Best iPhone 15 Cases (15, Plus, Pro & Pro Max)

Apple no longer sells the iPhone 15. If you are still using one, that is the best thing that could have happened to the case market.

A discontinued phone has two advantages over a new one. The cases for it have been on sale since September 2023, so the reviews come from people who have lived with them for months or years rather than days. And the big brands are clearing stock, so an Apple silicone case for the 15 Plus now costs less than many unbranded ones.

This guide covers all four phones in the family. Each listing sells separate sizes, so each pick below is for one model, named on its card. Most of these case lines are sold for the other models too, either on the same listing or as a separate one, so if a pick is shown for a model you do not have, search for the same case in your size. Every card also shows the colours the case comes in, with a preview of how each one looks on your phone's colour.

What we looked for

• Built-in magnets, ideally with a published strength rather than just "compatible with MagSafe"
• A listing for one model only, since the four phones take four different cases
• Reviews that describe this phone, which after three years is a realistic bar
• Screen and camera lips that stand proud of the glass
• A spread of prices, from under ten dollars to about forty

Four phones, four cases

The iPhone 15 family looks like two sizes and two styles. It is really four separate bodies, and a case for one will not fit another.

The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus have a diagonal dual camera. The 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max have the larger triple-camera square and a titanium frame. So a 15 case will not go on a 15 Pro, even though both have 6.1-inch screens: the camera opening is the wrong shape and size. The same goes for the 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max, which both have 6.7-inch screens.

The more expensive mistake is the next generation. The 15 Pro and 16 Pro look almost identical from the back, and online listings often put them side by side. They are not the same phone. The 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen against the 15 Pro's 6.1 inches, and the 16 Pro Max is 6.9 inches against 6.7. A 16 Pro case on a 15 Pro will be loose, and a 15 Pro case will not stretch over a 16 Pro. If the listing does not name your model in writing, do not buy it.

Going the other way, manufacturers disagree about older phones. Spigen and OtterBox sell some cases listed for the "iPhone 15 / 14 / 13" as one size. ESR sells its iPhone 15 case separately from its iPhone 14/13 case. The safe rule is to buy a listing that names the iPhone 15 and ignore anything that makes you guess.

What three years of reviews tell you

On a phone launched last month, a big review count on a case listing tells you about the brand, not the product. For the 15 family the numbers mean more, but they still need reading carefully.

Two of our picks have review counts that really are about the phone. The Apple silicone case for the 15 Plus and the OtterBox Defender XT for the 15 Pro Max are sold as single-model listings, and their review excerpts name those phones.

The other four pool their reviews across the brand's whole case line. The Spigen Ultra Hybrid's figure of more than 330,000 includes owners of the iPhone 11 and XR. That is still useful: it is the same design, made the same way, and it has been on sale for years. Just remember that the number tells you how good the case line is, not how well this one fits the 15.

The same reviews make the weak points obvious. Clear cases yellow, and both clear picks here draw that complaint, the ESR despite an anti-yellowing coating. ESR reviewers report it anywhere from a few weeks to over a year; Spigen reviewers mostly within a month or two. Apple's silicone case gets mixed reviews on durability. The cheapest pick, from SUPFINE, gets mixed reviews on magnet strength.

Magnets: the published figure is what counts

All four phones have MagSafe, so a case without magnets of its own weakens the hold on every wallet, charger and mount you attach.

Only one pick here publishes a figure: ESR rates its magnets at up to 1,500 g of holding force. Apple builds in magnets aligned with the phone's own, which is as close to a guarantee as you get. Spigen and OtterBox say the cases work with MagSafe accessories without giving a number, and their reviewers broadly confirm it. SUPFINE says "powerful built-in magnets", and about four in ten reviewers who mention the magnets call them weak. It is the cheapest pick because of that, not despite it.

If you rely on a magnetic car mount every day, that difference matters more than the price gap. Why MagSafe accessories fall off explains why a weak case magnet shows up first on a bumpy road.

Our picks

Six cases, grouped by model: two for the iPhone 15, one for the 15 Plus, two for the 15 Pro and one for the 15 Pro Max. The ESR is the best all-rounder for the money. The Spigen Tough Armor and OtterBox Defender XT are for heavy use, and both add bulk.

If you have since upgraded, the iPhone 16 guide and the iPhone 17 guide cover those phones. For a tougher case than these, the rugged case guide compares OtterBox, Speck and LifeProof in more depth.

Frequently asked questions

Will an iPhone 16 Pro case fit an iPhone 15 Pro? No. The 16 Pro has a 6.3-inch screen and the 15 Pro a 6.1-inch one, so the bodies are different sizes. The same applies to the 16 Pro Max and 15 Pro Max. Buy a case whose listing names your exact model.

Can I use an iPhone 15 case on an iPhone 15 Pro? No. They share a screen size, but the 15 has a diagonal dual camera and the 15 Pro a larger triple-camera square, so the camera opening will not line up. The 15 Plus and 15 Pro Max are different in the same way.

Do iPhone 14 cases fit the iPhone 15? Some manufacturers say yes and some say no. Spigen and OtterBox sell certain cases listed for the 15, 14 and 13 together; ESR sells separate cases. Trust the listing for the case you are buying, and choose one that names the iPhone 15.

Are the review counts on iPhone 15 cases real? They are real reviews, but some are pooled. The Apple 15 Plus and OtterBox 15 Pro Max counts come from reviews of those models. The Spigen, ESR and SUPFINE counts include owners of other iPhones using the same case design.

Why are iPhone 15 cases so cheap now? Apple has discontinued the phone, so brands and sellers are clearing stock. Apple's own silicone case for the 15 Plus is now around twelve dollars in black. One reviewer paid $42.95 for it earlier.

Is a clear case a good idea on a discontinued phone? It is a good way to show off the colour, but expect it to yellow. Reviewers of both clear picks here report yellowing, including on the ESR, which has an anti-yellowing coating. At these prices, replacing the case once a year is a reasonable plan.