Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy: who makes the best smartphones?

Each year, Galaxy and iPhone compete with the latest features, camera technology and designs at the premium end of the market, with the best costing upwards of £1,000. 

Choosing between them, and weighing up the benefits of both Plus or Pro versions of flagships and more affordable alternatives is no easy task. We run through some of the most important handsets from each brand, the strengths and weaknesses of each, and highlight great value models that net you big savings.

See our pick of the best phone and Sim deals, the best iPhone deals, or read our guide to the best mobile phones that aced our lab tests.

The best Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy phones from Which? tests

Log in to see the Apple iPhones and Samsung Galaxy phones that scored best in our test and where to buy them. Not yet a member? Join Which? now to get instant access.

Apple iPhone 16 vs Samsung S25 - premium flagships

Apple iPhone 16 series

The Apple iPhone 16 is the brand's standard flagship phone released in September 2024. It has a 6.1-inch OLED display with a high 2,556 x 1,179-pixel resolution and the Dynamic Island feature. It has some new camera features including Macro Mode for close-up shots and software to record clearer audio. The iPhone 16 Plus is the same phone but with a bigger 6.7-inch screen and larger battery to match.

The two Pro models - the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max - have their biggest screens ever and are equipped with Apple's titanium design and top-of-the-line cameras.

The iPhone 16e came later and was released in February 2025. It is the cheapest iPhone since 2022 and it's a scaled-back version of the iPhone 16.

All phones in the range come with Apple's own AI (Apple Intelligence, in this case) and a new Camera Control button to make shooting modes easier to handle. You can click through to buy any of the latest iPhones below.

Samsung Galaxy S25 series

The standard model from Samsung's latest flagship range, the Samsung Galaxy S25, came out in January 2025. It looks similar to its predecessor with few hardware upgrades, such as a slightly thinner build and a performance boosting-processor. The main upgrades are to the AI-fuelled features called Galaxy AI (though the previous Samsung Galaxy S24 will get some of these through a software update). Examples of features include photo editing tools to cut out people walking through your pictures, as well as technology to try and make your life simpler, such as summarising your notifications. Find out what happened when we put the Samsung Galaxy AI features to the test.

The Samsung Galaxy S25+ has a larger 6.7-inch OLED display and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra has the most advanced cameras as well as a useful built-in stylus called the S Pen.

Need some extras for a new phone? Our testers went for a spin to find the best car phone holders for ease of use, grip and stability.

Cheap Apple iPhones and Samsung phones

iPhone SE

The iPhone SE is Apple's answer to a mid-range phone. In March 2022, Apple released the third SE model with a pleasant surprise – it's fuelled by the same powerful A15 Bionic Chip as in the iPhone 13, but it only has one rear camera lens and (by modern standards) a small screen (4.7 inches). 

Find out if this phone is for you in our iPhone SE 2022 review.

Samsung Galaxy A25

The A range is where you'll find Samsung's cheapest phones. One of the releases is the Samsung Galaxy A25 5G. It comes with a 6.5-inch screen with 2,340 x 1,080 resolution and three camera lenses with several settings and modes. Better yet, it has five years of security support guaranteed to December 2028, which gives you a lot of time for a handset that costs under £300.

Find out more in our Samsung Galaxy A25 5G review.

Samsung vs Apple: Artificial intelligence

In 2024, one upgrade has dominated the headlines for flagship phones - the introduction of AI. Samsung has 'Galaxy AI', and Apple's is called 'Apple Intelligence'.

AI in Samsung and Apple phones does similar things. On one hand, they give you features to make both how you navigate your phone, and your means of communication, easier. This includes searching through your photos and creating images from brief descriptions, summarising the gist of your notifications, and re-writing rough notes into formal correspondence. The technology also enhances the strength of Apple and Samsung's voice assistants.

Then there are capabilities built in to the camera software to give you state-of-the-art editing tools. For example, AI can identify unwanted objects and people in your pictures, remove them, and fill in the gaps.

Apple iPhone vs Samsung Galaxy: design and features

We narrow down some of the most important features and pit these two tech behemoths against each other.

Phone design

Apple iPhones have come a long way since the rounded, plastic-backed iPhone first released in 2007. Newer models now take on a sleeker glass and stainless-steel or titanium designs that aims to turn heads. 

One distinguishing feature of iPhones is the 'notch' at the top – this houses the front camera and Face unlock sensor. This has become quite iconic, but it isn't on the newest series. Instead, these have the new Dynamic Island notch that's separated from the top of the phone. It houses the front-facing camera, notifications and shortcuts to applications you're using.

Like Apple, Samsung's Galaxy smartphones have veered away from the plastic design. The S6 Edge was the first model to feature its innovative dual-edge display in 2015, and the range has evolved since with larger displays and thinner bezels. Samsung now uses subtler 'holepunch' front cameras – a small hole to house the lens, rather than a notch, which can make the display seem more immersive.

In both cases, expect some of the very latest screen technologies, with high resolutions, sharp images and accurate colours.

Screen size and resolution

Apple offers five versions of the iPhone 16. 

• iPhone 16, iPhone 16e and the iPhone 16 Pro have smaller screens. The iPhone 16 holds a 6.1-inch screen with 2,556 x 1,179 resolution, and the 16e is similar with a 6.1-inch screen with 2,532 x 1,170 resolution. The 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen with a slightly higher 2,622 x 1,206 resolution to match.
• iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max are larger. The 16 Plus has a 6.7-inch screen with 2,796 x 1,290 resolution. The 16 Pro Max is Apple's biggest iPhone to date with a 6.9-inch screen and 2,868 x 1,320 resolution.

Samsung takes a slightly different approach. It's 'standard' Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch display (2,340 x 1,080), and the S25+ bumps this to 6.7 inches (3,120 x 1,440). The S25 Ultra boasts a 6.9-inch display and 3,120 x 1,440-pixel resolution.

Display

The two brands have differing display types. The newest iPhones have a Super Retina XDR OLED display, while Samsung's new models come with Dynamic LTPO AMOLED displays.

AMOLED displays allow control over each individual pixel, which in theory produces better picture quality. AMOLEDs also have better overall power consumption than OLEDs, but can use more power when displaying brighter colours and aren’t as visible in sunlight as OLED displays.

One of the most important factors for many people is handset size, but bear in mind that with different screen to body ratios, physical dimensions are a better indicator of this than display size.

Camera

Cameras are what drive demand for many high-end phones, and neither Apple or Samsung shirk their responsibilities when it comes to pushing the boundaries of technology.

Since the iPhone 12, Apple has continued to embrace the benefits of multiple lenses and includes a 48Mp wide and 12Mp ultrawide on the iPhone 16, but the this has the additional benefit of large sensors and fancy modes. The 16 Pro models adds an additional 12Mp telephoto lens and a time of flight (ToF) scanner to help improve photo effects. However, the cheapest iPhone 16e only has one lens, but Apple claims it has software powerful enough to improve the camera quality without another lens. All five models also have a 12Mp selfie camera.

Samsung has a three-lens array on the standard S25 – a 50Mp wide, 10Mp telephoto and 12Mp ultrawide. This is the same as the S25+, but the Ultra gets a boost with a huge 200Mp wide-angle lens, 50Mp periscope telephoto lens, 10Mp telephoto lens and 50Mp ultrawide lens.

Samsung Galaxy loyalists can make use of Scene Optimiser to automatically adjust and improve scene quality when the camera recognises the object or scene in the frame. Modes include food, animals, greenery, beaches and sunsets. The latest AI-enhanced features give you more editing modes on the S25 series, and you can use AI to generate images and cartoons from simple descriptions.

Apple is no slouch in the camera department, either – it offers a range of useful and dramatic post-processing effects to enhance your photos. You'll find features such as Smart HDR – blending multiple photos for the best shot and the ability to change the depth of field of images after they’ve been taken. The latest cameras will get Apple Intelligence editing tools, too.

Whichever of the two you choose, rest assured that both Apple and Samsung flagships are right up there when it comes to some of the best and most advanced camera technology.

Storage

Apple users have long dealt with the woes of running out of space on their phone. iPhones don’t come with a micro-SD card to expand internal storage, so you need to think about storage configuration before you buy. But you can also store pictures, videos and documents on iCloud. 

Samsung users are in the same position. Since the S21, they don't have micro-SD card slots to expand storage, but you have the option of the Samsung Cloud to store data.

Deciding how much you'll need before you buy is therefore important. The iPhone 16 and Samsung S25 start at 128GB capacity, which should be enough for most users. At the top end, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, the iPhone 16 Pro and the iPhone 16 Pro Max go up to 1TB.

Operating system

Famous for its in-house expertise, Apple uses the iOS operating system, which is owned by the brand. This means the manufacturer has more control over producing updates, security patches and rolling these updates out to its devices than users of the Google Android operating system.

Samsung is the the largest manufacturer running on the Android operating system. Samsung Galaxy devices are typically launched with the newest version of Android software. To optimise the use of its devices, Samsung has One UI, an operating system skin to overlay Android that offers a range of visual and functional improvements.

Value for money

When it comes to these two tech titans, the premium smartphone ranges sit very close to each other in price.

In 2018, the iPhone broke the £1,000 threshold for the first time, making it one of the most expensive smartphones ever made. If you're looking for a better deal, you'll need to opt for an older iPhone or the mid-range Apple iPhone SE 2022.

It has maintained a similar structure with the iPhone 16 range. At release, the iPhone 16e cost £599, the 16 £799, the 16 Plus £899, the 16 Pro £999 and the Pro Max £1,199. 

Samsung’s Galaxy range is similar in price to Apple's main range of iPhones, but they have also dropped slightly since the S23 series. The Samsung Galaxy S25 cost £799 at launch, the S25+ £999 and the S25 Ultra an eye-watering £1,249.

Other brands to consider

There's plenty of choice in the smartphone market beyond Samsung and Apple, and plenty of quality too. We regularly reveal Best Buys from rival brands.

Google

Google aims for quality over quantity – it has a limited range, but they're popular with budding smartphone photographers and those who appreciate timely operating system updates, as Google owns Android. Its flagship phones are cheaper than those from Apple and Samsung and they have a long security support policy. Browse our Google smartphone reviews to see if they tick the boxes elsewhere.

Xiaomi

If you're after a brand that provides value for money, look no further than Xiaomi. While it does produce high-end phones, it offers a wide range of cheap yet feature-packed models as well, and these have seriously impressed. It's capable of also producing a stinker, though, so read our Xiaomi reviews before you buy.

Other mobile phones

We've tested nearly 200 phones to bring you a definitive verdict on your next model. From old-hands Motorola - the popular budget-brand, to Sony - who focus on creating phones for serious gamers. We also review phones from the new kids on the block Nothing - with its unique phones designs, and Fairphone - which shouts about its eco-credentials over anything else. Browse all our mobile phone reviews to find your perfect model.

How we rate smartphones

Each and every mobile phone that passes through our lab is subjected to the same set of tough tests. This enables us to compare them and tell you which are worth the money. You can then avoid slow phones that take rubbish photos, and spend your money on a good-quality model that won't constantly need recharging instead.

We examine everything, including processor speed, screen and camera quality, battery life and call quality.

Our tests are unique. For example, when testing how quick each phone is, we don't just use the industry-standard speed tests, we also rate what it's like in everyday use. Our testers assess whether the phone is sluggish when swiping through menus and how quickly it opens webpages. All these factors enable us to generate our star ratings and give every phone a score.

Browse all our Samsung reviews and Apple iPhone reviews to see which models impressed us.

Popular iPhone Comparisons

• iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16
• iPhone 15 Pro vs iPhone 16 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro vs iPhone 15 Pro
  
• iPhone 15 vs iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Plus vs iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 vs iPhone 14
• iPhone 12 vs iPhone 13
• iPhone 14 Pro Max vs iPhone 15 Pro Max
• iPhone 15 Pro Max vs Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Get our free Tech newsletter for advice, news, deals and stuff the manuals don’t tell you