10 Best Toughest Iphone Cases 2025 in the United States

Apple has been marketing its iPhone since 2007, and as of 2022, is up to the iPhone 14. People in the know prefer the iPhone for the durability of the phone’s electronics and the ease of using the iOS software. Due to being made from quality parts, it’s estimated that an iPhone will easily provide you with six years or more of enjoyment. But you have to take proper care of your purchase as well. We’ll see that there is a wide range of tough iPhone cases that are specially designed to protect your iPhone from water, dust, and falls. Some can even protect your phone from getting run over by a car!

There are a few pointers to be aware of when selecting an iPhone case. You have to make sure that you purchase a case that’s compatible with your particular model. There are also cases that have a soft rubber interior and a hard shell exterior, and cases that are soft rubber on the outside. Some come with a screen protector, to protect against scratches and cracks. And there is variation among cases as to how much they protect against water, dust, and snow.

We’ll go through the specs of some of the best tough iPhone cases. For just a few more dollars, you can adequately protect your iPhone against any unexpected accidents!

The best tough iPhone cases can come in a number of different materials, such as carbon fiber, polycarbonate, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), as well as combinations of layers these materials. But you’ll notice that there are two main constructions of these cases:

• With built-in screen protector: There are tough iPhone cases that come with a clear plastic screen protector as well. An example is the LifeProof FRE Series Waterproof Case. This particular model is good for the iPhone 13 Pro Max and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

LifeProof FRE Series Waterproof Case

• Without screen protector: There are tough iPhone cases that protect your iPhone against drops, but don’t include a transparent piece of plastic to protect the screen. Instead, the case has a slightly raised bezel, which ensures that the screen or camera lenses won’t hit the ground if you drop your phone. An example is the Otterbox Defender Series XT Screenless Edition.

Otterbox Defender Series XT Screenless Edition

Even if your phone case doesn’t have a transparent screen protector, such as the Spigen Tough Armor Case, you can also purchase a separate screen protector, such as the Spigen Tempered Glass EZ Fit Screen Protector. But again, the screen protector must match your iPhone model.

Spigen Tempered Glass EZ Fit Screen Protector
 

We went over some customers’ impressions of the iPhone case that they bought:

• Prefer soft rubber grip: Many users said that they preferred a case with a soft rubber outside because it provides a more secure grip when you hold it. If you happen to get a case with a smooth plastic exterior, you can put a sticker or skin to ensure that it won’t be slippery.

• Important to protect ports from dust and lint: There are cases that have covers to protect ports from the ingress of dust and lint. Take note of the Ingress Protection (=IP) rating. The LifeProof FRE Series Waterproof Case has an IP rating of IP68. The “6” indicates that it has the maximum dust protection, while the “8” indicates that it can withstand being submerged in 2 meters of water for up to 1 hour.

Here are some features that are worth looking for when selecting a tough iPhone case:

• Layers of protection: Some cases, such as the Urban Armor Gear Case consists of 5 layers of protection, including a shock-resistant core, carbon fiber, polycarbonate, and impact-resistant rubber on the outside. This combines the need to protect your phone, along with providing you with a secure grip.

• Drop protection: One of the major reasons for buying a phone case is not the aesthetics, but for protecting your phone against drops. One of the most amazing examples of durability to getting dropped is the Urban Armor Gear (UAG) Monarch series. It has been tested for drops of as much as 20 feet (= 6 meters).

• Check compatibility with MagSafe car mounts: There are cases that allow you to attach your iPhone to a MagSafe wireless charger, such as the Otterbox Defender Screenless iPhone Case. However, you have to be careful to check a phone case’s specs first, since some cases like the Spigen Tough Armor Case will require that you remove the phone from the case to use a Tesla or Qi charger.

• Check compatibility: Check that the case that you buy matches your specific phone. And a phone case for one model of iPhone might not match other models. For example, the Spigen Tough Armor Case is good for the iPhone 13 Pro, but not for the iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, or iPhone 13 Pro Max. Besides being the correct size to fit your phone, the right case must also have cutouts for your phone’s camera.

• Holster: Some iPhone cases allow for adding a holster, such as OtterBox Defender. But the holster must be paired with the correct version of the Defender-series case. When properly assembled, the holster allows you to carry around your phone securely while keeping your hands free.

OtterBox Defender Holster

• Waterproof cases: Many of these iPhone cases are also designed to be waterproof, even if submerged in water! But, you have to be sure that you assemble the case properly. For example, the LifeProof FRE Series Waterproof Case has a rubber O-ring inside to make sure that the case will be waterproof. When sealed properly, it can be in a depth of 2 meters of water for up to 1 hour! To test the seal, the manufacturers suggest closing the case properly without the phone inside and submerging it in water. After a few minutes, remove the phone case from the water, dry it off, and check to see that no water seeped inside while it was submerged. After this test, you can try putting your phone in the case.

Final Verdict

We did a brief overview of the best tough iPhone cases available. There are cases with several layers of protection, as well as cases that include a screen protector. Making sure that the case matches the model of your iPhone can be a challenge at times. But, once you’re sure that you have the correct make and model, you should have all of the tools and knowledge to make an informed decision!