Clear, Clear Soft or Clear Impact? Clear phone cases explained

A clear case does something an all-over-print case can't: it lets the color of your phone show through around the design. Pair a pink iPhone with a floral print, or a black one with gold line art, and the phone becomes part of the look.

We make three transparent cases, printed on the back. They look alike at first glance, but they feel and protect differently.

Clear case: slim and rigid

The Clear case is a thin shell of high-grade polycarbonate, the same light, impact-resistant plastic used in car and aircraft parts. It's rigid, so it keeps its shape and stays crystal clear, and it adds very little bulk.

Because it's hard all the way through, it handles scratches well but cushions a drop less than a softer case. Think of it as the Snap case's transparent sibling.

Best for: a slim, glassy look and everyday scratch protection.

Clear Soft case: flexible and grippy

The Clear Soft case is molded from TPU, a flexible material somewhere between plastic and silicone. It bends to slip on and off, it's grippy in the hand, and it's close to unbreakable.

Best for: easy on and off, a secure grip, and a case that won't crack.

Clear Impact case: the best of both

The Clear Impact case combines the two: a rigid polycarbonate back that keeps the design crisp and flat, with flexible TPU edges that take the hit when your phone lands on a corner. A raised frame around the camera helps keep the lenses off the table.

On supported iPhones it also comes as a MagSafe Clear Impact case, with a ring of magnets inside for MagSafe chargers, wallets and mounts.

Best for: clear-case style with real drop protection.

Side by side

• Slimmest: Clear
• Grippiest and most flexible: Clear Soft
• Most protective: Clear Impact
• MagSafe: Clear Impact, on supported iPhones

A note on how the print looks on a clear case

On all three, the design is printed on the back of the case, so your phone's color and finish show around and through the lighter parts of the artwork. Designs with open space or soft backgrounds look especially good on a clear case. Bold, edge-to-edge artwork shines on an all-over-print case like the Snap or Tough instead.

Try it on your phone

Open any design, pick your phone, and switch between the clear cases to see each one from every angle before you choose.

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