To help you find the most secure phones, we spent several hours picking through all of the different smartphones available on the market today and identifying which ones focused on creating an extra-secure experience. During our research, we found that the most important considerations to make lie in the features each phone offers to increase security and data protection. Look for things like disk encryption, “locker” apps for securing sensitive data, and biometric phone locking and unlocking capabilities. We also recommend purchasing a secure phone that meets your day-to-day needs as well, including camera, durability, and performance needs.
After our research and ranking, we chose the Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max as the most secure phone. Read on to learn more about this top pick smartphone and more of the best smartphone options we feature.
Top 10 Most Secure Phones
#1 Apple iPhone 16 Pro Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR ALL-AROUND SECURITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: The iPhone 16 Pro delivers unmatched privacy with the A18 chip, iOS 18’s Apple Intelligence, and durable Ceramic Shield for extra peace of mind.
- Advanced A18 chip for enhanced security and performance
- iOS 18 with Apple Intelligence for privacy-focused features
- Durable Ceramic Shield glass for extra protection
- No telephoto lens compared to Pro Max
The iPhone 16 Pro shines with its A18 chip, which not only boosts performance but also powers Apple’s strongest encryption yet. Every interaction on the phone—whether it’s unlocking with Face ID or making payments with Apple Pay—is secured through the chip’s advanced encryption algorithms. Plus, with iOS 18’s privacy-focused updates, users now have greater control over app permissions and tracking, meaning you decide who gets access to your data.
Apple’s commitment to privacy goes beyond software. The iPhone 16 Pro’s durable Ceramic Shield protects against physical damage, while its built-in security features, like end-to-end encrypted messaging and real-time privacy reports, keep your personal information safe. If you’re looking for a device that prioritizes security without sacrificing style or ease of use, the iPhone 16 Pro is the ideal choice.
PSA: Don’t Get SIM Swapped
Did you know that even the most secure phones aren’t protected from SIM swapping? Thieves can hijack your phone number, gaining access to your bank accounts, crypto, and anything tied to two-factor authentication. That’s why we recommend Efani.
For $99 a month, Efani eliminates the risk of SIM swapping by removing your personal details from cell phone providers, making it impossible for anyone to socially engineer or bribe their way into taking over your number. If you’re with Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile, you’ll enjoy unlimited talk, text, and high-speed data—even abroad. No contracts, a 60-day money-back guarantee, and if you sign up through our link, you get the second month free. Plus, with the annual plan, the price drops to $900 for the year. Pair your secure phone with Efani for total protection.
#2 Samsung S24 Secure Phone
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Galaxy S24 pairs robust security with a future-proof commitment to updates, making it a smart, secure investment.
- Built-in Knox security platform
- Stunning 120Hz display
- Premium triple camera array
- Limited to 8GB RAM
The Samsung Galaxy S24 offers rock-solid security thanks to Samsung Knox, a defense-grade platform that shields your personal data from malware and hacks. Knox provides multi-layered security, locking down everything from your files to app permissions, ensuring that your data is safe the moment you power on the device. Samsung has also incorporated AI-powered protection to detect threats in real time, so you’re always a step ahead of potential attacks.
Related: Take a look at the best-unlocked smartphones.
What truly sets the S24 apart is Samsung’s seven-year commitment to software and security updates, ensuring that your phone remains secure and up to date for years to come. With powerful hardware like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and a vivid 120Hz display, you’ll get a smooth user experience that’s both enjoyable and secure, making the S24 a great pick for long-term peace of mind.
#3 Google Pixel 9 Pro Secure Phone
Award: BEST QUALITY
WHY WE LIKE IT: The Pixel 9 Pro stands out for its flat-edge design that improves grip and Google’s Titan M security chip, which ensures ironclad protection for your personal data.
- Titan M security chip for hardware-level protection
- Premium design with flat edges for better grip
- Impressive battery life with adaptive charging
- Design may feel too similar to other flagships
The Pixel 9 Pro is not just about aesthetics. It’s designed with privacy at its core, thanks to Google’s Titan M security chip, which provides an extra layer of protection. From encrypting sensitive information to securing transactions, this hardware-level encryption keeps data locked down and out of the hands of hackers. Google’s built-in security features, like real-time threat detection and automatic app scanning, ensure that your data remains secure without you having to lift a finger.
Another highlight is Google’s automatic updates, ensuring you’re always protected against the latest threats. Pair that with its robust battery life, and the Pixel 9 Pro isn’t just secure—it’s reliable for everyday use. Whether handling sensitive emails or making mobile payments, this phone offers peace of mind with privacy baked into every layer.
#4 Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra Secure Phone
Award: BEST CAMERA
WHY WE LIKE IT: This flagship device features a premium design quality with an ultra-fast processor, beautiful display, and built-in Knox security platform. Plus, it features a best-of-class camera capable of capturing detailed and sharp pictures and video.
- Snappy Exynos 990 processor
- 3200 x 1440 pixel resolution
- IP68 water and dust resistance
- Unreliable battery life
- Heavier than other smartphones
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra is one of the many devices in Samsung’s lineup to feature integration with the powerful Knox security platform, which is why it makes it into our buying guide for the most secure phones available today. The Knox security platform features a comprehensive, multi-layered approach to security. You’ll get automatic encryption and additional protection for all of the sensitive data you store on your phone. Its built-in Samsung Exynos 990 octa-core processor is also built with security in mind, and it protects you from hardware-based hacking.
The Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra also excels when it comes to performance and design. There is no question that this is a premium flagship phone. It features a durable metal frame and a large display with high resolution. The phone is IP68 water and dust resistant, and the glass on the screen is made from shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass. We were most impressed by the Galaxy S20 Ultra’s camera, though. It features an incredible 108-megapixel main sensor for snapping super crisp photos and the ability to capture up to 8K video resolution. The S20 Ultra also gives you a large 5000 mAh battery for all-day battery life. No need for the best portable chargers with this one!
#5 Apple iPhone SE Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR KIDS AND SENIORS
WHY WE LIKE IT: If you’re looking for a secure phone that your kids can use without you worrying about their safety, then this is the best option for you. This smartphone is inherently secure due to its operating system and included parental controls.
- Comprehensive parental controls
- Display is sharp and detailed
- Lightweight, yet durable design
- Shortened battery life
- No expandable storage
The iPhone SE is Apple’s attempt at creating affordable power and security in a flagship phone. Fortunately, they do it well in this product, which is apparent to see. This iPhone’s affordability makes it an appealing option for parents who want a secure and safe phone for their kids. The iPhone SE includes a Screen Time functionality, which is a comprehensive approach to parental controls that allows you to set time limits on apps and restrictions on downloads. This way, you can prevent your kids from getting on apps that aim to steal their information. On top of this, the Apple iPhone SE features all of the built-in protection and security features that Apple integrates into all of its phones. Check out our iPhone SE review to learn more in-depth detail on this smartphone.
This affordable iPhone is also incredibly user-friendly and easy to learn, making it even better for kids and seniors. Overall performance is also something to be applauded here. The iPhone SE features the A13 Bionic processor, which is fast even despite not being the latest technology. We were also impressed by the iPhone’s overall build quality. It features a bright display with vivid colors and sharp resolution. Plus, with IP68 water and dust resistance and tough display glass, you won’t have to worry about this phone breaking too easily, making it one of the best phones for kids on the list.
#6 Silent Circle Blackphone 2 Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR PRIVACY
WHY WE LIKE IT: For our Blackphone review, we found that this smartphone is designed specifically with security and privacy in mind, with its comprehensive app permissions, built-in encryption, and remote data wipe if you lose the device. This secure phone also offers decent performance with a good display.
- Extensive permissions management for apps
- Built-in encryption for voice, text, video
- Bright, colorful display
- Disappointing battery life
- Slower processor than others
The Silent Circle Blackphone 2 is one of the most secure phones available on the market today, and that’s because it was one that was designed specifically for security and data protection. While other phones have security integrated into their hardware and software as an afterthought, this smartphone is dedicated to providing the best protection. It’s designed specifically for security down into its chipset and gives you the ability to create different “Spaces.” These act essentially as different user-profiles and allow you to separate business from personal use. You’ll even get much more in-depth controls for app permissions than a standard Android phone allows. On top of that, the Blackphone 2 also provides encryption for voice, text messages, and video chats.
While the Silent Circle Blackphone 2 provides extensive security functionality, it does struggle a little bit when it comes to performance and overall build quality, especially when compared to newer flagship smartphones. The processor dedicates most of its power to security functionality and doesn’t do incredibly well with things like video games. You’ll want one of the best gaming phones for that. The Blackphone’s design quality isn’t unique by any means, but it is durable to handle most bumps and bruises. The design feature we were most impressed by here is the phone’s display. It’s bright and colorful, and it looks good when watching videos or looking at pictures.
#7 Sirin Labs Finney U1 Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR CRYPTOCURRENCY
WHY WE LIKE IT: If you’re a blockchain and cryptocurrency enthusiast who needs an ultra-secure solution for storing your Bitcoin, then this is the smartphone for you. With an integrated cold-storage crypto wallet and security-focused operating system, this smartphone will keep your investments safe.
- Unique second-screen design
- Sirin OS features real-time monitoring
- Fingerprint-resistant display
- Cannot be charged wirelessly
- Disappointing IP52 water resistance
The Siring Labs Finney U1 secure smartphone is certainly one of the most unique options your money can buy today. It holds the honor of being one of the world’s first blockchain smartphones available today. This means that the phone comes with an integrated cold-storage wallet for your Bitcoin and Ethereum. The wallet itself is based on hardware and lives technically separate from the actual phone’s hardware. When you’re ready to transact using your cryptocurrency, simply slide up the second screen and open the transfer app on the larger smartphone screen. The Finney U1 is secure enough to handle cryptocurrency transactions with ease, mostly due to its Sirin OS operating system. This OS has been modified to a greater extent to allow for more security features like real-time monitoring and extensive permissions controls.
The Sirin Labs Finney U1 smartphone is also a decent smartphone for most casual users. However, it won’t hold a candle to the faster, more well-designed flagship phones available today. It features a last-gen Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, which will perform well in most circumstances. The display features an HD, 2160 x 1080 pixel resolution, but it isn’t as sharp as other options available today. The best part about the Finney U1’s display is its fingerprint-resistant, oleophobic coating. You’ll also get 128GB of onboard storage, with the option of including more with a microSD card slot. For the security-conscious, you might want to check out our best tactical wallets buying guide to further protect your money.
#8 BlackBerry Key2 Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS
WHY WE LIKE IT: If you need a smartphone for business use that features quality built-in security features, you can’t go wrong with this option. It features full-disk encryption, a productivity-focused keyboard, and a powerful battery for all-day use.
- Excellent keyboard for power users
- Long-lasting battery life
- Full-disk encryption
- Cameras are mediocre at best
- No water resistance
The BlackBerry Key2 is the culmination of all of the best features from the BlackBerry lineup. Of course, this phone gives you the dedicated approach to security that BlackBerry is so well known for. With full-disk encryption and notifications for when apps try to access more hardware than they should, this phone keeps you on your toes when it comes to protection for sensitive data. You’ll also get a comprehensive Locker app, which allows you to keep the files on your device secure and protected from prying eyes or unauthorized users.
Perhaps the best feature of the BlackBerry Key2 is its built-in keyboard. If you’re a fan of physical keyboards on your smartphone, you absolutely cannot pass this option up. The keyboard works well with larger keys and programmable shortcuts. You’ll also get good performance with this BlackBerry phone. You’ll hardly experience any lagging or stuttering while you work and browse on your phone. Unfortunately, the biggest downside here is the camera array, which is disappointing at best. We wouldn’t recommend the BlackBerry Key2 for mobile photography. Check out our best low light camera phones buying guide for those features.
#9 Blackberry DTEK50 Secure Phone
Award: BEST ON A BUDGET
WHY WE LIKE IT: This secure smartphone offers the best security features and overall performance for anyone on a tight budget. The phone is compact, lightweight, and powerful, offering plenty of functionality to keep you connected without paying an arm and a leg.
- Easy, single-handed use
- Smooth, lag-free user interface
- Compact, lightweight design
- Lacks physical keyboard
- Underwhelming battery life
The BlackBerry DTEK50 secure phone excels when it comes to security, mostly because of its helpful DETK app. BlackBerry’s DTEK app is focused on giving you more insight into the way the other applications are accessing your phone. As such, the DTEK security app will monitor when apps access your camera, calendar, and contact list. It will also let you know when an app accesses your device’s location or sends text messages. Even better, though, you’ll be able to use the DTEK app to stop any app your phone runs or uninstall problematic apps.
The BlackBerry DTEK50 is also a reliable option when it comes to overall performance. While it’s true that the DTEK50 won’t be able to keep up with the faster and sleeker flagship phones of today, it still offers a surprisingly reliable level of performance for such a budget smartphone. The processor keeps things running well on average, but may struggle when it comes to video games or other processor-heavy applications. It features a large and bright display, as well as a compact and lightweight design for easier one-handed use. It’s a nice choice if you’re looking for the best cell phones for seniors with great security.
#10 BlackBerry KeyOne Secure Phone
Award: BEST FOR TYPING
WHY WE LIKE IT: Typing up an email or text document is made incredibly easy with the physical keyboard on this secure phone. Plus, it features excellent security software, a large display, and impressive all-day battery performance.
- Large, bright display
- Insightful and secure DTEK app
- Excellent 12-hour battery life
- Processor is a little slow
- Low-quality front-facing camera
When the BlackBerry KeyOne was first released, it reminded the world that it was possible to create a smartphone that still utilized the versatility of a physical keyboard. If you’re a power user who absolutely needs a keyboard for typing on your smartphone, you can’t go wrong with the KeyOne. It features a large and bright display that shows you everything you need to see during daily use. And while its internal chipset isn’t the fastest or most impressive around, you’ll still be able to get through most of your application usage with minimal lagging or stuttering.
When it comes to security, BlackBerry is hard to beat. Like other BlackBerry smartphones, the KeyOne gives you free access to the DTEK app and software, which allows you to gain greater control over app permissions. The DTEK app will notify you if an app is trying to access your camera or data without your permission. This way, you can quickly fix the problem and uninstall the offending app so you don’t lose sensitive data to hackers. You might also be interested in our best tablets with keyboards buying guide.
How We Decided
Finding the most secure phones was a matter of which option included the best and most comprehensive security features. So that’s where we started our ranking process. We only included phones in our buying guide if they dedicated some effort to create a secure environment for users. However, we ranked phones higher if they took additional steps to create a product that kept your information safe. Security features like disk encryption, biometric lock/unlock, and password managers were big pluses in our book. The more secure a phone was, the higher it was ranked above.
Next, we looked at each phone’s performance and form factor. Just because you want a secure phone does not mean you want to skip out on all the features that make a smartphone such a wonderful product. As such, we preferred mobile devices with fast processors, beautiful displays, and durable designs. We ranked phones higher if they featured user-friendly interfaces that required minimal learning curves.
Finally, we looked at all of the additional features a modern-day smartphone can provide. We awarded bonus points to phones that had high-quality cameras. We also ranked options higher if they provided extras like IP certifications for water resistance. In the end, you’ll want a phone that can do nearly everything, and we ranked each product accordingly.
Most Secure Phones Buyer’s Guide
The Most Important Features to Consider
- Security Features
The level of security you get in your secure phone depends on your individual needs. If you’re purchasing the most secure phone for business, you’ll want something with beefier encryption and VPN capabilities. If you want security for your own personal needs, you’ll likely want an option that offers a broad swath of security features, including an operating system that protects you from hacking, disk encryption, and the ability to adjust app permissions and user settings for greater security. - Standard Functionality and Usability
Just because you purchase a secure phone doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice user-friendliness and usability. Look for secure smartphones that offer simple operating systems with built-in protection from hacking and data breaches. You may also want to look for a phone that offers features like a high-quality camera for vlogging or photography and a fast processor for playing video games. If screen size is another feature that you greatly care about, you can learn more about the biggest phone screen. - Design Quality
A phone with added security functionality does you no good if it breaks after a month or two of use or if it features an unwieldy design. Look for a smartphone with a high-quality design that feels good in your hand and also looks good. You should also consider durability features like water resistance and shatter-resistant glass. If you purchase a phone that’s designed well, you’ll be able to rest easy knowing that your phone is tough and secure.
