# Volla Phone Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/volla-phone/ 5 people recommended Volla Phone in Hacker News comments and 4 criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 4 of 12 months, in 5 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule. **Verdict:** Recommended for running Linux or Ubuntu Touch alongside Android, and for decent specs at the price. Critics say updates lag and some models are rebadged phones at a markup. Summary written by Claude from 16 comments. ## Why people recommend it - Officially supports running Linux (3 comments in the sample): "it's worth pointing out to potential buyers as a bonus on top of running Android only" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48578660)) "Volla phones are cool in that they officially support running proper Linux" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48566100)) "You can also buy a used Volla phone on ebay and install Ubuntu Touch." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50067211)) - Decent specs for the price (2 comments in the sample): "they all have decent specs for the price" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49344548)) "pretty good daily drivers" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49340958)) - Quality from a German company (2 comments in the sample): "Germans wants quality, so they cannot afford to sell crap" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49049275)) "Volla have achieved that with their phones" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48567039)) - Handles everyday daily use (1 comment in the sample): "Everything I need for my daily life." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49339093)) ## What people warn about - Outdated kernel and firmware updates (3 comments in the sample): "cheap phones that the ODM does not really care about with Linux kernel and firmware trees that haven't seen any (security) updates in years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49496359)) "Volla's devices don't come anywhere close to meeting the update and security requirements for GrapheneOS." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48567473)) "Ancient kernel trees, ancient firmware bundles, etc." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48566535)) - Rebadged phones at a huge markup (1 comment in the sample): "Volla just Eurowashes/rebadges other low to midrange phones at a huge markup" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48566593)) ## Other smartphones people recommend - [Apple iPhone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone/): 438 recommend, 190 mixed, 789 criticize - [Fairphone](https://hackerapproved.com/p/fairphone/): 110 recommend, 42 mixed, 94 criticize - [iPhone 13 mini](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-13-mini/): 105 recommend, 32 mixed, 44 criticize - [Apple iPhone Pro](https://hackerapproved.com/p/iphone-17-pro/): 90 recommend, 45 mixed, 138 criticize ## Where to get it - [Visit the official site](https://volla.online/) ## The badge A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged. ## Cite as Hacker Approved, "Volla Phone", https://hackerapproved.com/p/volla-phone/ (5 recommend, 0 mixed, 4 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026). Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.