Tough phones – or ‘rugged’ phones to use the industry terminology – should cope with the knocks, drops and general abuse handed out in a business environment. But, just as there are many business environments and requirements, there are many tough phones to choose from.
Our Best Tough Phones for 2025 guide provides a snapshot of what we think are among the most impressive out there right now. We’ve tried to highlight some of the key features, so you can quickly focus on a phone that might be a perfect fit for your workforce. We’ve also tried to include a broad price range to cater to different budgets.
Before continuing, here’s a little housekeeping on what we mean by ‘tough’ or ‘rugged’.
● All of our featured devices comply with at least MIL-STD 810g, which proves they can survive multiple drops from four feet.
● Most devices, apart from where indicated, comply with at least an Ingress Protection rating of IP68, which suggests they can withstand dust, dirt and sand, and are resistant to submersion up to a maximum depth of 1.5m underwater for up to 30 minutes.
You can find out more about rugged classifications here.
Meanwhile, all devices run on the Android OS. You can find out why Android is the best choice for businesses here.
Finally, we’ve indicated if a phone includes optional maintenance contracts and, where possible, the amount of time it takes for the manufacturer to guarantee a fix. Without these contracts, you may need to take your chances with a local repair.
Here’s the list of Best Tough Phones 2025.
Zebra EM45 RFID Enterprise Mobile: the hi-spec rugged phone for managers with a consumer-model profile
- Cost: £££££
- Released: 2025
- OS: Android 13 upgradeable until Android 16
- Security support: Android support until December 2030; plus LifeGuard security patches, firmware and software updates can extend phone life to up to 10 years
- Maintenance plan: OneCare maintenance plans offer ongoing support and certified repairs with a contracted three-day turnaround from when the device is received
- Notable feature: Three programmable buttons
- Room for improvement? Zebra devices with higher rugged specs are available
Picture a beast of a rugged phone that’s tough as nails and adaptable across dozens of use cases. It’s going to look like a brick, right? Wrong. The new Zebra EM45 RFID not only delivers in terms of functionality, it’s a looker too. At 11mm thick, it’s Zebra’s thinnest device, with a large 6.7-inch full HD display screen that is beautifully backlit and refreshes at 120Hz.
Inside that slim exterior, Zebra has packed many features. It offers super-zippy connectivity – 5G and WiFi 6E – for seamless comms. Stock checkers and warehouse workers will love the integrated short-range RFID that reads up to 20 tags per second. It’s contactless transaction (and therefore retail) ready. You can turn it into a two-way, push-to-talk radio. The device is also a bit of a shape shifter: using Zebra Connect, you can instantly transform it into a workstation. We told you there were a lot of features…
One huge advantage Zebra phones have over rival models is access to a suite of enterprise services that ensure they work better, for longer. Zebra LifeGuard for Android security updates can keep devices working securely for up to 10 years and well after Android support ends. Zebra OneCare Maintenance Plans provide fast repair turnarounds and Zebra DNA offers solutions to set up, secure, manage and optimise phones. The power of these services to help your devices deliver more should not be underestimated.
This phone is thoroughly rugged and could slug it out with any other manufacturer’s phone on the list. However, it isn’t as tough as some other Zebra devices, which set the bar very high. With that in mind, in comparison to other Zebra devices we would pitch this as one of the best tough phones for managers. It’s an all-rounder for meetings and data processing, with the durability for occasionally getting stuck in at the front line. For an indomitable frontline Zebra model, see our TC22/7 review below.
Nokia HMD XR21 – the perfect choice for wet work environments
- Cost: ££
- Released: 2024
- OS: Runs Android 13, with two years of OS upgrades
- Security support: Three years of security upgrades
- Maintenance plan: Nokia extended warranty plans available, with repair turnaround within 7-12 days ‘depending on the availability of parts and replacement devices’
- Notable feature: Handy x2 custom buttons
- Room for improvement? Lacks processing power
How can you know – really know – that water or dust isn’t going to get into your phone? Even when your device has got a solid IP (ingress protection) rating, there may be something deeply unnerving about wielding it in environments where driving rain or high-pressure water sprays are all part of a day’s work.
Enter the Nokia HMD XR21. This device has a very high IP rating of IP69K, which indicates complete protection against dust, the highest protection against water ingress, including water at high pressure, and even protection against water at high temperature.
This standout feature is complemented by a display that will adapt to cater for wet and gloved hands and two quick-access buttons that are a godsend when you need the right app – fast. Users also compliment the long battery life – up to two days according to some reports. So far, so good.
Under the hood, the phone falls away from the pack a little. A somewhat older Snapdragon 695 5G chip with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of fixed storage make this a middling scenario for speed and graphics processing. Some reviews suggest the screen, although bright, is too shiny to function well in bright sun outdoors.
That said, this is one of the best tough phones for industries working with water – think food production environments or pharmaceutical applications where blasting down surfaces is commonplace.
Samsung Galaxy XCover7: a great all-rounder for on-site work
- Cost: ££
- Released: 2024
- OS: Runs Android 14
- Security support: Samsung says the device will get five years of security updates and four OS updates
- Maintenance plan: Samsung Care+ offers repairs by Samsung-certified experts using original Samsung parts, for up to two claims per year. It will ‘aim to repair and despatch to you within three working days’ after receipt of the phone
- Notable feature: Elegant design
- Room for improvement? So-so battery life
Here’s a scenario. You are standing in the driving rain, wearing thick work gloves, typing and talking to HQ. Which is no problem at all, because you’re using the Samsung Galaxy XCover7 Pro. There’s more than a little of the ‘bring it on’ factor to this device, which is engineered for challenging conditions. Heightened touch sensitivity means you can swipe in leather gloves and a prominent customisable key means you can quickly programme favourite tasks such as barcode scanning. All of these features are complemented by a bright and large 6.6in screen – great for sunny conditions and multi-tasking – a suitably speedy processor and 6GB RAM.
There are a lot of good things to say about this device, but there are a couple of ‘must try harders’. The battery is swoppable – great. But some reviews have pointed out the less-than-remarkable battery size and reports suggest this is quite a slow charger. Also, it only runs WiFi 5, so can’t offer the enhanced connectivity of WiFi 6E. In our view, this makes it one of the best tough phones for local work, but you could run into trouble if your people are out in the field for long periods.
Motorola Moto G75 5G: the consumer phone stepping up to the rugged plate
- Cost: £
- Released: 2024
- OS: Android 14, with ‘up to 5 major Android upgrades’
- Security support: 6 years of security updates
- Maintenance plan: Extended Service Plans (ESP) and Accidental Damage Protection Plans (ADP) give added coverage beyond the terms of the original warranty. Repairs are shipped within seven business days ‘after receiving and evaluating your original device’
- Notable feature: Biggest screen in our rundown
- Room for improvement? Lacking enterprise functionality
What would happen if an affordable consumer phone toughened up its act with some serious rugged credentials?
Quite a few positive things, as it happens. The Motorola Moto G75 5G looks like a standard smartphone but meets military-grade tough specs. The screen is a large 6.78in and the camera is pretty good too, at 50MP back and 8MP front. In terms of power, its Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 (4nm) is far from the fastest out there, but if you’re not using graphic-intensive applications it may well do the trick.
One thing we would ask businesses to bear in mind is that, in our view, this is a consumer-grade phone that has stepped up. So, while it is rugged, you are not going to see some of the enterprise features you’ll get with the best enterprise tough phones.
In practice, that means a round of applause for ‘wet touch’ – the screen remains usable even when wet, which is a great feature. But there are no higher-end scanning or connectivity capabilities – or, crucially, the ecosystem of enterprise add-ons that can take these devices to the next level in terms of productivity.
However, if ‘tough consumer phone’ meets your needs, you’re in luck.
Fairphone 5: the sustainable phone you can repair yourself
- Cost: £££
- Release date: 2023
- OS: Android 13 up to Android 18 (‘at least’)
- Security support: 8-10 years of updates
- Maintenance plan: Register within 90 days for a five-year warranty. No information on repair turnarounds available
- Notable feature: Modular parts make it repairable at home
- Room for improvement? Not truly rugged – can’t be submerged in water
Meet the phone that has never heard the phrase ‘planned obsolescence’. Fairphone 5 leads the best-tough-phones pack in sustainability, with a number of features that may have you wondering why other manufacturers can’t do the same. The key to that sustainability is longevity. It’s designed to keep on keeping on, something which could save you big in the long run as well as tick your eco targets.
The Fairtrade 5 offers a mega 8-10 years of software updates from the date of manufacture, a five-year warranty and is made with as many recycled and ethically sourced materials as possible. It’s also repairable from home, with 10 modular spare parts requiring only a screwdriver to install. As for functionality, it has a crisp screen and good connectivity running 5G, WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2
There are a few features that are fine, but unremarkable. There are better speakers out there and there have been concerns about the midrange processor – will it go the distance for a phone designed to run for many years?
Our main gripe is that, while this device features an excellent MIL-810H durability rating for knocks and drops, it has only IP55 certification. This means it can handle rain, spray or splashes – but nothing beyond. In other words, immerse it and you could be in trouble. In our eyes, that makes for a phone that isn’t truly rugged.
Otherwise, it’s a pretty good performer with a potentially long shelf life. If you’re not working in wet conditions and sustainability is high on your list, this rugged(ish) phone could make a great buy.
Zebra TC22/27: small business pricing with big business features: our STAR BEST TOUGH PHONES BUY
- Cost: From ££££
- Released: 2023
- OS: Upgradeable to Android 16
- Security support: Android support until December 2030; plus LifeGuard security patches, firmware and software updates can extend phone life to up to 10 years
- Maintenance plan: OneCare maintenance plans offer ongoing support and certified repairs with a contracted three-day turnaround from when the device is received for repair
- Notable feature: Long lifespan offers great return on investment
- Room for improvement? Not the biggest screen in our comparison
Typically, high-end enterprise rugged phones can come at ‘you’ll need a sit down first’ prices. What we like about this range from rugged pioneers Zebra is that the specs look impeccable from an enterprise-rugged point of view – and even better when you see the cost. Because, believe us, leading rugged models in this class can cost much, much more.
First, some housekeeping. The TC22 and TC27 are essentially the same phone, apart from the TC22 is Wi-Fi only, designed for indoor use, while the TC27 has both Wi-Fi and cellular capabilities, making it suitable for workers operating outside the confines of a building.
From a rugged point of view, this is one of Zebra’s tougher customers. It features IP68 sealing, plus drop and tumble tests that are even more aggressive than the industry standard MIL-STD 810H and IEC. Add shatter-and-scratch-resistant Corning™ Gorilla™ Glass and it’s ready for the toughest challenges.
As for features, the TC22/27 keeps excelling in every category. Enjoy superb connectivity with 5G and Wi-Fi™ 6E, and you can choose an extended capacity whopping 5200 mAh battery for multi-shift continuity. (Batteries are swappable too.) Out-of-the-box features include push to talk over Wi-Fi for an instant two-way radio and a Workstation Connect feature so you can transform your device into a workstation on demand. Integrated scanner options offer split-second scanning even for the highest out-of-reach shelves.
If we’re looking to pick holes, perhaps the screen could be a little bigger, but for most people it’s going to be ample.
Summing up, if you’re looking for a phone that will thrive in every commercial environment, remain connected anywhere and keep delivering a super-zippy performance, this is our best tough phones winner.
Note the TC22/27 features all of the Zebra services – Zebra LifeGuard for Android software updates, Zebra OneCare Maintenance Plans and Zebra DNA software featured in the write up for the Zebra EM45.
This post was updated from an earlier post in March 2025 to reflect current best tough phones on the market.