We Tested 20 Car Phone Mounts to Find the Best (2024)

Fantastic budget-friendly window/dash mount. The suction-cup operation is easy for attaching and removing the mount. The head telescopes for easy adjustment. However, the tabs require two-handed operation.

Suction-cup strength: Great

Phone grip: Excellent

Grip adjustability: Decent; requires two hands

Top-notch vent grip with an adjustable knob, strong magnet without a case, looks sharp, braided cord. Does not come with a cigarette-lighter adapter, only a USB-C connection. You will also need a separate sticky magnet, as this lacks one in the package.

Vent grip: Excellent

Magnet strength: Great without a case; decent through a thick case (you will need a separate sticky magnet)

Charging: Charges through case

If you have a MagSafe iPhone and/or case, this is the mount to get. The Velox also doubles as a charging pad, producing 7.5 watts of charging power via the MagSafe system.

Vent grip: Decent

Magnet strength: Good without case; decent with case

Charging: Charges through case

Wireless charging, simple expansion in the cupholder, and automatic clamping on the phone. Excellent cup mount at an affordable price.

Cupholder grip: Excellent

Phone grip: Great

Grip adjustability: Excellent

Charging: Charges through case

The Scosche MagicGrip is a fantastic, do-it-all window/dash phone mount. With Qi-certified wireless charging, auto-sensing arms that close on their own, and an all-around good grip, it really feels like the ultimate phone mount—if you're willing to shell out some dough.

Suction grip: Good

Phone grip: Good

Grip adjustability: Great; arms close automatically

Charging: Charges through case

Awesome choice for ride-sharing. Excellent adjustability. The nesting cup design is difficult to use. Comes with two containers of Purell hand sanitizer that fit perfectly in the slot.

Cupholder grip: Good, once you manage to separate the adapters to find the correct size

Phone grip: Great

Grip adjustability: Excellent

If you're looking for a vent phone mount on a budget, we liked this option from iOttie for the price. We really liked the one-handed operation for opening and closing the arms, but the grip on the vent left something to be desired.

Vent grip: Poor

Phone grip: Great

Grip adjustments: Excellent; easy one-handed operation

We loved the Extendo function of this window mount, which really unlocks a plethora of positioning options.

Suction grip: Great

Magnet strength: Good; better with included sticky magnet

When testing these mounts, we measured five parameters: mounting strength, phone grip strength, grip adjustability, magnet strength (if applicable), and charging operation (if applicable). These were tested under aggressive driving on curves and simple hand tests to simulate jarring driving.

We used the base iPhone 13 and, when testing with a case, an OtterBox Commuter. During testing of magnet strength and charging operation, we tested each applicable mount with both case-on and case-off tests and noted the results.

For the magnet test in particular, none of the mounts had magnets powerful enough to hold the phone through its case. To combat this, a stick-on magnet is included with most magnetic mounts—but this adds a semi-permanent accessory to your phone case, which some folks don't necessarily want.

In short, to enjoy the strength of a magnetic phone mount fully requires removal of the case or installation of the sticky magnet.

What type of car phone mount is best?

Depends on what kind of car phone mount you're looking for. There are mounts with magnets, clamping arms, wireless charging, and even Alexa integration. Our advice is to think about the features you'd most prefer, and search for a phone mount with them in mind.

Where is the best place to put a phone holder in your car?

Depends on the car. Cupholder mounts are super easy to use, but you need a vehicle with cupholders near the windshield—or an extender, such as on the WeatherTech. Vent mounts are great, but the phone blocks airflow from the vent it's mounted to. Window/dash mounts are an optimum choice for line of sight with the road, but they can decrease your visibility through the windshield or leave a sticky ring on your dashboard.

Do magnetic car phone mounts damage cell phones?

No. Modern chip technology is made with nonmagnetic materials, so your phone is totally safe.

Are car vent mounts safe?

Car vent mounts are safe, but phones are a distraction no matter where they are. However, you should minimize risk by positioning your vent mount near your view of the road.

How can you keep the suction cup on a phone mount from falling off?

All of the dashboard and windshield car phone mounts we tested had impressively strong suction cups. However, they won't stick well if the mounting surface is dirty or porous. Clean the inside of your windshield with glass cleaner and dry with a lint-free towel before applying.

For dashboards, either attach the suction cup to the included mounting plate—or clean and dry your dash well, and avoid placing the mount over any holes, cracks, or porous material.

Do car phone mounts damage air vents?

They can. Vent-style car phone mounts are designed to secure themselves to just about any style of air vent without causing damage. However, installing the mount incorrectly can cause issues.

When sliding a vent mount onto the fin of an air vent, push consistently and smoothly, without any jerking motions. If you need to exert an excessive amount of force to slide the mount on, try a different approach. This is one of the most common ways your car's air vents can get damaged.

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