The Best Pixel 10 Cases to Pixelsnap to Your Phone

Google wasn’t always great at phone cases, but it’s come a long way in the last couple of years. Its silicone cases come in seven colorways, including four options color-matched to the phones themselves. Expect a slim, pleasant fit that doesn’t add too much bulk or heft, along with a soft microfiber lining. And this year, they’re magnetic, so you can get full power out of your Qi2 wireless charger.

They’ll still come with the usual silicone case problems: specifically, they can be a little sticky. That’s a good thing for keeping the phone securely in-hand, but it’s a pain when it comes to pocketing it on a hot day in your favorite blue jeans, and they tend to collect dust and hair, especially as they age.

At $49.99, they’re a little spendy compared to some third-party cases, but if you like Silicone, the Google Pixelsnap cases are probably the best ones you can buy right now

Last year, Google made some of the best cases for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and I expect that to be no different this year. The first-party case is likely to be the best-fitting, and it’s color-matched to the phones, so you don’t have to worry about coordinating colors so the camera bump isn’t a garish little window.

Otherwise, expect the case to be effectively identical to that of last year’s phones – Qi2 magnetic charging ring included – since Google didn’t really change the chassis this year. That may even mean that, if you’ve got an old Pixel 9 Pro Fold case, you can just re-use that one, at the risk of mismatched colors. But hey, if it saves you the $49.99 Google charges for it, it’s a good way to put off the extra expense after you’ve just spent at least $1,799 for the phone itself.

Dbrand has come out of the gate with its usual slew of Stylish cases for the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. The cases come in matte black, but are also available with options like a shimmering holographic skin and a couple of prints of the innards, either scanned or x-rayed.

If you used the company’s older Pixel Grip cases, expect more of the same, down to the magnets; only now that Google has named it, they’re Pixelsnap magnets. The one difference, for now at least, is that Dbrand isn’t offering its anti-yellowing Ghost clear case for the standard Pixel 10 series – just the Pro and Pro XL models.

Pricewise, at $59.90, these are spendier than a lot of the options on this list, but the company’s cases tend to fit well and offer decent drop protection. They have chamfered lips, too, to make it more pleasant to interact with the touchscreen than cases with blunt edges.

Peak Design doesn’t make your usual smartphone cases. The company, known mainly for its fashionable bags, has a line of phone cases with a modular spin: they connect to a variety of mounts for things like motorcycle and bicycle handlebars and tripods, using Peak Design’s strong, square-shaped magnetic SlimLink connector. They also contain a magnetic ring that lets you use a Qi2 charger with your phone.

The Pixel 10 Everyday case comes in black, green, and brown, and they’re made of either Nylon or Clarino vegan leather, which is a microfiber material created from industrial waste. (Don’t worry, it won’t turn you into The Toxic Avenger. Probably.) The lip is lined with a TPU bumper, and it’s got anodized aluminum buttons, which is good – metal buttons are table stakes if you want me to pay $49.95 for a phone case.

The cases aren’t the most expensive, but they’re not exactly cheap. They’ll run you $49.95 for the basic case or $59.95 for the Pixel 10 Everyday Case Loop, which has a built-in finger loop for a more stable hold. Unfortunately, it looks like the Loop version is only available in brown.

Google sells a couple of Pixel 10 clear case options via its online store, but the better of the two seems like the Force Air Case with Pixelsnap. I’ve never actually heard of Force, the company that makes it, but there are a couple of reasons I’m giving its case the nod. One is simply price: it’s only $34.99, while the Case Mate option Google also sells is $10 more.

The other is its polycarbonate backing. Dbrand made a lot of noise in 2023 when it created the Ghost Case, a clear case it claimed would never yellow. The main reason isn’t that the company figured out some secret sauce that keeps the TPU from going all piss-colored. It’s that it replaced the back of the phone with polycarbonate, using TPU just for the outer edge.

The Force Air case does the same thing, which probably means the fully clear version’s TPU outer edge will take on a dingy hue eventually. But the company is also offering the case in two other options in which the outer edge is a colored TPU, in blue or black. I’d expect that those two would stay clear, at least for longer than a normal floppy TPU case would.

This Mous (pronounced “mouse,” by the way) case is 1.1mm thick, with slightly raised edges that the company says can help protect the phone while saving bulk. It’s also Pixelsnap-compatible, with a built-in magnetic ring for charging the phone or slapping accessories onto. Mous also says it was co-created with Google’s own designers to ensure fit and that the colors match.

Whatever the company did for protection, it’s probably still not as protective as some of the bigger tank-like options out there, but if you’re willing to sacrifice a little peace of mind for a phone that feels better in-hand, Mous has you covered. Plus, at $44.99, it’s a little bit cheaper than most of the cases on this list.

Otterbox has a longstanding reputation for high-quality phone cases made of sturdy plastic and rubber, and I’d expect that to be the same for the Pixel 10 series. The company has cases for all of the standard phones – it’s only offering one of its Thin Flex Series cases for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

All of the Defender cases right now are clear, with a rubbery border for outer protection. They’ve got embedded magnets to let you charge the phone or attach magnetic accessories, and they’ve got built-in anchors for adding straps and tchotchkes to your phone. The company says it also offers a free holster that can let you clip your phone to a belt or bag and also serves as a kickstand.

The one thing I’ve never liked about Otterbox cases is really just how the buttons feel although that seems challenging when you’re focused on making the phone as protective as possible. These new cases are spendy, too, costing $69.99 each (or $59.99 for the Thin Flex Pixel 10 Pro Fold case I mentioned).

How to Pick a Google Pixel 10 Case

Choosing the right phone case is easier these days than it used to be, although not necessarily because cases are any better. They are, but phones have also become a lot more durable. Still, they’re an expensive investment, particularly if you’re not going through a wireless provider deal to get them.

If you’re like me and aren’t quite as concerned about adding durability and heft, the right things to consider are ergonomic in nature – is it comfortable to hold? Do the buttons feel good to use? Is the case designed with the minimal bezels of modern touch screens in mind? Looks are key, too. Is it going to ugly up Google’s phones, which are genuinely nice to look at?

And if you’re buying a clear case, consider fit and the possibility that the case will grow yellow with time. TPU is commonly used in these cases and is nice and flexible, but it also takes on a grimy look over time, while straight up plastic is far less malleable and can crack if you drop it. A combo of the two is better, especially if the TPU part is colored. The other thing about clear cases is they like to collect dust. A good fit reduces this, but only so much, so bear in mind you might be compelled to wipe it out every now and then.

If you’re buying a folding phone, your priorities may bend back toward protection, despite the Pixel 10 Pro Fold being IP68-rated, meaning it’s dust- and- waterproof when it ships. That’s a big win for foldables, which have been particularly vulnerable to dust, but it’s still an inherently vulnerable form factor, thanks to its folding hinge. Look for a case that’s protective yet grippy, and be especially mindful of the bumper around the front-facing outer screen, as that’s the most challenging piece to get right and is often so floppy you might as well not bother using it, because it’ll just keep falling off.

Wes is a freelance writer (Freelance Wes, they call him) who has covered technology, gaming, and entertainment steadily since 2020 at Gizmodo, Tom's Hardware, Hardcore Gamer, and most recently, The Verge. Inside of him there are two wolves: one that thinks it wouldn't be so bad to start collecting game consoles again, and the other who also thinks this, but more strongly.