A good iPhone tripod can assist you in a variety of film and photo capture scenarios to get the best take. Maybe you’re using an iPhone to take a landscape or time-lapse photo – or perhaps recording a video for TikTok or Instagram. Whatever the case may be, having a tripod certainly isn’t a bad move. After all, the iPhone 15 Pro has an outstanding camera, and it’s capable of taking some pro-looking photos.
So, the question is what kind of tripod should you get? There are a lot of them out there that do a variety of different things. You can get traditional tripods, selfie sticks that transform into tripods, or tiny tripods that fit on your desk. It’s even possible to get adapters that fit on an existing tripod if you own one. We’ll go through all of those and more with the best tripods for iPhone.
Best tripods for iPhone
Joby
Joby GorillaPod 1K GripTight Mount Pro Kit
1. Best iPhone tripod overall
Put it anywhere, literally
The Joby GorillaPod is one of the most unique tripods. It has movable legs that can be adjusted to the angle you want or you can have it wrap round things for those unique angles.
- Tripod legs are movable so you ca adjust as needed
- Legs can also grip things like tree limbs for unique angles
- Comes with both a smartphone and 1/4-inch mount for DSLRs
- Probably too much versatility if you only need something simple
- Legs can be annoying to move sometimes
The Joby GorillaPod is a great place to start for iPhone tripods. This version comes with both a 1/4-inch mount and a smartphone mount, so you can attach your DSLR camera or your smartphone. This is the 1K version that holds 2.2lbs, but there are versions that hold more weight if you need it. In any case, this tripod comes with movable legs that you can adjust for whatever angle you need. You can even wrap them around things to hang your iPhone camera for super unique angles, or hold it like a selfie stick if you want.
There are only two downsides to this one and they’re both subjective. Someone who needs a tripod to just sit on their desk and keep their phone still can probably get away with one of our other suggestions. This tripod is mostly for active folks who want a tripod that can do everything. However, it’s overkill if you don’t need that extra versatility. Plus, the legs can be a little annoying at first until you get used to them.
Ulanzi
Ulanzi MA09 Selfie Stick Tripod
2. Best iPhone tripod selfie stick
Get it for the selfie stick, keep it for the tripod
$20 $30 Save $10
The Ulanzi MA09 Selfie Stick Tripod is a nice, versatile, and budget-friendly tripod for your iPhone. It collapses down to be handheld size while also giving you full-length tripod functionality.
- Can extend up to 71 inches
- Can collapse down small enough to be handheld
- 360-degree swivel head is always welcome
- The included shutter remote can be finicky on both iOS and Android
- Wobbles when fully extended
The Ulanzi MA09 is a serviceable tripod that also doubles as a selfie stick. The big story here is how it can collapse down small enough to be handheld while also giving you the functionality of a traditional tripod. As a selfie stick, it’s not bad, and should give you enough length to capture yourself at whatever angle you need. As a handheld shooter, it’s quite good, but you’ll be relying on your iPhone’s built-in stabilizer functionality to keep video smooth.
As with all things, the Ulanzi isn’t perfect. When fully extended, or close to it, the stand tends to wobble a little bit. Plus, the included shutter remote is hit-or-miss. Fortunately, this thing consistently goes for under $30, so it’s not just a good selfie stick tripod, but it’s also a good budget pick.
Elitehood
Elitehood 81-inch Tall Flexible Tripod Stand
3. Best flexible iPhone tripod
Great for straight down shots
The Elitehood tripod includes a flexible gooseneck-style section that lets you angle your iPhone exactly how you want it. It also gets 81-inches tall, which is quite tall for a tripod.
- Gooseneck-style tripod can get a lot of angles
- Can get ridiculously tall
- Base is decently weighted
- Can be a wobbly when fully extended
- Gooseneck can sag if you have a heavier iPhone
The Elitehood tripod is a decent tripod if you need some extra angles. The neck of the tripod is a gooseneck design which means it can bend to the angle you want it. It should work fine for most iPhones, although heavier iPhones may cause the neck to sag a bit. Otherwise, it’s a stable tripod with a well-weighted base and an extension range of 17 inches to 81 inches.
Other than its unique neck, this is a fairly standard tripod. You can leave the neck straight and use it as an everyday tripod. It comes with a shutter button that you connect to your iPhone via Bluetooth and engage the camera without touching the phone. However, it may be a bit finicky. Again, the only real downside is that you might need to reinforce the gooseneck if you have a heavier iPhone.
Pocket Tripod
Pocket Tripod
4. Best tiny iPhone tripod
It literally fits in your wallet, how cool is that?
The Pocket Tripod is a useful little tripod that can be folded up and put in a wallet. Once unfolded, it holds your phone in portrait or landscape mode at a variety of angles.
- Tiny enough to fit anywhere
- Decently stable considering how small it is
- Fluid motion angle adjustment lets you adjust to the perfect angle
- The flatter the surface, the more stable the camera
- Might not fit in those smaller minimalist wallets
The Pocket Tripod is a neat little device that you can take with you almost anywhere. It folds down to about the size of a credit card which actually does fit in most standard-type wallets. Once unfolded, you simply slot your phone in there and take pictures. It works best on flat surfaces and may wobble or topple over if it’s put on something too uneven like a rock. The angle adjustment lets you set your phone to look nearly straight down, which is a nice amount of adjustment.
This iPhone tripod comes in five different colors to match your style. With good care, it should last you a good long time. It’s a bit expensive for how small it is considering the materials it’s made out of it. However, it’s a solid travel-friendly accessory that ensures you have a tripod on you at all times.
UBeesize
UBeesize Selfie Stick Tripod
5. Best budget iPhone tripod
It works well and doesn’t cost an arm or three legs
The Ubeesize Selfie Stick Tripod is a good budget-oriented tripod. It gets reasonably tall, can be converted into a selfie stick, and even comes with a handy shutter remote.
- Has enough extension range to be useful most of the time
- Converts into a handy selfie stick
- 180-degree neck rotation and 360-degree head rotation is nice
- The shutter remote can be fussy on some devices
- You have to tilt the head to get portrait mode shots
Don’t let the price of this one fool you. This Ubeesize tripod is a good tripod for most use cases. It has an extension range of 17 inches to 62 inches, which should be tall enough for most people. It can also be converted into a selfie stick with just a few adjustments. The package also comes with a Bluetooth shutter remote, although like most such remotes, it’s hit or miss.
The tripod only holds the phone in landscape mode. However, it’s possible to bend the head 90-degrees to get a portrait mode orientation. It’s an extra step, but at this price, it’s not a big deal. Adjustments to the neck are quick with the latch-style locks and the base doesn’t wobble much even at full extension. Overall, it’s a good package for the price, and with a few tips and tricks to improve your video recording and photo capturing, it’ll get you started with a good iPhone tripod.
Altura
Altura Photo Tripod for iPhone
6. Best iPhone tripod with optional pistol grip
We like our stuff to do multiple things here
The Altura Photo Tripod for iPhone is a nice, inexpensive tripod. It works best as a desktop tripod for things like shooting photo and video or doing video calls. However, it can be converted into a pistol grip for more serious video shooting.
- A reasonably solid and stable desktop tripod
- Converts into a pistol grip holder for shooting video
- Inexpensive
- You’ll need to rely on your iPhone’s stabilization to get smooth video
- Everything except the rubberized grips are hard plastic
The Altura Photo Tripod for iPhone is a great little mini tripod. It’s meant for tabletop or desktop use, and it can hold your phone in both portrait and landscape mode. That makes it great for anything from shooting TikTok videos to conducting video chats. When it’s folded down, it turns into a pistol grip-style phone holder that you can use to shoot video in front of you, or flip the phone around and use it as a selfie stick.
For under $15, it’s actually a pretty good deal. The whole thing is made out of hard plastic with a couple of rubberized grips, so it does feel as inexpensive as it is. That said, as long as it doesn’t take any long tumbles onto a hard surface like concrete, it shouldn’t just break on its own, which is a good thing. You can find higher quality mini tripods, but honestly, for its price, this is pretty good too.
K&F
K&F Concept Aluminum Alloy Quick Release Plate
7. Best add-on for existing tripods
Turn your camera tripod into your phone’s tripod
The K&F Concept Aluminum Quick Release Plate is a unique item. It fits on existing tripods, so you don’t need a separate tripod for your phone, and folds out to hold your phone on that tripod.
- It’s essentially a quick release plate that also holds phones
- Should work with any standard tripod
- Cold shoe holder can attach microphones or other accessories
- Only holds the phone in portrait mode
- It only comes in one color and it’s orange
The K&F Concept Quick Release Plate is a pretty cool little item. It connects to existing tripods that support quick release plates like you typically find for your DSLR or mirrorless camera. In fact, when folded flat, you can screw it into a DSLR or mirrorless camera and use it as a normal quick release plate. When unfolded, it holds a smartphone in landscape orientation, thereby converting your existing tripod into a tripod for your iPhone.
In general, this is something we can recommend to any photographer who already has a camera setup and wants to integrate their iPhone into it. It really is as easy as unfolding it and tossing your iPhone in there. Plus, it has a cold shoe mount for microphones that you can then attach to your iPhone to get better sound. It only holds your phone in landscape mode, but you can always tilt the tripod head to get portrait mode. Additionally, this only comes in orange. The black variant is just a normal quick release plate.
Peak Design
Peak Design Mobile Tripod
8. Best iPhone tripod for case integration
A great choice if you already use Peak Design products
The Peak Design Mobile Tripod is a nifty mini tripod. It affixes to the back of your case and, when collapsed down, is small enough to keep on the phone at all times.
- Tripod can stay affixed to the case for easy access
- When folded down, it’s no larger than a MagSafe accessory
- Reasonably stable for its size
- You need a compatible Peak Design case or adapter to use it
- It’s a little expensive
The Peak Design Mobile Tripod is an excellent mini tripod. It attaches to the back of the phone for extra support, and it’s relatively stable and easy to use. When it’s folded up, it’s no-larger than a MagSafe accessory, so you can actually leave it on your phone all the time, and it doesn’t add enough bulk to really cause any problems. The head fully articulates to get whatever angle you need, and it supports both landscape and portrait mode.
There is only one hiccup for this one. It uses the Peak Design accessory mount, which means you need an adapter or a Peak Design case in order to make it work. We think the Peak Design Everyday case is among the best iPhone 15 cases you can buy, but the adapter works too in a pinch. In any case, when you add up everything you need, it can cost over $100, so it is one of the more expensive options.
The best iPhone tripods: The bottom line
The best overall iPhone tripod comes down to your needs. We think the Joby GorillaPod covers the most possible use cases, even if it’s a little complicated to use on occasion. People looking for something more traditional can use either the Ubeesize, Ulanzi, or Elitehood tripods since they’re standard sizes, and they have some bonus qualities if you need them.
Joby
Joby GorillaPod 1K GripTight Mount Pro Kit
Editor’s Choice
Additionally, you can go the other direction and get one of the great mini tripods like the Pocket Tripod or the Peak Design Mobile Tripod, whichever fits your needs. The Altura is also a great overall tripod with extra usability. However, at the end of the day, you should go with the one that works best for your scenario.
How did we choose the best iPhone tripod?
It really came down to providing as many choices as possible and then making sure each product was worth its price. We ran everything through FakeSpot to ensure the Amazon reviews were accurate. We also tried to avoid carbon copies of products when we could. We’re confident that the online reviews for each of the above products are legitimate and that you can trust them if you decide to do your own research.
Other than that, it was a matter of figuring out the best options for each type of use. Mobile phone tripods in general are a bit niche since they cater to content creators, and we know how many different types of content creators there are out there. Thus, we also wanted to make sure that each product was capable of doing multiple things, so it covered as many bases as possible.
Should I use a tripod with my iPhone?
For most things, probably not. The iPhone has stabilizer technology in the cameras, so it’ll take a clear and even picture or video just by holding it in your hands. However, those who plan on doing something a step above taking the occasional family photo at the zoo will likely benefit from having something to hold the iPhone for them. Examples include panoramic shots, long exposure photos, time-lapse photos, or if you’re shooting video for social media or YouTube.
Can I use a regular tripod with an iPhone?
Technically no insofar as a normal tripod typically comes with a 1/4-inch screw for mounting which is incompatible with iPhone. However, if you get an adapter, like the K&F Quick Release Plate above, you can use a standard tripod with an iPhone. You really just need a mount that can hold an iPhone that also connects to a standard tripod. We like the K&F since you can also use it to attach a DSLR or mirrorless camera, but there are other options.