Why should you ditch your Lightning charger cord and cube? Because MagSafe makes phone charging fun and far more convenient. Apple’s proprietary accessory technology uses a combination of magnets and near-field communication (NFC) to both hold an accessory in place and recognize it. For example, a MagSafe wireless charger uses magnets to align perfectly with the charging coil inside the phone, ensuring you never again wake up to a dead battery because you didn’t precisely line up your phone on a Qi charging pad.
NFC functionality comes into play by enabling your iPhone to identify what you just attached it to and then showing a fun animation on your screen that matches your case’s color, for example. You can also opt for a MagSafe wallet that attaches to the back of the phone. The MagSafe wallet even integrates with Apple’s Find My network to remember the last location where it was removed from your phone — pretty cool, right?
Since MagSafe launched at the end of 2020, plenty of handy accessories have arrived in its wake. We rounded up some of our favorites, like the Baseus 10,000mAh 20W Magnetic Portable Charger that can charge some iPhone models up to two times without a recharge. Keep reading for more of our favorite MagSafe accessories, like 3-in-1 phone stands or car mounts.
Also: The best wireless charging pads
Pros
- Strong grip to phone
- Up to two recharges
- Wireless
- Charge two devices simultaneously
Cons
- Android users need accessories to use
Baseus 10,000mAh magnetic portable charger features: 10,000mAh/18.5Wh | Wireless Charging (7.5W and 15W) + USB-C (20W PD)
Most battery power packs can only supplement a little battery boost, but not this one. You can get up to two recharges on an iPhone with this Baseus 10,000mAh magnetic power bank, and charge two different devices simultaneously.
When ZDNET contributor Adrian Kingsley-Hughes tried out the battery pack, he complimented the magnetic connection as “one of the best [he’s] seen” and said the power bank is “more than enough” to get you through a day of hard work.
More: Forget the cable: This MagSafe battery pack is good for up to two full recharges
How much juice you can get out of the power bank depends on the iPhone version you own. If you have an iPhone 13, you can recharge it about 1.8 times with Baseus’s charging capacity and 2.1 times with an iPhone 12. For just around $46, it’s also a pretty affordable bank for the battery it replenishes. For context, Apple’s MagSafe charger is double that price.
Pros
- Smaller desk or bedside table footprint than an iPhone Pro Max
- Sturdy feel
- Smart design
HiRise 3 Deluxe features: 15W MagSafe Charger for iPhones and AirPods | Compatible with AirPods with MagSafe Charging Case | Includes Apple Watch fast charging
This HiRise 3 Deluxe MagSafe charging stand has a smaller desktop footprint to it than an iPhone Pro Max, and with that space it saves, it charges not only your iPhone but also your MagSafe-compatible AirPods and your Apple Watch. At 15W, it promises a slower charge, much better for overnight charging than a charger with a stronger wattage.
When ZDNET associate commerce editor Nina Raemont tried the stand out for herself, she complimented its sturdy design and convenience. At $150, it is by no means a cheap stand to come by, but it’s a well-made product that utilizes space-saving design to optimize your tech charging setup and clear some unnecessary clutter up from your desk or bedside table. Not only that — it’s the perfect Standby Mode companion.
Pros
- Premium look and feel
- Strong magnet
- Affordable price
Cons
- There isn’t much we dislike about this MagSafe wallet
Satechi MagSafe Wallet features: Four card support | NFC card support | Made from vegan leather
If you want a MagSafe wallet with a premium look and feel, look no further than Satechi’s wallet. When contributing writer Adrian Kingsley-Hughes tested out the product, he complimented its quality build and the strength of the magnet. “I’ve no fear that this wallet is going to become detached from the iPhone — unless I want to separate them. I’ve been using a thick case, which I feel diminishes the power of the MagSafe connections, and yet I’ve had zero problems with this wallet,” he writes.
More: I’ve tested dozens of MagSafe wallets on my iPhone and this is one you should buy.
The wallet stores four cards and comes in four colors through Apple (four other colors are sold separately). The wallet doubles as a vertical or horizontal phone stand for easy use while you’re working and need your phone upright.
Pros
- Can wirelessly charge iPhone 8 models or later and AirPods models with compatible case
- Fast wireless charging up to 15W
Cons
- Magnetic alignment only applies to iPhone 12, iPhone 13, and iPhone 14 models
Apple MagSafe Charger features: Up to 15W | Compatible with Qi charging | USB-C integrated cable
This seemingly simple disk was the first Apple MagSafe accessory designed for charging any iPhone model with MagSafe built-in. There is a new MagSafe connector on one end and a USB-C connector on the other. The disk connects to the back of your phone, holding itself in place to ensure proper alignment.
There’s a lot of technology packed into the MagSafe Charger, but you wouldn’t know by looking at the sleek design. And that’s a good thing.
Pros
- Car mount that doubles as a phone charger
- Rotates your phone for landscape or portrait mode
Cons
- Plastic body feels a little cheap
Belkin MagSafe Car Mount features: Sturdy vent clip | Able to rotate | Magnetic mount
Belkin’s MagSafe Car Mount does not charge your phone, but it does showcase how strong the magnets are and the promising potential of what can be done. Former contributor Jason Cipriani tested it for over a month and liked it — he hasn’t seen his phone fall off the mount when going over bumpy roads.
His only complaint? When his iPhone 12 Pro was attached to the mount, the combination of the two devices was heavy enough that it pointed the air vents down, no matter what.
If you’re looking for a car mount that holds your phone in place without any clamps and you have a MagSafe-compatible case, you can’t go wrong with Belkin’s offering.
Pros
- Adjustable height
- Sturdy base
- Good use of the platform with the addition of MagSafe
Cons
- MagSafe connector is $40 extra
Twelve South HiRise Pro for MacBook features: Leather-covered base with MagSafe | Puts your MacBook at eye level, or up to 6 inches off your desk | Holds your laptop in place
Jason Cipriani, a former ZDNET contributor, has been using the non-pro version of Twelve South’s HiRise for MacBook for about a year with no complaints. It did exactly what it’s designed to do: get his laptop off of my desk and at eye level while freeing up some desk space. Underneath his laptop, Cipriani placed a wireless charging station, making use of the free space.
However, with the HiRise Pro, Twelve South built a MagSafe charging pad directly into the leather-covered base. That means you no longer need a separate charging station under your laptop. Instead, attach a MagSafe charger — which isn’t included with the HiRise Pro — to the bottom of the base and route the power cable to a nearby outlet.
The best MagSafe accessory is the Baseus Magnetic Portable Charger since it quickly charges your phone and has enough juice for not only one battery replenish, but can recharge your phone 1.8 to 2 times, depending on the model.
| MagSafe Accessory | Price | Type |
| Baseus Magnetic Portable Charger 20W 10,000mAh | $46 | Magnetic battery pack for back of iPhone |
| HiRise 3 Deluxe | $150 | 3-in-1 charging stand for iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch |
| Satechi MagSafe Wallet Stand | $40 | A MagSafe wallet with an incredibly strong magnet |
| Apple MagSafe Charger | $39 | A compact charger by Apple for your iPhone or AirPods |
| Belkin MagSafe Car Mount | $40 | Clip-on car mount |
| Twelve South HiRise Pro | $99 | Laptop stand with MagSafe wireless charging |
*Lowest price at the time of writing. Please note that prices may vary based on retailer and available promotions, sales, or discounts.
Any of the MagSafe accessories on this list are great picks — it just depends on what you are looking for, the price you are willing to spend, and what device(s) you need to charge.
| Choose this MagSafe accessory… | If you want… |
| Baseus Magnetic Portable Charger 20W 10,000mAh | The best portable charger that can charge your iPhone from dead to 100% and just might have enough juice left in it for another round of charging before you’ll ever have to plug the charger in. |
| HiRise 3 Deluxe | A sturdy, 3-in-1 iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch stand that has the same desktop footprint as an iPhone Pro Max. |
| Satechi MagSafe Wallet Stand | The best MagSafe wallet our contributing writer has ever tried with a premium feel and look and a not-shabby price. |
| Apple MagSafe Charger | A small MagSafe charger for your countertop for easy use. |
| Belkin MagSafe Car Mount | A MagSafe mount you can use as you drive to look up and follow directions. |
| Twelve South HiRise Pro | A desk optimizer that strategically places your laptop and phone in the right place for easy charging and an organized space. |
ZDNET only recommends products we ourselves have used or researched extensively to see if there’s consumer interest. While rounding up this list of MagSafe accessories, there were a few factors we kept in mind.
- Price: The products on this list range from $40 to $150. We made sure to include plenty of affordable MagSafe options on this list that perform competitively. That means we picked products with strong charges, products with magnets that stay on your phone no matter what, and products that boast high quality without a high price.
- Functionality: From laptop stands to car mounts, there’s a diversity of MagSafe use cases on this list. We considered user experience and overall functionality in each product we spotlighted, like a 3-in-1 MagSafe phone stand that charges your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods and that takes up less space than an iPhone Pro Max.
- Magnet strength: A MagSafe accessory is no good if the magnet to attach your phone is weak. The products on this list have strong magnets that we have put to the test.
MagSafe was originally developed as a safety feature for MacBook charging cords, but it’s now built into iPhone 12, 13, and 14 models for use with a range of accessories like what I’ve talked about above and for faster, wireless charging.
The system uses a series of magnets around the iPhone’s internal charging coil which sense other compatible devices and hold them securely in place. The magnets are specifically designed for the MagSafe system to protect your iPhone from damage.
All iPhone 14, iPhone 13, and iPhone 12 models have MagSafe charging. Some of charging cases for Apple’s AirPods, such as the latest AirPods Pro, also have MagSafe built in.
MagSafe is simple, and that’s what’s so great about it. Compatible iPhones have magnets built-in to take advantage of the technology and ensure a proper lineup every time you place your phone on the pad.
If you plan to use a MagSafe charger or attachment along with a case, make sure you buy a MagSafe-compatible case. That means the case has magnets of its own, and it will allow you to charge your phone or keep a MagSafe wallet attached.
The two systems work on the same wireless charging principles, but the key difference is that Qi chargers don’t use magnets for alignment. Qi chargers need a near-perfect alignment for optimal speeds. The MagSafe system eliminates the hassle of positioning and repositioning your devices on the charger by using magnets to properly align the charging puck and iPhone’s internal charging coils, giving you consistent, fast charging every time.
It’s really up to you.
Both USB-C Lightning and the MagSafe system have similar charging times, but with the Lightning cable, you have to make sure you’re near a suitable wall outlet when it comes time to recharge your iPhone.
With the MagSafe system, you can purchase a battery pack for power on the go. So if you’re a mobile professional, we recommend the MagSafe battery pack to keep your iPhone charged while you travel or meet with clients off-site. Folks who work from home may want to stick with a traditional cable charger.
Yes, here are a few other options to look into:
Best 3-in-1 alternative
Mophie Wireless MagSafe 3-in-1 extendable stand
Many of the 3-in-1 stands on this list all cost about the same price, but each offers a different design or special feature. Mophie’s 3-in-1 special feature is its extendable stand, which can double as a tripod for recording videos or taking photos.
Best versatile MagSafe accessory for on-the-go
Anker 622 Magnetic Battery
This slim MagSafe kickstand features a strong magnet for efficient charging.
Best alternative 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger
Belkin BoostUp Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe
You no longer have to choose between charging your iPhone, Apple Watch, or AirPods Pro. This wireless charger can boost up all three devices at the same time.
