7 Best Phones You Can’t Buy in the US (2026), Tested and Reviewed

The Best Phones You Can’t Buy in the US Featured in this article There’s a world of excellent flagship smartphones that push photography to new levels and budget buys that confound expectations, but you won't find them in the US, for various reasons. Some Chinese phone manufacturers are banned, while other brands prefer to focus their efforts in countries where Apple doesn't have a massive market share. Whatever the reason, I've tested these global handsets for years-these are the best phones you can’t officially buy in the US. Many of these phone makers like to release multiple devices under sub-brands, so here are some basic facts to know: Xiaomi is the brand behind Poco and Redmi; Nubia came from ZTE; Honor was a Huawei subsidiary but separated after Huawei was banned ; and Realme spun out of Oppo. Before diving in, it’s worth noting that folks in the UK and elsewhere in Europe can also buy many of the phones in our Best Android Phones , Best iPhones , and Best Cheap Phones guides on sale in the US. Updated January 2026: We’ve added recommendations for Honor, Xiaomi, Fairphone, and Nubia phones, plus options from Oppo, Nubia, and Nothing, and a new how-we-test section. Should You Import One of These Phones? While some phones are not officially sold in the US or other countries, you can still get your hands on them . They're easy to buy online, and you may even find some on Amazon, but there are a few things to consider before buying. The technologies and specific bands that cellular networks rely upon differ from country to country. While models described as “global” and even UK or European models are likely to work in the US, they may not support all the bands your carrier uses. Missing LTE or 5G bands can mean patchy service or even relegate you to 3G. Chinese and other country-specific models will almost certainly lack some common US bands and may not work on some carrier networks. Always check the supported bands and cross-reference with your carrier. You will often find this information in the listing or aggregated on websites like Kimovil , but I recommend checking directly with the manufacturer and your carrier. Depending on where you buy, importing a phone can lead to customs charges and add a significant expense to the overall cost. Do your research and factor in the potential extra fee before you buy. It is common for phones released only in China to ship without any Google services, including the Google Play Store. Many Chinese manufacturers have their own app stores or preinstall third-party app stores on their phones for the Chinese market. Sometimes it's a simple case of checking a box to unlock and download Google services, but this is not always true. Even where Google services are supported, some Chinese phones never work properly with certain apps, such as Android Auto. You are often stuck with specific Chinese default apps and services, and many...

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