There are lots of different types of ring lights, but they all have the same primary purpose — provide a steady light source that will illuminate your subject, whether that’s an object, another person, or yourself. If you need a ring light for your phone, there’s also an overwhelming number of options, so to help you out, we’ve rounded up the best ring lights for phones right here. We’re going to take you through our recommendations, their advantages over other ring lights for phones in the market, and our selection process that resulted in our top five choices below.
Whether you’re a travel vlogger, a video game streamer, or any other kind of content creator, and you prefer using your phone over a dedicated camera or webcam, then you should check out the best ring lights for phones that we’ve gathered here. Even if you’re only going to use it for your personal photos and videos, it’s always better to have nice lighting that will simply make everything look nicer, especially in low-light environments. Not everyone needs a ring light for their phone, but for those who do, read on to determine the one that would be perfect for you.
The best ring lights for phones in 2024
- Buy the if you want the best overall ring light for phones.
- Buy the if you want a ring light for phones that’s designed for professionals.
- Buy the if you want a ring light for phones made for content creators.
- Buy the if you want a ring light for phones with versatile mounting options.
- Buy the if you want a ring light for phones that’s cheap and simple.
Razer Ring Light
Best overall ring light for phones
| Pros | Cons |
| Customizable brightness and temperature | Requires USB power |
| Also works with webcams and digital cameras | |
| Adjustable tripod |
Razer is a popular brand among gamers, but the Razer Ring Light isn’t only for video game streamers. It has 192 LEDs for incredible brightness that you can control from 10% to 100%, with its light passing through a white diffuser to create an environment that looks like you’re in a professional studio. You can customize the light spectrum of the Razer Ring Light though, between warm white (3000K), balanced white (4500K), and cool white (6500K).
The Razer Ring Light comes with a phone holder for your smartphone, but it can also work with webcams and digital cameras with its ball head mount. Meanwhile, its adjustable tripod may be placed on the table or on the floor, and you can position it for the best possible lighting that you can get. The Razer Ring Light is powered through its USB port, so you can use a power bank with it when using it with your smartphone.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Built-in battery | No |
| Remote control | No |
| Adjustable mount | Yes |
Lume Cube Ring Light Pro
Best ring light for phones if you’re a professional photographer
| Pros | Cons |
| Built-in diffuser | Relatively expensive |
| LCD screen for customizations | |
| Remote control |
The cameras in some flagship smartphones are so good that professional photographers are using them over DSLRs for quick shoots. If you’re one of them, you may want to pair your phone with the Lume Cube Ring Light Pro. This ring light features 256 inward-facing LEDs with a built-in diffuser for flawless lighting with reduced shadows and harsh spots, so you’ll be able to focus on the composition of your photo and worry less about the lights.
There is an LCD screen at the back of the Lume Cube Ring Light Pro where you will be able to adjust brightness levels from 1% to 100% and color temperature from cool blue to warm amber. This is also where you can charge the ring light through its USB ports, as it comes with a built-in battery that can last up to 120 minutes on a single charge. The Lume Cube Ring Light Pro comes with a remote control so that you can make adjustments from afar, and a height-adjustable tripod with a phone holder for your smartphone.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Built-in battery | Yes |
| Remote control | Yes |
| Adjustable mount | Yes |
Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit
Best ring light for phones for vloggers and content creators
| Pros | Cons |
| Compact design | Small tripod |
| Comes with filters | Uses disposable batteries |
| Hands-free or hands-on recording |
For vloggers and content creators who are always on the go and would rather have a ring light for phones that’s easy to set up and hold, check out the Rotolight Ultimate Vlogging Kit. The bundle includes a lightweight tripod where you can attach the twin accessory bar. This is where you’ll mount the Rotolight RL48 ring light, which is powered by three AA batteries. It offers soft illumination to fill in shadows, and it even comes with diffusion, make up, and color filters to help you achieve your preferred lighting.
The twin accessory bar is also where you’ll connect the adjustable mount for your smartphone, which features a grip that will hold all kinds of phones. With the Rotolight RL48 ring light and the adjustable mount, you can start recording content from your phone hands-free, or with the tripod in your hands if you’re moving while you film.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Built-in battery | No |
| Remote control | No |
| Adjustable mount | Yes |
EMART 10-inch Ring Light
Best ring light for phones for limitless mounting options
| Pros | Cons |
| Mount your phone anywhere | Small light |
| Adjustable, sturdy tripod | |
| Remote controls for ring light and phone |
If you create content that uses different camera angles every time — such as when you film talk shows with varying numbers of guests — you’ll need a ring light that will let you mount your phone in several ways. The EMART 10-inch Ring Light may be the solution that you need, as it comes with a tripod stand with an adjustable height of 20 inches to 51 inches. You’ll be able to attach the pole mount phone holder anywhere on the tripod, and since it can extend to up to 3.9 inches, you’ll be able to place your phone where you want it. The tripod is lightweight but sturdy as it’s made of aluminum alloy.
The USB-powered EMART 10-inch Ring Light offers three color temperatures and 10 brightness levels, allowing you to customize the light that you’ll get from it, and it comes with two remote controls — one for the ring light itself, and one for your smartphone, so you can make adjustments and start or stop recording from afar.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Built-in battery | No |
| Remote control | Yes |
| Adjustable mount | Yes |
TSAI Selfie Ring Light
Best ring light for phones for personal use
| Pros | Cons |
| Extremely cheap | Limited light modes and brightness levels |
| Easy to use | |
| Rechargable battery |
The TSAI Selfie Ring Light is the cheapest and simplest ring light on this list, but it may be enough for those who simply want their personal photos and videos to look better. It simply clips on to your smartphone, and you can choose between three light modes and three brightness levels before you take your selfies. It comes with 40 LEDs — 20 LEDs for cold light and 20 LEDS for warm light.
You’ll be able to charge the TSAI Selfie Ring Light through the USB charging port at its side, and once its battery is full, you can slide it into your bag to take out whenever you need it. Attach it to your smartphone when you’re taking selfies at night and in low-light environments, and it can even be used as a flashlight or a make-up light when necessary.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Built-in battery | Yes |
| Remote control | No |
| Adjustable mount | No |
How we chose these ring lights for phones
Just a quick search for ring lights for phones will give you a long list of results, so how did we narrow everything down to our top picks? It’s simple — we simply want you to get the best possible choices out there, depending on how you’ll be using the accessory. We’ve come up with specific criteria on determining the best ring lights for phones, and while some of these will be more important than others for the different types of usage, you generally would want to go for an option that checks most of these boxes, if not all of them.
To help you decide which to buy among the ring lights for phones that we recommended above, you have to figure out how you’ll use it the most often, as well as the features and characteristics that are the most important for you. However, no matter what, you can be sure that you won’t regret your purchase if you go with any of our top picks.
Ease of use
First and foremost, ring lights for phones should be easy and quick to use. Can you imagine missing out on what would have been a perfect shot because it took you too long to set up? It would also get frustrating after a while if you need to go through a complicated process every single time that you need to use your ring light, so you may end up not using it anymore. That would result in photos and videos that won’t look too good.
The best ring lights for phones should only take a few steps to get up and running, with as few parts to assemble, buttons to click, and cables to connect. If the ring light is very easy to use, then you wouldn’t think twice of setting it up every single time that you think you need it because it will only take a few seconds.
Versatility
While you can make the case that a ring light for phones that can only be used one specific way would be worth it if it can go the job well, the option to set it up and use it in various ways is a better indicator of ring light that’s worth buying. Why spend your cash on a ring light for phones that’s rigid, when you can get one that you’ll be able to use in different situations and environments?
If you buy a versatile ring light for phones, you’ll be able to take it wherever you go, such as during photo shoots, events coverage, and indoor gatherings. You’ll be prepared for most situations with one of the best ring lights for phones in tow, instead of going with an accessory that will provide you with limited uses.
Durability
Buying a ring light for phones won’t do you any good if it will break after just several uses, and considering some of these ring lights will be holding your phone, you’re looking at a potential disaster if you don’t get one that’s durable. We chose ring lights with materials that you can trust even if this means that their price will be a bit higher than their peers, because replacing a phone that was dropped and damaged will cost you even more.
The best ring lights for phones should also be durable enough for the daily wear and tear, whether due to transportation if you’ll be travelling a lot with them, or because you’ll be assembling and disassembling them often as you’ll be keeping them once you’re done with your shoot.
Compatibility
With all of the brands and models of smartphones out there, as well as the different kinds of phone cases, ring lights for phones should be compatible with as many of them as possible. We won’t recommend a ring light that will only work with a small fraction of the phones in the market because that will prevent you from using it with other devices. A low-compatibility ring light may work with your phone now, but what happens when you upgrade to a newer model or switch to another brand?
A ring light for phones with high compatibility will erase any worries that you may have that your device won’t work with it, and even the phones of other people if that ever becomes necessary. The last thing you’d want to think about when upgrading your smartphone is whether it will still work well with your ring light, so it’s a good idea to get one that’s compatible with different kinds of phones.
Value for money
Last but not least, you’ll want a ring light for phones with amazing value for money. That doesn’t only mean that it should be cheap — though that’s a huge bonus if you’re on a tight budget — but for the more expensive ones, you should be getting the appropriate level of specifications and features.
We went with ring lights for phones that aren’t too cheap that you know their quality will be compromised, and that aren’t too expensive that you can get similar ring lights for a much cheaper price. We know how much ring light for phones should cost, and we don’t want you to regret spending your hard-earned money.
This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.
