The Best RFID Wallets for Every Occasion to Secure Your Cards Confidently and Safely

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Your wallet is likely stuffed full of valuable data. And thanks to the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips embedded in most modern-day credit and debit cards, that data sits ready for the taking. Blocking would-be thieves from accessing your information isn’t tricky — all you need to do is opt for a wallet that has RFID-blocking technology built right in. There are tons of RFID wallets on the market, from budget options under $10 straight on up the luxury ladder, including iPhone wallet cases with RFID capability. Some even have the option to add an AirTag to keep track of your goods. But before you invest in one, there are a few things you should know in order to find the best one for your needs.

The Best RFID Wallets

• Best Overall: The Ridge Wallet

• Best Budget: Buffway Slim Wallet

• Best Secure: PacSafe V150 RFID Blocking Compact Organizer

• Best Fashion: Bellroy Hide & Seek Wallet

• Best Rugged: Carhartt Nylon Duck Bifold Wallet

What to Consider

When shopping for an RFID wallet, you’re likely choosing between all the same things you would be from a traditional wallet. What material suits your lifestyle? What kind of style do you want to exude? How much do you plan to pack in the wallet? There’s an option for each.

Luxury leather wallets — whether bifold or trifold — are fair game for RFID-blocking tech. Even the most minimalist of the bunch have RFID tech as part of the equation.

Understanding how RFID technology works may increase your desire to protect everything from credit cards to employee access cards and apartment entry tags to passports. The radio frequencies embedded in the card’s RFID chip contain specific data that can be transmitted to a reader when scanned. This all works great when your info scans where you want it (such as at the grocery checkout) but becomes a problem when someone with a skimming reader accesses your info — through clothing, backpacks, and traditional wallets — without your knowledge.

“RFID blocking is when something is used to reduce the transmitted signal of the RFID chip to virtually make it impossible for a reader to catch the signal. It virtually eliminates the ability for the chip to send out or receive any data," explains Joseph Schlossberg, VP of Global Sales at Sourcing Solutions International, which provides retail and apparel brands with RFID-blocking products. That blocking typically happens with some sort of material, often metal, high-quality leather, or metal-infused fabrics.

With the RFID blocking feature locked in, the rest of the wallet design is up to your personal style and functionality. When selecting a wallet, first figure out how much you really need to carry and how you plan to do so. Are you a minimalist who needs only a few cards and a money clip, or do you still stash all sorts of stuff inside pockets and pouches? Storage capacity will be the biggest driver in selecting the size of wallet you need.

From there, make sure you’re picking a durable material that fits your needs and style. You may opt for a more luxury-looking leather option, an industrial aluminum or titanium design, or maybe even a rugged nylon wallet that can withstand some adverse weather.

RFID wallets offer a range of storage needs and style preferences. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current setup or help a loved one with a gift that can keep their wallet contents both secure and in style, explore the latest in RFID wallets.

How We Selected

RFID blocking is a proven, effective solution to keeping data safe. If you purchase an RFID wallet from a reputable maker, it’s not likely to fail you if someone tries to scan your cards. While I couldn’t vet every single wallet on this list, I relied on my experience with wallets — after all, I’ve been carrying around wallets for decades (who hasn’t?) — and my personal wallets have included some on this list. Having covered tech for Popular Mechanics, Sports Illustrated, Wired, and more, I’m familiar with the world of tech and style colliding, as we see in RFID wallets. To ensure I’m staying on the current trends, I scoured the internet to keep tabs on the most popular brands, fresh approaches, and emerging styles.

Whether you’re selecting it as a gift or for your own protection, choosing RFID technology offers a simple step in personal data security.

Slim RFID Wallet

There’s no point in a lifetime warranty if you aren’t going to love an item for life. So far, a growing array of users — 12,000 reviewers on Amazon alone — have shown they love the Ridge wallet. But it’s more than the reviewers that give this wallet the nod into the top spot. The quality of materials, robustness of the elastic system, lifetime warranty, ease of use, classiness of design, and sturdiness during everyday wear and tear pushed this wallet to the top.

A true minimalist design that easily slides into a front pocket — or any pocket, for that matter — made of either aluminum or titanium, the solid construction holds a range of cards and cash without any bulk whatsoever.

The metal design that covers the entirety of the cards it holds offers up the RFID-blocking needs. It’s our best overall pick, thanks to its distinctive construction of a replaceable elastic band that allows for secure holding of anywhere from one to a dozen cards. The band is robust enough that it can cinch down on however many cards you place in it, so it isn’t too loose, even if you have used more cards previously. The Ridge also holds a small amount of cash, either in its cash strap or money clip.

The wallet allows for customization. Consumers select between a cash strap that provides a minimalist plate to secure cash to the wallet or a traditional money clip. An AirTag attachment quickly transforms the wallet into a trackable item. The look also comes in an array of colors.

The wallet works by sliding your array of cards between the two metal plates, all securely held by the elastic band. To access the cards, a thumb-notch design streamlines the minimalist functionality. Push the cards up from the slot, select the card you need, and then simply push them back into place. At 3.4 by 2.2 inches — and with no sliding mechanisms or protruding features — expect a clean, crisp look and simple in-out-of-your-pocket functionality. Sure, you’re going to spend anywhere from $76 to over $100, depending on your material selection, but you do get that lifetime warranty and a truly functional design.

Minimalist RFID Wallet

Yes, you can truly get RFID-blocking technology for under $10. The Buffway Slim — $9.99, to be exact — offers that up in one of the most popular styles on the market. You’re going to have to embrace minimalism to make it work, though, as the leather wallet is nearly 3 inches by 5 inches and comes modernly slim, as the brand likes to say.

The RFID blocking is still embedded in the design, though, and the leather RFID sleeves are good for use either as a standalone wallet or as an RFID blocker in a larger organizer or backpack. And budget doesn’t mean a lack of personality. The Buffway Slim comes in a range of 18 colors, everything from your classic leather designs to more brightly detailed options. With slots for eight cards, users can select how they want to align their storage and substitute cash into any of the card slots.

V150 RFID Blocking Compact Organizer

PacSafe has made it the brand’s focus to focus first on security for travel, so it’s no wonder the brand’s array of wallets and organizers does the same. Fans of the brand can opt for smaller trifold options or go much larger, but we suggest the V150 RFID Blocking Compact Organizer.

The zippered design makes the contents inside fully secure within the 750D recycled polyester cover that comes embedded with RFID blocking. An optional cut-resistant security strap makes traveling with the organizer easy. Inside, there’s plenty of room for everything from a passport to five slots for cards to an interior zippered pouch for coins or whatever other loose items you may want to keep safe. There’s also space for a pen and cash.

While the organizer may be too large for some people at 4.7 inches in height and 3.5 inches wide, it fits the bill for those who want to carry more and do so in the most secure way possible.

Hide & Seek RFID Wallet

The leather-led world of fashion RFID wallets has quite a range in price. We stuck to options under $100 and found the Bellroy Hide & Seek had the look of wallets much more expensive without the cost associated with them.

The bi-fold design can hold a dozen cards or more, has four quick-access card slots, and a protected section for items such as business cards. A hidden coin pouch can work for a mixture of loose items you want to keep within the confines of a bifold. The Bellroy design comes in multiple sizes to fit different currencies.

The hidden storage spot located next to the flat-lay location for cash offers an extra option for concealing cards or cash, a touch that gives the bifold a bit of a unique feel but also can add to the material bulk within the wallet. But at 3.3 inches by 4.5 inches when folded, expect a compact all-leather classic bifold in a trio of leathers — black, caramel, and java — that gives a classic wallet look the extra RFID protection.

Nylon Duck Bifold RFID Wallet

Not worrying about RFID skimmers isn’t the only concern you may have. You may want to stave off the elements, too. Carhart employs a Cordura 500-denier nylon fabric for a durable wallet, adding a water-repellent coating to the outside and giving it a water-resistant interior so that the wallet retains shape, even in wet conditions. The combination of moisture-combatting materials ensures the wallet is fit for any situation, whether it be work or play.

A 4.5-inch by 3.5-inch bifold design is touted as a slim design with four pockets, a mesh ID window, one bill pocket, and a liner. And it comes with RFID-blocking material built in. Those carrying an excess of cards and cash may find the wallet too small for their liking, but it can stand up to the rigors of the environment if not overloaded with items.

The design is offered in black, camo and “Carhartt brown” and by coming in at under $30 gives a quality option for those looking to bypass leather but not skip out on security.

Leather RFID Blocking Passcase Security Wallet

You’ve got options when it comes to the Timberland Genuine Leather RFID Blocking Passcase Security Wallet — and at just $16, that’s a nice feature. The soft-to-the-touch bifold leather includes an extra flip-out removable ID pocket. That ups the storage, which includes six card slots, two slip pockets, two cash pockets, and the ID window that comes on the flip-out section.

The lining of the wallet encases the low-frequency RFID-blocking technology. The card slots do come tight, either a good thing if you’re worried about them slipping out or a negative if you don’t want to hassle coaxing them into use. The dual cash pockets create additional storage, helping the Timberland design serve the function of a large wallet while retaining the features of a slim design.

The leather design offers a grain on the outside, coming in either black, charcoal, navy blue, or tan, giving fans of the brand a chance to match their boots or simply enjoy a budget leather RFID-blocking bifold.

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