It’s been nearly six years since Apple removed the headphone jack from the iPhone. Yes, you can get excellent wireless earbuds nowadays, but maybe you prefer plugging in, or you just don’t want to think about charging your headphones. The joy of the 3.5-mm headphone connector is that it’s one of the few truly universal standards left.
You can use pretty much any pair of corded headphones—no need to worry about whether they’re Lightning or USB-C or whether the connectivity will blip in and out. No batteries to charge, no dongles to attach, no earbuds to lose. There are times when Bluetooth is preferable, but it’s also nice to at least have the option. After testing dozens of phones, these are the best options with the venerable port. Read our guides to the Best Android Phones and Best Cheap Phones for more recommendations.
Updated June 2022: We’ve overhauled this guide to replace old picks with new ones, like the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, Sony Xperia 1 IV, and Moto G Stylus 5G 2022.
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED
