The Best Car Phone Mounts of 2024

Although we hesitate to describe any car phone mount as sexy, the Peak Design Car Vent Mount ($100) sure gets close. It sports a minimalist design. And despite its diminutive stature, it has a weighty, premium feel in the hand, thanks to its anodized aluminum construction.

Installation was a breeze. We hooked the retractable arm onto an upper vent slat and tightened the rear control knob as we slid the rubber brace onto a lower vent slat. That was pretty much it. The rubber brace can slide up and down, accommodating air vents with various spaces between the slats. But this system — as with most vent mounts — doesn’t work with curved or criss-crossed vent slats, or on the dental-floss-thin air vents found in Teslas.

Although this sturdy mount works right out of the box with MagSafe-compatible phones and cases, the magnetic connection is especially strong when using one of Peak Design’s cases with its proprietary SlimLink locking system, which was primarily how we tested this product.

If you love your current case but want that stronger magnetic sticking power, you can pop on Peak Design’s Universal Adapter (which we didn’t test). The caveat is that “wireless charging may not be possible or optimal.”

In terms of adjustability, both of the unit’s control knobs are easy to use, but they are so flush to the mount’s body that we almost missed seeing them. The forward knob adjusts the tightness of the arm, so that it can swing the mounting pad into an ideal viewing position.

When it comes to tilting, unlike other units this one does so without needing to loosen and tighten an awkward knob on the backside of the phone holder. Peak Design has apparently found the amount of tension necessary for the assembly to stay perfectly stable under the weight of a phone and still allow manual tilting as needed.

That may seem like a little thing, but it shows how much engineering went into the Peak Design Car Vent Mount. If you’re willing to pay the premium price for that level of thoughtfulness — whether for this or the less expensive non-charging version — this is the phone mount for you.

At least among backseat denizens, the Baseus Joyride Pro Series Car Backseat Mount ($14) has the magical ability to create peace in the universe. It can deftly hold mobile devices with 4.7- to 12.9-inch diagonals, which covers most phones and tablets available today.

The word “installation” seems a bit strong to describe the setup process, which simply involves squeezing the spring-loaded holder and snapping it into the headrest bars. From there, you could lower the headrest to stabilize it, but it doesn’t need the help.

Besides its laughably low price tag, we were most impressed with how adjustable this mount is. It can slide side to side, pull forward or push back, and swivel 360 degrees (for portrait or landscape viewing).

Unlike the Peak Design Car Vent Mount, this one has the usual control knob in the back that adjusts the tension, allowing you to tilt your device in the stand. Once you’ve found that happy angle, it’s plenty stable. And easy enough to readjust.

We were already familiar with Baseus for its charging products but just happened to stumble onto this auto accessory. So, in a sense, it’s not surprising that its Baseus Joyride Pro Series Car Backseat Mount isn’t widely available. But if you’re looking for an easy, affordable, and competent way to hold a mobile device on a headrest, snag this one where you can.

Whereas most dash-oriented phone mounts attach right to the surface of the dash via adhesive or suction, the ProClip Center Dash Mount ($75) clips into the seams of your dashboard. In other words, it barely touches the actual dash.

Purchasing the product involves ordering two pieces: a base for your vehicle model and a holder for your phone model (based on the thickness of its case). When the pieces arrive, you screw the base to the holder, then adjust the holder to the width of your phone case. The rest of the installation is easy: Find the right place on the dashboard, with guidance from photos in the included instructions, and clip in the assembly.

Sidenote: ProClip makes bases that clip onto the left pillar (next to the left edge of the windshield), center console, and passenger side of the dash. Not all clips are available for all car models. The price quoted for this product is based on a $35 center dash mount for a Toyota 4Runner and a $40 adjustable, non-charging phone holder. They also offer wired and wireless charging holder versions.

During our several-week-long testing period, this became our go-to phone holder. It was super stable, positioned well, and easy to slip the phone into and out of. Though it does obstruct the vent a bit, it allows for way more airflow than typical vent mounts without putting any stress on the vent slats. And though we had the version without built-in charging, it was easy enough to attach a charging cord directly to our phone’s easily accessible charging port.

Universal car phone mounts can be fine. But now that we’ve been spoiled by the custom ProClip Center Dash Mount, we don’t want to go back. We’re willing to pay a little extra for something sturdily and elegantly made for our exact phone and vehicle.

Most phone holders of yesteryear that attached to the surface of your dashboard or windshield took up an annoying amount of space and weren’t very secure. The sleek and modern Nite Ize Steelie Orbiter Plus Dash Kit ($50) fixes those problems.

The bottom of the base — which includes both the black part and iconic shiny metallic sphere — is only about an inch in diameter, so you can stick it to virtually any smooth vertical, horizontal, or angled area on your dash. Once affixed, the second piece — a thin MagSafe puck with a red center on the back — magnetically attaches to the base so intensely that our lead tester’s 7-year-old son physically struggled to separate the two pieces. (And he’s strong.)

In turn, your MagSafe phone attaches to the puck. Though the connection is not as foreboding as to the base, it’s plenty strong to keep your phone in place. If you’re rocking an Android or older iPhone, this kit includes a razor-thin MagSafe adapter ring that sticks to the back of your phone and case.

Ultimately, the beauty of this steel orb-based system is that your phone can easily swivel in a nearly endless variety of angles. That along with its minimal footprint are major selling points. 

Another benefit to consider for the Nite Ize Steelie Orbiter Plus Dash Kit is that it’s part of a whole Steelie ecosystem. Nite Ize offers other holders and mounts not only for inside the car but also at the home or office. Plus the brand offers replacement adhesive pads for the base, a charging adapter, and other compatible accessories.

Although the Scosche MagicMount Pro 2 4-in-1 Vent/Dash ($45) is well-made, it’s not nearly as slick as our best overall pick. Although it’s relatively inexpensive, it’s not nearly as cheap as our budget pick. So it sits squarely in the middle of the road, as a solid choice at a decent value.

The mount itself doesn’t offer charging, but it’s just a convenient place to magnetically stick your phone so that it’s visible. The four options in the 4-in-1 moniker are that you can stick it either to the dash or vent, with or without the 3-inch extension arm. That three inches may not seem like a big deal, but it’s enough to swing the magnetic pad out of the way of the vent.

Speaking of which, when testing the vent attachment, we noticed it makes a huge difference in the direction the elliptical base is pointing. Initially, we assumed orienting the base vertically would be better, as it would need to be braced against multiple vent slats.

But then we noticed that the unit seemed loose while driving around. Upon further inspection, we discovered that with the base oriented horizontally, the rubber prongs on the back fit way more snugly.

It proved adequately secure after installing the mount by simply sliding it onto the vent slat, as described above. The tension in the ball socket behind the pad was enough to keep it steady when while driving over bumps, yet easy enough to tilt into a better position when desired.

The Scosche MagicMount Pro 2 4-in-1 Vent/Dash is a sensible, affordable option with all the little accessories you need in a vent-and-dash combo mount. And for what it’s worth, ProClip uses the exact same pad with the MagSafe versions of its highly regarded holders.

Clearly, some clever thought went into designing the Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2 ($60). It offers some cool capabilities that set it apart. Plus, its carbon fiber-y face gives it a different look than most boring-looking phone mounts.

Aesthetics aside, this phone mount boasts the new Qi2 wireless charging, which is twice as powerful as the previous version. That’s important because wireless charging is handy but hasn’t always been so speedy. So, this is a step in the right direction.

It also offers NFC functionality. A switch on the front of the unit can be adjusted to one of three color-coded positions, indicating that it’s ready to launch an action you’ve previously set up. For instance, tapping part of your phone to the complimentary spot on the front of the mount could open up your mapping, music, or calling app. But it takes some finesse and a knowledge of how to program those NFC triggers in iOS (a little easier) or Android (a little harder).

In addition to a universal version that uses a retractable hook and rubber brace, which is similar to the Peak Design mentioned above, this phone mount comes in a version that works specifically in Tesla models 3/Y. That version snaps into place similarly to the ProClip, also mentioned above.

The problem is that despite its sweet looks and functionality, it feels pretty cheap in the hand. Unlike the (smaller) Peak Design, it’s light as a feather, with no heft. But if you want a nice-looking phone mount with good features at a reasonable price, the Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2 is still a decent choice.

As one of the phone holders in Scosche’s MagicGrip series, the Scosche Double-Pivot Mount ($70) cradle automatically opens its arms when powered on and automatically closes them when it detects a MagSafe device. More than just a cool party trick, it’s something smart that holds your phone securely.

Conveniently, the kit comes with an 18-watt USB adapter that enables fast wireless charging, a USB-A-to-C charging cable, and a pair of cable management clips. Sadly, if the unit isn’t plugged in for some reason, the magic disappears. It’ll keep holding your phone if it’s already in there. But you’ll need to manually move the unit’s arms — a two-handed operation — if you want to take out your phone or place it back in.

Just to clarify, unlike with the Scosche MagicMount mentioned above, your phone doesn’t attach to this mount via MagSafe. Your phone’s Qi (embedded wireless charging) area activates the cradle’s arms, which actually hold your phone in place. That’s why it won’t close on phones that don’t support wireless charging — or on other foreign objects, for that matter.

While the whole unit is both stable and adequately adjustable — thanks to its double-jointedness — mounting it on the window or dash means it’ll probably be in the driver’s field of view. At least it’s not very big. But still, the sticky suction cup works well on smooth surfaces. So if your window is hot or your dash is textured, it won’t work as well.

At the end of the day, the Scosche MagicGrip Double-Pivot Mount is pretty cool, especially if you happen to have a phone that isn’t MagSafe but does support wireless charging (e.g., many Android phones). Even better, we’ve seen this mount on sale recently for as low as $30, which is a steal.

As opposed to every other car phone mount you’ve likely seen, the base of the Tackform Car Seat Phone Holder ($85) gets wedged in between your vehicle’s front seat — on either the driver’s or passenger’s side — and the center console. The main benefit of that location is that it places your phone screen significantly closer than if it’s mounted on the dash, vent, or window. But the tradeoff is that you must glance down more to see your screen.

The slats in the base can be positioned to make the wedge thinner (1 inch) or wider (2 inches) to accommodate a variety of vehicles. Working up from that heavy-duty plastic base, a seriously strong metal extension arm connects via ball sockets on both ends, ultimately terminating with the charging cradle.

Similar to the Scosche MagicGrip featured above, this one automatically closes its arms based on sensing a phone capable of wireless charging. But unlike the Scosche, it can mechanically open — even after being disconnected from its power source — by pressing a button on the side of the cradle. It also has adjustable support legs, which are handy when positioning your phone up or down for optimal charging.

Based on testing several other Tackform phone mounts, we know that they consistently use super high-quality parts. And that there’d be some assembly involved — although the kind that doesn’t require any tools or looking at the instructions. But something about this phone mount style, particularly, just caught our eye.

Though the Tackform Car Seat Phone Holder is a little offbeat and probably more expensive than other phone mounts you may be considering, we seriously doubt that you’ll find a better-made and more effective product to hold and charge your phone while driving.