(Credit: Lily Yeh, Johner Images- Getty Images)
Each year, we ask our readers to rate their mobile devices, operating systems, and cellular service providers, and each year, the numbers are interesting. According to Exploding Topics, Apple commands 58.8% of the US phone market, but only 40.1% of our US-based survey respondents rated iPhones. More survey respondents use iPads (43%) over other tablet options, but again, that's lower than StatCounter's reported US market share for Apple of 55.4%. We are PCMag, after all.
The strongest opinions in our survey are about mobile carriers. Our readers like their phones a lot more than their service providers: 47.3% give their phone the highest possible score (10 out of 10) for likelihood to recommend, while only 35.8% do the same for their carrier.
One thing we won’t have to worry about much anymore is access to 5G. 83.3% of our readers say they’ve got it on their phones, which has steadily increased for years: The first time we asked, in 2022, only 41% could answer yes. It helps that most respondents have newer mobile devices. The majority of respondents own a phone or a tablet less than four years old (55.6% for phones and 51.6% for tablets).
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re in the market for a new phone or tablet. Maybe you’re considering a drastic switch—such as moving to a new mobile operating system or wireless carrier—rather than a simple upgrade. The companies below are the ones our tech-savvy readers recommend most highly.
The Top Mobile Carriers for 2025
The majority of respondents in the country, and in our survey (62.4%), use one of the big three mobile carriers—AT&T, T-Mobile, or Verizon. But that means plenty are using mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). MVNOs operate on one (or more) of the major carriers' networks but typically offer better pricing, customer service, or both. (The major carriers own many of the existing MVNOs, including Verizon's Visible and TracFone, AT&T's Cricket Wireless, and T-Mobile's Mint Mobile and Metro.)
That’s likely why, once again, an MVNO outpaces all of the big three to take home the top spot in our rankings. This has been the case for over a decade. Since 2014, MVNOs have scored highest in our surveys. The carrier with the most wins is Consumer Cellular—it took the crown last year. But this time around, Google Fi steals the lead. It previously won in 2023 and has shared the top rating with Consumer Cellular several times.
Mint Mobile gives Google Fi some steady competition this year, but it can’t beat Fi's overall satisfaction rating. Google Fi is also tops when it comes to phone choices and data network reliability. The two tie for dropped call minimization and data network speed.
Consumer Cellular is still the most-used MVNO within our readership, but its overall satisfaction score dropped so much this year that it lands in fifth place. It ties with second-place Mint for the highest score for satisfaction with family plans.
(Note: Click the down, left, and right arrows in our interactive charts to view different elements of our survey results.)
Of the big three, T-Mobile has a massive lead over Verizon and AT&T for satisfaction. Again, its overall score is over a full point ahead of the other two, making T-Mobile the major carrier winner for the fifth time.
T-Mobile outperforms AT&T and Verizon in more than just overall satisfaction. It leads in every single measure—especially when it comes to home area coverage, family plan options, and overall recommendations.
If you're switching carriers, it makes sense to check out the MVNOs in your coverage area, but if you must stay with the big three, T-Mobile is the top choice. Unsurprisingly, our top two MVNOs, Google Fi and Mint Mobile, use T-Mobile’s network.
For more about MVNOs, read The Best Cheap Phone Plans for 2025.
The Top Phone Brands for 2025
In the past decade, Apple, Google, OnePlus, and Samsung have each won our Readers' Choice award. This year, Google’s Pixel line comes out on top. It previously won in 2023, 2017, and 2016 with the (now discontinued) Nexus line of phones.
How well do Google phones distinguish themselves from the competition? Pixels have the top numbers in 15 categories this year. They stand out for reliability, foldability (thanks to the Pixel Fold), video capture, photo capture, digital wallet functionality, and overall likelihood to recommend. However, our readers don’t recommend Google highly for tech support or repairs.
Apple retains the second-place spot. It has the top numbers for tech support and repairs but the lowest score for value. Last year’s winner, Samsung, falls back to third place; it has few ratings, good or bad, that set it apart from the crowd.
Another stand-out score of note: OnePlus has the best rating for value. (Its phone sells for hundreds less than Apple and Samsung.)
To see which phones currently lead in our lab-testing, read our roundup of The Best Phones for 2025.
The Top Phone Operating System for 2025
For the first time since 2015, PCMag readers choose Apple’s iOS as their favorite mobile OS. A decade ago it shared the award with Android—back when BlackBerry and Windows Phone were still in the mix. The current iOS, version 18, is obviously a cut above older versions in the eyes of our audience.
While iOS notches the win, Google—the primary developer of the Android OS on most phones—also fares well. iOS wins across most categories, but many scores are just a few tenths of a point away from Android. Plus, Android and iOS tie in key areas like free app selection, gaming, and likelihood to recommend.
For our expert's take, read Android vs. iOS: Which Phone OS Really Is the Best?
The Top Tablet Brands for 2025
There are many more US tablet brands than you’d expect, probably because Apple’s iPad seems synonymous with the slate computing category. Our survey reinforces the notion that name-brand recognition can’t be beat. This year marks the seventh in a row that Apple takes the top tablet spot.
Price holds Apple back, though it doesn’t rank the lowest for value (that distinction again goes to Microsoft this year). The only other category in which Apple doesn’t fare well is battery life, where Google wins. Otherwise, iPads command a lead in every measure, with particularly high numbers for setup and reliability.
Google is new to the list of tablet brands this year. It makes a nice showing, tying with Microsoft for overall satisfaction. But because of its slightly higher recommendation score, Google snatches second place for 2025. Other stand-out scores include price, where the inexpensive Amazon Fire line of tablets stays just ahead of Lenovo, with Samsung tying Apple for ease of setup. Google also ties with Apple for tablet size, weight, and display quality satisfaction.
Of course, Apple products aren't for everyone. When narrowing winners down to just the Android-based tablet makers, the numbers change slightly (the above chart includes a few outliers powered by ChromeOS). But the scores don’t differ enough to prevent Google from scoring a major win against Lenovo and Samsung. Google’s Pixel tablets with Android score even higher than they do above across all possible OSes.
Samsung’s Galaxy Tab line doesn’t stand out as much as we’d expect, though it does earn the best reliability score. Lenovo’s Android tablets have excellent setup scores and fare well on cost.
For our lab-tested reviews, read The Best Tablets for 2025.
The Top Tablet Operating Systems for 2025
The tablet OS scores are down slightly from last year, but Apple’s iPadOS prevails for the second year. Apple is on top in every category except for free app selection—readers give Android the nod there.
Notably, Android jumps from third place to second this year: That’s because Windows’ overall satisfaction score drops by almost half a point. Android’s recommendation rating also goes up. But in the end, neither gets ahead of Apple.
ChromeOS joins the fray as a tablet operating system in our survey this year for the first time. It lands in fourth place. That’s higher than Amazon’s FireOS, which has the absolute lowest scores of any tablet OS across the board. Just like last year.
The PCMag Readers’ Choice survey for Phones and Carriers was in the field from Nov. 25, 2024, to Feb. 17, 2025. The tablets survey was in the field from Dec. 6, 2024, to Mar. 3, 2025. For more information on how we conduct surveys, read the survey methodology.