The most effective telephone grips and stands that don’t require a case

There are a ton of fine causes to place a case in your telephone, beginning with the truth that a flagship telephone will simply run you $1,000.

A case protects your telephone, provides grip to an in any other case slick exterior, and provides, if you would like, slightly bit of fashion in a world of same-looking black rectangles. However then again, circumstances add bulk, they have an inclination to get dirty, and hey, this telephone value me a small fortune. Why would I cowl it up with a $12 case?

So what are telephone case haters to do once we need a few of the advantages of a case however not all the downsides? Look no additional. If placing a standard case in your telephone makes you cringe, you then’ll be thrilled to know there’s a wholesome assortment of case options on the market.

These grips, skins, kickstands, and wallets are designed to stick to your telephone, including utility with out all the bulk of a case. And we’re speaking much more than PopSockets, which you’re in all probability nicely conscious of and already know in case you’d like or not. We examined a variety of equipment and picked some favorites for the telephone case averse amongst us.

If an adjunct goes to reside semi-permanently on the again of your telephone, it’d as nicely do a couple of job. does three: it holds as much as three playing cards, folds right into a kickstand, and presents a loop grip for one-handed telephone use. Moft sells and any telephone with a steel physique, but it surely slides round slightly on non-MagSafe telephones. The adhesive model presents a really sturdy grip and is appropriate with an enormous vary of telephones. 

It’s not one of the best telephone pockets if you wish to carry various playing cards. With three (essentially the most Moft recommends), it’s a cosy match. It’ll additionally make wi-fi charging unattainable because it’s mounted semi-permanently on the again of your telephone. But when your telephone doesn’t help wi-fi charging otherwise you’re superb surrendering this function, then Moft’s adhesive pockets is a straightforward choose.

The pockets has an adhesive again, however in case you’re placing it on a telephone with a glass again, you’ll additionally want to make use of the included adhesive movie. There’s no information included to position it, so it is advisable to simply eyeball it, and Moft recommends letting the movie set for 12 hours earlier than sticking the pockets on prime of it.

As soon as hooked up, it feels safe, and the hourglass-shaped panel pops in and misplaced with magnets for a satisfying snap. Even with some chip-enabled playing cards within the pockets, I used to be ready to make use of Apple Pay with out a downside — neither its placement nor its contents confused the point-of-sale system at my native espresso store.

As a grip, it’s considerably free — ok to make your telephone a bit extra comfy to carry in a single hand for a very long time, but it surely doesn’t really feel tremendous safe. The stand places it at a snug viewing angle in portrait orientation. It really works in panorama configuration, too, however as a result of the pockets is positioned to 1 finish of the gadget, it wobbles slightly after I press the amount buttons.

Total, although, it delivers on its promise of three capabilities, seems to be nice, and it’s appropriate with all types of telephones. When it’s time to take away the pockets, it comes off with out leaving a hint of residue. That’s 20 bucks nicely spent.

In case you’re much less within the pockets perform and also you’d quite add slightly grip and magnificence to your telephone, a Dbrand skin is an apparent choose. These skins are roughly fancy stickers that adhere to the again of your telephone — some are designed to cowl the perimeters, too, however the type I examined simply covers the again plate.

Positive, the advertising and marketing is slightly obnoxious, however the product is top quality. The leather-based particularly is a favourite — it’s $34.95, and it’s the actual deal (Dbrand is keen to remind you that cows died to provide it, which is a glance). Placing the pores and skin in place isn’t exhausting, but it surely takes slightly little bit of time and focus, in addition to entry to a hair dryer. Being affected person with placement pays off; it seems to be and feels nice.

The leather-based grain provides slightly little bit of textured grip to the telephone, although that’s form of a secondary function to wanting very nice. Whenever you wish to take the pores and skin off, it pulls up with out leaving any residue.

A pockets or a pores and skin isn’t going to supply a lot safety if you drop your telephone. In order for you slightly extra peace of thoughts however you don’t wish to decide to a full case, the Arc Pulse is a modern bumper case choice. It’s expensive at $59, and it’s not even actually a case, simply two separate items of aluminum that cowl the highest and backside of your telephone. It covers the telephone’s corners whereas solely taking over slightly area on the again of your telephone. By the seems to be of my un-cased iPhone 11, the corners are the place scuffs are inclined to accumulate if you drop your telephone, so it looks like a great tradeoff — comparatively unobtrusive however providing some useful safety.

The aluminum Pulse may be very sturdy. I’ll admit that the polished aluminum Pulse seems to be type of goofy to me, however the matte black model I examined on a black 14 Professional doesn’t look half unhealthy. That you must apply a great quantity of strain to slip it into place, however as soon as it’s there, it’s not going wherever. For the reason that again of the telephone is uncovered, it doesn’t intrude with MagSafe charging, and you’ve got loads of area so as to add a MagSafe pockets or grip if you would like. Sadly, it’s solely obtainable for a handful of iPhone fashions: the 14 Professional, 14 Professional Max, and 13 Professional Max.

In case you don’t have one of many above, contemplate Rhinoshield’s CrashGuard NX case. It covers all 4 sides of your telephone with a body and interchangeable rim, and you may combine and match colours to your coronary heart’s content material. The button covers are interchangeable, too — take that, indistinguishable black rectangles.

The body itself matches on snugly, and the colour choices are interesting. On the draw back, it provides as a lot bulk across the sides of your telephone as a standard case, which could defeat the aim relying on what you’re after. But it surely does depart the again open for wi-fi charging entry, and the colour customization choices are a plus.

There’s genius within the simplicity of the $15.99 . It’s principally only a donut-shaped magnet designed to connect to the MagSafe space on the again of an iPhone. Within the center, there’s a steel ring that pivots to both sit flush towards the telephone or act as a grip or kickstand. Easy however efficient.

The magnet within the grip is actually robust, making it the sturdiest MagSafe grip accent we examined. You’re not supposed to carry your telephone upside by hanging onto the ring, however… you possibly can completely maintain your telephone the other way up by hanging onto the ring. It’s a stable maintain in case you put the grip straight on the again of your telephone, but it surely’s additionally robust sufficient to offer a powerful grip with a Dbrand pores and skin. 

The interior ring strikes freely, so in contrast to kickstands that snap into a set place, you possibly can alter it to get the viewing angle or hand-hold good. On the draw back, it takes numerous drive to maneuver. I would like two arms to tug the ring out into place to make use of as a grip, one thing you don’t must do with most different grips.

However the upside of the design is that with the interior ring tucked towards the telephone, the grip provides little or no thickness to your telephone. It doesn’t catch on my pockets because of its spherical design, and I feel it seems to be higher than a PopSocket or a loop.

In case you’d quite have an elastic grip, the Lovehandle Professional is a pleasant different. It’s slightly expensive at $49.99, and the outstanding “Lovehandle” branding on the again of the strap isn’t my type, however a minimum of on the black model I examined, it’s not all that apparent. The Lovehandle’s deal with is a loop hooked up to a kickstand, and the entire thing is mounted on a credit-card-shaped backing. The magnets aren’t fairly as robust because the Anker’s, so it should give in case you apply sufficient drive, but it surely feels safe sufficient in every day use. 

The kickstand presents two angles for portrait or panorama viewing, so that you don’t must reposition the grip to modify from one to the opposite. The elastic strip is a cosy match on my hand, making for a really safe match. It’s not as minimalist because the Anker grip, but it surely works nicely, and its two-position kickstand is useful. 

In case you’re in search of one thing slim and useful, the $19.99 SleekStrip is surprisingly good. It occupies lots much less actual property than a PopSocket or the Moft pockets choose above, residing as much as its identify as only a skinny strip that sticks to the again of your telephone. It pops out if you press the facet of the strap, offering a inflexible loop for hand-holding or propping your telephone up in panorama orientation. It makes use of adhesive and comes with a few further bits of movie and 3M adhesive, so you possibly can take it off and put it on one other gadget.

Its finest function is that it’s out of the best way, tucked to the facet on the again of your gadget. Despite the fact that it prevents the telephone from sitting flush on a charging stand, the strap is skinny sufficient and out of the best way sufficient that wi-fi charging nonetheless works. It’s not essentially the most safe grip because it’s inflexible quite than elastic, but it surely’s ok. 

On the draw back, the SleekStrip is slightly bit cheap-feeling. The mechanism the place the strap slides to pop up is basically simply steel sliding throughout steel, and it’ll probably accumulate some scratches over time. There are some innocuous shade choices, however the obtainable patterns stray into cheesy territory. And it gained’t maintain your telephone propped up in portrait orientation, simply panorama.

Pictures by Allison Johnson / The Verge