Best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Cases to Buy in 2023 – CNET

OtterBox made a name for itself with its super-protective Defender series case, but most people want something less bulky these days. I like the Symmetry Series Plus cases, which come in various shades (including the new Euphoria color shown here) and have MagSafe compatibility. The Symmetry Plus Pop case integrates a PopSockets PopGrip and is compatible with wireless charging, which is important. OtterBox offers a discount for first-time buyers on its site.

Speck has brought many of its iPhone 13 case designs to the iPhone 14, including such popular transparent models as the Presidio Perfect-Clear and Perfect-Clear Grips, and the Presidio2 Pro. Speck’s cases with built-in MagSafe cost around $50, while its Candyshell Pro case remains the least expensive at around $25 but does not have MagSafe. 

All the new models have good drop protection (13 to 16 feet, depending on the model) as well as Speck’s Microban antimicrobial protection. No matter which model you choose, Speck often gives a discount for first-time buyers.

MagSafe cases can get pretty pricey, but if you’re looking for an inexpensive clear MagSafe case for your new iPhone 14 series phone, Spigen’s Ultra Hybrid MagFit is a good value at around $25. Spigen also sells a non-Mag version of this case for about $8 less, and also has several other iPhone 14 case options. 

Caseology has made some decent budget cases in the past, including the NanoPop, Parallax, Skyfall and Vault. Its new Capella Mag Clear is one of the cheaper transparent MagSafe cases we’ve seen.

Peak Design’s Everyday cases are MagSafe-compatible in that you can connect a MagSafe wireless charging puck and other magnetic MagSafe-compatible accessories to the case, including wireless charging batteries, wallets and more. But they have Peak Design’s own built-in magnetic locking system — the company calls it SlimLink — that connects to a wide assortment of Peak Design’s mobile mounts and accessories. That includes bike mounts, charging stands, tripods, car mounts and more. The only accessory I don’t recommend is the wallet, which doesn’t lock onto the case and doesn’t stick to it that securely.

When you combine Peak Design’s accessories with all the MagSafe accessories out there, you certainly get a lot of accessory options to choose from. The cases start at $40 and come in three versions, one with a loop built into it that you can slip your finger into for added security (to keep you from dropping your phone).

Lupa Legacy makes a couple of different wallet cases for the iPhone 14 models. I like the folio version that has a magnetic clasp and is made of faux leather in a variety of color options. It has three slots on the inside of the cover to store credit cards or cash, and it offers decent corner protection from drops. The faux leather looks decent (the case looks a little more expensive than it is, which is a good thing).

The only drawbacks are that there’s no MagSafe built into the case and the case doesn’t convert into a kickstand. But you can charge your phone on a wireless charging pad just fine. 

One of my favorite iPhone cases right now is the Otterbox Lumen, a two-tone case that’s partially clear at the top (it’s sort of an ombre case) and has grippy silicone rubber on the sides. It comes in a few color options, including the metallic beige shown here (the blue and silver seem cool).

The Figura is a bit slimmer but is also eye-catching and available in a few interesting color combos. Both cases are MagSafe-enabled and sold exclusively at Apple and Otterbox.com. 

Element Case makes its high-end $250 Back Ops X5 case for the iPhone 14, but its more affordable Special Ops X5 MagSafe case is a very likable case with beefed up corner protection and raised edges on the back and front to help prevent your screen and cameras from getting cracked. It also has good side grips. I kind of wish it came in some other color options, but that’s my only gripe. It’s a very good case.

Cyrill is a sister brand to Spigen, and its cases are arguably slightly more stylish, although they cost a few bucks more. I like the UltraColor Mag ($25), and the Kajuk Mag ($27) is also pretty nice, owing to its faux “vegan” leather back. The transparent Shine Mag ($30) cases are attractively designed with “a touch of sparkle” for those who like a bit of flash in their iPhone case.

British case-maker Gear4, now owned by Zagg, makes cases that are right up there with OtterBox and Speck, all of them lined with the company’s D3O shock-absorbing material and featuring beveled edges to protect your phone. I like the new Milan Snap (pictured) and Santa Cruz Snap, both of which are MagSafe-equipped and rated for 13-foot drop protection. However, several other case styles are available, most of them with eye-catching designs. They start at $30 for non-MagSafe cases, but most MagSafe models list for $50 to $60.

Like Lifeproof, Catalyst made a name for itself with waterproof cases, but it now focuses on standard protective case options and has two new models for the iPhone 14: the $40 Influence (pictured) is my favorite, but the new $50 Crux case is also good (both are MagSafe-enabled). They have perforations on the corners that allow you to attach various accessories (a lanyard is included, but Catalyst also sells other accessories). Both have 10-foot drop protection.

Nomad’s line of leather cases comes to the iPhone 14. However, now Nomad is offering two grades of leather — the standard variety and a higher-end Horween that costs $20 more ($70 or $80 rather than $50). At least the Horween version is designed to develop a “rugged” patina as the oils from your skin interact with the leather over time. The new Modern Leather Case is available in black, brown, English tan and a lighter natural color that I like. They’re rated for 10-foot (3-meter) drop protection and equipped with MagSafe. (Personally, I like the English tan color pictured on the left). Meanwhile, the Modern Leather Folio (pictured, middle) goes for $80 in black or brown.

There’s also a more affordable Sport version for $40 that’s equipped with MagSafe as well. It’s not a leather case, however, but does look pretty slick — it’s pictured on the right. Additionally, Nomad has a new Rugged Case with “fortified” bumpers and 15-foot drop protection that costs $50 with MagSafe.

Casetify has three base models that you can customize with any of Casetify’s eye-catching stock designs or something more personal (like your name). New to the line is the Bounce case, which offers even more corner protection than the Ultra Impact case (both of which are MagSafe-enabled). Some of the designs are hit-or-miss, and many are geared toward teenagers.

I should note that prices appear to have gone up again. Casetify cases now start at $48 (yes, that’s high), though we should see some discounts.

Available in multiple color options, what makes Otterbox’s OtterGrip case interesting is that when it’s not in use, the grip retracts back into the case (it sits flush with the back of the case). It is designed for “strong alignment and attachment with MagSafe technology and accessories without removing or repositioning the case or grip,” OtterBox says. That means you could attach the case to a MagSafe car mount, for example, or a MagSafe battery or charging stand.

We only wish the grip converted into a kickstand (it can’t really do that), but Otterbox does sell the Post Up MagSafe kickstand if you’re willing to shell out $25 for it.

This is a pretty cool option for those looking for a MagSafe case, plus a MagSafe wallet that converts into a stand. You can enjoy a relatively sleek and protective MagSafe case and really good MagSafe wallet/stand accessory that stores up to three credit cards. The wallet, also available separately, sticks well to the back of the case with a strong magnet. 

The case is available in cool white (pictured), clear and smoky black, while the wallet/stand is available in multiple color options. 

Rokform’s been making tough iPhone cases for years, and aside from their durability, their key feature is the ability to use them with various mounts — including bike and motorcycle mounts — that are sold separately. I personally prefer the Crystal series, but the Rugged case is slightly more, well, rugged. The new iPhone 14 cases are also MagSafe compatible.

Rokform’s iPhone 14 cases have removable magnets, and they’re compatible with wireless charging if you remove the included center magnet. “With the lower magnet still intact, you can still wireless-charge while utilizing magnetic mounting and all of our mounts,” Rokform says.

Incipio has lots of new cases for the iPhone 14, including old favorites like the Grip with MagSafe, sturdy Duo with MagSafe (12-foot drop protection) and the Organicore, an eco case that’s 100% compostable and is now available with a translucent back. It also has licensing deals with Kate Spade and Coach, and some of those cases offer eye-catching designs.

I like the new Forme with MagSafe (pictured left), AeroGrip with MagSafe and 16-foot drop protection (pictured middle) and Idol cases. You have to dig around Incipio’s site to find those cases, but they’re worth checking out. The Forme comes in some cool designs — even better than the sample shown here. 

Incipio cases start at $35 for a non-MagSafe case and $45, $50 or more for cases with MagSafe. 

Rokform makes some mountable rugged cases for iPhones (see above), but its Eagle 3 case has a unique feature that I appreciated: A powerful MagSafe-compatible magnet built into the case.

Rokform bills the Eagle 3 as an iPhone golf case because it’s designed to stick to the metal roof poles on your golf cart, allowing you to conveniently view hole yardage info from golf GPS apps or mount your phone to capture your swing on video.

But this is also the case for someone who wants a powerful magnet so you can securely mount your phone on anything metal or have your MagSafe accessories really stick to your phone. For example, a lot of MagSafe-enabled wallets just don’t stay on your phone all that securely. With this case, they really stick. And with some MagSafe accessories, like the Clckr Stand and Grip, I actually had to work a bit to pull the accessory off. 

The Eagle 3 is fairly pricey at $70, though it’s worth mentioning that Rokform offers 20% to first-time customers and free shipping for US orders over $45.

Tech21 has a range of iPhone 14 cases, including its popular Evo Check (pictured), which is equipped with MagSafe for $40 to $50. There are also several other cases to choose from, including the ultraprotective Evo Max, which is rated for 20-foot drops and has a slide cover to protect the iPhone 14’s back cameras, along with a holster you can clip to your belt. 

Although they don’t have MagSafe, I’m a fan of Clckr’s cases, which feature a built-in kickstand and grip strap (it’s available in purple or black) that folds out and clicks into place on the back of your phone. Clckr sells just the stand/strap accessory to stick on the back of your phone (or on a case), but the iPhone case with the integrated kickstand accessory is better. At launch, only the clear version of the case is available, but hopefully Clckr’s faux-leather Saffiano case will return for the iPhone 14 (I liked the blue version of that for the iPhone 13). 

With the stand clicked in place, you can use your device hands-free in either portrait or landscape mode. Note that you can wirelessly charge your phone with this case on, though you have to be more careful about placing it in the right spot on a wireless charging pad for it to work.

Smartish’s affordable, simple, slim cases and wallet cases return for the iPhone 14. The Wallet Slayer 2.0 case (pictured) comes in a few different designs, including the Groovy color shown here. It holds three credit cards plus cash, and you can use one of your credit cards as a kickstand. However, its one downside is that it’s not compatible with wireless and MagSafe chargers.

Smartish also sells a MagSafe case called the Gripzilla. It’s one of the most affordable MagSafe cases and is easy to grip, as its name implies.

Some people prefer not to have a case on their phone or just want something that’s very thin that offers minimal protection. If you’re that type of person, a Totallee case may just be what you’re looking for.

There are a couple models to choose from, with the frosted version (pictured right) billed as the world’s thinnest iPhone case — it’s almost paper thin. It comes in multiple color options.

The case costs $39, which seems like a lot considering how thin it is, but it is eco-friendly (it’s compostable) and does have a raised “lip” around the camera that prevents damage to the camera lens, Totallee says.

Totallee also makes a very slim clear TPU case, the “clear soft” (pictured left in the iPhone 14) that offers a little more protection for the same price. I like that one better, but it is slightly thicker.

Case-Mate makes several eye-catching cases for the various iPhone 14 models, but its squarish Blox case is the one I like the most. It comes in a variety of colors, is MagSafe-enabled, clearly has good corner protection and is reasonably priced. I’m showing the clear model on a deep purple iPhone 14 Pro, but it’s also worth checking out the other colors, including rainbow frosting.

Urban Armor Gear offers several case options for the iPhone 14 models in a variety of colors, with MagSafe versions costing about $10 more than their non MagSafe counterparts. I like the Plasma (pictured middle), which comes in ash and white, while the Lucent (left) and Civilian Series (right) are also good and available in multiple colors.

The new Plyo with MagSafe (not pictured) probably has the slimmest design, but UAG’s cases all feature good corner protection and meet military drop-test standards.

Most new phones, including the iPhone 14 series models, offer a decent level of water resistance. But if you want some added protection, Otterbox still sells its waterproof and shockproof Fre case — and the latest version is built for MagSafe accessories. 

Note that the case was formerly known as the Lifeproof Fre, but after acquiring Lifeproof a few years ago Otterbox has officially made the Fre an Otterbox branded case that carries the legacy of being “designed by Lifeproof.” The case has an IP68 water-resistance rating (it’s rated to be fully submerged in two meters of water for up to an hour) and is also dust-proof. It also has a built-in screen protector and remains one of the best tough cases out there. Its biggest downside is that it’s expensive, but Otterbox sometimes has site-wide flash sales that bring its price down.

Based in Austin, Texas, Bluebonnet is named after the state flower and crafts leather-clad accessories for various Apple products, including iPhones, MacBooks, Watches and AirPods. It does make a standard full-grain leather iPhone case that’s nice, but I thought its leather wallet cases were more unique and enticing. They’re available in limited color options (black or tan) in a few different styles, including a folio case that has a magnetic clasp (shown above, at right). Both the iPhone Wallet case (above left) and Card Holder case (not shown) feature an “organic” cotton elastic finger loop for grip. 

Note that Bluebonnet’s wallet cases don’t have a MagSafe option but its standard leather case is available with MagSafe.

During the past couple of years, Wildflower phone cases have risen in popularity. Collabs with music festivals such as Coachella and influencers like Emma Chamberlin have helped the female-founded business get its name out there. Though there are dozens of designs for iPhones of all shapes and sizes, I love the Wildflower x Olivia O’Brien case collab. 

The fairy design adds some character to the case and helps it stand out among all other phone cases. As for protection, the case isn’t as protective as an OtterBox would be, but there are a decent amount of features meant to protect your phone against several drops. The rubber bumpers covering the sides of the phone as well as the camera give more protection than flimsier cases. Overall the case is trendy and pretty good quality, making it worth the $35.