5 Android phones you should buy instead of the Razr Ultra (2026)

The Motorola Razr Ultra was one of last year’s best folding phones — and easily the best flip-phone foldable you could buy. It was expensive, yes, but it was also one of the most capable devices in its class. Now, its successor — the Razr Ultra (2026) — has arrived.

Unfortunately, it’s kind of a bummer. Compared to the 2025 Ultra, the Razr Ultra (2026) is practically the same phone. It’s also $200 more expensive despite virtually zero notable upgrades or improvements. That’s not at all what you want from a new smartphone, but that’s what Motorola has given us.

While you could spend $1,500 on the Razr Ultra (2026), I really don’t think you should. Instead, here are five other Android phones you’re much better off with.

If you’re looking for a flagship Android flip-phone, the Razr Ultra (2026) certainly fits the bill. But you know what also does? The Razr Ultra (2025). Buying last year’s version of a flagship smartphone is often a smart way to save money and still get a great experience, but in the case of the Razr Ultra 2025 and 2026, there’s really no good reason to buy the new model.

Why? Because, for all intents and purposes, these two phones are the same. They have the same display sizes for both the external and internal screens, and the display technology, resolution, and refresh rates are all the same, too. The camera systems are identical between the two phones, as are the charging speeds, storage, RAM, IP rating, and even the dimensions/weight. Hell, the Razr Ultra (2026) even uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite chip as the Razr Ultra (2025). When I say these are the same phones, I mean these are the same phones.

To Motorola’s credit, the Razr Ultra (2026) isn’t 100% the same as its predecessor. Its battery is slightly bigger (5,000mAh up from 4,700mAh), the inner display gets a little brighter, and it comes in new colors. But that’s it.

The best part of all of this is how cheap the Razr Ultra (2025) is these days. At the time of publication, you can buy a Razr Ultra (2025) from Motorola’s website for just $800 — and that includes a free pair of Motorola earbuds plus a free storage upgrade to the 1TB model (which doesn’t even exist for the 2026 Ultra).  Unless you really want to spend $700 more for that bigger battery, just buy the 2025 Razr Ultra and pretend the new version doesn’t exist.

If you’re new to the world of foldables and looking to finally join the party, the Razr Ultra (2026) might be a tempting choice. But rather than drop $1,500 on your first folding phone, I’d strongly recommend going with something much cheaper — something like the Motorola Razr (2025).

Compared to the Razr Ultra (2026), the Razr (2025) has some obvious drawbacks. Its MediaTek processor isn’t as capable, its camera system isn’t as impressive, its displays are slightly smaller, and its charging speeds are a bit slower. If you’re just looking at the spec sheet, it doesn’t take long to realize that the Razr (2025) isn’t as technically impressive.

However, for someone testing the waters with a flip-phone foldable for the first time, none of that really matters. The Razr (2025) has a great hinge mechanism, the same IP rating as the Razr Ultra (2026), and offers basically the exact same folding functionality as its more expensive sibling.

More importantly, it’s also a whole lot cheaper. The Razr (2025) retails for $700, but at the time of writing, you can buy it for as little as $550 — almost $1,000 less than what you’d pay for the new Razr Ultra. If you aren’t completely sure a flip phone is right for you, but you know you want to try one, this is a much better way to go.

I’ve harped on the Razr Ultra’s $1,500 price a few times already, but it really is absurd just how much Motorola is asking for the phone. Not only in comparison to older Razrs, but even next to the upcoming Motorola Razr Fold.

The Razr Fold is Motorola’s first book-style foldable, and, naturally, its design is much more versatile than the Razr Ultra’s — giving you a 6.6-inch screen on the outside and a large 8.1-inch display when the phone is unfolded. The Razr Ultra has portability on its side, but the Fold is essentially a phone and tablet in one. The Razr Fold also has a periscope telephoto camera (something the Ultra lacks), a much larger battery, faster charging, and four extra years of major software updates.

You’d think that all of that would come at a significantly higher price, but not really. Compared to the $1,500 Razr Ultra, the Razr Fold is just $400 more expensive at $1,900. That’s not an insignificant amount of money, but if you’re already preparing to spend so much on a folding Motorola phone, you get a lot more bang for your buck with the Razr Fold. Plus, it’s actually a brand new device rather than a repackaged phone from last year.

While the Razr Ultra (2026) certainly has the best specs compared to other Razr models, it looks a whole lot less impressive once you put it side by side with a non-folding Android flagship. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra may not have a foldable design, but it does offer a whole lot more horsepower and technical capabilities for less money.

Instead of the outdated Snapdragon 8 Elite chip powering the 2026 Razr Ultra, the S26 Ultra features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. Samsung’s phone has a much more powerful 200MP primary camera, plus two telephoto cameras. The S26 Ultra comes with a built-in stylus, a more durable IP68-rated design, and the unique Privacy Display that can keep prying eyes off your phone.

If you want the convenience and cool factor of a foldable phone, the Galaxy S26 Ultra obviously isn’t a good fit. But when it delivers so much more phone for a retail price that’s $200 less than the new Razr Ultra, Samsung’s phone is undoubtedly the more practical choice.

Finally, I want to wrap up my recommendations with the Google Pixel 10 Pro. The Pixel 10 Pro is one of my absolute favorite Android phones on the market today, and as much as I love flip-phone foldables, I really can’t imagine spending $1,500 on the new Razr Ultra when Google’s flagship is available for $500 less — and objectively better in so many ways.

Cameras are a major advantage for the Pixel. Motorola’s setup on the Razr Ultra (2026) isn’t terrible, but the Pixel 10 Pro is the better cameraphone between the two. Not only do you benefit from a dedicated telephoto lens, but Google’s image processing and overall camera experience are more reliable, too.

The Pixel 10 Pro also benefits from Google’s excellent Pixel-exclusive software features, plus seven years of guaranteed Android updates — significantly better than the three years of support you get on the Razr. And while some people may not care, I love having built-in magnets on the back of the Pixel 10 Pro.

Like the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Pixel 10 Pro lacks the excitement and whimsy of a foldable. But if you want one of the best damn Android phones available in 2026 — and want to spend a lot less than what Motorola is asking for the Razr Ultra — you can’t go wrong with the Pixel.