Travel Products Tech Essentials The 8 Best Car Phone Mounts of 2023, Tested and Reviewed Andobil’s Car Phone Holder Mount lets you navigate and DJ with ease. By Rena Behar Rena Behar Instagram Twitter Website Rena Behar is a freelance journalist and editor focusing on tech, travel, and gender. She has contributed to Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 6, 2023 Share Tweet Pin Email In This Article Expand Jump to a Section Our top picks Reviews Other Car Phone Mounts We Tested Our Testing Process Tips for Buying FAQ Why Trust T+L We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more. Amazon / Amazon / Amazon If you're gearing up for a road trip, you've likely created endless playlists, downloaded your favorite podcasts, and set your maps offline accordingly. Now, where does your phone, the repository of all these essentials, sit? The best car phone mounts will provide a secure, visible place for your phone without getting in the way of your actual driving. Whether you want a magnetic or clamp-style holder that sits on your dashboard or attaches to a vent, there’s a solid phone mount out there for a smooth journey. We spent two weeks testing nine different car phone mounts to determine our favorites, rating them based on ease of use, stability, quality, and value. Our favorite is the Andobil Car Phone Holder Mount for its variety of installation options, ease of adjustability, and convenient touches like a quick-release button and space for your charger. We also have top picks for different installation methods, budgets, and phone needs. These are the best car phone mounts according to our testing: Our Top Picks Best Overall: Andobil Car Phone Holder Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Best Adhesive: iOttie Easy One Touch 5 Smartphone Car Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Best With a Charger: Zeehoo Wireless Car Charger at Amazon Jump to Review Best Value: Scosche Magic Mount Dash Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Best for Small Phones: Belkin MagSafe Car Vent Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Easiest Phone Insertion and Removal: WixGear Magnetic Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Best Vent Clamp: Ainope Car Phone Holder Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Most Durable: Vicseed Car Phone Mount at Amazon Jump to Review Best Overall Andobil Car Phone Holder Mount 5 Amazon View On Amazon Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It This mount is easy to use and offers a variety of installation styles that are all equally solid, and it has a quick-release button. What to Consider It’s a little on the more expensive side for the style. The Andobil mount swept all of our categories, with our tester calling it “possibly the best car mount I've ever tried.” Choose between three installation styles: a suction cup and pad stuck on either the dashboard or the windshield or a click-on vent attachment. Once installed, the telescoping mount can be moved around to make sure your phone is within easy reach no matter your arm’s span. Our tester attached it to their dashboard, and it didn’t move once, turning out to be “super stable” but still easy to adjust. When you need to free your phone, you can just use the quick release button rather than having to fight the mount with both hands. There’s also a space to plug in your charger so you don’t have to worry about running out of battery just as the chorus to your favorite song comes on. For everything from daily commutes to epic road trips, the Andobil is an ideal passenger to have by your side. Price at time of publish: $23 The Details: Clamp, dash, windshield, vent Best Adhesive iOttie Easy One Touch 5 Smartphone Car Mount 4.9 Amazon View On Amazon View On Crutchfield.com Our Ratings Ease of Use 4.5/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It The attachment and build of this mount feel equally solid. What to Consider Because it’s so sticky, installation can be a bit fussy. The iOttie mount earned its best adhesive title with a suction cup that our tester described as “incredibly sticky.” Although that means you won’t have to worry about it budging, installation may be slightly tricky since you won’t have a lot of room to adjust after sticking it the first time. Once attached, you can switch the mount for a vertical or horizontal view and then adjust the telescoping arm to fine-tune your viewing angle. “That adhesive is so sticky that the phone mount is just part of the truck now,” said our tester. They’ve had no issues with it loosening up or losing grip on the phone, even in “a sort of rickety pickup truck on uneven and steep roads,” and the build quality of the mount itself feels sturdy and tough. They didn’t try attaching it to their dashboard out of concern it might damage the finish, but it is designed to use there too. The testers use it every time they drive now and say it works perfectly, including when you need to remove your phone from the holder. Price at time of publish: $25 The Details: Clamp, dash, windshield Christine Colby Best With a Charger Zeehoo Wireless Car Charger 5 Amazon View On Amazon Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It Wireless charging is the icing on the cake of this easy-to-install-and-operate mount. What to Consider You need a USB port in your vehicle for this to work. If you need your phone to stay juiced up on long drives and don’t want to devote any brain space to it, a car mount with wireless charging is the best car phone mount for you. Our tester found it easy to install whether sticking it to the windshield or clipping it to the air vent, and it was very stable once installed, even across multi-hour drives. “It did everything I would expect from a phone mount and more,” they said. “As someone who's never used a phone mount, this changed the game for me.” Though it’s more expensive than some competitors, the wireless charging feature gives it an edge, and it’s easy to mount and then operate, even one-handed. Keep in mind that the wireless charging is more useful on longer drives than shorter ones (unless your battery life is truly abysmal), and the charging and automatic arms need to be plugged into a USB port to work. Price at time of publish: $30 The Details: Clamp, dash, vent, windshield The 9 Best Bike Phone Mounts of 2023 Best Value Scosche Magic Mount Dash Mount 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon View On Scosche.com View On Target Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 4/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It The Scosche is small, stable, and super easy to install. What to Consider There’s a little more potential for your phone to slide around than on other mounts, and you may need to attach one of the magnets to the back of your phone. Our tester was impressed by how easy the Scosche mount was to install. It required less than five minutes to assemble, though the magnetic process wasn’t perfect (possibly due to our tester’s iPhone 11 Pro requiring an extra piece of material). Your phone will have to connect to the magnet in the same spot every time; if it misses the magnet, your phone will slide around. The connection between mount and car is also strong, with a good adhesive and durable-feeling materials. Our tester appreciated its “efficient and sleek” design and called it “a steal” at this low price tag, writing, “The magnetic mount is so strong, sleek, and lightweight. I think the product is worth much more!” They appreciated how sturdy it was considering the petite size and that it still managed to stick through their phone case. Price at time of publish: $13 The Details: Magnetic, dash Travel + Leisure / Awa Dia Best for Small Phones Belkin MagSafe Car Vent Mount 4.6 Amazon View On Amazon View On Walmart View On Batteriesplus.com Our Ratings Ease of Use 4/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 4.5/5 Why We Love It This sleek design keeps a low profile while still providing a solid hold. What to Consider You may have to take your phone case off for this to work. If you prefer a more minimalist design, your best option is the Belkin. There’s “a little finagling” required to actually get it on your car’s air vent, and the instructions are in pictures only, so it can be a little tricky to install. The magnet also won’t work if you keep a case on your phone, which some may find frustrating in the long term. However, it stays put once you’ve set it up, and the build quality is solid. We think this is best for smaller phones since it’s so slim, and it won’t clutter your dash or fill your glove compartment with accessories. Price at time of publish: $40 The Details: Magnetic, vent Easiest Phone Insertion and Removal WixGear Magnetic Mount 2-pack 4.8 Amazon View On Amazon Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 4/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It This solid mount requires absolute minimal effort to use. What to Consider You may need to do some experimenting to find the ideal attachment for your phone and to keep the mount at your desired attachment angle. Sometimes you simply don’t want to fuss around with your gadgetry. When that's the case, the WixGear Magnetic Mount is the best car mount around. Described by our tester as “great for a non-finicky car mount,” it was magnetized to their phone straight out of the box. There’s also a set of magnetic plates included if your phone doesn’t have magnetic capabilities. You can adhere the plates to your phone or case, but our tester found the plate worked fine just placed in between the phone itself and its case. They did note an issue with the mount making their older car’s less-stable vents tilt downward and finding the perfect angle for a different phone in a newer car also required some adjustment. The rubber feels high-quality, but our tester was also concerned that the vent-mounted nature of it may cause degradation due to extreme temperature exposure over time. Still, it required minimal fuss overall. “As a kid, my dad always had some clamped contraption that took forever to set up,” said our tester. “This let me slap my phone on the magnet and get on the road. The vent position isn't great for complex directions, but if you're wanting to keep your phone close so you can DJ on your drive, this is it.” Price at time of publish: $14 The Details: Magnetic, vent Travel + Leisure / Pamela Jew The Best Car Roof Carriers for Every Road Trip, Tested Best Vent Clamp Ainope Car Phone Holder Mount 5 Amazon View On Amazon Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It This mount finds the exact perfect position in your car in addition to having a smart design that can easily fit a variety of phone shapes. What to Consider You do need to read the instructions for the slightly unintuitive assembly. Our tester called the Ainope’s design “brilliant." It only has two pieces and a setup that’s easy once you look at the instructions. The hook that attaches to the vent is both adjustable and easy to use, and the mount sits far enough off the vent that it won’t interfere with the airflow. Our tester did note that the hook clip was wider than the space in their car vent, so they had to place it in a farther location, but ultimately found a good spot. Getting the phone in and out of the mount was easy, with the weight of the phone automatically adjusting the clasps. The design is also accommodating to phones of all sizes; our tester uses a thick case with a pop socket that fit “right into the mount” just as well as a thinner phone without a case. A rotating ball design makes it easy to adjust the angle, and you can check it easily while keeping your eyes on the road. Our tester noted it “initially looks a little jiggly” but still felt stable while driving. They called the design “incredibly smart” and said the mount sits at “the perfect height. The one drawback is that it's so perfectly placed that I am tempted to use [my phone] while driving,” they said. Price at time of publish: $16 The Details: Clamp, vent Travel + Leisure / Hildara Araya Most Durable Vicseed Car Phone Mount 5 Amazon View On Amazon Our Ratings Ease of Use 5/5 Stability 5/5 Quality 5/5 Value 5/5 Why We Love It The Vicseed is as simple to use as it is solidly constructed. What to Consider Setup may require a little more effort and have some slightly tighter parts. The Vicseed is so easy to use and set up, our tester didn’t even need to reference the instructions. And while the clip “takes some strength to open up” for vent placement and doesn’t rotate as freely as some of our other picks, that helps keep it stable while driving. “It. Has. Not. Moved. An. Inch,” our tester said. “Once we secured it on to the vent, it stayed put. It lives there now. The phone doesn't jiggle while it's in there and the mount doesn’t wobble while it holds on for its life on the vent.” There’s also zero noise while the car is in motion, which was important to our tester. They also dropped the mount twice but it sustained no damage either time, and “now it sits securely and happy on the vent without a worry in the world.” Our tester removed the mount from their car every time they exited to avoid break-ins but had no trouble removing it or setting it back up and never felt that their phone was at risk of falling or even jiggling. They also think the price is a great value for something of this quality. Price at time of publish: $20 The Details: Clamp, vent Other Car Phone Mounts We Tested iOttie Auto Sense Qi Wireless-charging Cup Holder Phone Mount: Though it has unique features, our tester was less impressed by this mount, calling it “one of those ‘cool’ items that is actually a pain in the butt.” They found the installation extremely unintuitive, and the fact that it sits in your cupholder makes it challenging to use for directions. Our tester also found it didn’t sit securely. They liked the automatic grip and release feature but were less impressed by the fact that it requires two cables to operate—one to charge the charger itself and a second to connect the charger to your phone—and comes with a high price tag. Our Testing Process Testers installed the mounts in their cars—and sometimes even a second car for additional testing—and hit the road. They then used their phones for music and directions on drives of varying lengths over the course of two weeks. First, they assembled the mounts according to the manufacturer’s instructions, noting how easy it was to understand the directions and complete the setup and whether the mount position impacted visibility. Then, they added their phones, noting fit, adjustability, ease, and security. Once set up, the testers used their phones as they normally would while driving and paid special attention to whether it felt secure in its setup and if the mount improved testers’ navigation abilities. Over multiple drives, testers tracked how easy it was to put in and remove the phone, how stable it felt during drives, whether the phone mount stayed put, and if it put their device in a good spot for driving. At the end of the testing period, testers noted whether the mount was hard to remove and if it left any marks or residue behind. Maryiya Ginzburg After the hands-on testing was completed, testers rated their mounts across five categories: ease of use, stability, quality, and value. Tips for Buying Car Phone Mounts Know the hands-free driving laws in your state Every state has its own rules for cell phone use, and many have banned handheld phone use, phone use by teen or novice drivers, and text messaging. Both the National Conference of State Legislatures and Governors Highway Safety Association offer state-by-state breakdowns of various restrictions. Prioritize stability If you’re constantly distracted by trying to make sure your phone is in place or, even worse, diving to catch it as it falls out of its holder, you’re basically negating any potentially positive effects of having a phone mount in the first place. A good mount should be able to be fully ignored while you’re in motion. Frequently Asked Questions Will a magnetic car mount damage my phone? Almost definitely not. There is a slight possibility that some magnets may damage some rear iPhone cameras, but Apple itself uses magnets in their MagSafe chargers. You certainly aren’t at risk of accidentally erasing your phone’s memory. Where should I put my phone mount in my car? Your phone should sit somewhere that you can easily glance at it but that won’t interfere with any visibility of the road or mirrors. Most car mounts can either sit on your dashboard or windshield via a suction cup or adhesive or clip into your air vents. Which one of those you go for is really a matter of personal preference. Why Trust Travel + Leisure Our expert editorial staff spent two weeks thoroughly testing all the car mount contenders. Rena Behar has also been testing and reviewing travel gear and other products since 2014 for outlets including Wirecutter, Reviewed.com, T+L, and more. The Ultimate Road Trip Packing List Love a great deal? Sign up for our T+L Recommends newsletter and we'll send you our favorite travel products each week. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit