AFARER Mobile Phone Gimbal Review: Not for Serious Creators

Main points

• The AFARER desktop gimbal is compact in size and easy to set up, making it convenient for content creation beginners.
• Poor motion tracking and limited features make it not suitable for serious content creators or professionals.
• While affordable and portable, gimbals have limited functionality and may not be worth the investment for high-quality content creation.

A phone mount, stand, or gimbal is an important part of every content creator’s toolbox. Depending on the type of content you shoot and how serious you are about it, there are a number of features that are critical to success.

I tested AFARER’s desktop gimbal with automatic face tracking, which has been widely circulated on TikTok as a content creator’s best friend, to see if it lived up to the viral hype. I won’t spoil it right now, but I have bad news – it’s not designed for serious content creators or anyone who makes a living from video production. The relatively low cost, compact size, and limited functionality make it more suitable for those looking for convenience and fun. Let me explain.

Specifications, availability and pricing

Is this popular smart gimbal worth buying?

Since it is made by an international seller, you can only find this gimbal on Amazon. Be careful not to confuse it with similar models, as it’s a common design (or maybe after reading this review, you’ll want to choose something else). While I tested the black model, which fits perfectly with my array of black electronics, it’s also available in white and pink.

This model doesn’t come with any accessories, such as a ring light or tripod, but there may be some if you look for it. It retails for $40, which, as we’ll discuss, feels a bit high for what you get. If you find it on sale, there may be some value to it.

Set up a phone holder

Simple instructions and ready to go

The simplicity of design and use is a big selling point, especially for those just starting to experiment with video production and content creation. The phone holder comes fully charged out of the box so I don’t need to plug it in. It comes with a very short USB-C cable, and I’ll probably never use it instead of something a little longer in length and practicality.

The base has a small platform that screws to the base for support; it can be removed if you want to attach it to a compatible tripod (not included). The small Bluetooth remote is located inside the base and snaps in and out easily. I hit the little switch on the remote and it quickly paired with my phone, and once I had the phone on the stand I could easily take photos and start and stop videos.

With a little force, the phone locks into the holder; there’s some concern that the grip sides might break because they’re spring-loaded, so you’ll need to pull them apart to put the phone in. Once inside, you can rotate the stand 45 degrees at a time, although you’ll most likely be using it for landscape portraits.

Pros and Cons of Activity Trackers

room for improvement

Things got a little tense when I started playing around with gestures and movements. I’ve heard there are two settings for motion tracking: on and off. There’s a camera built into the bottom of the stand that monitors whether you show it your open palm to indicate that motion tracking should be turned off, or make an “ok” gesture with your thumb and index finger touching and the other three fingers lifted. Start tracking. Buttons on the top of the base are also used to toggle these settings.

As far as movement goes, the camera does move with you, it’s just not consistent or smooth, or when you want it to.

I’m not sure if this is true. It took a lot of trial and error, and there were only so many times I could gesture toward a technology that was ignoring me before I needed to give up and retain some pride. By using the camera for motion tracking, you don’t have to be forced to use a third-party app to record video – you can use any app you want, which is a plus.

As far as movement goes, the camera does move with you, it’s just not consistent or smooth, or when you want it to. There’s a slight delay when it detects movement, and then the stand moves quickly, just like making up for lost time. It’s jerky and abrupt, and not conducive to any live video creation that aims to look good or professional. It loses me easily when I move to the side, and if I have something in my hand it will usually follow the item rather than my face.

Motion tracking is still a difficult technology to master, but there are plenty of mounts that do it better. For motion tracking, it does specify that it only works from a distance of about five feet.

Its 360-degree rotation feature does work well, though. You press a button on the base, and the holder rotates your phone in a clockwise direction at a slow, natural pace. I have a hard time imagining many situations where this feature would be necessary; it’s definitely fun, but I can’t believe that’s the reason to buy it.

Please press and hold – hands-free stabilization works great

The little conveniences really add up

The most appealing thing to me is the simplest feature it offers: actually holding my phone. I guess that’s not a ringing endorsement, but I do find some value in it on my desk. I find the stand very useful as an extension to my home office setup when I’m multitasking at work (i.e. doing too many things at once and spreading myself too thin).

I’m not sure if this is something I’ll always have set up, but if I have a monitor attached to the wall at eye level, why not mount another screen next to it? However, if all you need is a phone holder for easy access and selfies, there are cheaper and better options.

Size and portability

blessings and curses

Perhaps the best part of this stand is its compact size and ease of portability. The entire gadget is no more than six inches tall when the arms are not extended, making it easy to pack up and throw in a bag to take with you. But there are still limitations.

Any modern phone would probably be too heavy to even attempt to shoot from overhead.

You won’t be able to shoot from above for a number of reasons. The first is that the arm is too short: it doesn’t extend high enough or wide enough to allow you to see enough space underneath. To do this, you have to set up your own tripod. But even then, you have to be careful.

My iPhone 13 Pro Max is too heavy to keep the base upright when my arm is bent past 90 degrees. Any modern phone would probably be too heavy to even attempt to shoot from overhead. I couldn’t get it farther than 45 degrees before the whole thing started shaking; you need to put something on or against it to keep it upright.

Conclusion: Should creators stay away?

TikTok’s woes and misses

If you’ve read this far, you already know this: the AFARER smartphone gimbal is a hard sell unless you find it at a low price. This entry-level, affordable design is widely available on Amazon from a variety of sellers. If you’re even remotely serious about creating quality content, it’s worth investing in something more reputable and feature-rich.

I highly recommend something from DJI; I have an Osmo gimbal. If you’re just messing around with pictures and videos around the house, or really need something to hold your phone at your desk, you might find some value here, but even though it’s well done, it looks either hit or miss. is very common.