The 6 Best Credit Card Holders That Will Convince You To Retire Your Wallet
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Tory Burch’s Kira Quilted Flap Card Case has it all: form, function, and a timeless design that’ll serve you and your credit cards for years to come
Bottega Veneta / Clare V. / Le Pom Pom
Your credit card, driver’s license, phone, and keys — most times you venture outside of the house, that’s likely all you need. Are you also carrying your library card, gym membership card, insurance card, a business card of someone you met at happy hour months ago, a punch card for that smoothie place from your old neighborhood, and who knows how many receipts in your wallet too? It’s time to pare it down.
Cyber Week Deals
Latico Compact Card Holder is 30% off at Latico
Madewell Leather Carabiner Mini Pouch is 50% off at Madewell
A credit card holder, which forces you (in the nicest of ways!) to keep just what you need on you, is the minimalist’s version of an overstuffed wallet. We’re slowly becoming a cashless society where you can pay for more and more purchases on your smartphone, so consider a slim credit card case to be one step towards the future. Whether you choose one in a lush leather, cool pattern, or bright hue that you could spot from any corner of your purse doesn’t matter. As long as it securely holds your essentials in a style that you adore and a price point you’re comfortable with, it’s a winner.
Along with the help of a few stylists and designers, we narrowed down the best credit card holders. Any and all would be a welcome addition to your purse or pocket, but Tory Burch’s Kira Quilted Flap Card Case takes our top spot since it seamlessly combines high fashion with high function.
Read on for our favorites, which run the gamut in terms of design, color, budget, and how many cards they hold, but all would be a seriously stylish purchase.
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Best Overall: Tory Burch Kira Quilted Flap Card Case
What We Love
This Tory Burch card case is the best of the best, with an enduring design, smart interior, and an exterior card pocket.
What We Don’t Love
It’s bulkier than the rest on this list.
Whether you pull this quilted leather card case out of your purse tomorrow or 10 years from now, it’s bound to look just as beautiful. Its timeless design earns it the top place on our list, though its card slots, both on the interior and one on the exterior, ensure it’s perfectly modern, working how the everyday woman needs her card case to. The pin-snap closure ensures your cards aren’t going anywhere, and the exterior pocket oh-so brilliantly holds your most used credit card.
While it’s on the thick side when it comes to credit card holders, that allows it to perform more like a mini wallet, housing cash, coat check numbers, and other little pieces of paper you come across while out and about. It’s thin enough though to keep your purse lightweight while encouraging you to unpack those aforementioned pieces of paper at the end of the day to keep your card case tidy.
Price at time of publish: $148
Size: 3 inches high x 4.6 inches wide | Card Slots: 10+ | Material: Leather
Best Budget: Latico Compact Card Holder
What We Love
Its versatility, secure snap closures, and price point combine to make it a no-brainer.
What We Don’t Love
This one is particularly slim — be sure to have a safe spot in your purse for it so you don’t have to dig around for it.
“It is so nice,” says stylist Liv Schreiber of Latico’s versatile card holder. “I love how simple and cute this mini snap case is. It holds my ID, cards, and cash because, really, what else do we need?”
For some, nothing else. In that case, you can stuff it full of your cards and keep the ones you reach for most often in the slit pocket on the interior. Others may need this to double as an Airpod case or become a spot to house ear plugs when heading to a concert. Schreiber has her eye on the poppy or cognac versions for fall, but any of the five color options are all-year-long appropriate.
Price at time of publish: $30
Size: 3.75 inches high x 2.75 inches wide | Card Slots: 10+ | Material: Leather
Best Splurge: Bottega Veneta Credit Card Case
What We Love
It’s available in an array of exciting colors, all in one sleek, standout design.
What We Don’t Love
This price point makes this small item a serious investment.
If you’re looking to throw down serious cash on a credit card case you’ll use next week, next year, and next decade, this Bottega Veneta design gets our vote. It balances fun and functional, with a classic design that will both keep your cards safe and will make you smile every time you reach into your purse. We’re suckers for their colorful hues, like the lavender and grass green tones (called wisteria and parakeet), but the brand offers this design in a collection of always-in-style neutrals too.
Its price is nothing to sniff at, but if you commit to loving and using it, well, forever — since it will last that long, promise! — spending more may be worth it.
Price at time of publish: $350
Size: 3 inches high x 4.5 inches wide x .2 inches deep | Card Slots: Three, plus a pocket | Material: Leather
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Best Colors: Acne Studios Folded Leather Card Holder
What We Love
This card holder is available in nine colors, including several unexpected hues.
What We Don’t Love
Since it folds in half, it’s thicker than others on this list.
No more digging in your purse wondering where your credit card holder is. With this Acne Studios design, you’ll always find it, especially if you choose one of the eye-catching colors, like apple green, powder pink, or pumpkin orange. Rather stick to the neutral side of things? Acne has you covered, with options in black, dark blue, and dark brown too.
This card holder folds in half, so it’s slightly more substantial than other card holders on this list, but you can feel comfortable knowing your VIP cards won’t slip out.
Price at time of publish: $210
Size: 5.3 inches high x 4.3 inches wide x 0.6 inches deep | Card Slots: Four | Material: Leather
Best Monogrammable: The Daily Edited Pebbled Leather Double Cardholder
What We Love
Go ahead, spend the extra couple dollars to monogram this card holder.
What We Don’t Love
It ships from Australia, so be patient in case of shipping delays.
"If you're looking for an affordable, but sleek card holder, I love The Daily Edited one,” says lifestyle blogger and author Kat Jamieson. “It’s monogrammable too!” Not only does it have slots for four cards, but there’s also a small fabric-lined pocket in the middle for receipts, love notes, a photo of your dog – you name it. As much as Jamieson loves their credit card holder, she raves about all of their leather products. “My phone case is from there, as well,” she says.
Price at time of publish: $48
Size: 3.1 inches high x 3.9 inches wide | Card Slots: Two, for four cards | Material: Leather
Best Carabiner: Madewell The Leather Carabiner Mini Pouch
What We Love
Clip it onto your belt loop or another bag for easy access to your cards.
What We Don’t Love
There’s a tag sewn on the inside, which shows holes and thread on the exterior.
We’ve all been there, trying to jam yet another thing into our teeny tiny crossbody. This mini pouch, perfect for holding all of your cards, solves that problem. Simply clip it onto another bag, like that teeny tiny crossbody, or your belt loop. Don’t worry — the zipper closure and secure clip makes sure your important cards aren’t going anywhere.
The roomy pouch can hold all of your cards, cash, and maybe a spare key too. Another idea: use this pouch solely to hold all of your miscellaneous cards, like your library card and that gift card your aunt gave you for Christmas that you keep forgetting at home. Then you won’t have to shuffle through all of them while searching for your driver’s license.
Price at time of publish: $30
Size: 2.75 inches high x 4.24 inches wide | Card Slots: 10+ | Material: Leather
What to Keep in Mind
Closure
There’s no right or wrong type of closure for a credit card holder. Some have zippers, some have snaps, and some have no closure at all, simply relying on a precise design that creates a tight fit so your cards won’t slip out. Decide what’s best for you, and ensure that you feel comfortable with the quality of the closure before trusting the holder to house your most important cards.
Material
Credit card holders get put through the ringer, whether in your purse, pocket, or when set onto your dining room table when a glass of red wine goes awry. (Oops!) Leather is always a good choice. It’s tough, resistant to wear and tear, and develops a beautiful patina over time. Other textiles can work too, but beware of stains, as they can be tricky to wash. You never know when a lipstick will lose its cap in your purse.
Fit
Not only does a credit card holder need to fit, well, your credit cards, but your purse and lifestyle in general. Do you want a credit card holder with slots that your cards can slip into just so? Or would you prefer a pouch where there is plenty of room, but they aren’t snuggled in tight? In general, credit card holders are slim and likely to fit into any purse, but double check that you’ll have a home for it — maybe zipped into a inside pocket of your purse for peace of mind — before purchasing.
Your Questions, Answered
Is it safe to use a credit card holder instead of a wallet?
Safe? Definitely. Sometimes, a credit card holder is even more safe than a wallet, considering how durable they are. Not only that, but they force you to become a credit card minimalist, keeping only your most important cards on you, so if you lose it or (heaven forbid) it gets stolen, you’re not starting from scratch.
Why should I use a credit card holder instead of a wallet?
There are a couple reasons you may want to retire your seen-better-days wallet in favor of a credit card holder. First, you can’t deny how appealing the size is. Credit card holders are significantly slimmer than wallets, so you can save yourself the unnecessary bulk. That opens up space in your purse and may allow you to downsize your purse. Your shoulder will thank you.
There’s no getting around needing to swipe a credit card or flash your driver’s license almost every time you leave home. Modern life requires cards of all kinds, but if you don’t keep cash or change on you, using a credit card holder instead of a wallet simply makes more sense. That way you can pare down your necessities to just your most important cards, leaving behind that punch card you haven’t used since 2017 and crumpled-up receipts.
Why Shop With Us
Megan McCarty is a full-time freelance writer who writes about everything from design, to beauty to fashion. She regularly contributes to outlets like Domino, InStyle, People, Architectural Digest, Bustle, and many more. Aside from using her own expertise and completing lots of research, she interviewed style experts for what they think is a worthy buy, too. This story features insight from stylist Liv Schreiber, designer Alyson Eastman, founder of resort wear brand pitusa Clara Lago, and lifestyle blogger and author Kat Jamieson.
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