Galaxy S26 Ultra named the best iPhone 18 Pro alternative
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been voted the best iPhone 18 Pro alternative in a new Android Authority reader poll, beating every rival by a huge margin. Nearly 2,300 readers cast a vote, and Samsung’s flagship walked away with 61.5% of them, leaving the competition in the dust.
The question was simple: if you had to pick an Android alternative to the iPhone 18 Pro, which phone would you choose? For Android fans, the answer was never really in doubt. Samsung’s Ultra line has owned this conversation for years, and the S26 Ultra has only strengthened its grip.
The scale of the win is what stands out. A 61.5% share in a five-way contest is not a close result. It is a landslide, and it tells us something interesting about where flagship buyers think the smartest money sits this year, especially in a market where every pound counts.
How the Galaxy S26 Ultra won the poll
The full results show just how far ahead the Galaxy S26 Ultra finished:
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 61.5%
- Google Pixel 11 Pro: 14.8%
- Galaxy S26: 9.1%
- Motorola Razr Ultra (2026): around 7%
- Nothing Phone 4a Pro: around 7%
The Google Pixel 11 Pro finished a distant second despite being around $100 cheaper than the iPhone 18 Pro and $200 cheaper than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Its smaller display, smaller battery and middling performance may have worked against it with voters who clearly value hardware muscle.
Even Samsung’s own standard Galaxy S26 could only manage 9.1%, which underlines how much the Ultra’s extra hardware matters to this audience. The Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) and Nothing Phone 4a Pro barely registered at around 7% each.
Why voters picked the Galaxy S26 Ultra over the iPhone 18 Pro
The Galaxy S26 Ultra costs around $100 more than the iPhone 18 Pro, roughly £80 at current exchange rates, but voters clearly felt the extra outlay was justified. Three features were singled out as making the difference.
First is the Privacy Display, which stops prying eyes from reading your screen on the train or in the office. Second is the additional camera hardware, which gives Samsung’s flagship a more versatile shooting setup. Third is the Galaxy AI suite, now deeply integrated into the Android experience.
The S26 Ultra is arguably a closer competitor to the larger iPhone 18 Pro Max than to the standard Pro, but its blend of hardware and software makes it a serious alternative for anyone with a flagship-level budget. For UK buyers comparing prices, the iPhone 18 Pro starts at £1,199, so a similar premium applies on the Samsung side.
The rematch: Galaxy S26 Ultra vs iPhone 18 Pro Max
Android Authority ran a second poll asking which phone readers would choose over the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and Samsung won that one too, though by a smaller margin. Out of 1,005 votes:
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: 39%
- Pixel 11 Pro XL: 29%
- Motorola Razr Ultra (2026): 18%
- Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: 10%
- Galaxy Z Flip 8: 4%
The Pixel 11 Pro XL put up a much stronger fight here at 29%, but the S26 Ultra still came out on top. It is worth noting that Samsung’s own Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra only picked up 10%, suggesting that for most voters, a great conventional flagship still beats a foldable.
What this means for UK buyers
Polls are not the same as sales figures, and Android Authority’s audience leans heavily towards Android, so take the landslide with a pinch of salt. But the result does reflect a real shift in sentiment.
With smartphone prices continuing to climb across the board, buyers are scrutinising what they actually get for their money. The S26 Ultra’s poll victory suggests that Samsung’s combination of hardware extras and AI features is winning that argument with enthusiasts.
If you are weighing up an iPhone 18 Pro against its Android rivals this autumn, the crowd has spoken. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the alternative they trust. Whether you agree may depend on how deep you are into Apple’s ecosystem, but as a straight hardware contest, Samsung’s flagship is the people’s champion.
