Get A Great Car Phone Holder ~ My Top 8 Recommendations

A friend asked me to recommend a great car phone holder. I was only too happy to accommodate because I don’t love the one I have. Of my top eight recommendations, one is sure to work well for you, your phone and your car.

There’s no shortage of car phone holders for sale. To find the best of the best, I scoured the internet to find road tests done by experts — mostly car, tech and travel magazines — to see which car phone holders they agreed are the best.

Then I read through the Amazon reviews of the car phone holders that made my shortlist, and there are A LOT of reviews. From there, I pared down the best, most recommended car phone holders for you, and myself. Check out my Follow-Up post to see which one I got and read my review.

To get a great car phone holder, jump down to read what things to consider when choosing a car phone holder, types of car phone mounts and types of phone holders. Or, dive right into my final list of the best, most recommended car phone holders — only eight made the final cut.

The Best, Most Recommended Car Phone Holders

Who better to test and review car phone holders than automobile, tech and travel magazines? To pare down the best, most recommended car phone holders, I read through reviews from Car and Driver, Digital Trends, PC Magazine, Popular Mechanic, Ridester, T3, Tech Gear Lab, Tech Radar, The Driver, Travel & Leisure, Wirecutter, and more. Then I read the reviews of those most recommended car phone holders on Amazon to pare down the best of the best. And there are A LOT of reviews! No joke, people take their car phone holders very seriously.

Use the links below to jump down to the car phone holder that interests you most:

• Best Dashboard/Vent Mounts
• Best Magnetic Mounts
• Best Clip Mount
• Best Gravity Grip
• Best Car Phone Cup Holder
• Best For Wireless Charging

Best Dashboard/Vent Mount

The overwhelming favorite car phone holders are by iOttie. They are available in every mounting style imaginable in both cradle and magnetic phone holders, with and without wireless charging. There are also iOttie car phone holders that work with Alexa.

So finding an iOttie car phone holder that works best for you, your phone and your car is easy. The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 has a 4.4-star rating from over 125,600 reviewers on Amazon! Read the Notable Features that impressed me, editors and reviewers below.

Prices for iOttie car phone holders start around $24. The above links will take you to their respective product pages on Amazon where I found the prices to be consistently the lowest. But prices fluctuate based on sales and promotions, so compare prices at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart before you buy.

iOttie Easy One Touch 5 Notable Features

• The Easy One Touch is designed to work with one hand. Simply place your phone in the holder and gently pushing it against the back pad. This triggers the arms to automatically close and secure your phone.
• There is also an Easy One Touch release mechanism. When pressed, the arms open to release your phone.
• The One Touch holders also have adjustable feet for added stability and to accommodate larger smartphones.
• The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 comes with a clever magnetic tab that goes on your charging cable. It then secures your cable to a small magnet at the back of the holder so you always know where your charging cable is.
• All of the iOttie car phone holders can be rotated for portrait and landscape viewing.
• The dashboard/windshield mount has a telescopic arm that extend from 5 to 8 inches.

Best Magnetic Phone Mount

If you’re mad for magnetic phone mounts, Scosche is the go-to brand and WixGear a close runner-up.

The Scosche MagicMount Magnetic Car Phone Holder is highly rated by editors and has 4.5 stars from over 49,300 reviews on Amazon. The magnetic mount features powerful “rare-earth neodymium” magnets for a secure grip and a metallic MagicPlate and protective film for the back of your phone. I nice feature is the convenient cable clip on the back to secure your charging cable. And, of course, the hands-free design enables you to rotate your phone 360 degrees. Pricing starts at around $12 at Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart.

Scosche makes a variety of car phone holders, including nonmagnetic and wireless charging holders, available in several different mounting styles.

WixGear Magnetic Car Phone Holders are a close runner-up for the best magnetic car phone holder. Editors loved the dashboard mount ($14 for two) and gave it just as many accolades as the Scosche. It has a 4.4-star rating on Amazon where the WixGear has over 27,200 reviews. Editors like the dashboard mount, but Amazon reviewers prefer the vent mount (two for $20), which has a 4.4-star rating from over 55,000 reviews!

Both mountings come with metal plates and a protective film for the back of your smartphone. All of WixGear’s magnetic car phone holders feature powerful magnets strategically placed to keep hold of your device, even on rough and bumpy roads. The hands-free design enables you to rotate your phone 360 degrees for portrait or landscape viewing.

WixGear makes a variety of car phone holders and wireless charging holders, not just magnetic ones. Check out the WixGear Store on Amazon to see more options.

Best Clip Mount Phone Holder

If you like the idea of a car phone holder that clips on to your dashboard, sun visor or rearview mirror, try the Fonken Clip Mount Car Phone Holder.

The clip of the Fonken Clip Mount Car Phone Holder has a soft, nonslip silicon pad and curved base with four spring arms that securely hold your smartphone. The phone holder has a 360-degree rotation and 180-degree tilt, so you can adjust your phone freely for optimal viewing. When not in use, the Fonken Clip Mount folds flat and can be easily stored in the glove box or center console.

The spring arms of the Fonken phone holder can accommodate smartphones from 4 to 6.8 inches. So be sure to check the depth and thickness of your dashboard, as shown above, before purchasing. The best price I found is $14.99 on Amazon, where the Fonken has almost 8,500 reviews.

Best Gravity Grip Car Phone Holder

If you think gravity is groovy, try the AINOPE Vent Mount Car Phone Holder.

Best Car Phone Cup Holder

Some people are happy to forgo a cup holder, I am not one of them. If you are, the best car phone cup holder is by TopGo.

The TopGo Cup Phone Holder is quick and easy to install and fits in a variety of cup holders. You can even use it in the cup holder of a golf cart, treadmill or stroller. It features one-button-release side arms and expandable support legs to keep your phone secure. The heavy base ensures the TopGo stays firmly in the cup holder.

The phone mount can be rotated 360 degrees and the 8-inch long flexible gooseneck is adjustable for the best viewing angle. Editors recommend this cup phone holder and it has 4.4 stars on Amazon from almost 22,000 reviewers. The TopGo is available on Amazon where it sells from $14 – $20, depending on color.

Best for Wirelessly Charging Your Phone in The Car

We all charge our phones in the car. If you have a Qi-enabled smartphone, you need a wireless charging car phone holder. The top two are by MANKIW and iOttie.

The MANKIW features an infrared sensor that automatically closes its arms around your phone when placed in the holder and a single quick-release button to open the arms. You can customize how you view your phone with a 360-degree rotation and an adjustable arm and ball joint. The best price is $35 on Amazon.

iOttie also makes two magnetic car phone holders with wireless charging. The iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic Qi Wireless Charging Air Vent Mount ($49) wirelessly charges both Androids and iPhones, while the iOttie Velox Magnetic MagSafe Vent Mount ($49) is made specifically for MagSafe cases.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Car Phone Holder

• Size and Weight — Consider the size and weight of your phone with the case on. A phone holder that is too large or too small will not keep your phone stable or secure. If you have a large smartphone and prefer a magnetic phone holder, check the maximum weight capacity.
• Placement — Where is the best place in your to car mount a car phone holder so it won’t obstruct the air bags or your view of the road.
• Charging — Choose a phone holder that will give you access to your phone charger. This is especially important if you use an app on your smartphone for navigation, music, etc., because these apps are a drain on your battery.
  • If your phone charges wirelessly, get a car phone holder with a built-in wireless charger.
• Rotation — If being able to rotate your phone to view it horizontally is important to you, for instance, when using a navigation app, look for a car phone holder that offers that feature.

Types of Car Phone Mounts

The mount is how the car phone holder attaches to your car. Deciding where you want your phone will help you decide which mounting to get. Make sure that the car phone holder will NOT block or impede the air bags, obstruct your view of the road, or distract you while driving.

• Adhesive – These car phone holders are mounted to the dashboard with heavy-duty, extra-strength adhesive. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove without damaging your car or leaving behind a residue. If you own your car, know that an adhesive mount is a long-term commitment. If you lease your car or live in a warm climate where heat can compromise the adhesive, I do not recommend this mounting.
• CD Slot – This is similar to a car phone holder that mounts in the car vent but instead, as its name suggests, it mounts in the CD slot. If you still have CD player in your car and no longer play CD’s, you might as well make use of it. Reviewers like this mount and found it secure. Depending on where your CD slot is, be mindful that your phone won’t be blocking any of your car’s controls, such as the air or radio.
• Clip – This car phone holder literally clips onto the edge of your dashboard, sun visor or rear view mirror. Reviewers say they’re very secure. Just keep in mind that the clip, which is more like a clamp, can leave indentations in your dashboard or visor if left in place for extended periods of time.
• Cup Holder – This base simply secures in one of your car’s cup holders. If you don’t mind giving up a cup holder and you don’t use your phone for navigation, this could be a good option. Since cup holders are lower than the dashboard and vents, I think it is unsafe to look down to see your phone. If you use your phone for navigation or music, choose a holder that is closer to eye level.
• Suction – The base of this car phone holder mounts with a suction cup to the dashboard or windshield.
  • Important Note: Windshield mountings are illegal in many states, including NY, NJ, CT, DC, VA, and more. Check the laws in your state before buying and, if you are unsure, mount it to your dashboard.
• Vent – This car phone holder attaches in the car’s vent slats, making your phone easy to see and access. Make note of the vents in your car before choosing this option because this mounting will not work in most round vents. In addition, if you have an oversized phone, it may block the airflow from the vent into the car.

Types of Phone Holders

This is how your phone is held by the car phone holder. Make sure the size and weight of your phone and its case are compatible with the holder.

• Clamp or Cradle – This type of holder cradles your smartphone with arms that tighten to (or clamp) the sides of the phone to secure it in place and use a spring system to release it. Many also have feet at the base for additional stability.
• Gravity – As you put your phone in the holder, gravity pulls the weight of your phone down and the grips or arms and feet of the holder simultaneously go up to secure your phone in place.
• Magnetic – A metal plate or disk goes onto the back of your phone or case and magnetically holds your phone to a strong magnetic base. If you wirelessly charge your phone, make sure the metal plate isn’t on or near the charging coil. Alternatively, you can buy a case with a built-in magnet, such as a MagSafe case.

I hope this helped you find a great car phone holder that works best for you, your phone and your car.

All prices are accurate and items in stock (unless noted otherwise) at time of publication.