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After a new round of testing, we have a number of new picks for just about every kind of dashboard situation.
Distracted driving leads to thousands of accidents per year. If you rely on your phone for driving directions or music streaming, or if you just want to be able to take calls safely, you may want to invest in a car phone mount. We drove for more than 30 hours testing 30 phone mounts in two vehicles (one sedan and one SUV) on both smooth and pothole-ridden residential streets, highways, and mountain roads, and the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 has the best combination of safety, convenience, and stability for holding your phone.
Whether mounted on a dashboard or windshield, it’s easy to set up, grips securely, and has a strong magnetic mount that supports most phones in any position.
It’s easy to set up or remove, securely mounts onto a car’s vent slats, and has the same strong magnetic mount as the dash version.
This mount attaches quickly and firmly to a car’s CD slot and has the same magnetic mount as the other iTap Magnetic 2 versions.
This dash/windshield mount gives you versatility in placement, stability in holding your phone, and wireless charging, all in one solution.
This MagSafe mount gives you an additional support arm for extra stability and can be installed on your air vent or dashboard.
This MagSafe mount offers simple installation, fast charging, and everything you need inside the box.
Whether mounted on a dashboard or windshield, it’s easy to set up, grips securely, and has a strong magnetic mount that supports most phones in any position.
It’s easy to set up or remove, securely mounts onto a car’s vent slats, and has the same strong magnetic mount as the dash version.
This mount attaches quickly and firmly to a car’s CD slot and has the same magnetic mount as the other iTap Magnetic 2 versions.
We think magnetic phone mounts are generally the most convenient and easiest-to-use options for holding your phone in a car, and in our testing, the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 line delivered the best overall experience. It’s equally sturdy in dash/windshield-, vent-, or CD slot–mounted versions, and it’s easy to set up and take with you from car to car, making it a good fit for lots of situations. In our tests, the magnets in all three versions were strong, supporting most of our phones either vertically or horizontally over even the roughest terrain. Only the large, 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 14 Plus, and Pixel 7 Pro gave them some trouble when held horizontally, although the mounts were rock solid with a 6.1-inch Pixel 7a.
This dash/windshield mount gives you versatility in placement, stability in holding your phone, and wireless charging, all in one solution.
If you want to charge your phone on a mount without dealing with cables, the iOttie Auto Sense is for you. This mount offers Qi wireless charging at up to 10 watts, an automatic phone grip, strong suction for dashboard or windshield placement, an adjustable foot to fit larger phones, and a telescopic arm that can handle bumps better than that of its competitors.
This MagSafe mount gives you an additional support arm for extra stability and can be installed on your air vent or dashboard.
If you have a MagSafe-compatible iPhone—the iPhone 12, 13, 14, and 15 all have Apple’s built-in magnetic-charging technology—the ESR HaloLock is an affordable mount that’s easy to install. It also has a strong magnet, offers secure placement, and can support up to 7.5 W charging.
This MagSafe mount offers simple installation, fast charging, and everything you need inside the box.
If you prefer a dashboard mount, Anker’s 613 MagGo mount has an adjustable arm that holds your iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15 still when driving over uneven pavement; a strong MagSafe magnet that supports up to 7.5 W charging; and a two-port car charger in the box.
A wireless charging mount lets you safely use a phone while driving and keep it juiced up along the way. iOttie’s Easy One Touch Wireless 2 remains the best.
For this guide, staff writer Roderick Scott tested 17 different car mounts for dash, vents, and CD slots for hours in both a 2008 Honda Accord and a 2023 Kia Telluride over several different types of terrain, including city streets riddled with potholes, uphill side roads, and off-roading. He has covered consumer technology, including smartphone accessories, for over 15 years.
Every car should have a safe way to hold a phone. Some advocates, like the National Transportation Safety Board and Governors Highway Safety Association (PDF), say you should not use a phone while driving at all. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says that multiple studies “have consistently linked texting or otherwise manipulating a phone to increased (crash) risk.”
But in reality, for many drivers it’s the source for navigation, information, messages, music, and (of course) phone calls. A good smartphone mount can greatly reduce the risks of using a phone while driving by steadily holding your phone where you can easily see the screen and access on-screen buttons without blocking your view or forcing you to take your eyes off the road for too long. With the phone at dash level, using it becomes more like operating a car radio, which, according to a 2013 report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (PDF), “has little effect on driving performance or crash risk.” We still think phone use while driving is a distraction, but clearly, placement matters, and a good mount makes the inevitable phone use less dangerous.
Any good car phone mount needs do a few things well, including:
With this criteria in mind, we’ve researched the specs and features of more than a hundred available models over the years, searching for well-reviewed and best-selling models on Amazon and popular car sites.
First, you need to consider where you want your phone mount located and how you want to attach your phone to it. There are several types of car phone mounts, and the one that will work best for you depends on your car’s dash design, personal preferences, and, for windshield mounts, regional regulations. We’ve broken down the different types in the photo gallery above.
In order to get a feel for how each model works with different sizes of phones, we tested each mount with a 6.1-inch Google Pixel 7a, a 6.7-inch Google Pixel Pro, and both the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Plus and the new iPhone 15 Plus.
We evaluated how easy it was to set up the mount on the dash or windshield, attach or remove a phone, and adjust the mount in order to best position the screen. We also evaluated whether the phone remained steady while driving to easily read the screen, if the tension arms or magnet attachment held the phone securely over rough terrain, and how well the mount stayed attached to the car with different phones and driving conditions. For dash and windshield mounts, we also tested the reliability of their suction cups on a window and two textured vinyl dashboards.
Whether mounted on a dashboard or windshield, it’s easy to set up, grips securely, and has a strong magnetic mount that supports most phones in any position.
It’s easy to set up or remove, securely mounts onto a car’s vent slats, and has the same strong magnetic mount as the dash version.
This mount attaches quickly and firmly to a car’s CD slot and has the same magnetic mount as the other iTap Magnetic 2 versions.
After another round of testing, we’re happy to report that the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 remains our top choice for car phone mounts. This mount stands out for its ease of installation, versatility, and ability to keep your phone securely in place. We’ve tried out the different versions of the iTap Magnetic 2, and we’re confident that the air-vent, CD-slot, and dashboard/windshield mounts will work well for any type of vehicle. The iTap Magnetic 2 system uses a magnetic plate to install, even with MagSafe iPhones, so if you have a newer iPhone, you may want to buy our MagSafe pick instead.
It’s compact and holds just about any phone securely. The dashboard mount measures only 5 inches tall, while the air-vent and CD-slot mounts are just 2 inches, so they won’t occupy much space. The Magnetic 2 also includes two powerful magnet plates: one small and one large. These magnets are strong enough to hold your phone in place, even when it’s covered with a case.
It attaches easily and stays in place. Every iTap Magnetic 2 model utilizes the same ball joint, magnetic plates, and designated mounts. Installing the air-vent mount is simple—just attach the ball joint to the vent-mount section, twist the lock for the air-vent blade, and you’re done. For the CD-slot mount, you’ll want to remove any discs from the CD slot, then insert the CD-slot connector and use the locking lever to secure it in place. And for the dashboard mount, you’ll peel off the protective film off the dashboard pad, place it on your dash or windshield, press down to create suction, and secure it by pressing down the locking lever.
It can hold your phone in place across smooth or rough roads. In our tests, all three versions were able to support a wide range of phone sizes, holding them firm and steady while driving, even over unpaved roads. All three bases attach to the magnet mount with a ball joint that lets you rotate the phone 360 degrees between vertical/portrait to horizontal/landscape modes, as well as about 45 degrees to the sides or 30 degrees up and back. This wide range of adjustability, combined with the iOttie’s mounting options, means you should be able to find a setup that works well for your vehicle.
The iTap Magnetic 2 magnetic plates and mounts usually work well, but they’re not perfect. Driving over large potholes may shift your phone slightly, causing your phone to rotate to a vertical angle while still magnetically attached to the mount. However, the magnetic plates still held up, and the Pixel 7 Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus phones I used for testing never completely fell off the mount.
This dash/windshield mount gives you versatility in placement, stability in holding your phone, and wireless charging, all in one solution.
The iOttie Auto Sense charging mount is ideal for those looking to keep their phone charged while mounted on their dashboard or windshield. It has a unique design that includes a telescoping arm, self-clamping tension grips, and wireless-charging capabilities for Android phones (10 W) and iPhones (7.5 W). And the Auto Sense is designed to be easy and straightforward to install, similar to the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 dash mount.
It installs easily. To install the Auto Sense mount, you place it on the desired area of your dashboard or windshield, lift the locking lever, and press the suction cup down to create suction. Next, you secure it by pressing the locking lever down. You can further customize its placement by adjusting its angle and extending the telescoping arm to bring your phone closer to you.
It doesn’t need magnets. The Auto Sense mount is designed to keep your phone securely in place with self-clamping tension grips activated by a proximity sensor and two servo motors. You can release your phone by pressing the buttons on the side. The Auto Sense mount also comes with a support foot that can accommodate larger phone models (up to 6.7 inches) and allows for wireless charging. However, some Android phones may need minor adjustments to prevent accidental long presses of the volume-down button, which I experienced on my Pixel 7 Pro.
This MagSafe mount gives you an additional support arm for extra stability and can be installed on your air vent or dashboard.
If you have an iPhone 12, 13, 14, or 15, the ESR HaloLock mount is a great MagSafe solution that doesn’t take up a lot of space and can securely mount your iPhone without extra hardware. Its strong magnet keeps your iPhone in place, and its ball-joint design lets you adjust your phone to any angle. The HaloLock can charge an iPhone at speeds up to 7.5 W while on the go with an optional car charger, but you’ll have to buy one separately.
Its design includes a support arm for a secure fit. Many air-vent car phone mounts keep it simple with a clip that attaches to the vent blade. The HaloLock mount has a support arm to go on or below the air vent for extra stability. While other air-vent mounts can move slightly when driving over deep potholes, the HaloLock mount didn’t move at all during my testing.
It can be mounted to an air vent or a dashboard. The HaloLock is marketed as an air-vent mount, but it also includes a ball-head anchor to mount to a dashboard. The anchor works as well as the air-vent mount, but like many dashboard mounts, it requires a flat surface in order to work effectively. It’s worth noting that the anchor doesn’t use a gel-based adhesive like other dashboard mounts; you can apply it to an area only once.
This MagSafe mount offers simple installation, fast charging, and everything you need inside the box.
The Anker 613 MagGo dashboard mount is a great, reliable MagSafe mount that also charges your iPhone. With a long, adjustable arm that stays steady on even bumpy terrain, this mount features a strong MagSafe-charging ring that supports speeds up to 7.5 W and even glows in the dark for nighttime placement. Plus, it includes a two-port car charger and cable-management clips in the box.
Its long, adjustable arm keeps your phone stable. The Anker 613 is one of the few dash mounts with a long arm that held up during our testing. The arm is adjustable up to 134 degrees, and the magnetic mount is adjustable to tilt toward you or the passenger, or to hold your phone in a vertical landscape. It didn’t shake when driving over uneven roads and kept our iPhone in place.
This car mount may not be the best solution for all vehicles. It will work only on flat, non-textured dashboards. If your vehicle dash has curved, grooved surfaces, or has a large display taking up space in the dashboard, the 613 might not work for you.
The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 is similar to the iOttie Auto Sense mount but doesn’t offer wireless charging.
The Loncaster Silicone Car Phone Holder is a horizontal silicone mold that you can drop your phone into. It does a good job of holding your phone in place and attaches easily to your dash, but it looks cheap, the phone holder covers parts of your screen, and the silicone mold gets dirty quickly.
The ESR HaloLock Dashboard Wireless Charger with Low-Profile Mounting Arm, the Qifutan Car Phone Mount Long Arm, and the TICILFO Car Phone Holder Mount (Flexible Gooseneck Long Arm) all offer great grip and a sturdy yet flexible long arm, but they have too much bounce when driving.
The ZeeHoo 15W Wireless Car Charger is a functional budget mount but lacks the necessary 12-volt lighter charger to power it.
Belkin’s BoostCharge has a great magnetic/MagSafe mount, but it doesn’t sit securely on the vent with larger phones like the iPhone 14 Plus, the iPhone 15 Plus, or the Pixel 7 Pro.
The Kenu Airframe Magnetic has a good, strong magnet to hold your phone, but its clamp doesn’t stay secure once mounted, which can cause your phone to shake often while in motion.
Scosche’s MagicMount Pro2 4-in-1 Phone Mount has a strong magnet and is easy to install, but it didn’t hold our phone steady while driving.
The Scosche MagicMount CD is comparable to our CD-mounted pick, but the overall design of the iOttie mount is more appealing and easier to install.
Ticilfo’s CD-slot mount is a simple plastic model that allows you to mount and remove your phone with one hand, but it can shake a bit when driving over bumps.
The Apps2Car Universal Magnetic CD Slot Car Phone Mount does a good job of holding a phone in place, but it uses a screw and washer nut to tighten the mount in place in your CD slot, which is strange.
The iOttie Easy One Touch 5 is a great CD mount that allows you to attach and remove your phone with one hand, but the iOttie iTap Magnetic 2 CD Slot Mount takes up less space and offers the same secure hold.
The GloPlum Magnetic is a MagSafe air-vent mount with a strong magnet, and it offers up to 15 W charging speeds. But it doesn’t have much support or a long warranty in case something goes wrong with it.
The iOttie Easy One Touch Wireless 2 was our previous MagSafe-mount pick. While it’s still a great choice, our picks offer the same features and take up less space.
The iOttie Velox Mini has a built-in ventilation system that keeps your iPhone cool. It has one of the strongest magnets on a car mount that we’ve tested thus far. But the ball joint that allows it to rotate is a little stiff to adjust compared to our picks.
The expensive Belkin BoostCharge Pro’s only advantage is its fast charging speeds. Our picks held and adjusted the iPhone better.
The Scosche MagicMount Pro has the smallest footprint for a car mount, but it didn’t prevent my iPhone from tilting face down when driving over bumps or uneven pavement.
The Spigen OneTap Pro lets you use the vent clip by itself or the vent clip and swing arm, which gives you more flexibility for positioning your iPhone. However, the swing-arm setup did move a bit when driving over bumps. Our picks performed better in terms of stability and magnet strength.
This article was edited by Arthur Gies and Caitlin McGarry.
Roderick Scott is Wirecutter's staff writer reporting on smartphones, tablets, and accessories. He is the former publisher of TechGuySmartBuy, where he reviewed everything from phones to headphones to smart speakers to cars. He is also a former aspiring songwriter, music producer, and A&R working with local talent.
Nick Guy is a former senior staff writer covering Apple and accessories at Wirecutter. He has been reviewing iPhones, iPads, and related tech since 2011—and stopped counting after he tested his 1,000th case. It’s impossible for him not to mentally catalog any case he sees. He once had the bright idea to build and burn down a room to test fireproof safes.
Acrylic Makeup Organizer Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).