The Three Best Mobile Gimbals for Smartphone

Last Updated: November 08, 2022

There are dozens of smartphone gimbals on the market today and tested most of them to find out which ones work. Presenting the two best, most relevant gimbals.

Mike Dewey @mike_dewey

Out of the dozens of gimbals we tested, only a few brands deliver the hardware and software quality we can rely on when shooting, including the Osmo Mobile 6 from DJI, or the Smooth 5S from Zhiyun. While others are sold on the market, we found that these few are the only ones worth adding to your camera bag for smartphone projects.

Smartphones pack a lot of power into their small size, making them excellent cinematography tools and prone to camera shake, especially during moving shots. Gimbals bring buttery footage to smartphone videos that create truly cinematic effects. Although new gimbals come out every year, the improvements from here forward will be nominal compared to the unique features you get in the best smartphone gimbals of our time.

Any one of them will elevate your mobile filmmaking to the next level. Each one has its strengths, but there’s no wrong choice on this list. There’s an option for every budget and payload that can bring buttery, cinematic footage from your smartphone to the big screen.

Best For Content Creators

Moment DJI CP OS 00000213 01 Osmo Mobile 6 thumbnail

DJI

Osmo Mobile 6

Built-In Selfie Stick
Compact & Super Portable
Just Roll to Control

Buy for $159.00

The Most Added Features

Zhiyun

Smooth 5S Combo - Gray

Attach a front light with color gels.
Pair with the app for manual control.
Pairs w/ all Moment lenses and filters.

Buy for $219.00

Best For Serious Filmmakers

Freefly

Movi - Cinema Robot Smartphone Gimbal

A fan-favorite.
Trusted ruggedness and quality.
Designed for accuracy.

Buy for $249.99

DJI Osmo Mobile 6

To Know:

Osmo Mobile 6 is an intelligent smartphone stabilizer packed with innovative features. It's compact and easily foldable to fit in your palm and launches automatically once unfolded to capture shots at a moment's notice. Get dynamic angles and perfect selfies by using the built-in extension rod. A whole host of intelligent functions and guides are at your disposal. The DJI App facilitates efficient shooting, editing, and sharing, allowing you to catch every unforgettable moment.

What We Love:

Portable

Carry your Osmo Mobile 6 on exciting adventures. The compact and foldable design is easy to pack, and with the quick-release magnetic phone clamp, you can get going without the hassle of removing your phone case. Snap-in or out–you're ready to shoot or take a call at a moment's notice.

Selfie Stick:

Save space and shoot selfies conveniently by just extending the built-in selfie stick. It's not just for selfies though, you can get interesting angles with it from above, or very low to the ground, with ease

Just Roll to Control:

Effortlessly and fluidly control zoom and focus with Osmo Mobile 6's new side wheel. Roll the wheel to adjust the focal length for flexible composition and zoom in and out with buttery smoothness.

The Details:

Brand: DJI

Product Type: Mobile Gimbal

Best For: Plug-and-play ease, occasional videographers, and anyone who loves DJI products.

What We Rate

Packability

Large Pocket Small Backpack Larger Backpack Pelican Case

Weight Limit

Mobile Phones Point & Shoot / Some Mirrorless Mirrorless & DSLR Cinema

Advanced Features

Basic A couple of advanced features Most Features Cinema Level Features

Budget

Less than $150 Less than $400 Less than $700 Less than $1000