MagSafe wallets are minimalist card holders with strong built-in magnets that attach to the back of any iPhone 12 or newer. They hold from 1 to 7 debit cards, credit cards, id cards, transit cards, or any other card that’s the same size.
MagSafe wallets only attach to a bare iPhone or one with a MagSafe compatible iPhone case.
I personally tested the usability of 14 different MagSafe wallets on my iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro with an Apple MagSafe silicone case. I carried carried each of them around in the left front pocket of my pants for a minimum of one week.
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TIP: If you want to protect your iPhone 12 or newer and use Apple’s MagSafe Technology, you want to buy a MagSafe compatible case. You need this case to make the proper magnetic connection for MagSafe wallets, wireless charging, and all other MagSafe accessories. Avoid third-party brands and stick with names like Apple, Moft, MagBak, Peak Design, and Mous.
Moft: Best MagSafe wallet overall
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The best MagSafe wallet overall is the Moft MagSafe Snap-on Stand and Wallet. It holds up to 3 cards and a folded bill of cash with sufficient magnet strength to adhere securely to the back of any iPhone 12 or newer.
The kickstand unfolds smoothly into a stable support that holds your phone hands-free in portrait, landscape, or floating viewing positions.
I love the Moft as a minimalist slim wallet but I love the kickstand feature even more. The wallet is thin and barely increases the thickness of my phone in my pocket.
At just $30, it’s also the most affordable MagSafe wallet in this post.
The cards are hidden when the kickstand is closed, but easily accessed after you open it. It’s made with faux leather with 8 different bright colors that will never get boring. It has a really slim profile with enough space for 3 cards and a bill of cash folded in quarters.
Even though the Moft MagSafe wallet is my top pick overall, there are others that really excel in the other categories.
But first… Why I don’t like Apple’s MagSafe wallet
I love Apple products, but the Apple leather wallet with MagSafe is far from the best option for MagSafe wallets. It’s just a really poor design.
Here’s why.
- You have to take the wallet off you phone to access your cards. This is a pain in the ass and the Apple wallet’s most serious drawback.
- It’s difficult to carry anything but cards in the wallet. If you want to carry a bill of cash, it has a tendency to get stuck. I’ve had to use needle-nose pliers to dig out a $20 bill that got buried inside.
- Carrying a few receipts or business cards is nearly impossible. They get buried, too.
- Because the cards don’t stick out far enough to grab them with your fingers, you have to use the thumb slot in the back to push them out. Smooth plastic cards can be slippery, so my thumb often slides on them and I can’t move them. (Which means I have to get the needle-nose pliers again to extract them.)
Kings Back: Best for Ease of card access
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I gave the Kings Back the award for best ease of access because you can pull out your cards in 3 different ways.
- Pull strap. Just tug on the pull tab and all of your cards pop out, ready to access. The Distil Union Wally Junior and Kings Loot Kings Back both use this feature and both do it well. Pull straps are the most efficient way to access cards in just about any wallet.
- Thumb slot. Most of these MagSafe use some version a thumb slot to push your cards out of the wallet. The most useful location is on the outside of the wallet at the bottom, though the Fantom C has an efficient thumb slot on the side. Some have a thumb slot on the inside, but you have to remove the wallet first to use it. The longer the thumb slot, the further you can push he cards out. And the easier they are to access. The thumb slot on the Magbak really shines here.
- Manually. Remove your cards the old-fashioned way with your finger and thumb. This includes the Mous and Moft MagSafe wallets.
The Wally Junior and Kings Back eject cards in much the same way with pull straps. And their full grain leathers are similar in quality. But the Kings Back is a much better value because it has considerably better magnet strength than the Wally Junior.
PopSocket PopWallet+: Strongest magnet
[wptb id=24711]The PopWallet+ with MagSafe has the strongest magnet of all the wallets I tested. It is noticeably stronger than any other wallet in all three tests. The increased strength is necessary because the wallet has pop-out disk that is designed to allow a user to hold their phone by the PopWallet+ itself.
I assessed the magnet strength with 3 different subjective tests.
- Prying the wallet off the wallet by pulling straight back on each wallet from the top
- Sliding each wallet up and down
- Twisting each wallet back and forth
Since they’re MagSafe wallets, they have to have strong enough magnets to stay attached to your phone. Kind of a no-brainer. Having your wallet fall off your phone unintentionally is not an option.
MagSafe wallets will attach to a “naked” iPhone 112 or newer (no case) or an iPhone 12 or newer with a MagSafe compatible case. I tested all 12 of these wallets on my iPhone 12 Pro with an Apple MagSafe silicone case.
Many MagSafe wallet manufacturers make matching MagSafe compatible cases that are specifically made to maximize the ability of their wallet to adhere to a phone. However, I did not test any of these dedicated MagSafe compatible cases.
The bottom line is that all of the MagSafe wallets in this post have a strong enough magnet to stay attached to my phone in most circumstances.
The wallet with the weakest magnet is the Wally Junior. I talked to support at Distil Union about it and they are working to correct it in the next production run.
The strongest magnet is definitely the PopWallet+ with MagSafe.
Peak Design: Best card capacity
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The Peak Design Mobile wallet has the best card capacity with a total of 7 cards. The magnetic flap that folds over the cards to protect them and doubles as a pull tab for ejecting the cards. The wallet also folds out into a sturdy kickstand.
The capacity of the Peak Design Mobile wallet is 7 cards which is twice as many as the capacity of most MagSafe wallets. The only other MagSafe wallet comes close except is the MagBak MagSafe wallet which holds a total of 6 cards.
The other thing I really like is that you don’t have to remove the wallet from your phone to access your cards like you do with the Apple MagSafe wallet. It also has pull tab that ejects your cards quickly with an easy tug of the flap that covers the cards.
This flap also has a magnet embedded in that automatically folds over your cards when you push them back in.
The Peak Design Mobile wallet is also one of the sturdiest kickstands I have tested. It’s not as versatile as the Moft, but it’s a close second.
A really unusual feature is the 100% recycled canvas fabric that covers the wallet. It gives it some uptown pizzaz and stylish edge on just about every MagSafe wallet out there. And that includes the ones made of leather.
It’s a MagSafe compatible wallet that attaches firmly to your iPhone 12 or newer, even the iPhone Mini.
Best for carrying cash
BEST FOR CARRYING CASH – An 11-way tie. Except for the Apple MagSafe wallet, all of the MagSafe wallets will hold a small amount of cash.
No matter how much we approach a cashless society, I still like to carry at least $20 of cash with me. Most of the MagSafe wallets that I tested will allow this, even if they aren’t specifically designed for that purpose.
I usually fold a $20 bill over twice and slide it in next to my cards. Even a wallet with a 2-card capacity like Andar’s The Mag will manage to hold at least one bill.
Moft: Best Kickstand
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The Moft Snap-on Stand and Wallet has the best viewing kickstand with an innovative design that folds into all three viewing positions, including landscape mode, portrait, and floating. It forms a sturdy support for all iPhone 12 and newer models, including the larger and heavier iPhone Pro Max.
A MagSafe wallet that also functions as a viewing stand is a huge bonus for me. I love the convenience of watching a Youtube video without having to search for something to prop my phone up against.
Ideally, a kickstand can hold your phone in all three viewing positions, including portrait, landscape, and floating. The only wallet that does this flawlessly is the Moft.
The Spigen Smart Fold also has a fold out kickstand but it doesn’t work in landscape position and the iPhone Pro Max is too large and heavy for it in portrait mode.
The Magbak also doubles as a kickstand but it needs the proprietary Magbak MagSafe case to work properly in all positions.
Best of all, at just $30, it has the most affordable price any high-quality MagSafe wallet.
PopWallet: Best for Holding your Phone
[wptb id=24711]- The MagBak has an adjustable leather loop that’s just the right size for a single finger to slip through. For fatter fingers, you can remove a stitch to enlarge the loop.
- The Moft Snap-on Stand and Wallet has a unique kickstand that you can also use to hold your phone with your hand. I can insert 3 fingers into mine and hold my phone securely.
The Moft magnets isn’t the strongest of the bunch (especially if you shake your phone upside down) so I like to place the tips of my fingers on the side of my case just to be sure.