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Oct 19, 2024

Best MagSafe Accessories for iPhone in 2024 - CNET

Article updated on October 16, 2024 at 4:20 PM PDT

From chargers to car mounts to cute grips, we've found the best magnetic iPhone gadgets.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.

While MagSafe initially focused on wireless charging, the tech has now spawned a whole generation of nifty magnetic accessories for iPhones, from MagSafe wallets to car mounts and more. If you have one of the latest iPhone models, then these are the best MagSafe and magnetic iPhone accessories to buy.

Fair warning: Some of these products that come with the "MagSafe" label and capabilities are Apple-licensed products, while others aren't. Many non-licensed accessories will simply refer to themselves as magnetic rather than MagSafe, but they use the same magnetic array, albeit to varying degrees of strength. Official Apple-certified MagSafe wireless chargers can charge iPhones at up to 15 watts, and these days, there are also Qi2 wireless chargers and power banks that are fully compatible with both MagSafe and Qi-enabled Android phones -- provided the phone has a MagSafe case or adapter on it.

I've shortlisted my current favorite MagSafe accessories, all of which I've personally used in this list. We'll keep updating this list as we discover new accessories.

Read more: Best iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Cases

These MagSafe battery packs are the perfect MagSafe accessory to keep your iPhone charged on the go.

What's cool about Anker's 622 magnetic battery is that it's a wireless battery that has an integrated magnetic flap that converts into a stand. You won't get fast wireless charging from this 5,000-mAh battery (it charges at up to 7.5 watts) but it's slim and easy to carry around.

It charges via USB-C and if you use a USB-C to Lighting to charge your iPhone, it will charge at a faster rate of 12 watts. That's not as fast as what a 20-watt USB-C power adapter can deliver, but it's faster than 7.5 watts.

Note that Anker has updated this model to move the charging port to the side (from the bottom), so you can charge it while using it as a stand. That's a worthy upgrade worth the $5 premium versus the old version (which confusingly retains the same model number).

The Baseus Magnetic Mini Wireless Portable Charger is a compact 6,000-mAh wireless power bank that sticks to the back of MagSafe-enabled iPhones (or MagSafe-enabled iPhone cases) and charges your iPhone at 7.5 watts. If you're looking for faster charging, you can plug a USB-C-to-Lightning cable into the battery and get 20-watt charging speeds. It also offers pass-through charging (you can charge the Baseus' battery while charging your phone).

The battery is similar in size to many 5,000-mAh batteries and also costs less. That 6,000-mAh capacity will get you close to a full charge with most iPhones, although it may fall a bit short for iPhone Max models.

The UGreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank is inexpensive, slim and features a soft-to-the-touch silicone rubber surface on the side of the battery that sticks to your MagSafe-enabled iPhone (it won't quite get you a full charge). It does heat a bit as it charges and only offers up to 7.5-watt wireless charging speeds, 15-watt fast charging is available if you charge with a cable via the USB-C port. How well it will hold up over time, I don't know, but if you're on a tight budget, it does the job and sometimes sells for as low as $20.

The Anker MagGo Power Bank 10K has a 10,000-mAh battery that can fully charge most iPhones around 1.75 times. It's Qi2-certified, which means it offers 15-watt fast charging capabilities and is fully MagSafe compatible, offering twice the speed of standard 7.5-watt wireless chargers for MagSafe-enabled iPhone 13, 14 and 15 models and Android smartphones that support 15-watt wireless charging.

Available in five color options and not much bigger than the MagGo Power Bank 6.6K, this model has a retractable kickstand and an LCD that displays the remaining battery life. While it comes with a USB-C cable, you'll need a USB-C charger with more than 15-watt output to hit those 15-watt charging speeds. You can take the power bank on the go or leave it plugged in to use as a wireless charging stand when at home. Like the 6.6K version, it's fairly pricey at launch but will hopefully get some discounts as more competitors hit the market. For those looking for a higher-capacity battery, the MagGo Power Bank 10K is probably a better choice than the MagGo Power Bank 6.6K. I do like the foldable stand a little better on the Power Bank 6.6K.

Mophie's Powerstation Wireless Stand with MagSafe is currently only sold through Zagg (Mophie's parent company) and Apple. It's not cheap or lightweight, but the versatile 10,000-mAh battery has both a stand and MagSafe charger built-in, plus a threaded tripod mount at the bottom.

Since this is an official MagSafe charger, the battery charges compatible iPhones at 15 watts, making this among the fastest wireless external battery chargers. It will also charge the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro models with MagSafe. If you use a cable to charge your device, it can charge at 20-watt speeds via its USB-C port. You can also charge two devices at the same time.

Note that first-time buyers at Zagg can get a 20% discount by supplying their email address.

If you're looking for a bigger portable battery that charges your phone wirelessly, the Baseus Magnetic Wireless Power Bank is an excellent option. It houses a 10,000-mAh battery that can charge an iPhone 14 almost two times, but it's still somewhat compact.

The magnet is strong, and I also liked that it has an integrated flip-out kickstand, so it converts into a stand. There's also an LED battery life indicator on the back of the battery that tells you exactly how much juice the battery has left (you see the actual percentage). The Baseus Magnetic Wireless Power Bank is available in three color options with the black version currently costing a few bucks less.

Prop up your phone and store a credit or two with these magnetic stands and wallets.

Clckr's new, trimmer Stand and Grip is one of my favorite MagSafe accessories. The accessory really sticks to the back of your MagSafe-enabled phone or MagSafe-enabled case and not only makes it easier to hold up your phone but when converted into a kickstand, it props up your device nicely in portrait or landscape mode for video calls or video watching.

This new version is lighter than the original and available in several colors. It's one of the best MagSafe stands out there.

This accessory from Moft not only acts as a magnetic wallet that adheres to the back of your MagSafe-enabled iPhone (or case), but it converts into a stand that can be used to prop up your phone horizontally or vertically. The wallet fits a couple of credit cards (you can stretch it a bit to get three in there) and the accessory has a fairly strong magnet, so it stays on your phone pretty well.

I'm showing it in light blue but it's available in several colors. You can also buy this as a bundle for $40 with Moft's MagSafe case, which is a nice case.

The Anker 610 magnetic phone grip is one of the more affordable MagSafe accessories. It has a strong magnet and you can use the retractable ring to hold your phone securely in your hand or as a kickstand. It allows you to prop up your phone horizontally but not vertically. Some other MagSafe stands do both.

If you're a PopSockets fan, you have several MagSafe options. There's the more standard PopGrip ($30) and the PopWallet Plus for MagSafe ($40), which combines a magnetic wallet that stores a few credit cards and a PopGrip that gives you a grip and kickstand option.

Charge your phone with these top magnetic charging stands.

Belkin's MagSafe Wireless Charger with Kickstand is essentially a better version of Apple's own wireless MagSafe charger because it integrates a flip-out kickstand, allowing you to watch videos on your iPhone as you charge (or play games if you have a wireless game controller).

It does charge at a speed of up to 15 watts and comes in three color options: black, white and blue. No power adapter is included (the cable is integrated into the charging puck).

Anker's MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station may not be as elegant looking as some 3-in-1 charging stations, but it's compact enough to be travel-friendly, is relatively affordable (many 3-in-1 wireless charging stations cost closer to $150) and also offers fast 15-watt Qi2 wireless charging for your iPhone. A 40-watt power adapter is included so you can charge your iPhone at top speed along with your AirPods and Apple Watch.

The Anker Magnetic Charging Station has a magnetic charging pad on one side and seven charging ports on the back: two USB-C, two USB-A and three standard AC outlets. The USB-C ports deliver up to a 67-watt charge when charging one device -- or 47- and 20-watt if charging two devices simultaneously. So yes, you can use it to charge most laptops that charge via USB-C.

In 2024, Anker upgraded this charging station with Qi2 wireless charging technology. That means that for MagSafe-enabled iPhones the wireless charging pad charges at up to 15 watts. You can also charge Android phones but you need to stick a metal ring accessory (sold separately) on the back of your device and place it in the right spot (certain cases have the ring built-in).

Belkin has updated its Boost Charge 3-in-1 wireless charger with Qi2 technology that allows for 15-watt fast wireless charging for any MagSafe-enabled iPhone (it's also compatible with any Qi2-enabled Android devices, but you'd need a magnetic ring for the phone to stick to the charger).

It includes a 36-watt adapter, and I charged an iPhone 15, the AirPods Pro 2 and the Watch Series 8 simultaneously (it'll fast charge the Watch 7, 8 and 9, as well as the Watch Ultra and Ultra 2). The previous version looked very similar and was a certified Apple MagSafe product, but this upgraded model has an adjustable tilt for the magnetic iPhone pad, which is a nice feature.

While this 3-in-1 wireless charger is fairly pricey, it has a sleek, elegant design, with a soft-to-the-touch silicone finish, and its Qi2 fast charging technology offers good future-proofing. That finish can attract some dust, although it shows less on the white version than on the black.

Magnetic car accessories for your iPhone.

While ESR is known to make some value accessories for the iPhone, its MagSafe wireless car charger is fairly pricey at around $100 (that seems to be par for the course for MagSafe-certified wireless car chargers with fast 15-watt charging for iPhones). Its design is pretty elegant, the magnet is relatively strong and the air-vent mount has a strong clamp and some extra support that allows it to hook on very securely. Additionally, the mount has some built-in cooling (ESR calls it CryoBoost) so the charger doesn't overheat.

It's also worth pointing out that a power adapter is included and it does have two USB-C ports, so you can charge a second device using a USB-C to USB-C cable or USB-C to Lightning cable. ESR makes an inexpensive magnetic wireless car charger that sells for less than $35, but it charges iPhones at 7.5 watts and doesn't come with a power adapter. That model isn't an official MagSafe charger.

Belkin's Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe technically isn't a charger. It's just a certified MagSafe vent mount. Belkin also has a wireless charging version of this (it costs $38 without the car charger and $50 with it), but you'd have to connect a cable to it anyway for charging. The advantage of a wireless version would be that unlike with this vent mount, you wouldn't have to plug a cable into your phone every time you want to charge it. I have a USB-C-to-LIghtning cable set up in the car for fast charging, but I don't love the extra step of having to plug in the cable each time I want to charge the phone.

All that said, what sets this Belkin apart from other generic, non-MagSafe-certified mounts that look similar (and some even offer wireless charging), is that the Belkin has a very strong magnet while many of these other vent mounts don't. If you have a MagSafe case on your phone, or just a naked newer iPhone model, the phone really sticks to the mount. The clip also keeps the mount securely in your vent and you can rotate the mount from portrait to landscape mode as needed.

iOttie offers this MagSafe-compatible wireless car charger with a car vent mount. It has a strong magnet, so your iPhone stays on the mount, and it also has an integrated USB-C cable and cigarette-lighter power adapter so you're ready to start charging out of the box. Note that iPhone "fast" charging caps out at 7.5 watts.

Magnetically attach your iPhone to your laptop.

In case you missed it, you can now turn your iPhone into a webcam using the Continuity Camera features in the latest version of MacOS. What's cool about the Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe for Mac Notebooks is that you can use it as a kickstand to prop your iPhone up in landscape mode. By using the flip side of the mount, you can attach your phone to the top of your MacBook in landscape or portrait mode for webcam use.

Top magnetic accessories for iPhone photography and videography.

The Joby Beamo LED Ring Light for MagSafe is a nifty MagSafe ring light that adheres magnetically to the back of your iPhone but can be used with the front selfie camera and shots using the rear camera. Equipped with an integrated rechargeable battery that charges via USB-C, it's well-designed and uses a "flattering soft" 5600K Daylight color temperature with four brightness levels you can toggle through. It's also worth noting that it has a built-in mirror for checking yourself out before you shoot.

Joby makes bendable tripods for cameras and smartphones and its products are a staple of vloggers and other content creators. Sometimes it's a little cumbersome to get your phone out of their clamping mounts, which is what's appealing about the company's new MagSafe options. You can simply stick your phone to the mount; it adheres magnetically.

My iPhone 13 Pro stuck pretty securely to the GripTight mount. I was testing it with an Otterbox MagSafe-enabled case, so I wasn't really worried about the phone getting jostled and falling off the mount. But if you want a more secure fit, you have the option of using the "hybrid" clamp to really lock your phone onto the mount. The clamp works in both vertical and horizontal modes and when you're going the magnetic route only, you can easily swivel your phone into a horizontal or vertical position.

Joby is currently selling three GripTight for MagSafe accessories. There's a simple wall-mount option, a GripTight Mount for MagSafe that can be added to any GorillaPod (or tripod for that matter), as well as a bundle that includes a GorillaPod and GripTight Mount (arms for the GorillaPod are sold separately). All three new MagSafe options are also compatible with Joby's Wavo Mobile, Beamo Mini and RangePod accessories.

Belkin's magnetic phone mount with face tracking is designed for folks who shoot their own selfie videos for TikTok, Instagram and other social media platforms with a MagSafe-enabled iPhone. (The device has a companion iOS app but not an Android app.) There are competing products like the Pivo Pod Lite ($110), but this is MagSafe-enabled so all you have to do is stick your phone on the mount. You can simply turn your phone to place it in landscape or portrait mode. The pedestal automatically turns as your phone follows your face while you're shooting yourself.

To be clear, this is not for FaceTime or WhatsApp or WeChat video calls. It doesn't have to be plugged in so it's easy to move around the room and place wherever you want. However, it's not equipped with rechargeable batteries. It's powered by three AA batteries that give the pedestal some added weight for stability.

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