20 years ago if you’d told someone that we now use our phones to take photos and make videos, you would have been laughed at, and quite rightly so. But now it’s safe to say that iPhone photography and videography have become an art form in their own right.
However, iPhones and other smartphones aren't always easy to maneuver or handle. The slim body is fiddly to hold, is very small and the glossy surface often slips out of your hands.
Also, when handling a phone free-hand, you can often experience a shakiness that causes poor sound and video quality.
Luckily, most phone manufacturers have cottoned on to the value of stable, good quality video and have come up with a host of miniature tripods with foldable legs that can be set up on your kitchen table, bedside table or affixed to the side of your bedroom cabinet.
When it comes to creating professional-quality footage, a stable hands-free setup can make all the difference, allowing you to concentrate on the new Pokemon game you're unboxing or honing your thoughts on the best Katy Perry albums.
But where can you find the best iPhone tripod for your needs? What miniature tripods will give you the best angles and flexibility when it comes to framing your photos and video? How much will a decent tripod be looking to set you back in terms of price?
Well, to all iPhones artists out there, you can rest easy, because we’ve compiled an extensive list of some of the best, most durable and, more importantly, the most affordable iPhone tripods on the market.
Then we’re going to follow that up with a handy buyer’s guide that will help you when deciding which tripod is right for your needs, as well as some frequently asked questions.
Best iPhone Tripod Mounts – Comparison Table
Best iPhone Tripod Mounts – Reviews
Our first iPhone comes from a company that is already established for making some of the best full-sized tripods for DSLR and broadcast cameras and is now branching out into the mini-tripod market.
This product comes with an adjustable smartphone clamp that is adaptable to most smartphones of around 83mm in width, with numerous features that enable you to create all manner of different angles – introducing the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod Kit with Universal Smartphone Clamp.
This tripod comes with an integrated ball head that enables you to swivel your phone 360-degrees in all directions, which will be essential to those who want to film or photograph numerous people, objects or scenes from a fixed location.
This tripod is very affordable and comes very highly rated by over a thousand users on Amazon, it is cool, stylish and incredibly futuristic.
- This model of iPhone tripod attaches to your phone via a quarter-inch socket, meaning that you can easily take pictures and shoot video through the body of the tripod itself.
- The 3-legged opposable body and ball head mean you can fix your phone into whatever position you want.
- The look of this Manfrotto tripod is very modern and minimalistic and will perfectly complement black, white and silver phones.
- Some users have complained that the design of the tripod and the limited motion of the ball head only allows you to film and photograph in landscape mode.
Next up, we have an iPhone tripod that sits at the more expensive end of the spectrum, but with the increased price comes an increased amount of features that you can play with.
Your phone will click easily into the slot of the tripod, with a built-in Bluetooth shutter button that allows you to take pictures remotely – introducing the Adonit PhotoGrip Qi.
This tripod is perfect for users with larger phones – even the fattest smartphone will be able to fit comfortably into the housing. The folding legs form a secure base for your phone that is lower to the ground, meaning that you can set it up on tables, tarmac or even grass.
- If your phone is slightly too large for other tripod kits, then this might be the tripod for you. It has a spring-loaded grip that widens and secures firmly around your phone.
- The 3-legged base gives your phone the security that it needs for that consistent sound and video quality, especially important if you happen to be on a Zoom meeting with your work colleagues and want that added level of professionalism. The legs also function as a camera grip.
- The Bluetooth shutter function is especially handy in creating that integrated unit that won’t jam or cover up essential buttons or interfaces.
- You might have to position larger phones very carefully to avoid your entire setup keeling over from being too heavy on one side.
Our third option on this list technically isn’t a tripod, it is a clamp that will allow you to fix your phone to an existing tripod that you will have to purchase separately (including the Manfrotto variety listed above).
This is an ingenious little clamp that will fold it away completely flat so you can easily stow it in your pocket – introducing the Manfrotto TwistGrip Universal Smartphone Clamp.
This clamp can hold 82mm of width in its rubber-lined jaws, all the user has to do is twist each end and pull the jaws apart to accommodate your phone. The action of the clamp is incredibly smooth and also has a locking mechanism at the rear.
The clamp is fashioned from high-quality aluminum with a tasteful dark grey color that makes it look a lot tougher than it is, but this military-style exterior will complement the style and color of most smartphones.
You can mount it on most miniature phone tripods with a quarter-inch screw socket. It also has a cold shoe on the top to attach LED lights.
- This clamp is perfect for those larger phones that you want to attach to other tripods. It securely keeps the phone in place, with an adjustable jaw for you to put the phone into any number of positions and angles.
- This clamp is simple-to-use and, with the option to attach a light at the top, perfect for those who want to film professional Youtube videos or give their Zoom meetings that professional gloss.
- The TwistGrip is very versatile and is the perfect complement for most smartphone units, coming in a solid grey color.
- The price – this heavy-duty clamp lies at the more expensive end of the tripod spectrum.
- You will have to buy a separate tripod with this clamp – although we did tell you at the start that this wasn’t strictly a tripod!
Next up is an iPhone tripod with a much smaller body than the others, being the perfect option for those who don’t want a hunk of metal weighing heavily in their pocket, rather something that will still provide a solid grip on their desktop.
With flexible legs that you can mold into any position, this is the ideal choice for budding filmmakers who want to skew their camera to achieve that creepy Hitchcock angle – introducing the JOBY GorillaPod Mobile Mini.
This compact and lightweight unit is ideal for the most casual videographer or photographer who doesn’t want to carry around a heavy, professional-grade tripod but still craves the stability for taking decent family photos or consistent sound quality for a holiday video.
The most appealing design feature of this small tripod is the malleable rubber legs that allow you to attach your phone to pretty much any surface.
Whether it’s a tree, the edge of a desk or a handrail, you can set up your camera anywhere to capture any moment.
- This is probably the most versatile iPhone tripod on this list, coming with moveable joints that enable you to secure your phone to the most awkward of surfaces or just stand it straight on a flat table.
- This is a lightweight compact option that might be more suitable for school kids who want to make mini-films of themselves and their friends on a lunch break without having to worry about losing an expensive piece of kit.
- The price – this model of tripod is very cheap, again, making it the perfect addition for both the casual or professional iPhone filmmaker or photographer who doesn’t want to shell out upwards of one hundred dollars on a tripod.
- Each leg is only 60mm long, making it only really suitable for lighter, slimmer phones.
Our final iPhone tripod is another one by GripTight, however, this one is a full-length tripod, rather than just a clamp.
This is an extremely compact and portable tripod, with a streamlined design that makes it perfect to store in your pocket without worrying about damaging it – introducing the GripTight One Micro Stand.
When it isn’t folded away, this model opens out into a multi-legged base that gives a phone of light to medium design very firm support (sadly any phone over 30mm will struggle to balance on this tripod).
There is a pivot function that allows you to swivel your phone backward and forward as well as from side-to-side, although there is a limited range of motion.
This will be ideal for anyone who wants to add a higher level of artistry to their iPhone photos and videos.
- This phone tripod is extremely light and can be easily folded away and stored in your pocket. If you are planning on traveling and taking pictures solely with your phone, then this portable tripod will be a great addition to your suitcase.
- The legs can be fanned out once opened up, providing a stable base for you to record video with high-quality audio and video.
- The pivot on this tripod will allow you to achieve a range of interesting camera angles for your pictures and video.
- Due to the limitations of the pivot, you cannot use your phone in the portrait position with this tripod.
Best iPhone Tripod Mount – Buyers Guide
There are many functional reasons why you should buy an iPhone tripod, not least of which are the stability and consistent sound and image quality you can achieve by using them.
Tripods of perfect for acting in your showreels or recording videos of you and your friends, fixing a multitude of different angles and letting the camera do its magic.
But what else can you do with a tripod that you can’t do with the free-wheeling, hands-on approach?
Increased Quality Of Your Night Shots
Night shots are notoriously tricky, requiring an extremely steady hand to avoid blurring as your phone struggles on a wider aperture setting.
However, a tripod is one way in which you can keep your image deadly still and capture a much clearer image or video.
Simply switch your ISO setting on your phone to manual, select the lowest setting and the longest exposure time to ensure that your lens absorbs all the light.
You can also download professional photography and video apps that will help you control these settings with greater precision.
Set your camera to a timed shot and let your camera and tripod setup capture crystal clear night images.
Tripods Will Increase The Quality Of Your Videos
If you fancy yourself as a bit of an iPhone Kubrick, then you can practice your composition and framing techniques with a tripod.
You can frame and act in your own scenes too, just lock off the shot once it's done and press the record button – don’t forget to shout action!
If you get one of the tripods with opposable legs, your options for setting up the camera are potentially limitless.
You can stick it to the door frame for an extreme high-angle shot or place it on the floor for those menacing horror shots.
An iPhone tripod will be a must-have accessory if you are a Youtube vlogger.
You Can Take Really Good Selfies With A Tripod
It goes without saying that we live in the era of the selfie and the quality of your picture or video will often be a large factor in determining its popularity.
When taking a selfie, you’ll be wanting to focus on yourself or you and your friend rather than worry about the framing of the camera or whether it's going to slip and fall.
If better selfies are your primary goal, then you’ll want a tripod with a locking system to secure the camera in place once it's set up.
You Can Try Time-Lapse
Set your camera up facing a sprawling city scene using a tripod and then lock it off. Then press your camera’s time-lapse function and leave it to record over a few hours.
When you play it back, you will see life speed up, watch people and cars whizz around and see the sunrise and set over the space of a few minutes. You can incorporate these shots as transitional sections in a larger film.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Better: Camera Phones Or Regular Cameras?
Years ago, the contest would have easily been won by regular cameras, but these days the gap is quickly narrowing as phone camera lenses become more sophisticated and camera apps have a larger number of features added to them.
Camera phones do not have a socket for a tripod, which is where a clamp comes in handy, usually sold separately to a tripod.
As you have seen, some of the tripods listed above can be adapted into camera phone grips to achieve a Steadicam effect. You can even get iPhone camera clamps with counterweights in the bottom for that extra smooth motion.
What Features Make The Best iPhone Tripods?
You’ll ideally want an iPhone tripod that can be folded away and easily stored, either in your pocket or in a separate carry-case.
Most of the tripods listed above have foldable legs and are very lightweight, meaning you won’t feel the additional weight, especially if you are also carrying an LED light and a boom.
Opposable legs are also a very useful feature, allowing you to affix your iPhone to practically any surface. However, if you are looking for that simple, straightforward shot for your blog, you should make sure all the legs are extended to the same length to ensure it is level.
Tripods also come with latches or thumbscrews that can lock the tripod legs in their extended positions, so you won’t have to worry about the camera leaning slowly to one side throughout a shot.
Once you have attached your phone to your tripods, you might want to have a clamp that fixes it firmly to the base. Like most full-size camera tripods, you’ll want the entire unit to be rock solid by the time you’re ready to film.
If you are taking a selfie, you’ll want to be focusing on your pose or facial expression rather than the position of the camera after you’ve set it up.