Phones have consistently grown larger every year over the past decade and a half. The original Galaxy Note, released in 2011, was initially mocked for its oversized design, even though a similar 5.3-inch phone measuring 146.9 x 83 x 9.7 mm would today be considered small.

Despite the initial pushback the first Galaxy Note got from the media and rivals alike, Samsung predicted and shaped the mobile future we live in today.

Most Galaxy phones on the market have 6.7-inch displays. But if you are looking for something smaller, a few notable exceptions exist in Samsung's current lineup.

Your options boil down to two slab-type Galaxy models and two foldables. And here they are.

The Galaxy S26 debuted in March 2026 as the smallest of the three S26 flagship models.

The Galaxy S26 features a 6.3-inch display. It measures 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm and weighs 167 grams.

The S26 offers almost the exact same feature package as the larger S26 Ultra model with a few exceptions. It doesn't have S Pen support or the Ultra's superior camera setup.

Although it's a year older than the S26, the Galaxy S25 is slightly more compact and potentially cheaper, especially now that the 2026 lineup has gotten pricier because of memory chip costs.

The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch display, measures 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm, and weighs 162 grams. It's even smaller and lighter than its successor.

The S25 received the One UI 9 firmware update globally a few days ago. If you buy it now, you're getting the full One UI 9 experience, and you might be able to save a bit of cash while you're at it.

The foldable Galaxy Z Flip 8 is arguably the most compact phone you can buy in 2026 if you focus on the cover screen.

The latter has a 4.1-inch diagonal and offers a unique One UI experience focused on widgets, though even full-fledged apps are supported. When folded, the Galaxy Z Flip 8 measures only 85.7 x 75.4 x 13.1 mm. It's roughly half the size of a slab-type premium phone.

The only drawback, if you can call it that, is that an unfolded Galaxy Z Flip 8 is comparable in size to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The inner screen has a 6.9-inch diagonal, and when unfolded, the phone measures 166.9 x 75.4 x 6.1 mm. It's thinner and narrower than the S26 Ultra, but also slightly taller.

Whether the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is a true compact phone is a matter of perspective. It's far from tiny when unfolded, but otherwise, it's unmatched.

Similarly, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is either one of the smallest or one of the largest Samsung phones you can buy this year, depending on whether you're looking at it folded or unfolded.

Either way, unlike the Flip's cover screen, which was primarily designed for widgets, the Fold 8 offers a full-fledged One UI experience whether it's folded or unfolded.

The Fold 8's cover screen measures only 5.5 inches and has a wide, 16:10 aspect ratio. Interestingly, the cover screen's size and shape very much resemble the original Galaxy Note. It, too, had a 16:10 display that was only 0.2 inches smaller than the Fold 8's.

Ironically, this makes the Galaxy Z Fold 8 one of the smallest and most versatile Samsung phones you can buy in 2026, and its lightest foldable yet. Too bad it doesn't support the S Pen.

Thankfully, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is also one of Samsung's most versatile phones because it has a passport-style foldable form factor. It hides a generous 7.6-inch 4:3 display for a stellar tablet experience.

On a final note, if you care at all about Samsung's new location tracker and its extended Compass View range, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is the only reasonable choice on this list. It's the only model here that supports Bluetooth Channel Sounding, which the Galaxy SmartTag 3 requires for extended Compass View.