Top Picks From Our Extensive Testing

The best iPhone cases serve several purposes. Worthwhile cases primarily protect your iPhone from scratches, scuffing, and dirt without sacrificing aesthetics or interfering with the phone’s functionality. Cases can also add helpful features.

We’ve tested dozens of cases from various brands to select the top picks for this guide, which focuses on the iPhone 16 series. Whether you’re looking for high-end protection, an attractive wallet case, or a clear case that won’t yellow rapidly, these are the top options we’ve found for varying use cases and budgets.

Among the best iPhone cases we’ve tested, our top pick for protection is the Otterbox Commuter Series for MagSafe case. It features the brand’s comprehensive coverage and exceptional durability in a relatively slim and affordable form. Our first budget recommendation is the Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe case, which offers stellar grip, protection, and MagSafe compatibility for its low price.

Our top picks for the best iPhone cases

Best for protection: Otterbox Commuter Series for MagSafe case – See at Amazon

Best budget case: Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe case – See at Amazon

Best leather case: Nomad Modern Leather case – See at Nomad

Best wallet case: Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 case – See at Amazon

Best clear case: Apple Clear Case with MagSafe – See at Amazon

Best for protection

Otterbox is rightfully one of the first case makers that comes to mind when protection is paramount for any of the best phones. While Otterbox’s ultra-bulky Defender cases offer unrivaled, all-encompassing defense for the iPhone 16 series, we’ve found the Commuter Series case provides a better balance of value and protection while sporting a slimmer design that more people would be comfortable using daily.

Indeed, we feel very comfortable with the Commuter’s protection from our experiences accidentally dropping previous, effectively identical iterations of the case severely, only to find the case and phone unscathed. The Commuter has a durable two-part design: a soft rubber inner shell for excellent shock absorption and a hard outer shell that covers the back and parts of the frame edges for extra protection.

The Commuter case also features a cover for the iPhone 16’s USB-C port, which is easy to flip open and close for wired charging. It’s designed to prevent dust and dirt from entering the USB-C port. If you’ve ever had to scoop out lint and other debris from an iPhone’s charging port, the Commuter case’s USB-C cover will help prevent that.

The case has a cutout for the new Camera Control button (described in our iPhone 16 review) and soft rubber button covers. The power button feels normal to press, but the volume and Action buttons are a little harder to press than when the iPhone 16 is naked. However, this is a common compromise, not a dealbreaker relative to the case’s protection.

The Otterbox Commuter case is available for the following iPhone 16 series models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e.

Best budget case

The Gripmunk with MagSafe case from Smartish punches above its affordable $25 (often $20) price tag for its design, features, and overall protection. In fact, it’s the first case we’d recommend for most people for its simplicity, performance, and value.

The Gripmunk with MagSafe for iPhone 16 is a hardshell plastic case with a textured bumper frame and slight finger grooves for extra grip. It features “air-pocket corners” that Smartish says help with drop protection. The case is available in various colorways, including a clear option.

It includes magnets for MagSafe support, a cutout for the Camera Control button, and plastic button covers. The power and volume buttons feel normal to press, but the Action button needs a little extra pressure, as is the case with most cases.

The Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe case is available for the following iPhone 16 series models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e.

Best leather case

Nomad’s Modern Leather case is our top pick among the leather cases we’ve tested for its excellent finish and protective qualities.

The case’s leather blends well with its black protective hard plastic bumper frame without creases or fold marks. We prefer the Modern Leather Case’s hard plastic frame bumper over a fully leather case, as it adds more shock absorption. In our experience, full leather will scuff or even tear with impact, leaving an unpleasant aesthetic.

The case’s interior features a soft microfiber material for extra shock absorption and protection against micro scratches from particles that squeeze into the case over time.

The Modern Leather case includes magnets that support the iPhone 16’s MagSafe connectivity. It features a cutout for the Camera Control button that doesn’t hinder its functionality. Its aluminum button covers feel premium, and the covers for the Action and power buttons have textured ridges for a pleasing tactile experience.

The Nomad Modern Leather case is available for the following iPhone 16 series models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Best wallet case

A simple, inexpensive wallet case that’s not excessively bulk and offers solid everyday protection, the Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 by Smartish is an ideal option for most people who want to consolidate their wallet and phone.

The Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 features an open sleeve for up to three cards and cash. It securely holds all contents with a spring-loaded bracket inside, though the plastic back bows slightly outward when the wallet is filled. We actively tried to have cards and cash “accidentally” slip out of the sleeve in a testing environment, and nothing budged. Even when cards were partially sticking out of the sleeve, they wouldn’t slip out.

Because it’s a wallet case, with up to three cards stashed in the back sleeve, the Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 doesn’t support wireless charging or MagSafe, a common compromise for wallet cases.

Like Smartish’s Gripmunk cases, the Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 has a textured frame made of slightly softer plastic that offers an enhanced grip.

The Smartish Wallet Slayer Vol. 1 case is available for the following iPhone 16 series models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max, and iPhone 16e.

Best clear case

There’s no substitute for Apple’s own Clear Case with MagSafe if you’re after a protective clear model with a decently slim profile, seamless MagSafe compatibility, and the least amount of branding that also doesn’t yellow over time.

Indeed, Apple’s clear case has shown the most resistance to yellowing in our long-term testing. We have yet to see any significant yellowing on an Apple clear case we’ve used for two years.

In our experience, Apple’s clear case can become slightly damaged or cracked at the corners after a particularly severe impact. However, it’s likely to survive most drops in the long run, and we’d readily buy another clear case from Apple if it ever breaks.

Apple’s clear case for the iPhone 16 series has a sapphire crystal conductive layer over the new Camera Control button that works seamlessly with it in our testing.

Our only gripe with any clear case, including Apple’s, is that dirt and dust particles visibly build up between the case and the iPhone 16’s metal frame. It hasn’t caused any micro scratches or scuffing, but it’s unsightly. I periodically remove the case, rinse it, and scrub it with a soft microfiber cloth.

If $50 is over your budget for a case, we’d easily recommend the Smartish Gripmunk with MagSafe case in the clear color option for $20. Though we haven’t tested it against yellowing over the long term, its back is made of hard plastic, which is slower to become yellow than softer plastics. The bumper plastic is softer than Apple’s, which could lead to faster yellowing, but its grip texture should hide it to an extent.

The Apple Clear Case with MagSafe is available for the following iPhone 16 series models: iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Other cases and brands we’ve tested

We tested various cases from all the aforementioned companies alongside models from Zagg, Casetify, Moft, UAG, Moment, PopSockets, ESR, Speck, Peak Design, and other brands.

Below are cases we also think are very good, but didn’t feature above.

Also worth a look

Cases to avoid

Each of Apple’s silicone cases we’ve used for six months or more, regardless of the iPhone model, has deteriorated into an ugly, ragged, torn-up mess.

We like the original look and grip of Apple’s silicone case fresh out of the box, but we expect significantly better durability for $50.

Also, avoid clear cases primarily or entirely made of soft plastic, as they quickly become yellow relative to harder plastic cases.

How we test iPhone cases

For this guide, we tested dozens of cases for the iPhone 16 series based on various criteria. We also leaned on our extensive experience with phone cases historically to determine our top picks.

Our primary assessment point is the protective build quality of the case’s materials and whether it affects the iPhone’s functionality. While we won’t explicitly damage or drop-test new phones or cases, we’ve used (and accidentally dropped) previous iterations of most of our selected cases over several iPhone generations. As a result, we can confidently assess which materials tend to offer the best protection.

Likewise, from our long-term use of various clear cases, we’ve found that hard plastic in transparent covers is much more resistant to age- and use-related yellowing than softer, flexible plastic.

For leather cases, we look for stretch marks and folds around the corners and sides, which can give the impression that the case was poorly made and is susceptible to damage. We also assess the rest of the case’s materials, like plastic, to see if they match the leather’s premium nature. We can’t resist performing the sniff test on real leather cases, but it doesn’t bear on our recommendation.

What to look for in iPhone cases

The first thing to consider in a case is whether it’s designed for your iPhone model and generation. Cases from an older generation sometimes fit newer generations, but this is rare, as detailed in our model-specific case collections below for the iPhone 16 series.

The second major thing to consider is how much protection you want, which typically affects a case’s bulk. As expected, thicker cases have higher protection potential. Cases made partly of softer materials, like rubber, can absorb more shock than a fully hard plastic case, without too much bulk.

The third thing to consider is whether the case has MagSafe compatibility, if that’s important to you. Even if it’s not a concern now, you may want to adopt MagSafe wireless charging and accessories down the line, and we’d generally recommend most people get a case that supports MagSafe, which has been a feature of the best iPhones since the iPhone 12 series.

You can also check whether a case covers the iPhone 16’s buttons, including the Camera Control button. We have no issues with button covers, and none of the cases we’ve tested negatively affect the Camera Control button. Yet, if you know you prefer to press and use the iPhone 16’s built-in buttons directly, you should look for a case with cutouts.