Not Samsung, Not Google: This Phone Brand Gets Consumer Reports' Top Reliability Score

Ask anyone which smartphone they have, and they will most likely say it's either an Apple or Samsung device. Both have been in the smartphone game for a while, but there is only one that Consumer Reports (CR) ranks as the most reliable phone brand. Taking the top spot on Consumer Reports' list of the smartphone brand that is the most reliable is Apple, with the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max specifically.

Apple's iPhone 17 lineup also scored high on the list. To determine the winner, Consumer Reports evaluated phones to see which performed consistently well and dependably over time, which ones CR's members professionally recommended, and how Apple iPhone owners felt about the phone's reliability as a whole. Samsung showed up lower on the list, but still ranked high for reliability, just not as highly as Apple. Rounding out the last few spots of the Consumer Reports ranking is the brand known as Nothing with its line of Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro. It scored the lowest in both CR and brand reliability and customer satisfaction.

Apple's smartphones actually make up the top 13 devices in the Consumer Reports most reliable phone brands list. That adds up to a whole lot of value and dependability for one of the top phone makers around. Second and third place on the ranking list go to the iPhone 17 Pro Max and iPhone 17 Pro respectively. Even the iPhone Air was reviewed and ranked on the report.

Even Apple backs the dependability of its smartphones by stating it designs products to last. By focusing on how customers use their phones and predicting what may happen in the future, the company builds its phones to be durable, long-lasting, and with a high amount of repairability. Apple follows strict tests on each of its phones to determine how durable and reliable they are. Through mimicking real-world use such as impacts from falling, exposure to liquids, and other situations, the tests are designed to determine the reliability and toughness of Apple's smartphones.

Even with how reportedly reliable Apple smartphones are, they can still break, wear down, or malfunction. That's where AppleCare comes into play. The add-on costs anywhere from $9.99 or $19.99 per month and allows owners to get repairs directly from Apple if their phone is damaged in an accident such as dropping it or spilling something on it.

Consumer Reports also sent out surveys in 2023, 2024, and 2025 to gather user feedback. The results included more than 186,933 smartphones owned by members who bought one between 2019 and 2025. The phones were also only owned for no more than five years. While this excludes some of the newer iPhone models, user rankings for reliability on iPhones were quite high as well, though they were not as highly regarded as Consumer Reports.

The general consensus from Apple iPhone owners seems to be that they are good phones. Amazon reviews say the Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max is a beautiful phone with a sleek design, that it is very durable, and consistently performs well. However, many reviews note that the price is significant and while they still paid it, spending that much was quite a big decision. Another negative is that the battery life can drain quite fast, at least that's what owners on Reddit say.

One Amazon customer even ordered a 16 Pro Max to replace their S25 Ultra, but say they still have the Samsung phone just in case. Customers say Samsung is one of the most reliable Android phones which may be higher on Consumer Reports list, if Apple didn't make so many phones. Still, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, it's number 14 on CR's list. That's not so bad.