No More Bouncing and Shuffling — These Phone Armbands Keep Your Stuff Secure While You Run

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Many of us run with our phones—whether for mapping, tracking miles and time, streaming podcasts and music, or for safety reasons—but who wants to actually think about their phone while running? Shorts with pockets can help, but if your favorite getup doesn’t have room for your phone, an armband for running is a great solution.

We’re all looking to get lost in our miles and enjoy the sense of freedom that comes with a sport that (allegedly) doesn’t require a lot of gear. Armbands hold your phone without pinching, chafing, overheating, shifting, or bouncing, so you can focus on your form, the road, or the pizza you’re going to destroy at the end of your run.

We put a variety of running armbands to the test, as well as vetting ones we haven’t tried yet, to find which armbands for phones do the best job of staying in place and holding our items securely, while also being comfortable and easy to ignore as you get your workout in.

For more efficient runs, check out our picks for the best hydration vests and running belts!

The Best Phone Armbands

• Best Overall: LifeProof LifeActiv Armband With Mount

• Best Budget: E Tronic Edge Phone Holder for Running

• Lowest Profile: Tribe Armband for Phone

• Sturdiest Fit: Armpocket Racer Plus Armband for Phone

• Best Storage: Haissky Armband Phone Holder With AirPods Pocket

What to Consider

Some armbands have space to carry extra items like cash, cards, and keys, while others are more minimalist in their design, only big enough to carry a phone. Decide how much space you need first.

Next, think about how often you use your phone during a run. Do you need to manually change the music or look at the mileage? Depending on how often you find yourself accessing your phone during a run, you might choose an armband that mounts your phone directly to the band, rather than one with a pocket that you slip your phone into.

Keep in mind that the mount adaptors often attach directly to your phone case—one way around this is buying a beater phone case for use with the armband and taking your phone out of the case after runs.

Some bands, like the VUP model we recommend, use a rubber grip that stretches over your phone to hold it in place, meaning the only protection between your phone and the sidewalk is whatever your phone case has to offer. In this instance, if you trip or lose your footing, your phone screen might end up damaged.

Lastly, it’s imperative to consider how the armband will stay put during your workout. Most running armbands attach via a stretchy strap with a Velcro closure, but some, like the E Tronic Edge armband, simply slip over your arm like a sweatband.

How We Selected

Every armband on this list has been evaluated and vetted by our team of test editors. We research the market, survey user reviews, speak with product managers and designers, and use our own experience running with our phones strapped to our arms (over shirts and jackets and right against our skin) to determine the best.

We called in a pile of armbands, strapped them to our testers, and put in the miles to evaluate them on comfort, reliability, ease-of-use, sweat-wicking ability, fabric quality, aesthetics, how well they stay put, bonus features, and value. For the models we haven’t tested, we used our understanding of the market to only recommend the best.

LifeActiv Armband With Quickmount

Lifeproof’s LifeActive armband has a unique design in that your phone doesn’t tuck into a clear compartment—it holsters to a universal mount attached to an armband. The biggest advantage of this is that you can still use your touchscreen while it’s on the mount.

It’s also a great phone holder because of its lighter and less bulky system than with other armbands, Runner’s World photographer Lakota Gambill reported. The downside is that you won’t have any extra storage space for your keys and cash—though that might not be much of a drawback if you’re traveling light or using other pockets.

Here’s how it works: Following the brand’s recommendations, you affix the adhesive adapter to the back of your phone case, where, after 24 hours, it miraculously stays put and locks into the mount on the armband.

Gambill was surprised by the system’s efficiency. “The sticker is worth the commitment—my phone was secure and easily accessible,” she says. If you don’t want to permanently marry your phone case to Lifeproof’s adhesive mount, Gambill has a tip for that: “Buy a cheap extra case for the sticker.”

Note: Comes with three bands that fit arms between 8.5 and 19 inches.

Phone Holder Armband for Running

Similar to the Sprigs model, the E Tronic Edge fits more like a sleeve than a band—which has both pros and cons. On the plus side, the solid band of nylon-spandex fabric is smooth and comfortable against your skin, so you don’t have to worry about a rough armband scratching against your arm or the possibility of a Velcro closure giving out. It’s also cool, light, and quick-drying, so it doesn’t feel bulky or steamy on hot days.

The only potential downside is that your phone is zippered into the sleeve and somewhat inaccessible while you’re in motion, which could actually be a pro or a con, depending on whether you like to take mid-run calls or photos.

It can also be tricky to get the right fit to keep the sleeve from migrating down your arm, so just be sure to use the size chart and size down if you’re unsure. The armband comes in four sizes and an array of color and pattern options and best fits smaller-sized phones.

Running Phone Holder Armband

Although it was the cheapest among the bands we tested, this frill-free running armband from Tribe surprised us with its luxuriously soft, stretchy comfort and unobtrusive, low-profile fit.

There’s not a lot of storage space for much beyond a phone and a credit card here, but that wasn’t an issue for Director of Editorial Operations Jen Sherry, who found that the band didn’t budge at all when worn on bare skin or over a medium-weight jacket.

Sherry also praised the band for being one of the only armbands she’s tried that allowed her to use (with a little effort) the phone’s touchscreen while tucked inside. Ultimately, she appreciated how simple, practical, and comfortable the Tribe fitness armband was to use—a no-brainer for anyone looking for a cheap way to carry their phone on the run.

Racer Plus Armband for Phones

One of my favorite features of Armpocket’s bands is the transparent power of the Velcro on its bicep strap. Not to overstate the situation, but I would trust one or two of these Velcro armbands to hold me to the side of a cliff. This is some powerful stuff—once the band is on your arm, that sucker is not going anywhere.

For runners who don’t have a lot to carry, the Racer Plus is a top pick, thanks to its durable, shift-free design that fits phones up to 6.3 inches—as well as multiple Samsung and Google device models—plus cash and an ID. (That means if you have an iPhone 14 Pro Max, you’ll need another option.)

You won’t get any extra storage here, but what you will get is a light, comfortable, sweat-resistant band that holds fast to your arm like your life depends on it.

Running Armband With AirPods Pocket

While armbands are convenient and often the lowest profile option, they frequently have limited storage space.

This one however, has about as much extra space as you’ll find on any model without having to upgrade to a waistband. It can hold AirPods, keys, credit cards, or even some small nutrition in its two pockets.

The fabric is stretchy, which really allows you to take advantage of the space and shove stuff in there, and it is waterproof, sweat-proof, and machine-washable.

Banjees Armband for Phones

This Sprigs armband could not be more simple—it’s just a lightweight wrap with a stretchy compartment to tuck your phone inside, secured by a Velcro strap. But as it turns out, that’s really all you need in most cases, particularly in short-sleeve weather with no chance of electronics-killing precipitation in the forecast.

From my first run with the band, I was pleasantly surprised by how safely and comfortably it held my phone and its case. The small-sized armband initially felt a little loose on my arm, despite my bicep measuring near the upper end of the 7- to 9-inch size range (the band also comes in medium, large, and extra large, for arms up to 19.5 inches).

But within the first minute of running, I became sweaty enough that the band clung securely to my arm without budging or bouncing. The stretchy performance fabric with gripper dots held fast but never felt constrictive, obtrusive, or hot.

And the whole thing was easy to throw in the wash when I was done—just one more reason this armband is ideal for summer wear. It also comes in an array of colors and patterns, making it easy to coordinate with the rest of your gear.

Armband Phone Carrier

The best part about this water-resistant armband is that it actually stays in place, according to Runner’s World photo editor Kristen Parker, who admits she finds armbands in general to be “inherently a little bulky and annoying.”

This one, however, ranked a 7 out of 10 in terms of comfort on her self-styled critical scale. The material was soft and flexible, and didn’t dig in or pinch her skin. Her phone didn’t move at all within the window pocket, despite being on the smaller side.

She did report finding the band to be more comfortable over clothes than against bare skin, but once tightened in place, she found that the band—designed to fit 9- to 15-inch arms—stayed put without adjustment and was fairly lightweight and unobtrusive.

Although she felt the Super 5K’s window pocket had enough space to accommodate bigger phones, there wasn’t extra room for much more than a key or credit card.

Rotatable Running Armband

Vup’s running armband has an interesting design—instead of inserting your phone into a case, you wedge it into a thick rubber web that holds it securely, while mounting to a Velcro-closure strap that wraps around your upper arm.

This model has a few advantages over the standard window-screen band. For one, it can stretch to fit any size phone, whether or not that phone is inside a case (though bigger phones might bounce a bit). It also makes it easy to access the phone’s screen, should you need to change up your music or take a call mid-run.

And then there’s the fact that the web-mounted design is simply easier than systems like LifeProof’s band, which require you to attach a mount to your phone. You can still rotate the phone 360 degrees while inside the VUP armband mount, and then easily remove it while still hooked to the mount by pushing it in and twisting.

The only potential downside is the long-term durability of the rubber web holding your phone in—after all, if one of those pieces snaps, the armband is pretty much useless. Some testers have also reported that the strap is too small for them, though Vup claims the strap will fit 4.9- to 17.5-inch arms.

That aside, the strap feels sturdy without being uncomfortable, the Velcro is grippy, and the overall package is lightweight and unobtrusive. It’s a cheap option for those who like easy access to all their phone’s features throughout their run.

AB91 Cell Phone Armband Holder Case

The TuneBelt is a straightforward, no-nonsense band that gets the job done, with bonus points for durability and overall value. Made of stretchy neoprene fabric, the band holds your phone securely and keeps it from bouncing, no matter what kind of intense workouts you subject it to. That security comes courtesy of a wide size range meant to give your phone the best fit possible.

The band comes in six sizes designed to accommodate every type of phone and phone case, from the smallest iPhones carried without a case all the way up to an iPhone plus or Note 10+ inside a bomb-proof Otterbox. (There’s a handy chart in the product listing to help you figure out which one is best for you.)

I found the band—which fits 9- to 16-inch biceps (or more, when paired with the armband extender)—to be comfortable but slightly on the long side. But the Velcro is secure, and when worn over a long-sleeve shirt, neither the band nor my phone budged.

Running Armband with Extra Pockets

Unlike other running armbands, this one features a larger pocket that can fit multiple keys and even a key fob for safe keeping.

You’ll find an adjustable armband to position it in a comfortable spot on your upper arm for the duration of your run. If it happens to rain while you're out, its waterproof coating will keep your device protected and intact.

The best benefit is that this one is uniquely compatible with Apple’s biggest iPhones, including the 12 Pro Max, 13 Pro Max, 14 Pro Max, and 14 Plus—but it’s too big for smaller ones, so if you have an older version or an Android, your phone won’t fit snugly.

Fast and Free Running Armband

With an adjustable arm band and double hook closure, this chic armband designed to stay put as you run, walk, and move. The mesh pocket provides touch-screen ability while keeping it in place to switch songs, check mileage, or even send a quick text.

If you go running late at night, you’ll appreciate the reflective details that make it easier for cars to see you. Once you’ve used it a few times, toss it in the washing machine to get rid of the unwanted sweat and odor so it looks and smells brand new for your next run.

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