The best dual SIM phones in 2023 [Buyers guide]

The best dual SIM phones in 2023 [Buyers guide]
What are the best dual SIM phones to choose from in 2023? Phones that can run two carrier network connections at once have been around for a while, lurking on the outskirts of mass adoption anywhere but in emerging markets, where they remain very, very popular.

If you want to take advantage of two good carrier plans at once, or use one number for the family and friends, and another for work – you could use a modern dual SIM phone.

Below we've rounded up the best dual SIM phones money can buy right now, in early 2023, for those times when one "Subscriber Identity Module" just won't cut it. We now also include Android phones and Apple's iPhones that sport eSIM modules, which allow you to switch between providers and can be counted as multi-SIM phones.

Best flagship dual SIM phones


Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra
9.2

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra


The Good

  • Battery life is great, big improvement from predecessor
  • New Snapdragon chip is the best one in years
  • Design is improved, feels more ergonomic
  • Screen is less curved and gets very dim (perfect for night time use)
  • Camera improvements are there, but not quite huge
  • Loudspeakers sound much better now
  • You get double the storage (256GB) at base model

The Bad

  • Base model still only has 8GB RAM
  • Charging speeds have not improved
  • Haptics are still not as good as rivals
  • Camera system hasn't improved as much as hoped for
  • Expensive if you buy at full price

Samsung's latest S-series flagships all support eSIM, come with 5G support, and in some regions have proper dual SIM slots also. They're all sporting super-smooth 120Hz displays, pack impressive cameras and the Galaxy S23 Ultra even has S Pen stylus support, which was once limited to the Note series.

The Galaxy S23 phones are not only among the best dual SIM / eSIM phones out there, but arguably among the overall best Android smartphones to pick up right now. If you'd like to learn more about the Galaxy S23 series and their many other features, check out our Galaxy S23 review, Galaxy S23 Plus review, and Galaxy S23 Ultra review.

Apple iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Pro Max

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max
9.0

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max


The Good

  • Exceptional, industry-leading performance
  • Dynamic Island is a fun and useful twist on the punch hole
  • Very good battery life
  • Superb video-recording quality
  • Very bright and beautiful display with Always-On functionality
  • Premium, posh design

The Bad

  • Relatively slow charging speed
  • Small evolutionary improvements
  • Lack of physical SIM feels like an inconvenience

The iPhone 14 series are perfect for you, if you're already into Apple's ecosystem, or are looking to switch from Android. All four iPhone 14 models have dual SIM support with nano-SIM and eSIM. You can also use 5G with dual SIM on all of them easily. Of course, as with the other eSIM choices on this list, you'll need a carrier that actually supports eSIM, so make sure to check with your chosen one.

In the US, the carriers that support eSIM are AT&T, T-Mobile USA, Truphone, Ubigi, Verizon Wireless and Visible. In the UK those are EE, O2, Truphone and Ubigi. If you're in another country, you can check for eSIM support for your iPhone at Apple's eSIM service page.

Sony Xperia 1 III

Sony Xperia 1 III
7.5

Sony Xperia 1 III


The Good

  • Full of enthusiast features: 4K screen, microSD slot, manual camera controls, headphone jack
  • Unique tall and narrow look, stylish design
  • Lightweight body

The Bad

  • Grossly overpriced
  • Overheats easily
  • Battery life is just average
  • Photo and video quality is disappointing
  • Camera app is convoluted, has a lot of limitations

Sony's flagship Xperia 1 III supports dual Nano SIM cards. We also found it to be quite the enthusiast dream phone, with its 4K display, expandable storage, manual camera controls, headphone jack – all features we don't often see in modern flagships.

However, even though this beast of a smartphone is definitely one of the best dual SIM Android phones to get right now, it's also very expensive. Thus, you may want to check out our Sony Xperia 1 III review to make sure this is the right phone for you, and what it delivers is satisfactory, before committing to purchasing it.

Asus ROG Phone 6 and 6 Pro

Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro
9.0

Asus ROG Phone 6 Pro


The Good

  • Fast performance, doesn't throttle easily
  • Amazing stereo speakers
  • Beautiful screen, can be very accurate
  • Tons of storage and RAM for hardware future-proofing
  • Ecosystem of gaming accessories
  • Solid battery

The Bad

  • Only 2 years of software support
  • A bit heavy, a bit slippery
  • No wireless charging
  • Cooler accessory is a separate purchase now (can be included in various promo bundles)

The Asus ROG Phone 6 and its flagship variant – the ROG Phone 6 Pro are some of the most powerful gaming Android phones to pick up in 2023. Add to that – some of the best dual SIM phones too, as both have slots for two SIM cards.

In our ROG Phone 6 Pro review we were also particularly impressed with the speaker quality, which is arguably the best on an Android phone to date. On top of that, the ROG Phone 6 series delivers great performance, have super-smooth OLED displays, long battery life, and of course, as they're gaming-oriented – plenty of gamer features. Those include a stylish design with a light-up logo on the back, AirTriggers and support for gaming accessories, such as gamepads. Check our reviews for those two phones to see how all of this looks and feels hand-on.

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro

Google Pixel 6 Pro
9.0

Google Pixel 6 Pro


The Good

  • Superb design
  • Sharp OLED display with 120Hz refresh rate
  • Good battery life
  • Great performance
  • Versatile camera setup
  • Great image quality
  • Loud and rich speakers
  • Wireless charging on board

The Bad

  • Slow fingerprint sensor
  • Android 12 has some quirks

Both of Google's latest and greatest Pixel phones have dual-SIM support. Both are also 5G ready and packing a beefy battery, plus a unique dual-tone back design and a signature wide camera bump.

There's plenty to love here, especially with the Pro model, so long as you're willing to pay a premium price (and it's available in your region). Check out our Google Pixel 6 review and Google Pixel 6 Pro review for details and camera samples.

Google Pixel 5 and Pixel 4a

Google Pixel 5
8.7

Google Pixel 5


The Good

  • Lightweight, elegant design
  • Crisp, bright display
  • Versatile camera & excellent photos
  • Great battery life with wireless charging + power share
  • Clean, fast software

The Bad

  • Midrange chipset on a flagship
  • No optical zoom
  • The Pixel 4a (5G) does most of this for $200 less

You can use two SIMs on your Google Pixel 5 – one physical SIM card and one eSIM. Both the Pixel 5 and the Pixel 4a can also connect to 5G while in dual SIM mode.

In our Google Pixel 5 review we found Google's flagship to be very light and clean in design, with strong battery life, a bright display and of course – excellent camera performance. And since this is a Google phone, you can expect to be one of the first to get the latest Android updates, such as the upcoming Android 12

Asus Zenfone 8

Asus ZenFone 8
9.0

Asus ZenFone 8


The Good

  • Compact and easy to handle
  • Top-level performance
  • Great display
  • Cameras are pretty good
  • Good battery life, especially for the size
  • Stereo speakers, 3.5mm audio jack, hi-res audio support
  • Clean and feature-rich UI
  • Competitive price tag
  • IP68 water and dust resistance

The Bad

  • Gets hot in high-demanding situations
  • No wireless charging
  • No SD card slot
  • The small size might be a con for some people

This Asus flagship has two SIM slots for dual Nano SIM cards. It also has 5G support, like most other modern Android flagships, making it one of the best dual SIM phones right now. During our Asus Zenfone 8 review, we were happy to point out that it has a headphone jack, fantastic performance and a very comfortable design. It's also water and dust resistant, plus its dual cameras aren't too shabby. Considering its price, this is a well-rounded flagship with dual SIM support.

OnePlus 9

OnePlus 9
9.0

OnePlus 9


The Good

  • Pretty, functional design, solid build
  • Beautiful screen
  • Fast performance
  • No-nonsense user interface

The Bad

  • Camera was a bit of a letdown
  • Speakers are shrill

This "flagship killer" by OnePlus also sports dual SIM slots for using two SIM cards simultaneously. It sports a nice, albeit somewhat average design, it's a great performer and has a beautiful 6.5-inch OLED screen. And as we pointed out in our OnePlus 9 review, its camera performance should please most users.

Best budget dual SIM phones


If you're on the lookout for the best dual SIM phones on a budget, you've come to the right place. Below are the best affordable dual SIM phones to buy right now.

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G or A72

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
6.5

Samsung Galaxy A32 5G


The Good

  • The battery life is top notch
  • The headphone jack is not extinct here
  • There is a Micro SD card slot
  • There is 5G support
  • The main camera records up to 4K 30fps
  • The front camera is decent

The Bad

  • The display is cheap and of older technology, its quality and resolution are bad
  • The glossy plastic back is a scratch and fingerprint magnet
  • Lack of optical image stabilization on the camera
  • Night mode photos come out noisy
  • The display does not get dim enough in low light

The Galaxy A32 5G and A72 both have dual SIM models, but their availability varies, so make sure you're looking at a dual SIM variant before purchasing. These are both very well priced budget Samsung phones with respectable modern designs and solid battery life. Check out our Galaxy A32 5G review and Galaxy A72 review if interested to learn more about them.

OnePlus Nord CE 5G

OnePlus Nord CE 5G
8.7

OnePlus Nord CE 5G


The Good

  • Impressively zippy
  • Great size that is not too big, nor too small
  • Great value for the money
  • Beautiful OLED screen

The Bad

  • Photos come out with muted, sometimes dull colors
  • Video recording quality is not quite great
  • Terrible vibration motor
  • No mute switch

This is one of OnePlus' most well-rounded, well-priced smartphones which is also among the best budget dual SIM phones to pick up right now. Aside from dual SIM and 5G support, the Nord CE impresses with its good performance and bright, smooth (90Hz) 6.4-inch OLED display. Check out our full OnePlus Nord CE 5G review if you'd like to familiarize yourself with this budget dual SIM phone better.

Samsung Galaxy A21

Samsung Galaxy A21

Samsung Galaxy A21


View full specs

There are plenty of reasons why this is one of Samsung's best selling phones and one of the best dual SIM phones right now. Indeed, aside from having dual SIM variants, the Galaxy A12 has a nice, understated modern design, quad cameras and a large battery for long-lasting usage. It even has expandable storage via microSD and a 3.5mm headphone jack, so it's arguably among the best budget phones, period.

Those are the best dual SIM smartphones and the best eSIM phones to buy right now, in 2023. If you're about to continue your search for the best phone for your needs, you may also find helpful the following picks:

Loading Comments...
FCC OKs Cingular\'s purchase of AT&T Wireless