The best smartphone gimbals far surpass the image stabilization features of your camera alone. While the former can help mitigate the worst of your shaky movements, a gimbal takes control of the phone's movement itself, enabling smooth panning, sweeping motions, and even the ability to track moving subjects within the frame. In other words, with a smartphone mounted on a gimbal, you can capture professional-looking footage without complex, heavy equipment.
Below you'll find our selection of the best smartphone gimbals available today. They're mechanical stabilizers that utilize at least two, and typically three, axes of rotation to keep the camera steady. They employ motors that work independently or in combination to achieve a wide range of movements. For instance, the Pan Follow mode will maintain a level camera as it moves, while Follow modes allow for smooth vertical tilting, and POV modes enable horizontal tilting for more dynamic angles, all while maintaining perfect stabilization.
Furthermore, the best smartphone gimbals come equipped with companion apps that wirelessly integrate with the gimbal to offer advanced features like subject tracking, automated panoramas, and more. If you're using a dedicated camera rather than a smartphone, be sure to check out our separate guides for the best gimbals for DSLR and mirrorless cameras, as well as best GoPro gimbal.
We'll start with the best all-rounder. The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is an extremely robust, professional selfie stick/gimbal that has a lot of advanced features such as motion timelapse, subject tracking and an analog zoom/focus wheel for easy control.
The AI tracker provides the services of a skilled camera operator. The various shooting modes enable you to shoot cinematic camera moves such as crane and tracking shots.
Is money no object? Then check out the Hohem iSteady MT2. While it's expensive, you can do a lot with it. This high-quality, 3-axis gimbal can be used with smartphones, action cameras, and mirrorless cameras, with a payload capacity of 1.2kg.
This entry-level, smartphone-focused 3-axis gimbal is designed to be easy to use and set up. Compared to more premium gimbals, it has a lower payload capacity of 280g, but is well-suited for use with smartphones like the iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Despite its plastic build, this compact, lightweight smartphone gimbal still feels well-made and the affordable price tag and 5.5-hour battery life make it a tempting buy for anyone who wants to improve their smartphone filmmaking.
At a very affordable price, this compact, lightweight and durable gimbal will have you panning, tilting and tracking your subjects like a Hollywood camera operator, simply by using your smartphone’s front-facing camera and the free Feiyu ON app.
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The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 is an extremely robust, professional selfie stick/gimbal that has a lot of advanced features such as motion timelapse, subject tracking and an analog zoom/focus wheel for easy control. This certainly isn't a budget option but it's by far one of the best selfie sticks you can buy if stabilization is your main game.
Our reviewer tested it using the iPhone 14 Pro Max and despite it being one of the heavier smartphones now available, the gimbal was able to keep up with some aggressive movements and still maintain incredibly smooth footage. He could comfortably get the gimbal to nearly 180˚ without the default mode losing the horizon.
The option of a FPV mode, in which the camera effectively leans into the movement, is a great touch for action footage, and auto-stitched panoramas are also available. Overall, this is an excellent selfie stick/gimbal, but you will have to pay a hefty chunk more.
The Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is very comparable to the Hohem iSteady M6 that features in this guide in relation to functions and price, though if you shop around you should be able to get the Hohem at a lower price as the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI is a newer release.
Like the Hohem iSteady M6, the Zhiyun Smooth 5S AI ships with a magnetic sensor that clips on top of the gimbal just above your smartphone. The sensor uses AI to recognize gestures that trigger a range of actions. For example, if you make the OK gesture then the gimbal will pan and tilt the attached smartphone to keep your face in the frame as you walk and talk. This makes it a valuable tool for a vlogger or presenter who wants to add some movements as they talk to the camera (without having to pay for a camera operator).
Both the iSteady and the Hohem have a mini LED fill light, though the Zhiyun’s LED has the edge when it comes to brightness levels. The AI sensor can be used when running your smartphone’s native Camera app, but it provides extra gesture control when filming via the Zy Cami app as you can start and stop the smartphone recording with a gesture (rather than having to manually tap the record icon).
Is money no object? Then it's worth checking out the Hohem iSteady MT2. Because while it's even more expensive than our number one pick, you can do a lot with it. Plus, compared to other gimbals, it looks and feels much more like a professional gimbal.
This high-quality, 3-axis gimbal can be used with smartphones, action cameras, and mirrorless cameras, with a payload capacity of 1.2kg. Designed to provide smooth, professional-looking camera movements like pans, tilts, and tracking shots, it's packed with features.
These include AI-powered face and object tracking through the Hohem Joy app or an additional AI sensor accessory, the ability to quickly switch between horizontal and vertical orientation, and manual adjustment of the tilt angle. Physical controls like a zoom dial and joystick give the user fine control, while creative shooting modes like "Inception" mode and "CloneMe" panorama add some unique capabilities.
Our reviewer found it to provide smooth gimbal movements, though the AI tracking had some limitations in certain lighting conditions. Overall, this is a great choice for smartphone users looking to add more cinematic movement to their footage.
There are plenty of stabilizers to choose from in this buying guide, but the iSteady V3 has a few extra tricks up its sleeve in comparison with the others, as well as being one of the cheapest gimbals on offer.
For starters, it's probably the most compact gimbal we’ve featured and in its folded configuration you can squeeze it into the pocket of your jeans (as long as you unclip the AI sensor). This compactness is made possible by the innovative design feature of placing the tripod legs inside the gimbal’s shaft (instead of attaching them via a screenshot thread like the other stabilizers do).
You can then extend the legs when you need the gimbal to be freestanding and then use the AI sensor to make your smartphone pan and tilt to follow your every move like a professional camera operator. The AI sensor recognizes a host of control gestures - such as using a double-handed thumbs-up to make it swap from portrait to landscape orientation.
The iSteady V3 also boasts a unique detachable control panel that uses Bluetooth to control the gimbal remotely, so you can pan and tilt it while recording a selfie from a distance and trigger your smartphone’s Camera app to start or stop recording. The only real downside is that the tilt angle's range is less than many other gimbals, so it's harder to shoot very low-angle tracking shots.
Dimensions: with center post extended: 508 x 57 x 56mm, folded: 145 x 65 x 56mm
Battery life (approx): 5.5 hours
Reasons to buy
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Great stabilization
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Small and compact
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Affordable
Reasons to avoid
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Plastic build
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ZY Cami app isn't compatible with every phone
The Zhiyun Smooth X is a compact, lightweight mobile phone gimbal with a battery life of 5.5 hours. Despite its plastic build, it still feels well-made and the affordable price tag certainly makes it a tempting buy for anyone who wants to improve their smartphone filmmaking.
Since you're able to swivel the gimbal head 90-degrees into portrait orientation, it makes it perfect for using for videos to be posted on TikTok or Instagram. Our reviewer particularly liked the ability to roll the phone while walking to create something a little more dynamic.
One of our only niggles with the Zhiyun Smooth X is that the ZY Cami app that you need to use in order to set up the gimbal isn't compatible with every phone. However, most phones are capable of running the app, so check the compatibility list here if you're unsure.
This compact, lightweight, and durable gimbal will have you panning, tilting, and tracking your subjects like a Hollywood camera operator. Using your smartphone’s front-facing camera and the free Feiyu ON app, you can make the gimbal track your movement as you walk and talk and trigger the recording with a hand gesture. Some of the app’s panning timelapse features didn’t perform as well as we hoped but all in all, this is an effective budget smartphone gimbal.
When looking for the best smartphone gimbal features, there are several important factors to consider. First, it's crucial to check the phone size specifications to ensure your device will fit the gimbal. Many of today's best camera phones are quite large, so this compatibility is essential. Another desirable feature is the ability to quickly rotate between horizontal and vertical shooting orientations, which can be especially useful for capturing content for platforms like TikTok.
Selfie sticks integrated into the gimbal design can also be a convenient addition, allowing you to hold the device further away to film yourself effectively. Additionally, the folded size of the gimbal is worth considering, as the most compact models can fit easily into a bag or coat pocket, making them highly portable. Finally, some gimbals come equipped with built-in or magnetically attached LED lights, which can be surprisingly powerful and effective for illuminating selfie shots.
What is a smartphone gimbal?
A smartphone gimbal is a motorized device that uses motors and sensors to counteract shake and keep your smartphone camera steady. This allows you to shoot smooth, professional-looking videos with your phone.
How do smartphone gimbals work?
Smartphone gimbals use brushless motors to constantly adjust the position of your phone, keeping it level and stable even when you move. They detect unwanted movements and counteract them, resulting in smooth footage.
What are the benefits of using a smartphone gimbal?
The main benefit of using a smartphone gimbal is the silky-smooth, stabilized video it produces. By eliminating shaky footage, your videos will take on a professional polish. Gimbals also benefit low-light shooting. Since the gimbal keeps your phone perfectly steady, you can use slower shutter speeds to capture more light without worrying about blurry videos. On top of these core benefits, many smartphone gimbals boast features like pan follows and object tracking that open up a world of creative camera movements for you to explore.
How we test smartphone gimbals
Our expert reviewers put smartphone gimbals through a rigorous testing process to assess their real-world performance and capabilities. First, they carefully balance the gimbals to ensure optimal weight distribution and smooth operation. They then test the various shooting modes, evaluating how well the gimbal is able to stabilize the phone during different types of movement and camera angles.
The accessibility and intuitiveness of the controls are also closely examined, as is the quality of any companion apps. Our testers assess features like the fill light, zoom/focus mechanisms, and tracking algorithms to see how they enhance the filming experience. Durability is tested too, by seeing how the gimbal handles being transported and used in different environments. Finally, the overall value proposition is considered: do the features and performance justify the price point?
Gareth is a photographer based in London, working as a freelance photographer and videographer for the past several years, having the privilege to shoot for some household names. With work focusing on fashion, portrait and lifestyle content creation, he has developed a range of skills covering everything from editorial shoots to social media videos. Outside of work, he has a personal passion for travel and nature photography, with a devotion to sustainability and environmental causes.
