Dump your bulky wallet for this slim MagSafe alternative [Review]

You don't need an old-fashioned wallet when MagWallet can do the job better. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

SwitchEasy’s MagWallet carries a pair of credit cards and snaps onto the back of your iPhone so it’s easy to keep with you. It’s much less bulky than a traditional wallet, and is just right for someone whose New Year’s resolution is to simplify their life.

I tried the leather MagWallet with my iPhone 14 Plus. It’s simply convenient.

SwitchEasy MagWallet Leather Card Holder review

I got rid of my bulky wallet years ago and started using an iPhone case with a built-in slot to hold a credit card and drivers license. But wireless charging made this more of a hassle – the cards get in the way.

Then Apple created MagSafe, which embeds magnets in the back of its handsets. And the SwitchEasy MagWallet takes full advantage of it. Magnets in the accessory cling to the ones in the iPhone to create a wallet that attaches firmly but is also easily removable when it’s time for a charge.

And it looks good, too.

MagSafe + Wallet = MagWallet SwitchEasy MagWallet Leather Card Holder final thoughts Pricing

MagSafe + Wallet = MagWallet

See, MagWallet really looks great.Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

No one wants a big, bulky thing attached to their iPhone, which is why SwitchEasy made its card holder as slim as possible. It’s not just two pieces of leather sewn together, though. A manganese steel plate provides rigidity, but there’s an cutaway opening in the bottom side so it’s easy to slide cards out of the case.

There’s room for two cards in the MagWallet’s pouch. My drivers license and Apple Card fit nicely. You can cram a third card in if you really want to, but the fit is very tight. And while leather will stretch, it does not come back – if you jam in three cards in and later reduce to two, the pouch won’t get smaller again.

There’s a good chance you carry more than a pair of cards now, but take this as an opportunity to pare down. Of course, not everyone can reduce to only two, but you might be surprised, especially if you replace loyalty cards with the digital versions.

Leather is the traditional material for wallets, and SwitchEasy carries on the custom. My review unit is navy blue, and the accessory also comes in saddle brown or black. I found the workmanship to be all I could hope for, with very neat stitching. The material is smooth, and not mucked up with a sizable company logo.

Thanks to MagSafe, the connection to my iPhone 14 is solid. I can shake the handset and the MagWallet won’t come loose. It’s also compatible with all MagSafe cases.

But I can easily slide it off. I generally don’t keep the wallet attached unless I’m leaving the house. It stays by the front door with my keys. And removing cards from the pouch requires taking it off the handset.

As a bonus, there is built-in shielding against RFID-theft that protects confidential data on the credit cards.

SwitchEasy MagWallet Leather Card Holder final thoughts

MagWallet does not add much bulk to an iPhone.Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The world is going digital and in a few years we might not need a physical wallet at all. We’ve made a lot of progress in that direction, especially with the growing adoption of ApplePay. But we’re not there yet.

Still, the days when humongous wallets were necessary are past. Most people can reduce to just a couple of cards if they want to. If that’s you, the SwitchEasy MagWallet is just what you need. It’s simple, functional and stylish.

★★★★☆

Pricing

The SwitchEasy MagWallet Leather Card Holder is only $34.99.

Buy from: Cult of Mac Store

For comparison, the Apple Leather Wallet with MagSafe is $59 – almost 75% more expensive. That said, your iPhone can show you the location this wallet was last detached, a trick that SwitchEasy’s can not pull off.

SwitchEasy provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.