Best iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro cases: What to buy and what to avoid

There are just too many iPhone cases in the world. I mean, we get it…they’re inexpensive to manufacture with a big markup, and the potential market is in the tens of millions with each new iPhone generation. Nearly everybody puts some kind of case on their phone because it’s just too easy to scuff, scratch, or shatter that thousand-dollar pocket supercomputer.

But what case should you buy? Are they all essentially the same, and you should just buy the one that looks the way you want at a good price? Or are some cases really truly better than others? We got a few dozen cases in to put them to the test, so we could recommend products based on more than just their web photos. So if you don’t see anything that strikes your fancy just yet, stay tuned because we’ll be adding to it as we test more.

What to look for when buying an iPhone case
Obviously, the aesthetics of a case are critical. Really, your iPhone isn’t going to look like what Apple designed, it’s going to look like the case you stuck it in. But case design is a very personal thing, so we’re not going to pass judgment on it. You know what you like, right?


Aside from a case’s look, there are several other important factors worth considering. Here’s what we looked for with every case we tested.

Craftsmanship: We can’t really test longevity without using each case for several months at least, but we can tell you if it fits precisely, if the seams and gaps have tight tolerances, and so on.

Buttons/Cutouts: It’s surprising how many cases have really stiff and hard-to-press buttons, or whose buttons don’t line up exactly right. Cases with cut-outs instead of buttons need them to be the right size and shape for comfortable and reliable operation. And while it’s not technically a “button,” the cutout for operating the iPhone 13’s mute switch is of critical importance, as are the cutouts for the Lightning port and speakers.


Charging: Some cases (like wallet cases) aren’t even meant to work with wireless chargers, and that’s fine. But for those that are, we try it out on several wireless pads and stands to make sure they work reliably. We also make sure the Lightning port is easy to access no matter what cable you use.

With those test criteria in mind, here are some recommended iPhone 13 cases from the many we’ve tested, along with a few you should probably stay away from.

Standard cases
There are so many cases, with so many gimmicks and unique features, that it’s hard to say what a “standard” case really is anymore. For the sake of this roundup, this category is a catch-all for cases that don’t explicitly fit in the other categories. They’re not thin, rugged, or wallet cases, but they could have unique features like stands, integrated PopSockets, MagSafe magnets, and so on.