Removable batteries used to be a staple of smartphones. Swap a dead cell for a fresh one and you’re back to 100% in seconds. Today, that convenience survives in only a handful of niche devices, and there’s a reason why. The four best phones that still let you pop off the back cover prove the feature isn’t quite dead — but they also show why most people shouldn’t buy one.
Before you romanticize the battery swap, know this: the compromises tied to removable designs are real. From middling performance to limited availability and rugged-first hardware, most buyers will get a better phone — and better battery life — from modern sealed devices with fast charging.
Still curious? Here are the top options and the practical reasons to steer clear.
The shortlist: four phones you can still buy
Samsung Galaxy XCover 7: A rare mainstream brand with a replaceable cell. It’s a rugged, work-focused phone with an IP68 rating and MIL-STD-810H testing, a 6.6-inch Full HD display, a single 50MP camera, and a midrange MediaTek chip. The upside is durability and hot-swappable power for field work. The downside is value: it costs more than similarly specced sealed phones, and distribution can be spotty depending on your region.
Fairphone 6: The repairability champion. Beyond a removable battery, modules like the USB-C port, cameras, and screen can be replaced with basic tools, and the company commits to long-term software support. You also get a sharp 120Hz OLED, solid midrange performance, and thoughtful sustainability credentials. Caveats? Availability is limited outside Europe, wireless charging is absent, and camera quality trails the best midrange competitors at similar prices.
Kyocera DuraForce Pro 3: Built for job sites and first responders. It’s a tank of a phone with glove- and wet-touch modes, very loud speakers, and push-to-talk features, plus IP68 and MIL-STD-810H credentials. Performance is acceptable for business apps, and the battery is removable. The compromises are clear: it’s heavy, has a small display by modern standards, and is often locked to a single carrier, which hurts flexibility and resale. Price is high for what you get.
Nokia C12: The budget throwback. If you just want something basic and cheap with a back cover you can pry off, this is it. You’re trading nearly everything else, though: low-end performance, a modest camera, and a small battery that drains quickly by today’s standards. Think glovebox backup or kid’s starter phone, not a daily driver for power users.
Why you probably shouldn’t buy one
They’re almost always worse value. Analysts at Counterpoint Research and IDC have noted that the industry’s best cost-to-performance ratios sit in sealed phones. You typically pay more per unit of performance, camera quality, and display tech when you demand a removable battery, because you’re shopping in a small, rugged-leaning niche with fewer economies of scale.
Availability and support are limited. Many of these models are regional or carrier exclusives. That can mean fewer 5G bands supported when you travel, fewer accessories, and slower parts availability down the line. Even swapping batteries becomes less attractive when official spares are hard to find or overpriced.
Software longevity is a mixed bag. While Fairphone is the rare outlier promising extended updates, most removable-battery phones don’t match the multi-year OS and security support now offered by leading sealed devices. Long-term security matters more than ever, and it’s an area where mainstream phones have made huge strides.
Design trade-offs are real. Removable backs add seams and latches. Some models still achieve strong water and dust resistance, but the engineering compromises usually limit battery capacity per volume, wireless charging coils, and sleek materials. You often end up with a bulkier device that still lasts less time per charge than a modern sealed rival.
Fast charging and smarter power management changed the game. Sealed phones routinely deliver all-day endurance and quick top-ups; 30 minutes on a quality charger can add hours of use. With adaptive charging, battery health features, and efficient chipsets, the convenience gap between swapping a spare and plugging in has largely closed for most people. A small power bank or magnetically attached battery pack is simpler than pocketing charged spares and keeping them rotated.
Real-world durability isn’t just about the back cover. Rugged phones are great for drops and dust, but camera glass, screens, and ports are still vulnerable. If toughness is your priority, a sealed flagship in a tested rugged case often outperforms a niche rugged phone on imaging, performance, and update support while matching or beating practical durability.
A right-to-repair twist is coming
Policy winds are shifting. The EU’s Battery Regulation requires more user-friendly battery replacement in the years ahead, and right-to-repair advocates such as iFixit have pushed manufacturers toward easier serviceability. If history is any guide, global brands may standardize designs rather than build separate models for each market.
Until that arrives, the best battery strategy is pragmatic: prioritize phones with long software support, efficient chips, and fast wired or wireless charging. Features like optimized charging that pauses at night, better thermal management, and smarter background policies often extend real-world battery life more than a swappable cell ever could.
Bottom line
If you truly need a removable battery — field work, remote expeditions, or specialized workflows — the XCover 7, Fairphone 6, DuraForce Pro 3, and Nokia C12 are your best bets. Just go in with eyes open on price, performance, and support.
For everyone else, the smarter buy is a modern sealed phone with strong update commitments and fast charging. You’ll get better cameras, better performance, easier availability, and fewer compromises — without running out of juice by dinnertime.