Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra vs Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Which Android Foldable Should You Buy?

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.Samsung4 min readIt feels like foldable phones are finally for-real this year. This is most likely because of the mounting rumors that Apple will be jumping into the space very soon. At the time of writing, we’re one week away from Apple’s big launch event; if it releases a foldable, that’s big news. It’ll certainly be looming over the heads of Samsung and Google, who have been in the folding phone game for seven and three years, respectively. It matters for what these two companies are doing, especially in the market stateside, but it wouldn’t be a huge bombshell for consumers. If you’re an Apple user, you’d wait another decade for that foldable, if it ever comes. If you’re an Android user, you’re choosing between Samsung and Google—and lucky for you, the choices have never been this strong.Both big names brought their A-game. The foldable smartphones are firing on all cylinders, with Samsung releasing its first Ultra foldable in the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Google iterating with its Pixel 11 Pro Fold. Over the past couple weeks, I’ve spent time with both foldable phones, and I honestly think both are rad. Whether I’m watching TV, going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole, or using Google Maps, the massive inner screens are more game-changing than I’ve ever found them to be. And being able to flip back to a regular-sized phone makes everything easy for the other 90 percent of the time I use my phone.So yeah, safe to say I’m a convert. I fully believe these are the top Android phones to get—bar none. But, when they cost this much, you want to be sure in your decision. How do you decide on one over the other? It really depends on where you’re coming from, and whether you value the cleanest user experience or having the best in tech. I’ve briefly broken down the pros and cons of each foldable phone below and, based on what you’re currently rocking, recommended which of these two phones is the best fit.Google Pixel 11 Pro FoldCredit: GoogleSamsung Galaxy Z Fold8 UltraCredit: samsungGalaxy Z Fold8 UltraThe Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra is the more notable of the two phones, if only because it’s Samsung’s first time putting the Ultra name—a big deal over there—on a foldable. The result is a pretty magnificent feat of design. It’s ultra lightweight (215g), the thinnest folding phone there is (4.1mm unfolded, 8.9mm folded), with all the speed and power of a Galaxy S26 Ultra. And of course one of the best smartphone cameras out there. It’s more rectangular and has harder edges, which can dig into you if you’re putting the phone in a pocket. But I personally prefer the weight and ergonomics of the Z Fold8 Ultra over the Pixel 11 foldable—it just sits in the hand in a nicer way.It runs Samsung’s new One UI 9, which allows users to create entirely separate (or mirrored if they choose) outer and inner home screens. When it comes to making your phone your own, the options here are staggering. Customizability meets great tech, and that’s where Samsung phones have always shone. It’s not a perfect user experience by any means. It’s a Galaxy phone, and that still means it’s bloated with tons of native Samsung (and Google) apps and an unnecessarily complicated number of AI assistants and features. Still, on a personal level, this is my favorite foldable phone I’ve used so far.Pixel 11 Pro FoldThe Pixel 11 Pro Fold is the more iterative of the two phones, design-wise, and largely picks up where the 10 Pro Fold left off. It’s a powerful smartphone with a great camera and a user-friendly, clean interface. For all Samsung’s phone screen customizability, I just like looking at the outer default lock screen on the Pixel Fold more. If you’re not super familiar with either Android interface, it’s the more approachable phone—and it comes in at $200 less than the Z Fold8 Ultra.Where this year’s Pixel Pro Fold phone suffers in comparison to Samsung’s entire Z Fold and Flip line is the design. The Pixel is thicker, with a bulkier camera, and not nearly as easy to hold with one hand once opened. It has a softer snap close (which I like), but everything else about the Z Fold8 Ultra makes the Samsung offering feel like the more premium device.Which Phone Should I Get?Ultimately, the Android foldable you should get depends on which smartphone you’re coming from and how much customizability you’re used to. Based on the user experience and design of the devices themselves, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a more approachable phone but the Z Fold8 Ultra is the slimmer, more forward-thinking design of the two foldables.Here are the three ways it breaks down:1. If you’re coming from a Pixel or an iPhone: Get the Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold because of the interface.2. If you’re coming from any other Android: Get the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.3. And if you just want the best foldable phone there currently is, price be damned: Get the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra.