a sturdy suction lock clamp which fits to your windscreen or dashboard. And then you attach your phone to the mount using one of the provided magnet stickers. Not everyone will like doing that, but it does make it nice and stable.
The Olixar Magnetic Car Phone Holder is compatible with all smartphones and phone cases, and rotates so you can use your phone in both portrait and landscape modes. Above, this is a strong and robust way to attach your phone to your windscreen or dashboard.
Using satellite navigation and/or music apps can quickly drain your smartphone's battery. And so if you want to keep your device topped up as you go, this mount offers a fuss-free way to do so, without the need to attach any cables to your phone.
Fast charging up to 10W (up to 40% faster than with a 5W charger), the Kenu Airframe QI Wireless Charging Car Vent Mount is compatible with all Qi mobile phones, and with protective cases up to 3mm thick. It comes with a spring-loaded clip that attaches securely to the ventilation slits of your car's air vents.
It's easy to add your smartphone via a push button or gel, and the mount rotates a full 360 degrees. And you can even power a second phone via the extra USB port in the included 12V DC Car Charger.
The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 is another great option for charging your device. Securely position it using the sturdy suction cup, attach your device using a one-handed motion, and angle the telescopic arm – which extends between 4.9 and 8.3 inches – across a 225-degree arc to reach the perfect viewing angle. Then, at the same time as using a Qi-compatible phone, you can charge it up. As well as the dashboard version of this mount, there are also variations for attaching to your air vent, cup holder and CD slot.
Saving money on a phone mount can be a false economy, as they tend to be flimsier and you may end up damaging your phone. But if you really do need to keep costs as low as possible, here's what we recommend. The YOSH Car Phone Mount Holder attaches to your air vent and, despite being super-cheap, it's still pretty sturdy. You have to stick a magnetic sticker on the back of your phone to attach it, which isn't ideal. But other than that, it does the job well, at a surprisingly tiny price.
Other phone accessory guides:
Best phone cases
Best wireless chargers
Best gimbals
Best tripods for iPhones and smartphones
Best iPhone power banks
Best iPhone microphones
