5 Best External Microphones for Smartphones in 2024

Smartphones are versatile products today. While they were only capable of making phone calls and recording videos, they are extremely powerful today. If you want to record audio professionally, smartphones can come in handy. However, even if you get the most expensive phone out there, the quality of the microphone will still be lagging compared to professional equipment. Keeping this in mind, we’re going to have a look at some of the best external microphones for smartphones this year.

With smartphone mics, customers can record podcasts, radio shows, and a lot more. So if you’ve meant to start a podcast from your own, these accessories will surely come in handy. These are compatible with several phones, while some require a 3.5mm audio jack to work. If that’s not a concern, be sure to check out our comprehensive list below.

5 Best External Microphones for Smartphones

Purple Panda

This handy microphone kit can be used to record professional audio from practically anywhere. It plugs into your smartphone using the headphone jack. Although the package appears small, it packs a lot of items, making it a full-blown audio kit. It even comes with a fuzzy windscreen to make sure the purest of audio comes through, and that wind or air doesn’t seep into the audio. This is seen in professional studios as well.

As far as compatibility is concerned, the Purple Panda works with a variety of devices out there, including Android smartphones and even GoPro devices. So if you have a professional video camera or a smartphone, this attachment can help you turn those videos into proper movies. The package consists of a 3m extension cord, a TRS adapter, a mini USB adapter, some clips to hold the microphone together, and an e-book to help you understand filmmaking better. Purple Panda is not a brand that you might hear about every day, but as far as professional microphones are concerned, this is undoubtedly one of the best out there.

The best part is that it’s cost-effective as well. The Purple Panda is currently available on Amazon

Shure MV5

If you’re into professional audio, you have almost certainly come across Shure products. They make the best audio equipment out there, and even have their very own smartphone microphone for the masses and vloggers. The first thing that we notice about the MV5 is that it comes with an old school mic design, reminiscent of the microphones we see in stock footages from the 60s and 70s. It is compatible with Android, and especially with iOS devices, as it is MFi (Made for iPhone) certified by the company. The company offers an adapter to hook it up to an Android smartphone, so you don’t need any additional equipment to use the Shure MV5.

The equipment also works with the company’s ShurePlus MOTIV app available from the Play Store for extensive controls of the microphone. Additionally, the MV5 comes with three preset DSP modes for vocals, instruments, and flat audio, respectively. You get the option of a silver microphone with red foam or grey foam, and we frankly prefer the latter. This one’s slightly on the expensive side and is available to purchase on Amazon. But when you’re getting a quality product, the price hardly matters.

Saramonic SmartMixer

This is perhaps the most versatile offering of the lot, thanks to the number of attachments that it supports by default. It’s not the best looking microphone, which makes it more suitable at a stationary position. If you’re doing home audio like podcasts or recording songs, this microphone is going to be the perfect companion. It connects to your devices using the headphone jack and comes with additional provisions to attach lights and other equipment to your audio/video experience. As your audio is being recorded, the onboard display offers information on level monitoring, which can be handy in a professional setup.

To make it even handier, the manufacturer has also added a cute little smartphone holder on top to keep your phone in place during recordings. Where it does lack, however, is with regards to compatibility with newer devices that lack a 3.5mm headphone jack. But knowing how smartphone OEMs offer an adapter for free, this is pretty much a non-issue. This offering by Saramonic is available on Amazon in a Red/Black color variant.

Rode VideoMic Me

Rode is yet another high-end audio equipment manufacturer explicitly known for making audio recording equipment. Most professionals and several YouTube personalities use it, so you know you’re in good hands with this offering. The VideoMic Me sticks into your Android smartphone snugly using the 3.5mm headphone jack. This is by far the most extensive microphone that you can find and is pretty much designed for smartphone use. It also requires a standard 9V battery to operate. While many might feel the addition of a battery is inconvenient, the Rode VideoMic Me offers a better range thanks to this feature. It is a trade-off for portability, but because you’re going to get the best audio experience out there, this won’t be a problem for many.

The Rode VideoMic Me is a popular product and is available on Amazon. We think the price tag makes the offering even more attractive. The VideoMic Me is only available in Black at the moment.

Comica CVM-VS08

This particular offering looks pretty much like the Rode mic that we spoke of above. It utilizes a cardioid polar pattern, which means that the audio is concentrated along the mic’s axis. This is slightly different from the 360-degree microphones that we see in the market, but then, you’re not shelling out hundreds of dollars for this product.  It also comes with a windscreen and muff by default, making sure only the essential sounds are heard, blocking out air/wind in the process. The Comica CVM-VS08 is currently available on Amazon. Be sure to check it out.