Looking for a clear case for your iPhone? Hereʼs what we recommend based on our time with dozens of clear cases over the years.
If you want your iPhone to stand out, go with the RhinoShield MOD NX or the Casetify case.
If youʼre at the Apple Store right now, go with the Otterbox Traction.
If you want to know what we would use for our daily lives, it would either be the Mous Clarity Or the Catalyst Impact Protection.
And if youʼve got a case now and are a little annoyed at the edges of the case and really want something that doesnʼt get in the way, check out the Pelican Ambassador.
Need more details about the best Clear Case for the iPhone XR and iPhone XS? Keep reading!
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When it comes to clear cases, weʼve yet to come across one that addresses the two biggest reasons why we donʼt like clear cases. In general, we donʼt think the average clear case is as tough as a normal case (especially for the iPhone XR) and clear cases are a great way to showcasing your fingerprints.
RhinoShield MOD NX
Score
4.4 Eh’s out of 5
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FULL REVIEW HERE!
PROS:
- Make your iPhone uniquely yours
- Enhance your iPhoneʼs camera
- Can use a wrist strap with the case
CONS:
- Will make your iPhone feel a bit thicker
- And all these extras will cost money
We like the RhinoShield Mod NX. When it comes to iPhone accessories, products that do well donʼt take away from the iPhone. Products that are great are the ones that add to the iPhone. The RhinoShield MOD NX is one of those products.
The NX version addressed our biggest issue with the original RhinoShield MODʼs which dealt with the slick edges. The RhinoShield MOD NX isnʼt as grippy as a Moshi Talos or Speck Grip case but RhinoShield added enough texture to the NX versions that weʼre not too worried about having our iPhone slip out of our hand constantly.
The standout feature of RhinoShield MOD NX is the fact that it offers a unique level of customization. When you think of a custom case, our mind usually drifts to the cheap cases with things printed on them but thatʼs not the case with the RhinoShield MOD NX.
RhinoShield allows you to customize the buttons on the case to whatever you want. If youʼre rocking a colorful iPhone XR, thereʼs a ton of different customizations that can make your iPhone XR standout. You can even forgo the backplate and turn the case into a bumper which offers you a bit more customization.
RhinoShield also allows you to add printed text on the back of the clear case which is the cherry on top when it comes to customizations.
When it comes to iPhone access, the buttons on the case are the best we have ever used. Every other case uses a method of thinning out the case enough so that the button response is close to the original. RhinoShield is the only company whose buttons mimic the exact click of a bare iPhone. That’s because the buttons float in the case.
However, the biggest downside when it comes to the MOD NX is the fact that it feels thicker than the average case. If youʼre using an iPhone XR, the RhinoShield MOD NX is going to make your device feel very thick.
We didnʼt have any difficulty accessing the ports or the mute switch and the back of the case didnʼt get in the way of camera access. Speaking of the camera, RhinoShield offers a camera mounting add-on that turns your RhinoShield MOD NX into a camera case. The attachment point for the case has been improved over the original as it only requires a half-turn to secure rather than screwing it in on the original MOD.
If youʼre into shooting wide angle shots, the 4K lens that you can get is one of the best that weʼve seen during our years as an iPhone case reviewer as the distortion along the edges of the case are quite minimal.
Overall, weʼre very pleased with the RhinoShield MOD NX. The only other issue that you may run into is the fact that to get everything weʼve talked about, is going to cost you a bit of cash.
Catalyst Impact Protection
PROS:
- Itʼs a slimming case, especially for the iPhone XR
- Makes the mute switch fun to use
- Wrist strap compatible
CONS:
- Potentially not as much face drop protection
The Catalyst Impact Protection is a thin case that offers one unique feature above the average iPhone case, the mute switch. We personally don’t use it a lot but we know of people who do.
The handling of Catalyst Impact Protection is quite nice, especially on the iPhone XR as the thinner design removes some of the awkwardness of the iPhone XRʼs thickness. The clear back does have a series of relatively unnoticeable dots on the back that help with rainbowing.
If youʼre particularly clumsy, you can add the included wrist-strap to provide even more safety for your device.
The last thing weʼll touch on is the buttons. Despite looking like they would be terrible to use, Catalyst has done a great job. The Catalyst Impact Protection has the second best buttons in our opinion after the RhinoShield MOD NX,
Pelican Ambassador
Score
3.9 Eh’s out of 5
Get them now on Amazon!
PROS:
- iPhone access is top notch (specifically gestures)
CONS:
- Build quality isnʼt ~as great
- Not as tough
There are some cases that trim the middle of the case but leave the corners high, then thereʼs the Pelican Ambassador that keeps the entire edge of the case low.
The thinner edges on Pelican Ambassador also improves the handling of the iPhone in the case. The Pelican Ambassadorʼs thin edge sits in your palm better which is great for those who are bothered by the bulk of the iPhone XR. The low edges also ensure that the case doesnʼt get in the way of gesturing on the 2018 iPhones.
Weʼve only gave this case a score of 3.9 because the lowered edge reduces the protection that this case provides an iPhone. Better take that into consideration, if you’re clumsy with your devices.
Mous Clarity
PROS:
- Thin
- Tough
- Handles well
CONS:
- Not as tough as the Mous Limitless?
- Shows wear and tear a little quicker than the average clear case
The Mous Clarity would be our case for daily use for clear cases if we werenʼt reviewing cases. We’re a big fan of the rubber coating on Mous Clarity as it improves the handling over regular clear polycarbonate cases. And if youʼre wondering if the Airo Shock is any good, well, weʼve taken our iPhoneʼs to the limit in the Clarity.
Otterbox Traction
Score
4 Eh’s out of 5
Get them now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Great handling
- Looks different
CONS:
- Not as tough as the average otter box case
The Otterbox Traction is one of the newest cases from Otterbox which was surprising for us because Otterbox doesnʼt usually come out with new cases. But for the 2018 iPhones, they released the Otterbox Traction, updated the Otterbox Pursuit (which is a great case) and revamped the Otterbox Symmetry.
Out of our recommended clear cases, Otterbox Traction is going to offer the least protection because it doesnʼt have as much bulk as other cases. But if youʼre a person whoʼs relatively gentle to their iPhones and are looking for something different, the Otterbox Traction is worth checking out. If we had to put a height to this case, we wouldnʼt drop the iPhone any higher than chest height.
The standout feature of the Otterbox Traction is going to be the texture on the edge of the case which results in an upgrade in handling over the Otterbox Symmetry. We personally like the colored-fleck-style of the bumper though we can see some people not liking it. We think the colored edges work better with a colorful iPhone XR over the bland colors of the iPhone XSʼs.
Out of all the clear cases found in the Apple Store, Otterbox Traction is going to be the best clear case that you can get.
Casetify Case
Score
4 Eh’s out of 5
Get them now on Amazon!
PROS:
- Handles well
- Lots of designs to choose from
CONS:
- Black ring around camera cutout is very noticeable
- Doesnʼt handle as well as other cases in this list (by a tiny bit)
Weʼve been using Casetify cases since the release of the 2018 iPhones and weʼve been surprised by them. The design of the case reminds us a lot of the Tech 21 Evo series with two differences, the back of the case doesnʼt crumple like a piece of paper which means the Casetify case is going to offer a bit more protection when it comes to face first drops.The second difference is the raised back which is going to be important for those who like to have things on the back of the case.
The one thing that keeps us from loving this case, is the branding on the case. That black ring actually serves a purpose as according to Apple accessories guidelines, as a dark-colored, matte ring ensures that the flash doesnʼt spill back into the camera. But Casetify made it too obvious.
But if youʼre looking to add a little more style or uniqueness to your device, Casetify offers a plethora of different designs to choose from. And the different designs look great on a colorful iPhone XR.
If youʼre also into the customized Apple Watch straps, the monogrammed ones from Casetify are pretty sweet. If you really like accessorizing your stuff, itʼs hard to beat stuff from Casetify.
Honorable Mentions
There are two cases that make it to our honorable mentions list which are the Ghostek Atomic Slim and the Otterbox Symmetry Clear.
Ghostek Atomic Slim
Otterbox Symmetry Clear
There are two cases that make it to our honorable mentions list which are the Ghostek Atomic Slim and the Otterbox Symmetry Clear.
The Ghostek Atomic Slim has an aluminum bumper that comes in a variety of colors so itʼs a pretty great case to accessories the colorful iPhone XR with. Thereʼs an attachment point for a wrist strap which weʼd recommend using because the metallic portion of the case is slick. If you can get past that, then the Atomic Slim isnʼt a bad case. Bulky but not bad.
The Otterbox Symmetry Clear went through a pretty big change for the 2018 iPhones. The standout feature of Otterbox Symmetry Clear is the updated buttons. They float in a similar manner as the RhinoShield MOD NX which makes this one of the best handling iPhone cases when it comes to buttons.
With the lighter and thinner design, we believe the case isnʼt as tough but if you donʼt drop your iPhone that much, that isnʼt going to matter.
So this is our The Best Clear Case for the iPhone XR and iPhone XS! Have any questions? Leave them below! Definitely, SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel to stay on top of all the new things we review!
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