ProCarReviews is reader-supported. We may earn commission on sales through our links at no extra cost to you. View policies.

The Best Car Phone Holder 2021

best cell phone car mount

Using your phone in the form of a call or using an app can be a distraction and is generally frowned upon whilst driving. In the US, different states take different legal approaches whereas in the UK, it is 6 points and a large fine.

The best car phone mount is the YOSH Universal Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount that provides a powerful magnetism and has a lifetime warranty.

The two main form of mounting your phone to the car are by using magnets or a high tension cradles. Both are ideal but come with different benefits and drawbacks.

Table of Contents

Best Car Phone Mount

Car Phone MountsTypeMin Phone Size
Yosh Air VentPortable MagnetN/A
iOttie DashboardDashboard Cradle2.3 x 3.5 Inch
iOttie CD SlotCD Slot Cradle2.3 x 3.5 Inch
iVoler Suction CupWindshield3.2 x 3.2 Inch
MaxBoostPermanent MagnetN/A

Using a magnetic car phone mount is the most popular as it requires no ugly cradle in the car, which is usually placed on the windscreen. Cradles are also less durable and can be a tight squeeze if you don’t purchase the right size cradle.

However, many people don’t like the look of a metal object stuck to their phone and it may also cause issues with wireless charging. Choosing between the two is based on your personal preference or areas you wish to mount to inside the car.

Phone mounts for cars can make a world of difference when using GPS navigators or quickly glancing at notifications. Below is a list of the best car phone mounts that are both magnetic and cradle based.

YOSH Air Vent Magnetic Car Mount Holder


Yosh Magnetic car phone mounts use powerful neodymium magnets (N50 grade) that provide a powerful magnetism unlike many other cheaper alternatives. It is the most important area of concern when looking at a magnetic type of mount.

Both the frame and metal plate that you put on the phone are wider than the average magnetic car phone mount. The advantage of this is that connection is much easier and there is less chance of not mounting the phone incorrectly.

It is reasonably priced and comes with a lifetimes warranty against any quality issues for peace of mind. It is the best magnetic phone car mount you can buy and one used by myself as per the featured article image.

Check it Out

iOttie Dashboard Car Phone Mount


The iOttie is a popular dashboard phone mount for cars that uses a pad and suction cup to provide a highly secure mount. The pad is the key to the strength as it installs on curved and textured surfaces where the suction cup then sticks to the sticky pad.

iOttie cradles also uses the patented “Easy One Touch“, which is a universal mechanism for all phones that make mounting simpler compared to other cradles.

Other features include adjustable viewing so that you can glance at your phone in any position. You can also mount this on your windshield or even an office desk. However, it is the best dashboard car phone mount when using the provided sticky pad.

Check it Out

iOttie CD Slot Car Mount Holder


The majority of cars with a double din stereo will have a CD player, which nowadays isn’t used as much due to Bluetooth and AUX compatibility. However, you can still make use of the CD slot with the iOttie CD alternative.

As with the dashboard phone mount above, it uses the pate tented Easy One Touch mechanism to lock and release the phone with one touch. In terms of using the CD car phone mount, it is as simple as placing the lever in place and adjusting the cradle.

The CD Slot phone mount for cars is a compact method compared to the dashboard mount. However, depending on where your CD player is, viewing it may take your eyes of the road if it is low down. However, if the CD player is fairly high up, this is the best CD slot phone mount to buy.

Check it Out

iVoler Windshield Car Phone Mount


For those that have limited dashboard space and do not wish to go down the route of magnets, the windshield is an ideal mounting area. Using a strong suction, the iVoler will be able to hold the majority of phone within its adjustable cradle.

With a long 6 inch flexible arm, you are able to adjust the viewing point to whichever you feel works best for you. The cradles stretches from 3 to 6 inches, which is perfect for the majority of smartphone.

Overall, it is reasonably priced and the best windshield phone mount for cars compared to others that are double the price.

Check it Out

Maxboost Magnetic Cell Phone Mount


Another magnet phone mount for cars is the Maxboost, which simply sticks to any flat surface in your car. It is different to the Yosh alternative as it is not limited to mounting on the air vent.

As with any magnetic phone mount, you will need to place a metal plate on your phone but this is a small price to pay for usability. The Maxboost uses 4 magnets that are located inside each mount for a secure mounting.

The one disadvantage of using this style of magnetic phone mount for your car is that it can be very difficult to remove the adhesive. This means it is stuck to the car for good and may even leave a mark on the location it is placed.

Although it is not a major issue, you will benefit from a sleek design, no air vent blockage and never forgetting to bring it inside the car.

Check it Out

Car Phone Mount Buying Guide

To reduce distraction and the possibility of getting fined on the spot for using your phone, a car phone mount is the perfect product. It keeps your phone securely in place in the car and make viewing your sat nav or glancing at notifications much easier.

There are various mounts available and the market is fairly saturated because it is a cheap item to purchase. The recommended phone mounts for cars above all provide a strong mounting of your phone at a low cost. Of course, there are limitations and preferences that you must consider, which are explained below.

magnetic car phone mount

Cradle v Magnet

Before going into the technical side of things, the first choice would be choosing between a high tension cradle and a magnetic car phone mount. The cradle offers a range of mounting locations from the windshield, dashboard, CD, tape and other locations. The magnet will require a flat surface or make use of a clip in order to clip to an object such as an air vent.

The magnet is the easiest to mount, most durable, more compact and there are no limits on the phones size. Whereas the cradle, you will be limited between 2 to 7 inches and you will also need to mess around setting it up each time.

Magnet phone mounts for cars are the most popular method but they do have one major drawback. That is the metal plate, which must be placed on your phone in order to mount securely.

Metal Plate For Magnet Mounts

As mentioned, the metal plate can be a major turn off for some people and they will go for the cradle. However, if you have a thin phone case, it is possible to slip the metal plate in-between the phone and case. You may lose a bit of magnet power but as long as the case is not too thick, it really should not be a problem.

For those that wireless charge their smartphones, a word of warning. The magnet may disrupt the charging process, so its advised that you put the metal plate on the case, so that the case can be removed and the phone can charge normally on the wireless charger.

Cradle Sizing

Ensuring the phone is the correct size for the cradle is essential. It is recommended that the dimensions are in the middle of the minimum and maximum size of the cradle for the optimum secure mounting.

Magnetic phone mounts will not need to worry about sizing but more to do with weight. However, you are not exactly going to mount a tablet to the magnet, so 99% of phone will work just fine.

Conclusion

Choosing the type of mount is simply based on your preferences. Many avoid the windshield phone mount as it limits the visibility from the car when driving. The CD slot car phone mount is a popular choice too but if it stereo is low down, looking at the phone is not ideal. The permanent magnetic mount by Maxboost is great but if you drive multiple cars or need to remove it, issues may arise.

This leaves the air vent magnetic car phone mount and the dashboard mount, which are both excellent examples of car phone mounts. We highly recommend both and they will not disappoint with both offering warranties.

procarreviews author

Written By Dan

About the Author

Dan is an automotive journalist and owner of over 10 cars ranging from supercars, tuned cars, classics and your good old beater cars. He always likes to get his hands dirty with nut and bolt restorations or detailing sessions using the best products on the market.

More About Our Team →

#ProCarReviews

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved.