The vetted list · Phone cases
4 Cute Phone Cases That Actually Protect
The 3 Reddit keeps recommending, plus one more I'd buy.
Most protective cases are ugly and most cute cases crack on the first drop. I went through the Reddit threads for the brands people keep coming back to, and these are the ones that manage both. Don't pay the sticker price: all of these brands are always running promotions, so they're cheaper than they look. If there isn't a promo when you check, wait for one.
✨ The 3 from my video
- 01
Photo: Burga
Burga
from ~$85Art gallery on the outside, shock absorber inside
Burga's designs look like art. For protection, buy the Tough or Elite, not the Snap. Snap is the thin one. Tough is dual layered, with their CloudGuard layer that absorbs up to 90% of impact force and a raised bezel around the camera. Same deal as Casely below: one version protects, one doesn't.
They run bundle deals (buy 4, pay for 2 has come up), so wait for one if you're ordering with friends.
- 02
Photo: Velvet Caviar
Velvet Caviar
Brooklyn · since 2014cases from $50Pretty AND protective, with accessories that match
Started in Brooklyn in 2014 because the founder wanted a case that was both pretty and protective. The cases are rated for 10 ft drops, and the MagSafe accessories (wallets, grip rings, straps) come in matching prints and are actually good quality, which is why people online rave about them. Polka dots are everywhere in the collection, and the glow-in-the-dark one is a perfect Halloween-date case.
- 03
Photo: Casely
Casely
get Bold, not ClassicThe one half my friends already own
Reddit was really specific here: skip the Classic, it's too thin. Get the Bold. It's dual layer with an 8 ft drop rating, and it's still not bulky. I have a lot of friends who own this one, including guys.
Casely runs promos like BOGO a lot, but they expire. Check the price on the day you order.
💋 One more I'd buy
- 01
Photo: Blunt
Blunt
from $45The most fashion-forward of the four
Thousands of prints, new drops every week, and designs that look like they belong in a magazine, not a drugstore rack. It's dual layer with a 2 mm raised edge to keep the screen off the table, and MagSafe versions start at $55. When I checked, they had a buy 2, get 2 promo going, so it's a good one to split with friends. Promos expire, so check before you order.
Be honest with yourself about what you're buying: Blunt says its cases are drop tested but doesn't publish a drop height the way Casely and Velvet Caviar do. I'd pick it for the design and for everyday protection, and go Burga Tough or Casely Bold if you're rough on your phone.
The takeaway
Stop paying $64 for a case that peels in three months. Pick the protective version of a brand you like, not the thin one.
Send this to the friend with the cracked screen 📱
Any thoughts or questions?
DM me on Instagram ↗A guide by @eileen.ines
Some links are affiliate links, so I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.