The 8 Best Phone Gimbals
This wiki has been updated 27 times since it was first published in March of 2018. Whether you're a filmmaker looking to create your next great masterpiece on a shoestring budget or you just want the videos you capture with your smartphone to be a heck of a lot smoother, you'll love what these gimbals have to offer. Our list includes nothing but the most effective and user-friendly models on the market, ranked here by stabilization quality, battery life, and ergonomics. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. DJI Osmo 3
2. Moza Mini-S Essential
3. Freefly Movi Cinema Robot
Editor's Notes
April 28, 2020:
These stabilizers have come a long way in recent years, with the company behind the DJI Osmo 3 driving innovation in the drone and DSLR sectors. For most users, a one-handed model like this would more than suffice, though long spells of shooting or particularly shaky locations like a car might call for a two-handed setup like you see in the FeiyuTech SPG Plus 3-Axis. A two-handed rig is also more useful if your setup is a bit heavier than just a phone. Attached microphones or lenses can add weight that can be easier to carry with two hands over long shooting days.
We got rid of the ViewFlex S Pro 3 and the Zhiyun Smooth-II, the latter of which was merely outdated and replaced by the superior Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis. That Viewflex model was fine, but its handle was too cylindrical, making it uncomfortable to operate for more than a short stretch of time.
Live streamers who like to work alone should also look for something with 1/4-20" mounting threads that can be used in conjunction with a tripod or other mount to give you better control over your selfie videography. The Benro 3 Axis Handheld is one such option, which should come as no surprise given the company's history of creating top-tier tripods for film and video work.
Special Honors
Snoppa Atom Stabilizer Created by way of a successful IndieGoGo campaign, this model offers a 310-gram capacity, so it can support most phones, even ones tricked out with extra lenses or sound equipment. It folds up conveniently for storage and transport, and its app is one of the most intuitive on the market. It comes in at a mid-range price point, offering a feature set slightly above its class. snoppa.com
4. Benro 3 Axis Handheld
5. Zhiyun Smooth-Q 3-Axis
6. Evo Shift 3 Axis
7. FeiyuTech SPG Plus 3-Axis
8. Hohem Youtuber
Daniel Imperiale holds a bachelor’s degree in writing, and proudly fled his graduate program in poetry to pursue a quiet life at a remote Alaskan fishery. After returning to the contiguous states, he took up a position as an editor and photographer of the prestigious geek culture magazine “Unwinnable” before turning his attention to the field of health and wellness. In recent years, he has worked extensively in film and music production, making him something of a know-it-all when it comes to camera equipment, musical instruments, recording devices, and other audio-visual hardware. Daniel’s recent obsessions include horology (making him a pro when it comes to all things timekeeping) and Uranium mining and enrichment (which hasn’t proven useful just yet).