The everything gift guide for iPhone users

Macworld

When they already have the best phone on the planet, what do you buy an iPhone user? We’re here to help you select the best iPhone gifts available—perfect gifts for Christmas, birthdays, Fathers Day, Mothers Day, anniversaries, and when you are just feeling generous.

If not a brand new iPhone (check out our iPhone Buying Guide if your budget stretches that far), then how about one of the many available iPhone accessories? Throughout the year we have tested and reviewed the best iPhone accessories from Apple and trusted companies, and we can recommend the best ones for the people on your list. We’d be delighted to receive any of these iPhone accessories as a gift.

If you want to splash out on another Apple product, take a look at our guides for best Apple Watch, best iPad and best Mac.

Here we recommend some of our favorite iPhone cases, power banks, chargers, cables and tech organizers, plus a roundup of some super stocking stuffers for the iPhone user in your thoughts.

iPhone Gift Guide: Cases

If your loved one doesn’t own a case for their iPhone then this may be the best gift you can get them as it will share a bit of personality while protecting their precious phone from knocks, drops, and everyday scrapes. If they already have a case, then buy them a new or better one. Just slipping on a new case can transform an old iPhone into something that feels brand new again. It’s even more satisfying than an iOS update!

We have tested the best cases for iPhone 15 and best cases for iPhone 16 and most of these are available for older models from the iPhone 11 up. Run through those lists to see the widest range of cases you can select as a gift, and get one for yourself while you’re at it. If you’re shopping for someone who has an iPhone 12 or later, look for a MagSafe-compatible case as it won’t interfere with wireless charging.






1. Casely iPhone Classic and Bold Cases – Colorful and arty cases for all iPhones














Pros

Optional protection levels

Design options
















Best Prices Today:


$25 at Casely





Casely has an enormous range of designer and colorful iPhone cases available for the iPhone XR, 11, and later—right up to the iPhone 16 family. Most are available in either a flexible glossy Classic version or a more rigid and protective Bold version. Art lovers will appreciate the range of impressionist paintings that can now adorn their iPhone. There is even a range of festive winter and Christmas cases available.

Shipping for direct domestic orders under $30 is a flat rate of $5 and international orders below $100 will be charged a flat rate of $10 USD (Canada) and $15 USD (everywhere else). Or follow our Amazon links for possible free shipping.







2. Casetify iPhone Cases – Wide design choice range of iPhone cases














Pros

Optional protection levels

Design options
















Best Prices Today:


$56 at Casetify





Casetify is another maker of colorful iPhone cases and these can be customized with personalized text, colors, designs, and protection levels. There are hundreds of case designs to choose from, and you can choose the level of protection that suits you best. The camera case is very retro, and you can buy non-slip cases with physical ripples that make your phone grip firmer.







3. OtterBox iPhone cases – Wide choice of colors and protection














Pros

Unique edge-to-edge designs

















The super-slim Figura Case (above) for iPhone 16 from OtterBox features psychedelic patterns that are hydro-dipped by hand. The graphics envelop the case from edge to edge. The material is flexible with a soft touch. OtterBox has a wide range of cases for many older iPhone versions, too—including its robust Defender range.







4. ESR iPhone Cases














Pros

High protection level

Built-in kickstand

















Unlike most macho protective cases, the ESR Cyber Tough cases are available in a range of colors depending on the model of iPhone, including one in a fetching pink. ESR has a huge range of iPhone cases, many with hidden ring stands and other features.







Leather iPhone cases: If you fancy a premium leather iPhone case look at the selection at Dutch design firm Mujjo and Woolnut for iPhone 11 and later.

Wallet iPhone cases: Check out the Vena and Decoded ranges of iPhone cases with built-in and detachable wallets.

Wood/pearl/fabric-effect iPhone cases: Seek out the range at Mous for iPhone 14 and later.

iPhone Gift Guide: iPhone power banks

Hands up if your iPhone has never run out of juice during the day when you are far from a convenient power socket. Yeah, right.

Apple used to make a special Smart Battery Case for the iPhone but stopped selling these when it added MagSafe magnetic wireless charging to the iPhone 12 and later. It then sold its own MagSafe Battery Case but stopped making these when it launched the iPhone 15. But fear not, as there are some great MagSafe power banks out there that clamp onto the back of your iPhone (12/13/14/15) and can recharge the phone for long enough that you can reach a power source.

Of course, Macworld has tested many of them and picked the best MagSafe power banks, but here are a few of our favorites.






1. Anker Zolo and MagGo Power Banks














Pros

Huge 10000mAh battery capacity

Built-in USB-C cable

7.5W wireless or 30W wired charging

















The Anker Zolo Magnetic Power Bank is available in four colors—black, blue, pink or white—and uses MagSafe to magnetically stick to the back of your iPhone when you need a power boost. In our tests, it recharged an iPhone twice over with its 10000mAh battery capacity. Better still, it features its own built-in USB-C cable for charging up the battery pack or wired-charging the iPhone 15 and 16 families that have a USB-C port rather than Lightning. Using the cable rather than MagSafe will charge an iPhone 15/16 at an impressive 30W. MagSafe wireless charging is slower at 7.5W but it will still rescue a fading iPhone 12 or later—or you can supply your own Lightning cable (or USB-C for iPhone 15 users) and connect with a wire. It also features a handy kickstand.




Anker

If you have an older (pre-15) iPhone, then you need a Lightning cable but the non-magnetic Anker Zolo Power Bank has both, meaning it will still be relevant when you upgrade to a USB-C iPhone. And of course you can use the USB-C cable to charge the power bank itself. If you have a family with both USB-C (15 and 16) and Lightning (14 and earlier) iPhones this will suit all models. There’s a handy digital battery-level display, too. This version of the Zolo doesn’t feature wireless charging.




Anker

With no built-in cable but a fast 15W Qi2 magnetic wireless charging pad, a third option is the Anker MagGo 10K Slim Power Bank (above), which is the slimmest 10K high-capacity wireless power bank we have tested—perfect for carrying with you in a bag for emergencies when your iPhone starts to fade and you are miles from a power socket or have forgotten your charger and cable.

Read our full

Anker Zolo 10K Magnetic Power Bank review






2. Belkin BoostCharge Power Bank 5K + Stand














Pros

Slim

Built-in stand









Price When Reviewed:

€55,99




Best Prices Today:


€38.56 at Macway FR€40.34 at Darty FR€41.06 at Cdiscount FR





If you are willing to sacrifice some recharging power for pocketable portability consider a 5K magnetic power bank like the Belkin BoostCharge. It’s dinky and boasts a kickstand, and will get you to your next charging point if it’s just a few hours of constant phone use away as in our tests it charged our nearly drained iPhone to close on a full extra power refill.







3. OneAdaptr OneGo – 3-in-1 travel charger and power bank














Pros

Compact iPhone, Watch, AirPods charging stand

10K power bank

Foldable for travel

















This compact OneGo power bank has it all: it can charge four devices at the same time—including iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, plus another via its side USB-C port—and then folding up into a lightweight form that can slip into your pocket or overnight bag.







iPhone Gift Guide: USB-C iPhone chargers

A simple charger sounds like a boring present but we think any iPhone users would be delighted to receive one of these beauties now that Apple no longer includes one in the box with new iPhones. And which iPhone users couldn’t do with at least one more spare charger at home or in the office—or a special one for travel?

An iPhone charger should be rated at least 20W, and we’d recommend 30W or better as newer iPhones can accept higher wattages than even Apple admits. A 30W charger can handle an iPad Pro and has just enough to power up even a 13-inch MacBook Air.

For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best iPhone chargers. Further down we recommend some multi-device chargers that might make more of an impact come unwrapping day.






1. Ugreen Nexode RG 30W USB C GaN Charger – cute robot-shaped charger














Pros

Cute robot-shaped charger

Two color options

















The latest GaN (Gallium Nitride) chargers are tiny so we’re used them them being labeled “cute” but this small phone charger really is cute, shaped like a friendly robot. Take off its boots and you’ll find the plug prongs that connect straight into a wall power socket. The boots are even magnetic. Why? We don’t know but you can store the plug protector on most metal surfaces when the charger is in use. When plugged in, the LED screen shows different expressions that refer to the charging states. Its 30W power is enough to fast charge even the biggest iPhone. You’ll need a USB-C to USB-C cable to charge an iPhone 15 and USB-C to Lightning cable for older iPhones. It’s even powerful enough to keep a small MacBook charged.







2. Anker 30W Nano Charger – tiny and powerful charger














Pros

Smallest, lightest 30W charger

Foldable plug

Multiple color options









Price When Reviewed:

€22,99





Measuring just 1.12 × 1.12 × 1.39 inches (U.S. model), the 30W Anker USB-C Nano Charger is the smallest 30W USB-C charger we’ve had in our labs for testing, and it weighs just 1.3oz (36g). The U.K. model is larger but also features foldable prongs and is equally incredibly light. It’s available in a range of pastel colors, including Misty Blue, Lilac Purple, Phantom Black, Aurora White, and Natural Green.







3. Ugreen Nexode 45W USB-C Wall Charger – Charge two devices at the same time














Pros

Small, light 45W charger

2 ports

Foldable plug

















This two-port wall charger from Ugreen is great if your household or office has two phones—one doesn’t even need to be an iPhone! Indeed you could charge your iPhone plus Apple Watch or AirPods, too. Each USB-C port is rated at 45W so one could charge a mid-sized laptop. Using both ports, one will give 25W and the other 20W—enough for a reasonably fast charge. It’s a great compact choice for homes with a couple of devices in need of a power boost.







4. Casetify 33W Fast Charger














Pros

Small

Two ports

International plug heads

















A cuter option as an iPhone gift is the Casetify 33W Fast Charger, available in a fetching pink and blue combination. It features a USB-C port for fast charging and an old-school USB-A port for older charging cables. Take it on your travels as it has interchangeable prongs for U.S., U.K., and E.U power sockets.







iPhone Gift Guide: MagSafe chargers

While charging using a USB-C cable (USB-C to Lightning for older iPhones, and USB-C to USB-C for the iPhone 15 family) from your charger is the fastest way to charge an iPhone, more convenient is wireless charging. Since the iPhone 12, wireless charging has become more efficient and therefore faster with Apple’s MagSafe technology that magnetically clamps the iPhone more securely to the wireless charger.

You can buy a simple USB-C to MagSafe charging pad, like Apple’s $39/£39 MagSafe Charger or a third-party alternative, or a multi-device charger that includes a MagSafe charger for iPhone plus a charger for AirPods or Apple Watch.

For more details and options, read our Best Picks roundup of the best MagSafe wireless chargers.






1. Satechi 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand – Superb travel or desk-bound wireless MagSafe charger














Pros

3-in-1 charging

Fast 15W for iPhone

Folds for travel
















Best Prices Today:


$129.99 at Satechi





We love that once static MagSafe chargers are now folding up into highly portable devices, and that’s certainly true of the Satechi 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Stand. It uses Qi2 magnetic wireless charging tech so can power an attached iPhone at 15W. The 5W Apple Watch Charger is all set for Watch fast charging, and you can place your AirPods case at he front for three-at-a-time charging.







2. Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe – 3-in-1 wireless MagSafe charger














Pros

3-in-1 charging

15W (MagSafe)

Fast charge Watch









Price When Reviewed:

€169,99




Best Prices Today:


€169.99 at Twelve South





If the person you are buying for owns an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods, then a 3-in-1 charging station will tidy a desk or bedside table of cable clutter and keep everything nicely in place. The Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe is the best of the static desk chargers, with a small footprint, certified fast iPhone and Watch charging plus a Qi charger for AirPods. The MagSafe charging pad is adjustable unlike most of its rivals.

Read our full

Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe review






3. Anker PowerWave Magnetic 2-in-1 Stand – Simple and affordable 2-in-1 wireless charger














Pros

Charges iPhone and AirPods

Adjustable charging pad









Price When Reviewed:

39,99 €





This is a great budget option for a stand that will charge both your iPhone and AirPods. At 7.5W, Anker’s stand is not quite as fast at charging as the 15W models reviewed above, but it will be fast enough for most of us. If speed is your only priority, charge using a cable! Like those pricier charger options, this charger features an adjustable charging pad, so can be angled to your own requirements.







4. Twelve South ButterFly SE 2-in-1 Qi2 Charger – Super-compact iPhone & Watch charger














Pros

Charges Watch and iPhone (swap Watch for AirPods)

15W Qi2 for