10 Best Phones for Vlogging in 2023

Last Updated on September 27, 2023 by Best Vlogging Camera

In the vlogging industry, portability is becoming a global concern. People want to create, edit, and view content all from a singular device. This means the increasing demand for today’s smartphones which can be used in replacement of vlogging cameras. What we have done here is compile a list of the top phones we think could be the best replacement for a vlogging camera, along with our top three picks amongst all the phones. We have also provided you with some recommendations, tips, and a general buyer’s guide which will help you make the right choice.

 Top 10 Best Phones for Vlogging

 

1. Apple iPhone 11

This phone has been refined over decades to perfection with a sleek design and a seamless user interface. With a stellar camera experience of 4K resolution and an A-13 Bionic chip, the iPhone 11 Pro tops the charts.

Although the looks of the iPhone 11 Pro have not changed since the previous model, the upgrades introduced by the company have been stellar. The company has added a third rear camera that gives wide, extra wide, and 2x optically zoomed shots. Like all vlogging standard cameras, the iPhone offers a 4K resolution at 60 fps on both front and back-facing cameras and a 12 MP image quality. It also contains a night mode to improve the image and video quality in low-light environments.

The iPhone 11 Pro contains its latest A13 Bionic chip backed by the iOS 14 software. It also features IP68 water and dust resistance making it exceptionally durable in vlogging situations. Front and back scratch-resistant glass alleviate this durability.

 

2. Samsung Galaxy S10+

With an edge-to-edge display, a stellar camera, and a long-lasting battery. This phone is built for professional vloggers. Considering its fast-processing speed and the availability of the Wireless PowerShare feature makes it a high-tech option among all vlogging phones out there.

Following the iPhone 11 Pro, this phone is the runner-up. Let us start the comparison with image quality. The Galaxy S10+ camera features a camera array with multiple lenses with 3 on the rear-facing and 2 on the front-facing. The rear-facing camera can shoot 4K videos at 60 fps with a 12 MP image resolution. The front-facing camera offers 10 MP with the ability to record 4K videos. This makes the overall vlogging performance exemplary. It also features a night mode but is not as good compared to the iPhone.

However, with the overall performance, the Snapdragon 855 incubated in the Galaxy S10+ gives a standard to processing speed and power. The UI software installed on the phone is snappy and seamless. The Galaxy S10+ also comes with a huge battery size of 4100 Mah which also includes it is Wireless PowerShare functionality.

3. Samsung Galaxy S20

The Samsung Galaxy S20 is known in the marketplace for its innovative camera experience offering 108 MP camera quality along with 5G connectivity making it the top pick for vlogging phones.

This phone offers the most advanced camera options you can find on any other phone. With a 108 MP camera sensor with 10x lossless zoom functionality and 100x digital zoom, the Samsung Galaxy S20 is no low contender. Unlike the previously mentioned cameras, the phone can shoot an 8K resolution video at 24 fps. The Space Zoom feature offered by the home can be a little harder to control but not if you use a tripod.

With storage spaces, the camera offers 128 GB internal storage capacity with a 120Hz display. That coupled with an enormous battery capacity of 5000 Mah places it among the top contenders for a vlogging phone. However, the use of the extra features offered by the phone might deplete the max battery capacity. The phone, like the iPhone 11 Pro, is also durable with IP68 water and dust resistance. However, because of its heavy weight, using it with a selfie stick or a gimbal is most workable.

4. Google Pixel 4 XL

The feature that puts this camera on the front runner is its camera along with its smooth UX because of its Snapdragon processor and UI. The Motion Sense functionality allows you to control the phone with hand gestures.

The Google Pixel 4 XL is regarded as the 4th generation of Pixel smartphones. It has one of the best cameras you will find in the market producing detailed images and rich contrasts. The low light mode of this phone’s camera is excellent, and can be used for astrophotography, however, for vlogging a 16 MP camera with a 4K resolution is more than enough.

The Pixel 4 XL comes with a sleek UI complementing the Snapdragon 855 giving a smooth and user-friendly experience to the user. The OLED display offers a 90Hz refresh rate giving a smooth performance. The phone excels in Motion Sense using gesture recognition for control. It is worth mentioning that the Pixel 4 XL is also one of the most secure phones on the market with 64GB of internal storage and no expandable storage.

5. Apple iPhone XS

The iPhone XS is incredibly easy and gives a seamless experience for a vlogger with a super-fast processor and a great camera.

The iPhone XS is a product of refinement. It is an improvement from the previous generation. The camera contains 2 12MP rear cameras and a single 7 MP front camera with still images having the new Smart HDR functionality. It is worth mentioning that the sensors used in the cameras an extremely lightweight. The camera allows the user to shoot at a 4K resolution with a 30fps frame rate. This gives a sharp and detailed frame rate. The XS’s portrait mode is also very impressive allowing the user to adjust field depth. The iPhone XS allows the user to do low light recording, but it does not have the Night Mode present in iPhone 11 or 12.

The phone has a 5.85-inch display with a rounded corner having the Super Retina XDR display technology which is an OLED display with extra brightness. The fact that it offers IP68 water and dust resistance can judge the phone’s durability. The phone comes in 2 different storage sizes 64GB and 512GB without the availability of expandable storage. Although the battery life is standard, it might drain faster if you are recording using the 4K video.

6. Huawei P30 Pro

This is the first Chinese smartphone that we have mentioned for vlogging. It is incredibly well designed with a curved display and slim profile. Additionally, it has an innovative quad-camera design which makes it an extremely competitive phone for vlogging.

The Huawei P30 Pro is known for its design and the Kirin 980 processor which runs extremely smoothly gives its speed. The durability of the phone is right up to the standards of the iPhone and Samsung with IP68 dust and water resistance capabilities. The curved screen with a 6.47-inch display with a metal chassis. The display of this phone is made from Corning Gorilla Glass which makes it more scratch and shatter-resistant than many other phones. The phone also has gradient coloring on the back. The user interface is called the EMUI, although it is not the best option out there, it is simple and easy to use. The P30 Pro also has a super fast fingerprint reader.

The phone has 3 cameras on the back 40 MP, 20 MP, and 8 MP, and one on the front 32 MP. This will give you the ability to capture any shot. It also offers a telephoto lens with 10x lossless zoom that comes with an AI improving image quality. It can shoot 4K resolution videos at 30 fps. The phone also has a built-in image stabilization system called the OIS using the same AI.

It stands firmly among the known US-based phones for vlogging.

7. OnePlus 7T

The OnePlus 7T is known for its gorgeous display and UI. It has an amazing camera and a large amount of internal storage space.

The OnePlus 7T is a better version than its predecessor while matching the affordability criteria perfectly for a flagship vlogging phone. OnePlus has a large display with a 3120×1440 resolution and a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. This is accompanied by an OLED display. The company ships the phone with a Snapdragon 855 chipset which gives a smooth user experience while providing large internal storage space of 256GB.

Being a flagship vlogging phone, the phone unsurprisingly comes with stellar camera features. The phone’s camera comes with an Ultra Shot engine. This software provides automatic scene detection. The phone has a triple camera setup on the back with 48 MP, 1 MP, and 8 MP respectively while on the front it has a 16MP selfie camera. The phone also has a 4K 60 fps recording capability.

8. LG V30

Out of all the fragile glass smartphones the LGV30 is known as the most durable phone out there. It can stand grade toughness, water, and dust at great levels while taking amazing pictures and videos.

The phone is known for its durability, and the fact that it has been given the IP 68 rating making it dust and water-resistant can judge this. The phone can be submerged in water for a good 30 minutes showing no damage. The phone comes with a MIL-STD-810G rating. This is a military grading scale that ensures that the phone is combat-ready. The biggest indicator of durability.

The phone also comes with a large OLED display and an expandable storage facility accessible via a microSD card. It also offers optimized audio through HiFi Quad DAC tech. It has an excellent dual-camera setup with 16MP + 13MP. The phone also allows you to take a photo and use it as a preview at the bottom of the screen to match the composition of the next shot. The phone also has lots of manual control that can also be found in DSLR cameras.

9. Moto G7

The Moto G7 is known as the most affordable budgeted smartphone in the market. It has an amazing battery life, a strong solid camera performance, and UI, all at a budgeted price.

The Moto G7 power is an extremely budgeted and functional smartphone which is why it is considered the go-to for phone vlogging beginners. It can shoot a 4K video at a 30-fps frame rate. However, if you would like to have a higher frame rate of 60 fps, you can achieve that at a 1080p resolution.

The phone is a little heavier than other smartphones but that is because of the 5000 Mah battery attached to it. The display is also impressive but not on the same level as the other phones listed. The Moto G7 Power has an internal storage of 32 GB where the user can also expand the storage capacity via a micro SD card.

10. Samsung Galaxy A10

This phone also comes under the budgeted category with an overall good camera performance covered with strong battery life, a great display, a sleek design, and great storage.

The Galaxy A10 is a beginner phone for vloggers. You should expect a lot of cutbacks in processing speed, user experience, camera quality, and battery life. The phone only offers a 720p resolution. Although the phone offers an internal storage of 512 GB it also provides a micro SD card slot for external storage.

Considering camera quality, the phone has a 13MP rear camera that can shoot a 1080p resolution video at a 30fps frame rate. This means good and acceptable results in most situations except for low light scenarios. The best thing about the camera is it is easy to use. It is a point and shoots camera which is extremely handy in vlogging.

 

Buyers’ Guide

After listing all the top choices, the market presents phones for vlogging; we have compiled a list of all the variables you have to consider while buying a phone to be used as a vlogging camera.

Video Resolution 

This is the most important of all the features you will consider when buying a phone for vlogging. Over time, smartphones have constantly excelled in image and video quality. However, when you are purchasing a phone for vlogging camera resolution should be at least 4K resolution provided at sixty frames per second. This does not mean that phones that have a maximum camera resolution of 1080p cannot be used for vlogging, but you understand that in this case, the video resolution will not be sub-par with the great material available out there produced by other vloggers which will place you at a great disadvantage.

Display quality and size

The second thing you must consider is that out of the many cases where you will edit vlogs on a computer software program, your phone must also edit videos. In that case, investing in a phone with a greater display size is a great utility. As the screen size is proportional to the number of pixels it is made of which also has a proportional effect on display quality, this also provides you with a phone with a higher resolution giving you sharper images and videos. There are a couple of names to search for when considering displays, AMOLED, and Retina. However, many good vlogging phones also use LED or LCDs.

Internal Storage

Now let us assume that you have bought a phone that has a 4K video resolution that provides videos at sixty frames per second and also has a large screen size. All these features will consume a large chunk of the internal storage space your phone provides. Therefore, the phone you decide to purchase for vlogging must not only offer copious amounts of internal storage space but also be available for an additional micro SD card slot that will provide you with additional storage expansion capabilities.

Durability 

This plays a key role not directly in performing your phone for vlogging but in its resistance against its use. Throughout your blogging journey, you will encounter many situations where your phone might fall or get wet in the rain, drop in a pond, and so forth. To avoid extensive damage in these cases, it would be very smart for you to invest in a phone that contains the properties to resist damage in such situations to an extent where the phone is not completely ruined.

In that regard features, look, for include extra durable glass, made from durable material such as stainless steel or Alu minimum, or even plastic. If your phone also has water resistance, that is a big plus point in durability.

Battery Life

Let us continue our assumption of buying a phone by giving you a 4K display at sixty fps while having a large screen display. This will take up a large chunk of your battery quickly. There is only one way to counter this effect, and this is by increasing your battery capacity.

Now the question arises of how much battery power for phones is measured in MAh or milliamp hours. A smartphone with a battery life of 5000 MAh would run your high-performing vlogging phone for a considerable amount of time. Smartphones today come with features such as low-power modes that further increase the time span of your battery.

A combination of all the above variables is especially important before investing in a smartphone for vlogging. You cannot find the best of all these variables in a single smartphone, but a good compromise will land you in a position of ownership of a smartphone that will successfully fulfill all your vlogging needs.

Recommendation and Tips

Some things you need to keep in mind while buying phones for vlogging are the camera quality. If you buy a phone, intending to use it for vlogging and it does not have a great camera, the phone is useless to you. The phones you will be on our list have one thing in common, good camera quality. The phone is of wonderful use for vlogging if it has the capability of recording 4K resolution videos at a sixty-fps frame rate. Furthermore, if it has additional software to enhance the image and video quality that is even better.

Next, pay attention to the design quality. Here it pays special attention to the display. You should prioritize displays that have at least full HD quality. The better the display the better option it is. The phones also must have a certain level of durability along with attractive options. In this case, IP 68 water and dust resistance displays are made from extra durable glass such as corning gorilla glass.

And the last thing we consider is overall performance and user-friendliness. Your first pick should be a phone that is fast and has a super responsive processor since that will make it easier for you to record a higher-quality video. Therefore, variables such as battery life are also considered in the equation.

Top 3 Picks

We have chosen our favorite top three phones according to three categories.

Best camera quality

The iPhone 11 Pro tops the list in terms of camera quality. The A-13 Bionic chip compliments the most superior 4K resolution accessible even at a sixty-fps frame rate and that quality is for both front and back cameras! The phone has a 12 MP image quality and the combination of the three rear cameras gives you a zoom, wide zoom, and 2x optical zoom view. Major vloggers out there use the iPhone 11 Pro which is another sign of social proof, it is the best phone in terms of camera quality.

Best durability 

The LG V30 is the only phone that comes with a MIL-STD-810G certification. This is a military-grade level certification which means the phone is combat-ready, it cannot get better than this.

Additionally, the phone also has an IP 68 rating, so it is dust and water-resistant to an extent that it will not incur any damage at all even if it is left in the water for a good 30 minutes. And combined with that it has an excellent screen, an OLED display, an expandable storage facility, and great camera quality for vlogging. All combined this is the best phone out there in terms of durability.

Most affordable

The Moto G7 is known for providing the best features for a vlogging camera at the cheapest price possible. The phone gives the user the ability to shoot a 4K resolution video at a 30-fps frame rate and the ability to shoot a 1080p at a 60-fps frame rate. Additionally, the phone 5000 mAh battery.

The Moto G7 power is an extremely budgeted and functional smartphone which is why it is considered the go-to for phone vlogging beginners. It can shoot a 4K video at a 30-fps frame rate. However, if you would like to have a higher frame rate of 60 fps, you can achieve that at a 1080p resolution.

The phone is a little heavier than other smartphones but that is because of the 5000 MAh battery attached to it. The display is also impressive but not on the same level as the other phones listed. The Moto G7 Power has an internal storage of 32 GB where the user can also expand the storage capacity via a microSD card.

Conclusion

So, there you have it, from iPhone 11 Pro to LG V30, from recommendations about camera quality, display and frame rates to a complete buyer guide on how to purchase your next smartphone for vlogging. All the information you will require to buy your next vlogging phone is present here and is here to assure you will make the right purchase.

FAQs

Can we use phones for vlogging?

Yes, it is entirely possible to use your phone for vlogging if and only if it has the key features available to support vlogging. It is very essential for a phone for vlogging to have a great camera, a good microphone, and a long battery life accompanied by a decent storage amount. If your phone checks all these boxes, then it can be used as a replacement for a vlogging camera.

What phones are used for vlogging by YouTubers?

The renowned YouTubers out there use a wide range of options for smartphones; however, they are limited by just a few brands. You will notice that most of the famous vloggers when using a phone for vlogging will use phones by iPhone, Google, Huawei, or Samsung.

Which smartphone will give the best video results?

There are certain criteria for a camera to have for it to provide the best video results. Although we will not name a specific phone because you can find multiple options out there providing the same qualities which are 4K video recording capabilities and great ISO or amazing performance in low-light environments.

A great smartphone video should also offer at least a frame rate of 60 frames per second. Additionally, you may also find another recording denatures such as slow motion. A good camera will also have a good amount of internal storage capacity to store long durations of high-resolution videos. Any phone that has all these features should be your pick for vlogging.

What do vloggers used to hold their phones?

Most of the vloggers you will see who use their phones for vlogging mostly do not vlog with a phone in their hands, most of them are split into two categories. Some of them use selfie sticks or gimbals in case there is a lot involved (e.g., you might vlogging while running or trekking). You might also see many vloggers attach their vlogging phones to a tripod. Both are great strategies to stabilize and control a small but powerful portable device.

Which app is best for vlog editing?

The phone is gradually coming on the same grounds in terms of functionality as the computer. This means that you can not only record a vlog on your phone, but you can also edit it. There are many apps that you might find on either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store that will help you accomplish this goal. Some of these apps include Quik, Magito Video Editor, Adobe Premiere Rush, Splice, InShot, iMovie, Anchor Videos, and Vizmato.

How many GB do you need for vlogging?

The usual range you will find in most vlogging phone is 256 GB to 512 GB. This is more than sufficient to cover your vlogging requirements. If you are working in this range, you have exactly what is needed to tweak for an ideal video without having to need extra capacity.