Best car phone holder 2023: The easiest to use and most secure windscreen, vent and dashboard mounts

A car phone holder is a must-have. Today's smartphones can give you easy access to satnav features with up-to-date maps and traffic info, while also allowing you to play music and podcasts as you travel. With voice assistants, you can even use them to make calls or receive and send texts hands-free.

The only problem? Operating a phone while driving a vehicle is illegal, and you could get whacked with a six-point penalty and a £200 fine if you’re caught. This applies even when you’re waiting at the lights or stuck in traffic, and thousands have been caught by the police.

With voice commands and your phone in a suitable holder or mount, some of these problems disappear. You can accept calls or accept a route correction on your satnav without breaking the law. Just be aware, though, that the law is expected to change later this year, and that a wider range of interactions with your phone will be made illegal. You should stay out of trouble as long as you remain hands-free, but if you appear to be distracted by calls or by the phone screen, then you can still end up in an uncomfortable conversation at the roadside. Set your satnav route before leaving home, and steer clear of the TikToks, WhatsApp messages and in-car selfies.

There are two things to consider when buying a car phone holder. One, will it fit your phone? And two, will it fit your car? The good news is that the mounts listed below will work with all popular smartphones.

The other half of the equation, though, is a little more complicated. There are numerous methods for attaching a phone holder to your dashboard or windscreen, and not all of them will suit every car.

A windscreen mount is one convenient option. While poor-quality rubber suckers may slowly lose their grip and drop off, a good mount can be very convenient. Some designs include supports that rest on the dashboard.

You can also get suction grips and cradles that attach directly to your dashboard, although this won't work if it has a textured surface. Another possibility is to connect the holder to your car stereo.

One of the most popular options is a clip that attaches to your air-conditioning vent. These are ideal for lighter smartphones, but the grip might not be firm enough to hold heavier devices and it also obstructs the airflow.

A final option to explore is a bespoke mount. Swedish firm Brodit make custom mounting units for each model of car to create a permanent mount for your phone.

Certain phone mounts have clips or arms that hold the phone securely: you simply slide the device into place when you get into the car and remove it when you leave.

Other mounts have a magnetic connection. These usually require you to attach a metal strip to the back of your phone, either by sticking it on the back or sliding it into a case – the latter is obviously better, as you don't want to dent your phone's aesthetic appeal. Apple's MagSafe tech, as found across the iPhone 12 range, opens up another, even better option, where the mount simply holds your iPhone via its built-in MagSafe charging pad.

Even clunkier are mounts that have a ball and socket attachment: you’ll need to stick a metal socket to the back of your phone case, which clips into a ball on the in-car mount.

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There's not an awful lot to in-car phone mounts: they either hold your phone securely or they don't. However, you might want to check whether the holder allows you to access the phone's USB or lightning port so you can charge your phone while in transit – particularly if your phone often doubles as a satnav. Certain mounts even integrate their own QI wireless charger, meaning you can charge your phone without plugging it in. There will, of course, have to be a cable between your car's USB port or 12V socket and the charger, so make sure it doesn't dangle anywhere it might obstruct your driving.

There's every chance you’ve been in at least one minicab where part of the windscreen is covered by a wall of phones. That's not an example to follow.

If you’re using a hands-free phone in the car, it's essential it doesn't illegally block your view in any direction.

Price when reviewed: £15 | Check price at Halfords

Once it's there, it's going to stay there, no matter how bumpy the road gets – something that can't always be said of some of the clamp-style holders. There's also no maximum phone size to worry about – it will handle devices of up to 650g – and the joint means it works at a decent range of angles. As long as you’re happy with the metal plate on your phone or in its case, this is the best windscreen mount to go for.

Key specs – Weight: 46g; Mounting: Suction cup on windscreen; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black

Check price at Halfords

Price when reviewed: £15 | Check price at Amazon

The ball joint on the vent mount gives you a wider range of tilt and swivel, so you can keep the phone in view, and – with a little practice – you can insert and remove it single-handed, with the arms releasing as you pull the phone vertically out of its cradle. It can only hold the phone in portrait mode, but it's one affordable, sturdy mount.

Key specs – Weight: 130g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: 88mm; Colours: Black

Price when reviewed: £15 | Check price at Amazon

Key specs – Weight: 37g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: 93mm; Colours: Black and Aluminium

Price when reviewed: £25 | Check price at Amazon

Key specs – Weight: 90g; Mounting: Grip on air vent; Max phone width: iPhone 12 series and upwards only; Colours: Black

Price when reviewed: £7.64 | Check price at Amazon

The gripper itself is a simple, spring-loaded device, but it works very well and can hold smartphones up to 89mm across. It's hard to fault this product as it doesn't try to do anything it doesn't need to – and what it does do, it does very well.

Key specs – Weight: 91g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: 89mm; Colours: Black, red

Price when reviewed: £20 | Check price at Amazon

Your phone is secured in the mount with a magnet, meaning there's no width restriction and it's easy to put it in place and remove it at either end of your journey. However, this does mean you’ll need to attach the supplied metal plate to your phone or case, which not everyone will be enthusiastic about.

Key specs – Weight: 118g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black

Price when reviewed: £8.59 | Check price at Amazon

How you attach the plate is up to you: you can use the supplied adhesive pad or slip it inside your shell or case. It comes with a second plate too, so you and a partner can each easily attach both of your phones. It's a simple and extremely light design but the magnet holds the phone firmly even on bumpy roads.

Key specs – Weight: 59g; Mounting: Clip to air vent; Max phone width: N/A; Colours: Black, grey

Price when reviewed: £47 | Check price at Amazon

Key specs – Weight: 430g; Mounting: Suction cup to windscreen or dashboard; Max phone width: 93mm; Colours: Black