The Best MagSafe Cases for 2023

MagSafe, a wireless charging feature introduced by Apple in the iPhone 12, is one of the most exciting innovations the company has had in years. MagSafe chargers can top up an iPhone’s battery at double the speed of a standard Qi charger and automatically align with the back of your iPhone to create and maintain a tight connection. The only problem with MagSafe is that it can be thwarted by a standard iPhone case. The magnets in your iPhone aren’t powerful enough to connect to your MagSafe charger through a physical barrier. Don’t worry, case makers have responded to this issue by releasing iPhone cases that are specifically designed to work with MagSafe charging accessories. In many instances, these case makers also offer MagSafe accessories. The best part about using a MagSafe-compatible iPhone case is that you don’t give anything up by choosing them. MagSafe iPhone cases provide the same level of protection as those without this feature. If you’ve just upgraded to an iPhone that supports MagSafe, or you’re beginning to replace some of your charging cables for this wireless solution, these are the best MagSafe cases we recommend you get.

— Best Overall: Nomad Modern Leather Case
— Best Clear: Case-Mate Blox
— Best Rugged: Pelican Shield
— Best Drop Protection: UAG Monarch Pro
— Best Minimalist: Moft Snap Case

How We Picked The Best MagSafe Cases

Our MagSafe case recommendations are based on a mix of hands-on testing and research. Below are the factors we considered most highly when deciding which MagSafe cases to include in this buyer's guide.

Drop Protection: The primary reason to put your iPhone in a MagSafe case is to prevent it from getting damaged by an accidental fall. Many MagSafe cases list the distance from which your iPhone can fall without serious incident. It’s important to remember that many factors besides height can contribute to how much damage your iPhone will sustain when it falls. This includes the angle at which it hits the ground, the surface it hits, and whether it falls screen-side down.

Weight: Apple continually makes the iPhone smaller, but sticking it in a case will add some bulk. The most rugged MagSafe cases are often the biggest and heaviest, so you’ll have to figure out your personal perfect balance between size and protection. We personally weighed the iPhone 14 Pro Max version of every case in this guide. If you have a smaller iPhone, the weight will be lower.

Materials: A lot of MagSafe cases are made from plastic, but we’ve made sure to include some alternatives as well. You’ll be looking at and touching your iPhone case for years, so it’s important to choose one that matches your aesthetic.

The Best MagSafe Cases: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Nomad Modern Leather Case

Why It Made The Cut: Nomad’s Modern Leather Case is pleasing to the eye while offering ample protection for your iPhone.

Specs:
— Drop Protection: 10 feet
— Weight: 40 grams (1.41 ounces)
— Material: Leather

Pros:
— Comes in multiple colors
— Lightweight
— Classic look

Cons:
— Will show signs of wear

Nomad’s Modern Leather Case may not be the most protective iPhone case on paper, but the previous generation kept our iPhone from getting damaged during a year’s worth of falls of various heights on grass, carpet, and stone. Officially, the case has a drop-protection rating of 10 feet, and we can stand by that assessment. The weight differences between the MagSafe cases we’ve gotten our hands on haven’t been that large, but this was tied for the lightest.

Our confidence in the Modern Leather Case’s ability to withstand the impact of many drops is the primary reason we’re recommending it above the other ones we’ve tested, but we also appreciate its aesthetic appeal. The leather Nomad uses feels supple and is immediately eye-catching. If you want an iPhone case that’ll look nice at formal events, this is the one to get. Nomad offers it in four colors, so you can find the one that suits you best.

It sounds silly, but the leather Nomad used for this case actually made our iPhone 14 Pro Max more pleasurable to hold, it’s that soft. The textured sides and raised buttons made this case easier to grip, and we never had an issue pushing the power and volume buttons. The speaker cutouts at the bottom of the phone were large enough for the sound to come through without getting muffled. We also found there was ample space for us to get a cable through the Lightning Port cutout for times when MagSafe charging wasn’t an option.

The one thing you should know about any leather MagSafe case is that it’ll start showing dings and scratches very quickly. That’s the reality of any leather item. This case will look worn over time but in an aesthetically pleasing way. If you’re the type of person who wants to keep their MagSafe case looking pristine after years of daily use, you should likely look elsewhere. Previous generations of Nomad’s Modern Leather Case have kept our iPhone in tip-top shape and showed battle scars that saved us from innumerable trips to the Apple store. If you’re fashion-forward but want a MagSafe case that provides ample protection, this is the one to get.

Best Clear: Case-Mate Blox

Why It Made The Cut: Case-Mate’s Blox MagSafe case turns the iPhone into a rectangular slab with reinforced corners to greatly reduce the chances of a cracked screen.

Specs:
— Drop Protection: 10 feet
— Weight: 42 grams (1.48 ounces)
— Material: Plastic

Pros:
— Clean aesthetic
— Unique design
— Reinforced corners

Cons:
— Case shape may not be for everyone

If you’re one of the people who buy an iPhone in an interesting color, covering it up with a case is no fun. Case-Mate’s Blox is a clear MagSafe case that’ll allow you to admire the look of your device while offering both protection and access to magnetic charging. Its most polarizing feature is its squared-off edges, which made the iPhone feel like a rectangular slab in our hand. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—Case-Mate designed the Blox to be thin and lightweight, which made a bigger difference in how it felt in our hand and pocket—but you’ll either love it or hate it.

Functionally, the squared-off sides on this case actually create a thicker buffer between the corners of your phone and the floor, which is great. The corners are the most vulnerable part of an iPhone because the brunt of the impact from a fall is focused on a single point rather than distributed along the top, bottom, or sides.

Case-Mate says the Blox is made out of plant-based materials, which is a big plus for anyone who appreciates sustainability, but the company doesn’t go into details about this. Likewise, it says the MagSafe case features anti-microbial technology but doesn’t explain why. All we can say is that using this clear iPhone case helped remind us about which iPhone 14 we ordered (Space Black if you were curious) and made us wish we’d picked a cooler one.

Best Rugged: Pelican Shield

Why It Made The Cut: The Pelican Shield Kevlar Series iPhone case can protect both sides of your device and functions as a kickstand.

Specs:
— Drop Protection: 21 feet
— Weight: 72 grams (2.53 ounces)
— Material: Kevlar

Pros:
— Can protect both sides of your phone
— Comes with a kickstand
— Military Grade drop protection

Cons:
— Heavy

If you keep your iPhone on you while engaging in extreme sports, or jobs where you’re perched in precarious places, the Pelican Shield is the optimal MagSafe case for you.

The case has a three-piece design, which needs to be disassembled before you put your phone in. It only took us a few seconds to undo the three latches holding the bottom and middle parts of the case together, but it required a surprising amount of force. The instructions for this MagSafe case actually recommend using a coin for this job, but we got away with using fingernails instead.

Our iPhone did feel ultra secure when it was inside of Pelican’s case, although it made the phone appreciably larger. If you wear pants with smaller pockets, this may be an issue. The third part of this MagSafe case is a piece that snaps onto the back or front of your iPhone. We had no issues attaching and detaching this part onto both sides of our iPhone, though it stayed on securely unless we pulled on it at the edges.

The optional plastic piece of this case has a clip, which allows us to attach our iPhone to a pair of jeans for easy access. We felt the iPhone bumping against our body as we walked, but it never started to get loose. The clip also functioned as a kickstand, which angled our iPhone at a comfortable angle in landscape orientation. This made it easier for us to watch videos on our iPhone.

Unfortunately, attaching the Pelican Shield’s optional piece added an extra 51 grams (1.79 ounces) to the case’s already heavyweight. There was no way we could get this case into a pants pocket when it was completely assembled. If you’re willing to prioritize complete protection over how big and heavy your phone can feel with a MagSafe case on, pick this one up.

Best Drop Protection: UAG Monarch Pro

Why It Made The Cut: UAG’s Monarch Pro weighs about 10 percent more than the average MagSafe case, but offers double the drop protection.

Specs:
— Drop Protection: 25 feet
— Weight: 55 grams (1.94 ounces)
— Material: Kevlar

Pros:
— Extreme drop protection
— Reinforced corners
— Single-piece design

Cons:
— Price

UAG’s Monarch Pro has a better drop protection rating than any MagSafe case we’ve seen, and while it doesn’t offer quite as much protection as the Pelican Shield, its single-piece design makes it easier to use. We could slip our iPhone 14 into this MagSafe case without much effort, and we immediately felt better about what would happen if the smartphone accidentally fell to the floor. The Monarch Pro feels substantial without being overwhelming.

Like the Case-Mate Blox, the Monarch Pro has reinforced corners to keep the most vulnerable part of your phone extra safe. The case had no give when we tried to bend it, and the textured sides and back made it easier to hold. The raised edges for the volume and power buttons have a different texture than the sides of the phone, which made them easy to identify and press. If you want an ultra-protective MagSafe that isn’t too much heavier than the average one, the Monarch Pro makes a lot of sense.

It may seem redundant to recommend both the Pelican Shield and Monarch Pro, but there are some key differences between the two that make each standout. We’ve already mentioned that one MagSafe case has three pieces while the other has one, but they also differ greatly in price. The Monarch Pro is over twice as expensive as the Pelican Shield, so we felt it was fair to offer both options.

The Monarch Pro costs less than Apple charges to replace a broken iPhone, and it’ll get your iPhone out of more scrapes than a typical MagSafe case. If you want a pocket-friendly ultra-protective MagSafe case, you’ve found it.

Best Minimalist: Moft Snap Case

Why It Made The Cut: Moft’s Snap Case is the sveltest MagSafe case we’ve found, which made the iPhone more comfortable to carry in our pocket.

Specs:
— Drop Protection: N/A
— Weight: 40 grams (1.41 ounces)
— Material: Plastic

Pros:
— Thin and light
— Transparent edges
— Multiple colorways

Cons:
— Less protective

A simple-looking MagSafe case like Moft’s Snap Case is the ideal choice if you have an understated style but still want to keep your iPhone protected. As its name suggested, the case snapped onto our phone as we put it on, and we instantly appreciated its thinness and lightness. The case was barely noticeable when we put our iPhone into a pocket. This is a significant feature if you’re on the go most of the time, and especially helpful if you carry around a big screen iPhone.

The Snap Case comes in three colors: Cool White, Smoky Black, and Clear. Each colorway has a clear strip next to the iPhone’s camera module and on its sides, so you can see some of your device’s natural color. The Cool White case we were sent to test looked nice, and created a pleasing contrast against any surface we put it on, whether that was a paisley-patterned tablecloth or the wooden table at a restaurant.

While thinness and lightness are this MagSafe case’s biggest strengths, they’re also its weakness. Moft doesn’t list the Snap Case’s drop protection on its website or the case’s packaging, but thin and light cases typically provide less protection than bulky ones. What’s more, this case has smooth sides, which made it slipperier than the other MagSafe cases we tried. We never dropped our iPhone while it was in the Snap Case, but you should take an extra beat when pulling it from your pocket.

If you’re careful, and want a MagSafe case that’ll keep your device protected without weighing you down, Moft’s Snap Case should be your new go-to.

Things to Consider Before Buying the Best MagSafe Cases

Your iPhone Size: All of the MagSafe cases we’re recommending are available for the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max (the iPhone Plus hasn’t been released at the time of publication). Make sure that the case you’re getting is compatible with the device you’ve purchased

Your iPhone Generation: In past years, it was possible to save money by getting an older iPhone case that would still fit the newest phones. That’s not true anymore. If you have an iPhone 14, you’ll need to get a case that’s specifically designed for that phone.

FAQs

Q: What is a MagSafe case?

A MagSafe case is an iPhone case that has magnets built inside of it. These magnets allow you to connect your phone to a series of accessories that were designed to snap directly onto the back of your iPhone. These accessories range from chargers to kickstands to wallets.

Q: How much does a MagSafe case cost?

The prices of our MagSafe case recommendations range from $34.99 to $79.99 at the time of publication. You can find options that cost a little more or a little less if you shop around, or need a MagSafe case with a specific feature.

Q: What is the point of the MagSafe case?

The point of using a MagSafe case is to keep your phone protected without interrupting the performance of its fastest means of wireless charging. Using this style of case will also allow you to use other MagSafe accessories with your smartphone.

Final Thoughts on the Best MagSafe Cases

MagSafe is such a unique and cool feature that we highly encourage you to get a case that doesn’t inhibit it. Accessory makers are beginning to develop and release really cool iPhone accessories that work with MagSafe, and you don’t want to have to choose between keeping your phone in a case and using a brand-new tool. Plus, MagSafe charging is fast enough that you may be able to switch from wired to wireless charging in some instances. You won’t lose anything by choosing a MagSafe case for your iPhone, and the number of upsides continues to grow.

Why Trust Us

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Online shopping is hard. Search for any product and you’ll be confronted with dozens (if not hundreds or thousands) of choices. Our mission at Futurism, where we cover the latest technology, is to simplify this experience by researching, testing, and continuing to evaluate products so we only recommend choices that are actually worth your time.

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