These are the best cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone

While others may fawn over the Galaxy Z Fold 3, the most alluring foldable of 2021 is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3. As someone who has worn a shoulder holster for almost five years to accommodate ever-growing phone sizes that refuse to fit in my pants' pockets, this is a phone I can actually fit all the way inside my front pocket. However, nothing will transform your splendid new phone into a splintered nightmare faster than a bad fall because it slipped out of your sweaty palms. So get a grip on the best Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases on the market today.

Ring around my heartSamsung Silicone Cover with Ring

Staff Pick

Available in a wide variety of colors, this case keeps both halves connected via a durable woven strap, and at the end of its loop is a silver flat-edged ring so that you can use it as a ring grip. Given that PopSockets will be almost impossible to place correctly on the Flip, this case gives you a dependable grip as well as an easy way to pull it out of your pocket.

$40 at Samsung $40 at Best Buy

Almost invisibleSpigen Air Skin

This ultra-thin clear case won't detract from your Z Flip 3's beautiful colors while giving you scratch protection and avoiding bulk. I appreciate that the case dips down around the flashlight rather than making it a separate cutout. It helps prevent refractions in flash photos and should keep your whole case from glowing when the flashlight is on.

From $25 at Amazon

Ruggedly handsomeUAG Civilian

This case is a teeny bit thicker than most, but that extra depth helps boost the impact protection of the honeycomb pattern inside. Three colors are available: basic black, an Olive Green close to the Galaxy Watch 4's green, and a beautiful Mallard Blue.

$60 at Amazon

Buckle up, kidsSamsung Silicone Cover with Strap

This is one of the most flamboyant Samsung cases I've seen in years, but once you get past the initial confusion of "Why is there a seat belt on my case?" This case is surprisingly functional. Rather than emulating ring grips, this is a strap grip you can get all four fingers inside for a more stable grip. I can't deny the allure of the Navy/Orange colorway, either.

$40 at Samsung $40 at Amazon $40 at Best Buy

Let's kick it!VRS Design QuickStand Active

This heavy-duty case will add a bit of thickness to your Z Flip 3, but I swear it's worthwhile. There's a nice sturdy kickstand built into the bottom half of this case, allowing you to prop up the Fold without splitting the screen in two.

$30 at Amazon

Hang on tightIncipio Grip

This heavy-duty case is available in candy apple red and understated black. This heavy-duty case adds extra grip due to its uniquely bumpy bumper. There are also raised rubbed nibs on the phone's back to help it stay in place while you have it sitting on a desk or table.

$70 at Verizon

Time to think thinRingke Slim Case

This polycarbonate case is slightly curved to help it better cling to the smooth sides of the Z Flip 3. It comes in dull black, but I find the matte clear version much more appealing: it shows off the Flip's color without reflecting off everything and showing every drop of oils and smudges.

$23 at Amazon

Can't beat the classicsSpigen Tough Armor Designed for Galaxy Z Flip 3 5G

The Tough Armor has been one of Samsung's most popular cases for almost a decade because it's affordable and durable. However, given the difficulty of designing heavy-duty cases for this form factor, we're glad to see it available for the Z Flip 3.

$40 at Amazon

Rich-feelingSamsung Leather Cover

It wouldn't be a Samsung flagship without a leather case option. While the color selection here might feel slim compared to the keyring case, I'm very much digging the earth tones here with the goldenrod yellow and deep forest green - which will match nicely with the Green Galaxy Watch 4.

$80 at Samsung From $77 at Amazon $80 at Best Buy

Leathery for lessFoluu PU Leather + PC Shell Case

If Samsung's leather cases are too rich for your blood (especially after spending so much on the phone itself), Foluu has a two-tone pleather case you'll love. This model relies on double-sided adhesive to help the case stay firmly attached to your phone, and the PU leather comes in three colors: black, yellow, and brown.

$12 at Amazon

Beautiful contrastKate Spade New York Protective Hardshell

This hard-shell clear case comes alive once you pair it with any of the Fold's colorways. Pastel Hollyhock flowers pop, especially against the Lavender, Green, and Black Galaxy Z Flip 3, and this recycled plastic case is coated in an anti-microbial film.

$70 at Verizon

Wonderful colorsDOOTOO Ultra Thin Hybrid Case

This hybrid case has a slightly more substantial bumper so that the leather or carbon fiber material you choose can come up around the camera and outer screen rather than being limited to the main back panels. There are two shades of green among the six colors, and while the first is more Forest Green, the second is more blue-green like the Z Flip 3, so it matches better.

$29 at Amazon

Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases focus on function and fashion

Samsung's first-party cases are the clear winners right now for anyone looking for a great-looking Galaxy Z Flip 3 case, as Samsung has perfectly tailored cases in a nice variety of styles. Thankfully, Samsung focused on more than just fit and fashionable color-matching with these cases, going outside the box for the Silicone Cover with Strap or Ring to improve grip and make the Z Flip 3 a little more fun to have and to hold.

While these cases won't win everyone over, I do still firmly believe that great phone grips are essential to a smartphone experience - especially for one-handed use. You'd typically center a phone grip near the center of the phone, but since the Z Flip 3 folds in half, that's just not as practical here. However, the ring case still puts that grip dead center via the carry strap, and the wider seatbelt-type case allows you to grip securely across the bottom half to dial or type one-handed.

The bold, the subtle, and the fashionably late: Why Z Flip 3 cases are hard to find right now

While the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is a more reasonable price than its predecessor - and easier to swallow than the Z Fold 3's final tab - this is still a phone that's not mainstream, or at least not yet. Samsung thinks that the Z Flip 3 will do quite well - you don't make a phone in seven different colors if you're not confident of success - and has offered up a bevy of cases focused around grip, style, and flexibility.

However, this form factor is still more challenging for accessory makers to design for, and it's potentially a small market if consumers don't snap it up in droves. That means that while the big-name case makers like Spigen, Ringke, and Case-Mate will likely be making Galaxy Z Flip 3 cases, they might not arrive right away. Manufacturers might release one or two cases, see how they sell, and then release more.

So if you're not super happy with the current case selection - though, really, what more do you need than Samsung's ring case or strap case? - buy yourself some basic protection to tide you over until a wider selection arrives later this fall.