AliceWhen you’re starting out in photography, you may start to find there are shots you can’t achieve. Maybe you can’t get your camera stable enough, or you can’t maintain a specific angle long enough to take the perfect shot. Even if you’re a content creator, blogger or artist, you might struggle to create the images you need. If you’re in this situation, what you need is a mini tripod. But how do you know which is the best mini tripod to buy?
We’ve looked across the market to bring you the best mini tripods available. We’ve tested each one against the criteria that matter most to casual photographers: stability, flexibility, price and quality. Whether you shoot with a digital camera, a professional camera or even just a smartphone, we’ll show you the best mini tripod for your needs.
Product Comparison Table: Best Mini Tripod
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | Benro KoalaPod Flexible Tripod | $ | 4.5 stars | Best for Bloggers | Amazon |
 | Joby GripTight ONE Micro Mini Tripod | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best for Smartphones | Amazon |
 | JOBY GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit | $$$ | 4.5 stars | Best for Cameras | Amazon |
 | Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 Mini Tripod | $$$$ | 4 stars | Best for Semi-Pros | Amazon |
 | Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod | $ | 4.5 stars | Most Versatile | Amazon |
Benro KoalaPod Flexible Tripod
The Benro KoalaPod Flexible Tripod is a table-top mini tripod with flexible, bendable arms. The four legs are easy to position to create any angle, and lock into place for extra stability. They can grip on to furniture, convert into a selfie stick, or even take tabletop shots. The included locking ring also prevents stress on the legs, increasing the lifespan. Three built-in accessory mounts also allow you to add additional arms, as well as mounted audio gear or LED lights.
As for the head, it has a ¼-20 mounting thread, so it’s perfect for anything from small cameras to smartphones. This head can rotate to either vertical or horizontal. The KoalaPod itself is extremely lightweight and easy to transport, too – it even comes with a drawstring bag so you can take it with you on the go.
Pros
- Versatile and flexible
- Affordable price
- Includes accessory attachments
Cons
- Can’t handle large mirrorless cameras
Verdict
The Benro KoalaPod Flexible Tripod is the best mini tripod for content creators, bloggers and social media addicts. Even if you just work in a job that involves a lot of videos – such as personal training or tutoring – this is the perfect mini tripod to capture or stream your work. Although the KoalaPod isn’t quite strong enough to handle larger professional-style mirrorless cameras, it’s more than up to the needs of the average blogger.
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Joby GripTight ONE Micro Mini Tripod
The Joby GripTight ONE Micro Mini Tripod has universal smartphone compatibility, with or without a case. The phone grip stretches up to 3.6 inches wide, which is enough to fit an iPhone Max in a thick rugged defender case, or a Samsung Note 10 Plus. Fitting your phone into the mini tripod is easy; just trigger the spring-loaded grip, and slot it in.
The machined aluminium ball-head provides stability, for precise compositions. Like the KoalaPod, the head also has a ¼-20 mounting thread. However, the Joby Griptight ONE Micro folds down to pocket size; its dimensions measure a tiny 1.34 x 0.71 x 3.35 in, and it only weighs 46g. It still bears up to 325g of weight, though.
Pros
- Holds any size of smartphone
- Extremely small and light
Cons
- Not very tall
- Can’t rotate to vertical
Verdict
Out of all the smartphone-focussed mini tripods on the market, the Joby GripTight ONE Micro Mini Tripod is the best available. Although the head doesn’t rotate to portrait, it is almost universally compatible with any smartphone. The tiny size is very impressive, too; you could just slip this one in your jeans pocket to work away from home. We can imagine this one working perfectly for video calls on the train, for example.
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JOBY GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit
The JOBY GorillaPod 3K Pro Kit has flexible, wrappable legs that allow you to attach it to any surface. That includes tables, furniture, and even trees if you’re working outdoors! It’s made of aluminium and stainless steel, with a rugged ABS plastic frame to protect the metal from wear and tear. Although it doesn’t come with accessories, it works with any JOBY pro-level kit: tight grip mounts, extra GorillaPod arms, and hub adapters for GoPro, flashclips, lighting and microphones.
The head clip can bear weights up to 3kg or 6.6lb, making it perfect for large professional-style mirrorless cameras. This will also hold up any extra lights and monitors you need to add on. Lastly, it features a 360 degree panning bed, 90 degree tilt, and bubble level for optimum composition control.
Pros
- Rugged, high load-bearing construction
- Fits a range of accessories
- Big range of movement
Cons
- More expensive
- Heavy and bulky
Verdict
The JOBY GorillaPod3K Pro Kit is the best rugged mini tripod. The very high weight limit is perfect even for large DSLR cameras, and can take practically any accessories you throw at it. It’s incredibly sturdy too. Of course, this kind of construction comes at a price. But if you want to do some heavy-duty camera work, this is the best mini tripod for you.
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Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 Mini Tripod
The Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 Mini Tripod has extremely high build quality; it’s made out of the same sleek carbon eXact tubing as the full-size Gitzo range. The well-made aluminum ball head has an extra-strong clamp, with a locking ring at the base to grip your camera. Gitzo claims the head can hold up to 9kg or 22lb in weight, even when the legs are spread to the widest setting.
However, the Gitzo legs themselves have a 25kg load rating. All you need to do is replace the head using the included wrench, and attach a new one to maximise the mini tripod’s capacity. The whole device weighs only 2.3lb too, so it’s super easy to transport.
Pros
- Superb carbon eXact construction
- Huge maximum weight capacity
- Easy to raise up or down
Cons
- Very expensive
- Legs aren’t flexible
Verdict
Eventually, you might want to make the step from casual photography into semi-professionalism. The Gitzo Lightweight Traveler Series 1 Mini Tripod is the perfect tripod to join you on that journey. Not only is it extremely light with a huge capacity, it also boasts premium construction and a decent range of adjustability. The only major downside is the lack of flexible legs. However, if you want to create professional-looking stills, this is the best mini tripod for you.
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Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod
Carrying the prestigious Manfrotto name, the Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod is designed with their trademark Italian flair. The sleek aluminum petal legs can support a full 1kg of camera – that’s more than enough for the average smartphone or a small DSLR like a Canon T3i. The aluminum ball head has a 360-degree range of rotation too, but only tilts up 35 degrees.
The ball head is incredibly easy to use; a simple push-button control picks up and releases the camera smoothly. Apart from the beautiful premium feel, the other distinctive feature of the Manfrotto PIXI is its convertible construction. You can fold the legs down, turning the mini tripod into a fully functional camera grip.
Pros
- Premium-feel construction
- 360-degree head rotation
- Converts into a camera grip
Cons
- Small load-bearing capacity
- Limited range of tilt movement
Verdict
The Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod has both substance and style. It may not be able to carry heavier analog cameras, but it has more than enough capacity to support the average DSLR. The most pleasing aspect of this mini tripod, however, is its beautiful design. It converts seamlessly into a grip, and the push-button control is a joy to use. Of course, you can’t have anything – it can’t tilt up high enough for aerial photography. But for the price, you won’t get a more stylish mini tripod than this.
