When you carry a wallet with an ID window on the outside, your driver’s license or employee ID is always front and center. This makes it super fast and easy to display or scan your ID through the transparent window. If you want to remove the ID, some have a thumb slot that lets you smoothly slide it out.
An outside ID window is so practical you would think it’s a very common wallet feature. But I found it surprisingly elusive. Lucky for you, I dug in my heels and did some serious research. The wallets on this list range from minimalist one-piece wallets, to bifolds, to a trifold that carries everything but the kitchen sink.
Just can’t wait to see a photo ID of yourself on the outside of your wallet? Any of the 7 wallets on this list will give you the face time you’ve been looking for.
Fossil Quinn RFID Money Clip Bifold
I have owned a Fossil messenger bag for five years now and that same leather craftsmanship has been extended to the Fossil Quinn Money Clip bifold. The big selling point, though, is the ID window on the outside of the wallet.
Surprisingly, it’s really hard to find this feature in a high-quality wallet, especially when it is so darn practical. An outside ID window is ready-made for displaying your driver’s license, a photo of your sweetheart, or a favorite motivational quote.
A little larger than some bifolds, it’s still slim at only half an inch thick. Inside, there is a magnetic money clip, 3 credit card slots, and 2 slip pockets. And like my messenger bag, the leather in this wallet gets softer and more supple over time. RFID-blocking material is sewn into the lining, so it protects your credit cards from unauthorized scans.
Serman Brands 1.S RFID blocking wallet
In many ways, the Serman Brands 1.S RFID Blocking wallet is similar to the Fossil Tate. They are both bifolds made with high quality leather. They each have an ID window on the outside and an interior money clip. However, the Serman Brans 1.S breaks away with a more minimalist footprint (or should I say “pocket print”) at just 4” x 2.75”. It also includes a nifty pull strap that ejects your most commonly used credit cards for quick access.
The Serman Brands 1.S has more capacity than the Fossil Tate, too, with room for 8 credit cards. Many owners say that theyt really like the versatility of this wallet. They are also impressed at how well it fits inside a front pocket.
It has RFID scanning protection for your credit cards but will still allow transit passes, hotel cards, and ID badges to function properly. With the small size and slim profile, several owners mention that they forget they are even carrying it. That’s a good problem to have.
Zitahli Minimalist Front Pocket wallet
The name Zitahli doesn’t exactly roll off our tongue, but this inexpensive ID window wallet is worth a closer look. In size, it’s closer to the larger Fossil Tate than the Serman Brands 1.S. It holds 6 to 8 cards and like the Serman, it has a handy strap that helps you pul out the cards you use most often. There is an oval opening on the ID window that’s just the right size for your thumb to slide out your employee ID or driver’s license.
The Zitahli Minimalist Front Pocket wallet uses an RFID blocking material comprised of 3 different metal composites. It blocks illicit RFID scans that target your credit and debit cards but will still allow hotel cards and ID badges to work properly.
To help keep this bifold wallet thin, there is a space-saving money clip rather than a cash slot. It’s handmade, sturdy, and one of the least expensive wallets on the list.
Urban Tribe Compact RFID wallet
The Urban Tribe Compact RFID wallet has a go-to pocket on one side with an oval thumb slot for sliding out your most often used card. The opposite side has an ID window that also has a similar thumb slider for doing the same thing. It has two slots for cash folded in half and up to 10 cards. The slots stay tight with an elastic band that expands as the cards stack up.
This isn’t a bifold, so there is no extra flap of leather to add unnecessary thickness. Like any wallet, you can mismanage it by bulking it up with too many cards and cash that will quickly eat up the saved space.
The leather comes in 7 different colors, including an inspiring “plain old brown.” Owners like the careful stitching of this leather wallet and the fact that it still looks good after carrying it for half a year or more. The design is simple with no frills, and is an easy carry in your front—or even your shirt—pocket.
Kinzd Front Pocket RFID Wallet
The Kinzd Front Pocket RFID wallet uses a magnet to provide the gripping power for the external money clip. The magnet beats out a spring tension money clip because the magnet won’t weaken over time.
On the same side as the clip are slots for 3 commonly used credit cards. On the opposite side is the transparent ID window for your driver’s license or photo of your cat. Inside is a soft pocket for more credit cards, business cards, or receipts. This area protects cards from RFID skimming.
It only measures 4.3” x 2.8” with a chart-topping thinness of just .1” (unloaded, of course). The Kinzd wallet is available with full grain leather, Crazy Horse leather, and even cork! And there are more colors available than your average kaleidoscope (40 different colors in all).
The big question is: Will the magnet demagnetize gift cards and the stripe on credit cards? Some owners say yes, others no. But the manufacturer recommends that you don’t put the stripe too close to the magnet. Check out this video from GmaGpaAdventures for an excellent overview.
Bryker Hyde minimalist 1.0 – ID outside
The Bryker Hyde Minimalist 1.0 is designed in Dallas, Texas and made from full-grain leather, the most durable leather you can buy. It’s a bifold, and opens to reveal a money clip on the inside hinge for your cash.
The exterior of the wallet has a transparent ID window on one side and two credit card slots on the other. There is room for more credit cards inside. It’s only .25” thick when closed, making it one of the thinnest wallets on the list.
Full grain leather will last longer than any other type of leather and will develop a unique, natural patina as it ages. Bryker Hyde is pretty confident of their quality because they offer a lifetime warranty. Several other wallet manufacturers warranty their wallets for life, but it’s a relatively short list.
To round out the features of this beautiful, well-made and functional wallet is RFID scanning protection. For leather-loving minimalists , this wallet can’t be beat.
Qubel Trifold Wallet with ID window
The Qubel Trifold wallet has no aspirations for minimalism. In fact, it flaunts it copious amount of roominess with 17 different card pockets. It’s a warehouse of capacity for someone who needs to keep every possible card close to their hip (so of speak).
A driver’s license or other ID slides into a pocket on the front of the wallet so that the owner’s smiling face is always prominently displayed on the outside. Paper currency fits in a conventional slot inside.
This is an RFID blocking wallet, which is a must-have feature when your are carrying this many cards. The Qubel Trifold is only available in black leather, so it has a timeless, classic look. Owners say they like the durability and capacity of this wallet. They also like the ease at placing and removing cards.
Is it a front pocket carry? Probably not. But for someone who can’t bear to venture out of their home without having a card to cover every possible eventuality, the Qubel Trifold is a sure-footed choice.
You don’t need an outside ID window to readily access your driver’s license or other picture ID. Try one of these minimalist wallets that fan out your cards and give you super fast access to everything.