Jump between two networks quickly with the best dual-SIM phones – Tech Advisor

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In 2025, it’s not uncommon for people to need two active SIM cards at the same time. This usually involves having a personal number for your closest friends and relatives, and a separate business line for any ongoing side hustles you might have.
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In the past, this would have required having two phones on your person at all times, but that’s just far too cumbersome a prospect. Nowadays, there are plenty of phones that can carry two SIM cards simultaneously, so you can have an all-in-one device to help streamline your productivity.
There’s also more choice than ever when it comes to dual-SIM phones, giving you the chance to prioritise certain features like a foldable design or even a long-lasting battery life. Whichever type of phone you’re after, our round-up of the best dual-SIM phones can pair you with the right handset.
Many of these devices already appear in our guide to the best phones, but if you do decide that you wouldn’t mind a single-SIM device, then you may want to peruse the current rankings of the best mid-range phones and the best budget phones.
Given just how high a bar was set with the Find X8 Pro, we wouldn’t have been surprised if Oppo had struggled to follow it up with a successor that packed the same wow factor.
But in what is a testament to the company’s ambition to rarely rest on its laurels, the Oppo Find X9 Pro has raised that bar once more to become one of the absolute best phones you can buy right now (depending on where you live).
There are quite a few reasons to love this phone, but it’s the onboard cameras that have driven the most amount of eye-catching headlines. Simply put, these three rear-facing snappers, which now include a staggering 200Mp 3x telephoto lens, make short work of any scenario they’re pitted against. It was almost impossible to take a bad picture in our time with the phone, with each shot looking like it had come from a dedicated camera.
The other standout feature is the upgraded 7500mAh silicon-carbon battery, which is so far ahead of the competition that it almost doesn’t feel fair. Under the right use cases, it’s possible to get the Find X9 Pro to run for up to three days between charges, and the speedy 80W charging ensures that you won’t have to wait around for long when the phone does need a top-up.
It’s a shame that with all of this innovation at hand, the phone is nowhere to be found in the US, meaning that our American readers will have to look elsewhere. The promised five years of software updates also lags behind Google and Samsung, so that’s worth bearing in mind, depending on how long you plan on using the phone for.
Android users who just want the best of everything, no matter the price.
The phone isn’t on sale in the US, so we’d recommend one of the options lower in this list rather than trying to import one.
Read our full Oppo Find X9 Pro review
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is one of the best phones you can buy, and the good news is that it supports two SIM cards in almost all markets. The bad news? That doesn’t include the US, which allows for two eSIM profiles alongside one physical SIM slot.
However, that doesn’t stop the S25 Ultra from being a stellar phone. There are now even fewer weaknesses than before, with even more processing power, small but noticeable camera improvements and a new anti-reflective screen that puts the 6.9-inch, 120Hz OLED panel in a league of its own. The newly rounded corners make it easier to hold.
You also get the best software experience we’ve ever seen on a Samsung phone (and maybe an Android phone full stop), with an extensive suite of genuinely useful AI features and class-leading seven-year update support.
However, it’s by no means perfect. It’s a shame to see the built-in S Pen downgraded to be without Bluetooth, while such a heavy, bulky phone won’t be for everyone. It’s also still very expensive.
But if you want the best of the best when it comes to smartphones right now, the S25 Ultra is the device to get.
Anyone who wants a true flagship Android experience with great features across the board.
You can get competing handsets from the likes of Honor and OnePlus for quite a bit less. Plus, US models don’t have dual-SIM functionality.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra review
The OnePlus 15 is a very different phone to the OnePlus 13, which launched only a few months earlier. And it totally excels in two key areas: performance and battery life.
Under the hood, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 enables staggering performance, especially when combined with that gorgeous 6.78-inch OLED display and its ultra-smooth 165Hz refresh rate.
Elsewhere, a huge 7300mAh battery utilises silicon-carbon tech to avoid any excess bulk while ensuring two full days on a charge for almost everyone. It’s supported by incredible 120W fast wired charging, though you will need to buy the necessary charger separately.
The OnePlus 15 is equally impressive on the software side, with its slick OxygenOS 16 skin (based on Android 16) offering an intuitive design, lots of customisation and thoughtful AI features. However, its iOS-inspired design and only four years of OS updates (six of security patches) may rankle with some.
Then there are the cameras, which offer slightly downgraded hardware compared to the OnePlus 13, but very similar results. As usual, the OnePlus 15 can take great photos, but it’s not quite up there with the very best camera phones.
But overall, the OnePlus 15 is a truly excellent smartphone that just so happens to support dual SIM cards.
Users who want some of the best performance and battery life you’ll find on any phone.
The Oppo Find X9 Pro and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra both offer better cameras.
Read our full OnePlus 15 review
The FE range of Samsung phones (an abbreviation for ‘Fan Edition’) has oftentimes felt out of place, not just on the mid-range market but also within Samsung’s own assortment of handsets.
With the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE, however, this is no longer the case: Samsung has finally hit the perfect balance of features to make it a more tempting buy than the standard Galaxy S25.
Helping to fuel this sense of balance is the move to use the Exynos 2400 chipset (the same one featured in the Galaxy S24). This CPU finally brings the FE up to a standard where it can run pretty much any app with ease and even let you dabble in a spot of low to mid-tier gaming, effectively offering up the level of performance that matches the needs of most people.
You’re also getting a much larger 6.7-inch display compared to the Galaxy S25, which just makes for a far better experience when it comes to streaming films and TV shows, not to mention having more room for multitasking with more than one app open at a time. The speakers are also quite powerful, so if you don’t have a pair of earbuds to hand when you’re relaxing at home, you can still enjoy stereo sound by default.
Top all of this off with the promised seven years of software updates, and the £649/$649 Galaxy S25 FE offers some of the best value you’re going to find on the mid-range market. It’s bested in the camera department by the Xiaomi 15T Pro, and the Redmagic 10S Pro has the upper hand in gaming, but for most people, the S25 FE represents one tantalising package.
Value-conscious consumers who want a mid-range phone that’ll last well into the future.
Doesn’t quite dethrone Xiaomi when it comes to mid-range camera performance.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S25 FE review
If photography is your top priority, there’s no better phone than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra right now. When it comes to stills, the handset is in a league of its own.
Alongside a trio of 50Mp lenses (main, ultrawide and 3x telephoto), you also now get a 200Mp periscope with 4.3x optical zoom. That enables some of the best zoom shots you’ll find on any phone, though the loss of variable aperture on the main lens makes it slightly less flexible when the subject is closer.
Still, with the optional Photography Kit accessory, it comes closer to replacing a DSLR than any other handset. A very capable 32Mp selfie camera is the icing on the cake.
However, you won’t be taking photos all the time, so it’s good to know that the Xiaomi 15 Ultra boasts top-tier performance, a gorgeous display and strong battery life (plus 90W fast charging), all with a durable yet chunky design.
Its main drawback is on the software side, where Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 skin doesn’t feel particularly intuitive, and AI features aren’t always flawless.
Given the high price tag, there are better options out there if you’re happy with photos that are just ‘very good’. But if you want the absolute best photography experience out there, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is the phone for you.
However, it’s also worth considering the regular Xiaomi 15, which is more compact and affordable but retains dual-SIM support. Neither is available in the US, though.
Anyone who wants next-level cameras above any other feature – it’s like having a DSLR in your pocket.
Xiaomi’s take on Android still falls behind the experience you’ll find on Samsung, Nothing and OnePlus phones.
Read our full Xiaomi 15 Ultra review
With a starting price of just £329/$379, the Nothing Phone (3a) is one of the most affordable mid-range phones out there. But for most people, there’s no need to spend more, especially when it supports dual physical SIM cards in all markets where it’s sold.
The Phone (3a) offers an impressive combination of premium, unique design, rapid performance and great battery life. The display is a slick 120Hz OLED, and Nothing’s take on Android 15 is a compelling one, especially with up to seven years of updates.
The main compromise is the cameras, but the 50Mp main, 50Mp telephoto, and 32Mp selfie lenses still outshine many rivals at this price. The 8Mp ultrawide is the big disappointment, but that won’t be solved by paying more for the (3a) Pro.
Overall, the Phone (3a) is an impressively well-rounded phone at a fraction of the price of flagships. Unless you really care about photography, AI features or the absolute best performance, the phone will serve you well.
Budget-conscious buyers who want a great user experience that doesn’t break the bank.
The ultra-wide camera isn’t great, and unlike most budget/mid-range phones, there’s no charger included.
Read our full Nothing Phone (3a) review
Nothing sub-brand CMF’s second phone might adopt the ‘Pro’ name, but it’s still very much a budget phone. And with a starting price of just £219/$279 (more storage in the US), you won’t find a better handset for the money. The fact that it supports dual SIM cards is the icing on the cake.
What makes the Phone 2 Pro so special? Essentially, it takes everything that made the CMF Phone 1 so good and makes it significantly better, in exchange for only a small price increase.
We’re talking two brand-new camera sensors, with the main lens also getting significantly better. For the price, you can expect some of the best photos around.
Add that to a brighter, more accurate display, a nice performance boost and the all-important NFC that was missing from the original (enabling contactless payments), and the Phone 2 Pro has a lot going for it.
The standout, customisable design remains, as does Nothing’s user-friendly take on Android 15. The three years of OS updates are a little underwhelming, while you don’t get full water or dust resistance, the CMF Phone 2 Pro undoubtedly has a lot going for it.
Anyone who isn’t able to spend more than £300 on a phone – this handset goes above and beyond its budget price tag.
With only an IP54 rating, the phone isn’t quite as well-suited to being used in the great outdoors.
Read our full CMF Phone 2 Pro review
The Xiaomi 15T Pro is one of those handsets that makes you scratch your head and wonder what the likes of Apple, Samsung and Google are even doing at the flagship end when you can nab a mid-range phone like this that’s packed with so many features, especially when it comes to the camera offering.
Xiaomi already has a track record of offering some of the best camera phones out there, and the 15T Pro just elevates that concept even further. The triple camera array features a 50Mp main sensor, a 50Mp telephoto and a 12Mp ultrawide, all of which combine to give the phone unparalleled levels of versatility in its price range, so you’ll rarely (if ever) come up against a scene that you can’t take a good picture of.
The telephoto lens arguably stands out from the pack with 5x zoom, capturing stunning detail and colours from a distance. When you consider that the phone is only slightly more expensive than the iPhone 16e, which has just one rear-facing camera, it becomes clear that Xiaomi is playing in a different league to its closest competitors.
Of the few issues we have with the phone, it would be nice to see Xiaomi provide its HyperOS Android overlay with an overhaul somewhere down the line, and a more competent ultrawide camera would be nice, but these are small points of contention in what is an undeniable winner on almost every other account.
Mid-range buyers who value camera ability above all when purchasing a new phone.
Xiaomi’s take on Android just isn’t as smooth or intuitive as what Samsung or OnePlus offer.
Read our full Xiaomi 15T Pro review
Given just how iterative a lot of Samsung’s phones have been over the last few years, we’re still a bit gobsmacked that the company went all in with a big shift for the Galaxy Z Fold 7, but in doing so, it put out the absolute best foldable phone to date. There’s definitely stiff competition from the likes of the Honor Magic V5, but the Z Fold 7 just about clinches it.
The biggest update can be spotted right away, especially if you’ve used or held one of the previous Z Fold phones. At only 8.9mm thin when closed and just 4.2mm when opened, the Z Fold 7 is a far cry from the bulky foldable phones of old. We’re finally at the point where adopters of the foldable concept no longer have to feel as if they’re trying to squish two phones into the same pocket.
This upgrade is only bolstered by the fact that Samsung has the best software experience you’ll find on a foldable (outside of the OnePlus Open). One UI 8 is incredibly slick, with an eye-catching design and easy access to apps that are in use thanks to the ‘Now Bar’, which appears at the bottom of the lock screen.
The camera set-up has been given an uplift as well, mainly by taking the 200Mp main sensor found on the S25 Ultra and using it as its own. It would have been nice to see some of that attention paid to improving either the battery life or the available charging speed (which caps out at a slow 25W), but there’s plenty to fawn over here, especially compared to the Z Fold 7’s predecessor.
Productivity users who need more screen space for multitasking.
It’s miles behind the Honor Magic V5 in terms of battery life and charging.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 review
Just like with the latest Z Fold, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 also represents a major leap forward over what came before, with Samsung finally recognising the improvements that competing companies like Motorola had brought to the table. With a much larger four-inch cover screen, the flip phone concept has never felt more polished than with the Z Flip 7.
Because of the greater amount of room that the cover screen now provides, you can easily use it to check in on your messages or quickly look up directions via Google Maps, all without getting sucked into a session of doomscrolling. That aspect of mindful phone usage is something that Samsung has been pushing for a while, but only now does it feel fully realised, with hoops to jump through in order to run any app.
Still, if you do want to use a larger screen for watching some TV on your commute or even enjoying a spot of gaming on a flight, then the stunning 6.9-inch AMOLED inner display can do the trick. From our testing, the main 50Mp camera is also worth shouting about as it captures the same vivid colour palette that Samsung phones are known for, and with plenty of detail to boot. It’s very easy to take great selfies with this phone.
The one area where the Z Flip 7 still feels like it’s lagging behind the competition is the battery. The uptick to featuring a 4300mAh cell is nice, but having 25W charging speeds feels painfully slow for a phone as premium as this. Still, so long as you time your charging sessions to fit around your day, this shouldn’t be a huge problem.
Flip phone fans who want great software and a long update cycle to boot.
Samsung still lags behind the Motorola Razr series on battery life and charging.
Read our full Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 review
Just because the phones featured above have beaten out the competition to be selected as our top 10 recommended handsets in this area, it doesn’t mean that there aren’t other great smartphones vying for a top spot.
For instance, plenty of last-gen options like the Oppo Find X8 Pro and the Xiaomi 14T were part of this list until their successors came to market, but that doesn’t mean that they are no longer recommended as great upgrades in 2025. In fact, because their prices have plummeted in the time that they’ve been around, there’s a case to be made that both of these phones are now better options for budget-conscious consumers.
The same concept applies to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6. Although Samsung’s most recent foldable phones (featured above) are worth picking up if you can stretch your budget to accommodate their high asking price, the Z 6 range can now be found for far less if you shop around.
None of Apple’s iPhone 17 range offers dual physical SIM cards, which is a requirement for inclusion here. If you don’t mind your second number being on eSIM, we’d highly recommend either the regular iPhone 17 or 17 Pro Max (shown below), though you only have the option for eSIM in the US.
Britta O’Boyle
Similarly, Google’s Pixel 10 range includes the best phone you can buy right now, the Pixel 10 Pro XL. Like the iPhones, it’s
There isn’t any breaking news in the world of SIM cards to speak of currently, although the major discourse in this area revolves around the gradual shift towards eSIM functionality.
In the US, the iPhone has been eSIM-only with no physical card slot since the iPhone 14. It’s still available with one physical slot elsewhere on the iPhone 17 series, but the iPhone Air is eSIM-only everywhere. A recent feature in iOS 26 allows compatible iPhones to switch to a geographically appropriate eSIM automatically when you travel, with Global64 being the first company to make use of it.
As eSIMs grow in popularity, it’s now increasingly rare for phones to have two physical slots for SIM cards, instead having a slot for just one SIM card, whilst a second can be installed as an eSIM.
This shift is quite helpful for international travel as it makes the process of connecting to networks abroad much easier, helping you to avoid roaming costs in the process.
For example, South Africa is just one of the most recent countries to push forward on embracing eSIM technology, as it no longer means that travellers have to go in search of a physical SIM the moment they disembark the plane.
Check our complete guide to the best eSIMs for more information.
Jacob via Pexels
Every deals widget that you see on this page is automatically updated to feature the latest prices for every phone on this list. This means that you don’t have to worry about spending hours mindlessly scrolling through Amazon and other retailers, as you’ll know right away, from this very page, which retailer is offering the cheapest price.
With that said, there are times of the year when prices tend to be lower. In the summer, you have Amazon Prime Day, which gives Prime subscribers access to a ton of deals on smartphones of all shapes and sizes.
In the autumn, Amazon is first out of the gate again with the Prime Big Deal Days sale, which is another event aimed at bringing the best prices to Prime members, but if you wait another month, then you get to indulge in the big one: Black Friday.
Unlike Amazon’s sales, you won’t have to worry about having a Prime membership, as practically every major retailer gets in on the action, and they all compete to offer the best prices possible. You’ll also see plenty of mobile networks join in, so you can get a great contract deal for just a fraction of the price that you’d pay at any other time of year.
If, for whatever reason, you simply can’t wait until the next sale, then we have you covered in the meantime with our collection of the best refurbished phone deals, and you can pair those handsets with our best SIM-only deals page, saving you a ton of money overall.
To make sure that we provide you with the most in-depth reviews possible, every phone sent in for testing is then used as our main communications device for at least a week. This also involves one of our tech experts using their personal SIM card in the phone itself, so we know what it’s like to use the device on a day-by-day basis. Phones are then put through our rigorous series of tests, the results of which are made clear and easy to understand in every review.
Read more about how we test smartphones.
Smartphone testing has been a key vertical of Tech Advisor’s coverage since 2007, so our team of experts have seen it all from the launch of the first-ever iPhone to the proliferation of foldable phones and everything in between. From our in-house team of experts to long-running contributors, the wider family of Tech Advisor writers have decades of experience between them and a firm understanding of what makes a great smartphone.
This guide was put together by Tech Advisor’s Mobile Editor, Anyron Copeman, who, as you can imagine, knows more about mobile phones than almost any other tech journalist working today. Every phone that appears on this list has been approved by Anyron before inclusion, so you can rest assured that you’ll be getting a top-tier device regardless of which one you buy. He is assisted by our Managing Editor, Chris Martin, who has nearly 15 years of experience writing about phones.
Given that having two SIM cards running at the same time can have quite an impact on battery life, we’d argue that the key factors that you should consider are the longevity from a single charge and the time it takes to top up the phone thereafter.
Having a high wattage count for wired charging is key (anything above 45W is usually a good sign), although the convenience of wireless charging can also be very helpful if you want to top up your handset on the go without the need to carry around a USB-C cable. 
If you are planning to use your dual-SIM phone as your main work device, then it also makes sense to invest in software that’s easy to use and isn’t bogged down with a cumbersome overlay and bloatware. OnePlus, Google and Samsung phones are very good at offering intuitive takes on Android, whilst any iPhone can benefit from the carefully constructed aesthetic of iOS.
Depending on the type of work you want to do, having a book-style foldable phone can be a huge boon for productivity. With a larger internal display available at all times, you’ll have more room for multitasking, as well as a less cramped experience when it comes to typing out documents, as the keyboard can sprawl out a bit.
As a final note, if your work involves content creation, then the cameras are arguably more important than the software. To that end, the likes of Xiaomi and Oppo can provide shots that look like they’ve been taken on a dedicated camera, although iPhones still rule the roost where video capture is concerned.
Something we’ve noticed when shopping for dual-SIM phones is that the manufacturer very rarely provides any information about the functionality other than the fact it exists. It doesn’t tell you how the dual-SIM functionality works in practice, nor whether both SIMs support 4G/5G, or even what size SIM cards they accept.
You can never assume; you’ll need to contact the manufacturer or check spec tables, reviews, or forums to find out this information.
In all the dual-SIM phones we’ve tested, both SIMs are on standby at all times (known as dual-standby phones), but you can actively use only one SIM at a time. This means that either SIM can accept a phone call or text at any time, without you having to actively swap between them or reboot the phone.
However, if you get a call on one number while a call is active on the other, it won’t start ringing in your ear or give you the option to put the first caller on hold – the call will simply not come through.
Dual-active SIM phones use two modems and allow you to receive calls on both numbers at once.
If it’s you who wants to make a call or send a text, Android has a standard SIM Management menu that lets you specify which SIM should be used for voice calls, video calls, messages and mobile data. You can either specify a particular SIM for each of these tasks or leave the setting as ‘Always Ask’.
The data connection is where there seems to be a lot of confusion when it comes to dual-SIM phones. Whereas both SIM slots on some dual-SIM phones are capable of supporting 4G or 5G connections, you can use data connectivity on only one SIM at a time. 
Unlike with calls and texts, typically speaking, the data connection can’t be on standby for both SIMs; you must specify which SIM you want to use rather than select one when prompted – though some phones will let you set them to switch to the other SIM when the first can’t make a connection.
By default, when you are using the data connection on one SIM and a phone call comes in to the other, it will pause the data connection on the first.
If you want to take advantage of both SIM card slots and expandable storage, your options will be limited.
While most phones with expandable microSD storage also offer dual-SIM, typically the SD card has to use that second SIM slot, forcing you to choose between storage and the SIM.
If this is a priority for you, make sure to check reviews and specs carefully for phones that support two SIMs and a microSD card simultaneously – there are some out there – or look out for a combo of microSD and eSIM support.
Yes and no. iPhones only ship with two physical SIM trays in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, and even then, it’s only some models.
So, if you don’t live there, then you can’t use two physical SIM cards in an iPhone. That’s why we haven’t included any iPhones in our list above.
However, every iPhone that supports eSIM – those from the XS and XR onwards – allows you to use a single physical SIM card along with an eSIM, and those from the iPhone 13 onwards even allow you to set up dual-SIM with two eSIMs.
It’s a similar story for Google as for Apple. Phones from the Pixel 3a onwards allow you to use a single physical SIM along with a second eSIM, while the latest models – from the 7 onwards – include support for dual eSIM.
However, none of the Pixel phones allow you to install two physical SIM cards simultaneously.

Anyron is Mobile Editor at Tech Advisor, where he’s been a mainstay of the editorial team since 2019. In his current role, Anyron is responsible for all smartphone, tablet and mobile network coverage on the site. A BA Journalism graduate, he has experience with a wide range of consumer tech products and services, including smartphones, tablets, foldables, wearables and more.
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