Why does every car come standard with cup holders, but not a built-in car phone mount? On top of that, carmakers design cup holders into any and every place they can fit them nowadays. Everyone and their momma have cell phones, so why the design snub? Simply put, it’s a safety and insurance issue.
That’s why safety is the main attribute we considered when picking our favorite after-market car phone mount from each category. That quickly ruled out any mount that attaches to your windshield, ceiling, or anywhere else that might obstruct your view.
Luckily, there were still hundreds of options to sift through before we narrowed them down to the best of the best. If at least one of the following mounts or cradles doesn’t work for you then you’re on your own. The nice part is that most of the time your car makes the decision for you.
Maybe you have some excess dash space or an over-sized console area. Either way, we’ll help you find the perfect phone holder for your needs. Check out the Editor’s Picks list below or keep scrolling for a short review of each style.
Editor's Picks
BEST CAR PHONE MOUNT
BEST MAGNETIC MOUNT
► Penom Magnetic Vent Mount
BEST POPSOCKETS MOUNT
► PopSockets PopMount 2: Car Dash Mount (Black) (White or Pink)
► LEWOTE 3-In-1 PopSocket Mount Kit
BEST TELESCOPING MOUNT
► iOttie One Touch 5 Dash & Windshield Mount
BEST SILICONE PAD MOUNT
► Loncaster Car Phone Mount Cradle
BEST GRAVITY MOUNT
► AMAYGA Vent Car Mount
BEST DASH CLAMP MOUNT
► Showvigor Clamp Car Phone Mount
BEST WIRELESS CHARGING MOUNT
► iOttie iTap 2 Mount & Wireless Charger
BEST MAGNETIC MOUNT
Penom Magnetic Car Phone Vent Mount
When it comes to car accessories, the simpler the better. Most of us live in areas where you get temperature extremes on one or both sides of the spectrum. On top of that, sun exposure is another killer of car accessories. The more moving parts you have on anything that sits in your car 24/7, the more chanced there are to fail in these harsh weather conditions. That’s why we went with Penom’s Magnetic Phone Car Mount as our #1 choice overall. It’s simple, discrete, and effective.
Most vent mounts feature the traditional 4-finger claw that you have to jam into your vent and they stretch out over time. Penom’s Vent Mount mechanism adjusts to grip almost any size vent shutter and it doesn’t lose its strength over time. After that, the only moving part on the phone holder is the convenient 360° rotating base. Switch from portrait to landscape with a flick of the wrist.
The premium finish comes in 4 colors: Black, Silver, Rose Gold, and Space Grey. You also get a life-time warranty and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, because they stand behind this product with extreme confidence.
BEST POPSOCKETS MOUNTS
PopSockets PopMount 2: Collapsible Dash Mount
Leave it to the PopSocket creators to develop such a unique popup phone mount to use in conjunction with your PopSockets. The simple yet effective design allows you to get almost any viewing angle. Also, it can be attached to almost any surface with the included adapter pad. Just like the PopSockets themselves, the adapter pad leaves no residue and is reusable.
Update: The new PopMount 2 phone holders fit a wider range of PopSockets.
LEWOTE 3-In-1 PopSockets Car Mount Kit
If you have a PopSocket installed on your phone then you’re already halfway to securing your phone in your car too. Lewote features a 3-in-1 car mount kit that gives you the ultimate freedom of where you can mount your phone. With 3 different styles of mounts in one kit, you can even put one in the car, one in the bathroom, and one in the kitchen.
All three mounts feature a ball joint base that lets you get any viewing angle you need. The package also comes with 2 PopSockets, so it’s by far the best value of any other choice on our list.
BEST TELESCOPING MOUNT
iOttie One Touch 5 Dash & Windshield Mount
With its combination of strength, security, and versatility, we recommend the iOttie One Touch 5 Telescoping Car Mount for heavy-duty work environments. It’s perfect for your work truck or tractor. The telescoping arm is essential for larger cabs where the dash is at a farther reach.
Also, the base and phone holder have a Kung-Fu grip, so everything stays where it’s supposed to.
iOttie produces some of our favorite wireless charging phone stands, and their car phone mounts are no different. With 3 separate adjustment points, you can find the perfect position in any setup.
BEST SILICONE PAD MOUNT
Loncaster Anti-Slip Silicone Pad Dash Mount
If you have some extra dash space or you don’t want to block one of your vents, Loncaster produces the perfect multifunctional car phone mount. Featuring a non-slip base pad and elastic silicone phone grips, your dash and phone get handled with “kids gloves.” No need for sticker adapters that leave sticky residues. This also makes installation as easy as simply setting the mount on almost any part of your dash.
The only drawback is that it only holds your phone in landscape view, but this is a plus if you consistently use it for navigation. It makes up for it with the addition of built-in charging cable clips and a convenient non-slip tray for smaller items you don’t want rolling around.
BEST GRAVITY MOUNT
AMAYGA Gravity Vent Car Mount
Gravity phone holders are one of the newest styles of phone holders and one of the most delicate on your phone. The AMAYGA is our favorite because unlike the traditional 4-point gravity phone holders, theirs features a 6-point design. This gives it more stability and a better grip on larger phones. Plus, the bottom 2 pegs are at a fixed distance, so you have better access to the charge port regardless of your phone’s size.
This is a vent-style mount that features the unique adjustable clamp like Penom’s magnetic mount. The only drawback of all gravity phone holders is that they only work in portrait mode. If you like using Google Maps or other navigation apps in landscape then you’ll want to choose a different one from our list. The best benefit of this style is the ease of taking the phone in and out of the mount.
BEST DASH CLAMP MOUNT
Showvigor Clamp Car Phone Mount
Even though it only holds your phone in landscape view, this design offers the best ventilation out of any other car phone mount. No worries about overheating from the sun and/or charging. It’s also one of the most durable because of its carbon fiber cover and metal bumper.
The non-slip silicone grip gets a gentle, yet secure grip on your phone. Also, the hinge is designed to fit any phone. On the underside, it features a convenient adhesive gel pad, that’s washable and reusable.
One of the best features of this style of holder is that it uses up wasted dash space. No need to obstruct your view, with a windshield mount. Also, you won’t be blocking any air vents.
BEST WIRELESS CHARGING MOUNT
iOttie iTap 2 Magnetic Mount & Wireless Charger
If you have a phone with wireless charging and you want to take advantage of it on the road, then the iTap 2 is the way to go. iOttie also offers one of the best wireless chargers for your home too and you can get both for under $100. All of their wireless chargers have fast charging capabilities for iPhone and Android phones. Plus, they’re all certified Qi wireless charging enabled.
The iOttie iTap2 car phone mount is available with an air vent clamp or CD slot clamp for your convenience. Both have a secure locking mechanism and the magnetic design is even strong enough to hold larger phones. They also have models that use a quick-release clamp instead of magnets, if you use a thicker case for your phone. Either way, they’re all able to easily rotate from portrait to landscape view. Additionally, the included charging adapter features an extra USB slot so you can charge a secondary device.
