Best Apple iPhone 15 cases: Prevent drops, scratches, and dents

Apple gifted the new iPhone 15 with the kind of design you’d want to protect – contoured aluminium edges that flow gently into pastel matte glass – especially if you’re spending a minimum of $799 to get it in the first place. There’s no shame in plopping your new phone in a case, and with a new 48MP camera and Dynamic Island to take care of, you should want to.

A good case will save your fragile glass and metal pocket computer from dented edges, shattered screens, and scratches. It could add convenient features, like sleeves for credit cards or connectors for charms and lanyards. And at the very least, it should feel nice to hold. If you’re thinking about purchasing an iPhone 15 or already have one pre-ordered, we’ve collected a list of cases that are bound to have something that works for you below.

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  Spigen / Pocket-lint

  Spigen Thin Fit Case for iPhone 15

  Best case overall

  $30 $17 Save $-13

  The Spigen Thin Fit Case for iPhone 15 is dead simple, but if all you need is basic protection against scratches and bumps, with a few fun colour options, it’s perfect. The Thin Fit doesn’t add unneeded bulk, has raised edges to protect your screen and cameras, and should still work with wireless chargers.

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  Apple / Pocket-lint

  Apple iPhone 15 FineWoven Case with MagSafe

  Best premium case

  As part of its ongoing environmental efforts, Apple introduced the iPhone 15 FineWoven Case with MagSafe as a replacement for leather cases. The new case uses microtwill to mimic the feeling of suede and is made from 68 per cent post-consumer recycled material. The only real downside: Apple says MagSafe pucks could eventually leave visible marks on the case.

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  Mkeke / Pocket-lint

  Mkeke Clear iPhone 15 Case

  Best value case

  Colourful phones don’t deserve to be covered up with a boring case. Mkeke Clear iPhone 15 Case keeps things simple by being completely clear, letting you see the beautiful coloured finish of your phone while still being durable to not yellow in the sun, and protecting from impacts and scratches.

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  Otterbox / Pocket-lint

  Otterbox Commuter Series for iPhone 15

  Best case for drop protection

  Otterbox has more than earned its reputation as the go-to pick for rugged and tough phone cases. The Commuter Series for iPhone 15 isn’t the most rugged option in the company’s line, but its two-layer design should make scrapes, scratches, and drops a thing of the past while offering port covers to keep debris from connecting inside your phone too.

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  Speck / Pocket-lint

  Speck Presidio 2 Grip iPhone 15 Case

  Best antibacterial case

  The Speck Presidio 2 iPhone 15 Case has a ridged back and sides for extra grip, a promised 13 ft of drop protection, and is covered in a Microban antibacterial coating to keep things from getting gross. It’s technically less eco-friendly than some other case options, but being made from 50 per cent post-consumer recycled material is better than nothing.

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  Nomad / Pocket-lint

  Nomad Modern Leather Folio for iPhone 15

  Best case for leather devotes

  Apple may have given up on leather, but you don’t have to. Nomad is still making great leather accessories, and the Modern Leather Folio for iPhone 15 can give you the best of both worlds by offering a home for your phone and your credit cards in one wallet-like package. There’s 2 m / 8 ft of drop protection thrown in for good measure too.

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  Incipio / Pocket-lint

  Incipio Cru Protective for iPhone 15

  Best FineWoven case

  Think of the Incipio Cru Protective for iPhone 15 as an alternate universe version of Apple’s new FineWoven cases. It also focuses on the pleasant feel of textiles with an antimicrobial coating, with raised edges for protecting the screen and MagSafe charging.

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  Casetify / Pocket-lint

  Casetify Custom Impact Case for iPhone 15

  Best customizable case

  Casetify has a seemingly endless array of case designs and collaborations, but if you want to start from scratch with your own look, the Custom Impact Case for iPhone 15 is a great start. You can do whatever you like with the case back panel (photos, solid colours, emojis, and more) while knowing you’re getting 2.5 m / 8.2 ft of drop protection and side sockets for looping in charms.

The best iPhone 15 cases: What do you need?

Slotting your new iPhone 15 in a case is the best way to guarantee it stays safe and damage-free, so you can use it for years to come or trade it in next year and get as much money back as possible on your next upgrade. For the simplest solution that still offers a good amount of protection, The Spigen iPhone 15 Thin Fit Case is sleek and designed to protect from scratches and drops while still letting you wirelessly charge your iPhone if you want to.

For a sleeker, more expensive, and more environmentally friendly option, the Apple iPhone 15 FineWoven Case with MagSafe seems like an adequate replacement for leather cases. It feels nice to hold, lets you use as many MagSafe accessories as your heart desires, and more than half of the materials that go into the case are made from recycled materials. Plus, no cows were harmed to protect your phone.

If price is what matters most, one of the cheapest options we found is also one of the best showcases for the natural colour of your phone. The Mkeke Clear Case for iPhone 15 keeps your phone fully visible while protecting it from damage from scratches and basic bumps.

Are there still leather cases for the iPhone?

Not if you’re buying it from Apple. Leather products are on their way out on the Apple Store, whether it’s a case or a watch band. Raising cattle for leather has obvious environmental impacts thanks to the methane gas they produce, so eliminating them from the equation will have positive effects. More than that, though, the new design and materials of the FineWoven cases mean more recycled components can be used from the start, which you can’t really do with leather in the same way. If you still want a leather case, several third-party case makers sell sustainable leather options that are just as nice (if not nicer) than the leather Apple used before.

Does my case need MagSafe?

No! At least not if you don’t want it. MagSafe is Apple’s special blend of Qi wireless charging, magnets, and a software method for detecting when certain types of accessories are connected or disconnected. Almost all of those individual experiences can still happen on a (frequently cheaper) non-MagSafe case, just not always at the same time. With thinner cases, like our Spigen pick, wireless charging is uninterrupted. Similarly, with a strong enough magnet on your accessory, say a car mount, and a thin case, your phone should still attach. The only things you’ll miss are the faster charging Apple offers through its own MagSafe chargers and the software trigger that tells you when it’s disconnected or not, two things that aren’t really necessary in the first place.