The 8 Best Waterproof Phone Pouches of 2023

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Few things can ruin a vacation faster than hearing your phone plunk into a pool, puddle, or another liquid form of electronic doom. Luckily, there are now oodles of options for affordable waterproof pouches that not only keep your phone dry and protected but also afloat. We spent hours testing nine of the best waterproof phone pouches at our lab in Brooklyn. We like the CaliCase Universal Waterproof Floating Case the best, but we found that many of the options are excellent. Before buying, consider the size, other features, and the waterproofing certification—as a rainy street corner and the bottom of Lake Michigan call for different precautions.

Here's our list of the best waterproof cases for various phone sizes.

Amazon

Durable

Allows easy operation of phone

Floats well

Somewhat cumbersome

CaliCase claims to have the "world's best" floating waterproof phone pouches. Based on our tests, they definitely have a strong argument behind that lofty claim. The Universal Waterproof Floating Case, which employs two layers of PVC-based plastic, checked all the boxes we were looking for in a waterproof phone pouch. Not only did the waterproofing hold up against all testing, but it also allowed the phone to work perfectly when the case was wet and dry. The testers loved how easy the seal was to open and close. One tester also noted that it was incredibly buoyant, even pushing back on them when they tried to hold it submerged in our testing fish aquarium. But with that buoyancy came the one nitpick our testers had: The case was so padded that it was one of the bulkiest tested.

Still, the CaliCase pouch is solid and comes with some nice perks, like a size that fits basically all phones, 15 different color patterns, an adjustable lanyard, a carabiner, and a cleaning cloth.

Price at time of publication: $30

Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.1 inches | Weight: 2.4 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard, carabiner, microfiber cloth

TripSavvy/Tamara Staples

Amazon

Durable

Comes in various colors

Tight seal

Phone not usable underwater

Our budget pick is the JOTO Universal Waterproof Pouch, which comes in 14 different colors, fits most phones, and claims to be not only waterproof but snowproof, dustproof, and scratch-resistant. Our testers liked that it comes with an adjustable, detachable lanyard. They also liked how easy the phone was to use whether the pouch was wet or dry; however, the phone did not work while submerged. And while having the double clasps to seal the pouch brings peace of mind, it did not bring ease of opening and closing, as our testers said this was one of the tougher cases to open and close. The pouch also did not float on top of the water.

Price at time of publication: $20

Dimensions: 6.69 x 3.35 inches | Weight: 1.76 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard

Amazon

Tight seal

Wet/dry operation

Affordable

Does not float

Not usable underwater

Don't let the price fool you. This waterproof phone pouch from Yosh is meager in price yet scored at the top across multiple categories in our testing. The Universal Waterproof Phone Pouch from Yosh comes with an adjustable and detachable lanyard and features two clasps on each side to seal a phone within the case. Our testers noted how well phones worked inside the pouch but did not work while submerged. And while the phone stayed totally dry during our testing, some water did collect a bit inside the clasps, which the phone has to pass through as it's taken out. That put a few droplets of water on the phone when taking it out after submerging it, but it was nothing serious or damaging.

Price at time of publication: $8

Dimensions: 7.87 x 4.53 inches | Weight: 0.64 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard

TripSavvy/Tamara Staples

Great for exercising

Floats well

Easy-to-operate closure

Doesn't work while submerged

Armband runs large

Vansky uses a premium-grade TPU material to create its Floatable Waterproof Phone Case. And while this waterproof pouch could be used outside of fitness pursuits, we put it in this category because it comes with an armband and headphone attachment. And at just 3.2 ounces, it's relatively light to take on athletic missions. The pouch uses a prong latch closure, which our testers found very easy to open and close, especially compared to other prong closures. They were also impressed by the pouch's buoyancy as it pushed back while being held underwater.

There were a couple of nitpicks. First, while the armband is a nice feature that sets this pouch apart from others, one tester reported the armband being so big that they had to wrap it all the way and were still worried it would slip down the arm while being active. And, like a few others in this roundup, while the pouch worked well outside of the water, even if wet, it did not allow for touchscreen usage underneath the water.

Dimensions: 7.68 x 4.13 inches | Weight: 3.2 ounces | Accessories Included: Armband strap, lanyard, waterproof test paper

TripSavvy/Tamara Staples

Amazon

Affordable

Comes in various colors

Durable

Not especially buoyant

With a capacity to hold phones up to 7 inches diagonally measured, the Universal Waterproof Phone Case made it particularly easy to remove larger phones like many Samsung—models. Hiearcool's phone case has a waterproof certification to 100 feet below the surface, and while we could not sink it that far, we were impressed with its waterproofness while fully submerging it. Testers also liked that it comes with an adjustable, detachable lanyard and how easy it was to slide phones into the pouch and latch the top closed. Hiearcool's pouch did not float on the water's surface, but our testers noted how easy it was to use the phone inside the pouch.

Price at time of publication: $16

Dimensions: 8.27 x 4.33 inches | Weight: 3.81 inches | Accessories Included: Lanyard

Amazon

Durable

Buoyant

Hard to find in open water

Let's be honest with ourselves. Having a waterproof phone pouch for sitting poolside or even kayaking through a calm harbor is one thing. It's entirely different from having a waterproof phone pouch for whitewater rafting, kayaking, or tubing. Simply put, the latter needs a bit more protection and float than the former. For those planning on taking their phones on adventurous—and potentially treacherous—water outings, we recommend the AquaVault Waterproof Floating Phone Case.

Our testers were impressed with this case's two layers of protection, including a Velcro fold-over top and Ziploc-style closure rolled down over itself. When we submerged it, the phone stayed totally dry and floated back to the top of the water, albeit only vertically (we couldn't get it to lie flat on the surface). Testers also loved how well the phone worked inside the case, whether dry or wet.

Price at time of publication: $30

Dimensions: 7.25 x 4.25 inches | Weight: 4.1 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard

Amazon

Lightweight

Works for all iPhone models

Affordable

Not buoyant

Doesn't feel sturdy

At first, we were a bit skeptical of the Universal Phone Case from ProCase. It feels flimsy. But the case held up across all tests, and we were impressed with its lightness and waterproofing. Along with the certified waterproofing to a depth of 100 feet, ProCase says its phone case is also snow- and dirtproof. Our testers liked how easy it was to use a phone inside the case when it was wet and dry. And while it didn't float to the top, our testers also appreciated the prong-style closure. We're always down for an adjustable and detachable lanyard, which this phone case includes.

Price at time of publication $14

Dimensions: 6.7 x 3.9 inches | Weight: 1.8 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard

TripSavvy/Tamara Staples

Amazon

Durable

Moves with you

Affordable

Not buoyant

Not usable underwater

This waterproof-certified phone pouch from FRiEQ scored well across all our testing categories. Like a few others on the roundup, it comes with an adjustable, detachable lanyard and seals with two clasps (one on each side). But we also loved how flexible this case was—ideal for underwater movements like swimming. Phones worked well inside the pouch when it was dry and wet, but they did not work while submerged in our testing tank. Be careful while using this swimming as it's another one that does not float.

Price at time of publication: $6

Dimensions: 7.75 x 4 inches | Weight: 2 ounces | Accessories Included: Lanyard

MoKo Floating Waterproof Phone Pouch: While this pouch performed okay, it performed slightly less impressively than the others we tested. It works fine if you use it carefully and correctly, but if you use it carelessly, you might have an issue.

TripSavvy editors and writers selected products in this roundup after thorough and thoughtful research. We selected some of the most reviewed and purchased phone cases on Amazon. We also tried to select and test products with different styles and price points. It's worth noting that the waterproof phone pouch game doesn't have a ton of players, and we tried to cover most of the major ones.

All products were tested in Dotdash Meredith's testing lab in Brooklyn, New York. Multiple TripSavvy editors placed test phones into phone pouches and tested the functionality when dry. Phones and cases were then submerged in a fish aquarium to test how well they performed. We also tested how well the phone cases floated in the tank. Then phone cases were removed from the water, and before removing the phones, we tested how well the touchscreens worked while the cases were wet. We then removed the phones from the cases to see if any water made it to the phones. Phone cases were scored on waterproofing, ease of use, phone usability, and durability.

TripSavvy/Tamara Staples

Be sure to check the size of the case before you commit—and not just the dimensions. Each of these cases has thousands of reviews on Amazon. Get into those reviews a bit and make sure your phone will not only fit but fit comfortably. While most of these cases are inexpensive and it's relatively easy to return products on Amazon, save yourself the time and headache and do the upfront research.

The primary feature of these cases is waterproofing. But other things to consider are whether or not both sides are clear and if it floats. The latter is significant because a waterproof case won't do much good if you can't find your phone after it falls overboard. We also appreciate having detachable and adjustable lanyards.

The key here is to look for a waterproof product, not simply water-resistant. The former means that it can withstand continuous submersion, so you can rest easy knowing that it can handle a full day of water activities. And you shouldn't go wrong with a waterproof certification that goes down to 100 feet beneath the surface of the water, which most of these cases in the roundup have.

Waterproof phones are able to withstand splashes of water or being dropped in a puddle but are not made for plunges into the water, especially for long periods of time. A waterproof pouch can help protect your phone from water damage. Many pouches have floating capabilities, so if you drop your phone into a lake or pool, it will not sink.

Most waterproof pouches are made with a transparent, heavy-duty polythermal plastic that allows you to see your phone's screen and to use its touch screen function. While most functions will still work in the pouch, there are some functions, like fingerprint locks, that you will not be able to use. We've noted how each phone case included in this roundup performs when dry, wet, and submerged.

Nathan Allen is the outdoor gear editor for TripSavvy. While he still misses flip phones, he appreciates the evolution of smartphones. Nathan went through a three-month span in his mid-20s when he dropped three different phones in various forms of water (yes, one was a toilet), ruining each phone. He's tested waterproof phone cases while rafting Rocky Mountain rivers and paddleboarding High Sierra alpine lakes. He's now had the same iPhone for more than two years—a record for him—and is concerned he's now jinxed himself.

Author Justine Harrington covers travel, food & drink, lifestyle, culture, social advocacy, and the outdoors. Justine has been writing about all things Texas for TripSavvy since August 2018.

Jamie Hergenrader, Editorial Director, Travel Commerce, went to our Brooklyn lab and conducted multiple rounds of waterproof phone pouch testing.