{"id":73676,"date":"2025-07-18T21:31:15","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T21:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/73676\/"},"modified":"2025-07-18T21:31:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T21:31:15","slug":"9-cheap-and-essential-iphone-accessories-everyone-should-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/73676\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Cheap and Essential iPhone Accessories Everyone Should Know About"},"content":{"rendered":"

The iPhone isn\u2019t a cheap bit of kit, but there\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t save a bit of money on the accessories. Sometimes spending just a little bit of money can seriously improve your day-to-day usage.<\/p>\n

While a good case is a worthwhile investment for protecting your iPhone, there are plenty of cheap accessories out there that provide meaningful benefits without breaking the bank. Here are a few of our favorites.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Adam Davidson \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

Near-field communication, or NFC for short, is a wireless communication protocol that works over short distances. If you use a smart lock to unlock your home using your phone<\/a>, or you frequent a gym that has a contactless entry system, you\u2019re probably already using NFC on a daily basis. But the technology has far more uses than these.<\/p>\n

NFC tags are small, disposable stickers or cards that you can use to trigger various actions. For example, you can write data to them that others can read, like text, URLs, addresses, network credentials, and more. To do this, take a blank tag and use a free app like NFC Tools<\/a> to write the record to the tag. Each tag can only be written to once.<\/p>\n

Adding Wi-Fi credentials to a tag that guests can just scan and sticking it in the spare room can be a game changer.<\/p>\n

You can also use the Shortcuts app to create automations that react to NFC tags. For example, launch Shortcuts, tap the Automations tab, add a new automation, and then choose \u201cNFC.\u201d Hit \u201cScan\u201d to scan your tag, then choose what happens. You might want to put one in the car to play your favorite playlist, run a specific Shortcut in the kitchen, perform app actions like logging water intake, make a call, set a timer for laundry, and so on. You can even use them to stop yourself overwatering your plants<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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Related<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tTired of Killing Your Potted Plants? Here’s How NFC Tags Can Help
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

Use NFC tags to trigger an automation that logs when you’ve watered a plant.<\/p>\n

NFC tags are one of the cheapest accessories you can buy. You can get 50 of them on Amazon<\/a> for around $15, and then stick them basically anywhere.<\/p>\n

8 <\/p>\n

A 3D-Printed Stand<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Patrick Campanale \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

Your iPhone comes with StandBy mode, which effectively turns it into an alarm clock with a few more bells and whistles. Along with the time, you can display your schedule, reminders, photos, and widgets that plug into your favorite apps. Paired with the always-on display on the iPhone 14 Pro, 15 Pro, and 16 Pro, StandBy can be a truly useful feature<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, you\u2019ll need some way of propping your iPhone up to use it. That\u2019s where stands come in. If you have a 3D printer (or know someone who has, or have access to one at your local library), you can print some amazing iPhone stands yourself<\/a> for a few cents’ worth of raw materials. Most of these even have space for a charging puck, so you can charge wirelessly.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tUpgrade Your iPhone’s MagSafe Charger With These 3D-Printable Stands
\n\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n

A little plastic here, a MagSafe charger there, and you have a great iPhone stand.<\/p>\n

7 <\/p>\n

A MagSafe Ring Stand or PopSocket<\/p>\n

If you have a larger iPhone Plus or Pro Max model (and even if you don\u2019t), you might find that holding on to your phone can be a struggle at times. With the wonders of MagSafe, you can add some much-needed security in the form of a ring stand or PopSocket-style grip.<\/p>\n

I prefer the ring stands since they allow you to prop your iPhone up at an angle, perfect for watching videos or even taking video calls in portrait mode. Since they\u2019re magnetically attached, you can adjust the angle at which they connect to your iPhone to suit the orientation you want. When not in use, they collapse. You can also easily remove them without fiddling with your case.<\/p>\n

Ring holders can be found for around $15 on Amazon<\/a>. While PopSockets are a name brand and demand a bit more of a premium, they still only cost around $20<\/a> for a basic design. These don\u2019t support standing your iPhone up, but they arguably provide a better grip (and they\u2019re just as easy to remove). Look harder and you\u2019ll find plenty of cheaper knock-offs, too.<\/p>\n

6 <\/p>\n

A Fast Charger<\/p>\n

\"Charging<\/p>\n

Sergio Rodriguez \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still limping by with a crusty old 5W charger, it\u2019s time to treat yourself to a fast charger. Though these once demanded a premium, they\u2019ve dropped in price significantly since basically all new phones now support the feature. You can find foldable travel-friendly 30W chargers from brands like Anker<\/a> for less than $20 now.<\/p>\n

If you have an iPhone 16 or later, your device supports up to 45W wired charging. For older phones, a 30W charger will do. You can either buy a single USB-C output charger for cheap, or you can spend a bit more and buy one that\u2019ll charge all of your devices at once for a bit more money. Though this is the pricier way of doing it, it\u2019s still relatively cost-effective when you consider the price of replacing every other charger you have.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got a UGREEN Nexode 100W four-port charger next to my bed, which primarily charges my Steam Deck but pulls triple-duty for my iPhone and Apple Watch when I\u2019m traveling.<\/p>\n

5 <\/p>\n

A Super-Long Charging Cable<\/p>\n

\"USB-A<\/p>\n

Jason Montoya \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

The charging cable that came with your iPhone is long enough to charge your phone on a desk or nightstand, but not much else. Sometimes you just want to doomscroll on the sofa in peace, only to find that you\u2019re unable to do so because you\u2019re desperately low on battery.<\/p>\n

The solution here is to buy a super-long charging cable. Thanks to the iPhone\u2019s full transition to USB-C, you can find these dirt cheap. Even brands like Anker have nylon 10 ft (3m) cables for less than $10<\/a>, which are rated for up to 100W, so they\u2019ll still fast-charge your iPhone.<\/p>\n

4 <\/p>\n

A Wireless Charger<\/p>\n

\"Apple<\/p>\n

Tim Rattray \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

Wireless charging has been a feature of every iPhone since the iPhone 8. That means you almost certainly own an iPhone that can be charged wirelessly. While it doesn\u2019t sound like that big of a deal, wireless charging is one of those modern conveniences that you never realize you needed until you try it out for yourself.<\/p>\n

Apple is now all-in on Qi2 charging<\/a>, with the iPhone 16 supporting an impressive 25W fast charging with a Qi2-certified charger that\u2019s paired with a 30W adapter or better. If you have an iPhone 13, 14, or 15 (including Pro models), you can make use of up to 15W wireless charging<\/a> with a Qi2-certified charger and a 20W adapter.<\/p>\n

Your best choice for 25W wireless fast charging is Apple\u2019s $40 MagSafe charger<\/a>. It\u2019s not exactly cheap, so if you\u2019re happy to take the hit and settle for 15W instead you can have something like the Anker Zolo 15W puck<\/a> for less. The magnetic coupling makes these convenient for use on a desk or nightstand, or in the car.<\/p>\n

3 <\/p>\n

Wireless CarPlay Adapter<\/p>\n

\"Screenshot<\/p>\n

Apple<\/p>\n

CarPlay is awesome<\/a>, I use it every time I get in the car. The only problem is that my vehicle only has wired CarPlay so I have to attach the phone manually every time. Sometimes I forget, and it\u2019s a scramble at the lights to get the iPhone connected so I can listen to music or a podcast.<\/p>\n

Wireless CarPlay adapters take a wired CarPlay connection and make everything work without needing to plug your iPhone in. You\u2019ll need a vehicle or entertainment unit that already supports CarPlay for this to work (these don\u2019t magically add CarPlay to vehicles<\/a>), after which you\u2019ll be able to use all the CarPlay features you love while leaving your phone in your pocket.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re great when paired with wireless chargers, so you can drop your iPhone into a MagSafe charging cradle at the same time. Expect to pay around $40<\/a> for the convenience.<\/p>\n

2 <\/p>\n

MagSafe Battery Pack<\/p>\n

\"Anker<\/p>\n

Andrew Martonik \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have it, MagSafe might be the best reason to upgrade your iPhone<\/a>. Not to be confused with the magnetic chargers that first appeared on MacBooks (which went away for a few years, then came back again), MagSafe on the iPhone is more than just a wireless charging protocol; it also allows your devices to communicate with one another.<\/p>\n

Despite this, MagSafe\u2019s best use case scenarios usually involve charging. One of the best examples of this is the MagSafe charger, which allows you to essentially expand the size of your iPhone\u2019s internal battery by literally slapping a power bank on the back.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to plug in any wires or put your iPhone into one of those oversized charging cases that were once all the rage. Firm magnets hold the battery pack in place, until you decide it\u2019s time to take it off and embrace your iPhone\u2019s slim form factor once more.<\/p>\n

While MagSafe accessories used to be expensive, the technology has matured, and now even these chargers are cheap. You can buy an Anker MagGo 622 5,000mAh power bank<\/a> for around $45 (and there are plenty of even cheaper alternatives on the market).<\/p>\n

1 <\/p>\n

AirTag<\/p>\n

\"Roger<\/p>\n

Tim Brookes \/ How-To Geek<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s AirTags let you track and find items, and they pair perfectly with an iPhone. In fact, you need an iPhone in order to use AirTags since you have to pair the tag by scanning it with the Find My app. You\u2019re then free to name and label it, then attach it to an item that you\u2019re prone to losing or want to track.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve got one on my keys and one on each of our cats. While I rarely lose my keys, the cats are always hiding in weird places, so it\u2019s nice to be able to play a sound and track them down. The AirTags are a cheap insurance policy against runaways. Though tracking in real-time isn\u2019t what they do best, they can at least significantly narrow down a search for any items (or felines) you\u2019re trying to find.<\/p>\n

You can buy a single AirTag for $30 or less<\/a> or a four-pack for around $100<\/a>. You can often find the four-pack on sale for around $80, and at $20 apiece, that makes them individually cheap considering how useful they are. You can also use them to trigger actions just like NFC tags using Apple\u2019s Shortcuts app.<\/p>\n

Got a bit more money to spend? Check out some premium iPhone accessories like headphones and rugged charging cables<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The iPhone isn\u2019t a cheap bit of kit, but there\u2019s no reason you can\u2019t save a bit of…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":73677,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[611,158,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-73676","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-mobile","9":"tag-technology","10":"tag-united-states","11":"tag-unitedstates","12":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114876375663497239","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73676\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}