The best iPhone 16 cases to protect your Apple smartphone

If you’ve just unwrapped a shiny new this Christmas, congratulations. It’s a great phone with a much improved feel in the hand over older models thanks to the matt glass back and vibrant new colours such as ultramarine and teal.

But despite these design upgrades you might be thinking about buying a case before you dare to take your new gadget out into the world. A good case is one of the first things most people buy when they’ve got an iPhone, and with good reason. That glass and metal device won’t likely survive a drop onto concrete, and both phone insurance and repairs can get very expensive indeed.

That’s why we’ve been testing some of the most popular cases out there to recommend which ones you should consider buying. Cases range from less than £10 on Amazon and Aliexpress all the way up to £70 and more. Is it really worth spending that much to protect your ?

We found out. Here are the best cases for the iPhone 16.

Wave Case

RRP £35

A British company based in the North East of England, Wave Case makes eco-friendly phone cases that are plastic-free, military grade drop tested, come in 100 percent recyclable packaging and contribute 1 percent of all sales environmental causes via the 1% for the Planet organisation.

Thankfully the cases are excellent. I tested the regular black case, which is simple and effective for a reasonable £25, but if you can stretch to £35 you get MagSafe compatibility and a slightly sturdier protective shell because of it. I also prefer the brighter blue and yellow options. Live a little! I’ve also tested a Wave Case for several months on a Samsung phone and it’s held up very well indeed. Highly recommended.

Spigen Tough Armor

£18.99

I haven’t tested the Spigen Tough Armor case for the iPhone 16, partly because Spigen is some faceless, monolithic phone case goliath that has proven difficult to contact. But I have twice purchased a Tough Armor case for other phones in the past and they have been universally excellent.

The design is always the same, with a two-layer construction for added protection, textured button covers and a little kickstand on the top for hands-free landscape video watching. It adds a decent amount of bulk, but if your primary goal is to spend as little as possible and be sure your phone won’t smash when you drop it, look no further.

The soft touch plastic is a good design choice too. It’s a bit ugly, though.

Apple Silicone Case with MagSafe

£49

If you want an official Apple case, this is the one to get, though Apple’s selection isn’t the best of the bunch. The firm also sells a clear MagSafe case, but that can get scratched and greased up with fingerprints quite easily. The silicone case comes in fun colours like star fruit (above) and has a touch sensitive cover for the Camera Control button so you can still use and keep it protected, unlike many third party cases that leave a gap instead.

We haven’t seen any degradation on the case after weeks of use, but older silicone cases from Apple tend to chip and show a bit of wear on the corners. Hopefully this new model is a bit more solid. Unfortunately the firm doesn’t make leather cases any more, and it canned its man-made FineWoven case line it made for the iPhone 15 after one year.

Mous Clarity 3.0

£64.99

Mous makes cases on the pricier side, though it does often run decent discounts. But even at full price I have recommended their cases in the past to friends, and I would do the same after using the Clarity 3.0 clear case on the iPhone 16.

This version has a clear back so you can still appreciate your iPhone colour of choice but offers better protection than the official Apple clear case thanks to hard black plastic sides with ridges for grip and a cut-out for the Camera Control Button. This cut-out did irk me a little and I prefer cases that have worked out how to cover it but retain its functions.

It doesn’t pick up too many smudges for a clear plastic case and Mous says it won’t yellow, but I haven’t had it long enough to confirm that. But yes, it is very expensive. You might also want to pick up Mous’s very good, genuinely easy to apply (£24.99 for a pack of two) and a handy (£7.99).

Otterbox Symmetry

£34.99

A few years ago, I would have simply recommended an Otterbox case to most people. The US firm makes hardy, dependable protective cases that are popular with good reason. Your phone is very unlikely to break if you have an Otterbox.

But in 2024, they look a little dated. If you don’t mind utilitarian (whisper it, boring) design then fill your boots. I’m still including the Symmetry case here because it is excellent and does exactly what you need a case to do. It’s a little bulkier than many of the other cases on this list though, and I think you can get just as good protection by opting for more modern construction and design.

It’s a classic for a reason though, with excellently clicky buttons, a matt finish and is delivered without retail packaging to cut down on waste.

Casetify

Perhaps more than any other phone case brand, I see Casetify cases everywhere. They’re very popular, which always surprises me because they’re quite pricey. Perhaps it’s because of the extremely flexible customisation options – you can build your perfect phone case, with a huge selection of case shapes and sizes for the iPhone 16, and can pair any of them up with thousands of different designs.

I was sent two cases with very different vibes. The first is a soft-touch plastic number called the Ripple Case. It’s black, has extra protection at the corners, and a ripple pattern on the back that adds grip and works around the MagSafe magnetic circle. It’s light, the cut-out for the Camera Control is well designed, and hasn’t got dirty. £57 is a lot though.

For £66 you can get a little more character. Specifically in my case a skeleton character as part of designs by artist Sam Taylor. It’s a conversation starter, but also a bank account drainer. But if you can afford it, these are great cases.