The Best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Cases for Your New Foldable Phone

Spigen has been around forever, and every case that I’ve bought from the company has held up well. The Slim Armor Pro has nearly everything you need to keep your phone safe and functional, with a promise of durability and coverage that includes the hinge, and it has a built-in magnet so you can slap a Qi2 charger on the back.

The Slim Armor Pro for the Z Fold 7 is nicer looking than last year’s version of this case, with less apparent bulk and a sleeker overall appearance. It looks like Spigen gave it less of a chunky lip around the screens, too. One thing to look out for is that hinge cover – I feel good about the extra protection, but when you lay the phone down while it’s open, it’s going to see-saw instead of laying flat, which could actually put stress on the hinge if you accidentally set something on the phone.

They never last forever without yellowing, but if you’re going to get a clear case, your best bet is Samsung’s first-party Galaxy Z Fold 7 Clear Grip Case. Designed by Samsung itself, it’ll be the most snug fit, and that’ll be crucial for feeling the phone’s newly slimmed-down chassis.

Samsung is also offering a standard clear case, but its Clear Grip Case comes with a built-in pop-out handle on the back you can slip your fingers through, making it way less likely that you’ll drop your skinny new foldable. If you want to charge your phone magnetically with a Qi2 charger, Samsung’s selling a Clear Magnet Case, too. Whichever clear case you pick, you’ll be able to easily admire the Z Fold 7’s Blue Shadow or Samsung site-exclusive Mint color options.

Dbrand is coming in hot this year with a set of cases that keep your Galaxy Z Fold case safe while also giving you something nice to look at. The company is offering options like a topographical map of Area 51, a matte case with a scanned image of the Z Fold 7’s internals, and an option with a darkly tinted rainbow sheen. If you just want matte black, that’s there, too.

The Dbrand Grip isn’t just nice to look at; they’re manufactured with a textured dot surface to keep the phone in-hand. They’re also beefy and designed to cover and protect the whole phone, hinge and those honkin’ cameras included, according to Dbrand. As for what you’ll pay, that ranges from $49.90 to $79.85, depending which case you get, and all of them ship in August, so you’ll want to either pick up a temporary holdover or just be very careful until then.

Barring any Galaxy Z Fold 7 deals you happen to come across, this is now a $1,999 phone at minimum. So if you want to stick your fancy phone in a fancy case to match, Samsung’s option this year is its Carbon Shield Case. The company says it’s “ultra thin,” scratch-resistant, and includes an anti-reflective protector for your front display.

Like the phone itself, this $99.99 case is now $10 pricier than Samsung’s Kindsuit Case was last year. But for that price, you’re getting a case that’s guaranteed to hug the Galaxy Z Fold 7 better than the vast majority of other options.

As of launch day, there aren’t many leather cases for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold out there, but if you’re going to pick one, Torro’s may be your best option right now. This case comes in two color options: a dark brown and a black textured version with red stitching. It has a magnetic clasp to keep the phone closed and covers the outer screen fully when it’s all closed up. Torro says it’ll work with wireless chargers, but don’t plan on slapping a Qi2 charger onto it, because it has no magnet.

I don’t expect that Torro’s leather case will offer the best drop protection and it definitely adds a lot of bulk, but there are other good reasons to consider it. For one, it’s cheaper than a lot of the options out there, costing just $49.99. For another, it’s designed to double as a stand when you unfold the Z Fold 7, making it a great option for watching content without having to hang onto the phone. Also, it doubles as a wallet, with slots for cash and credit cards.

All phones’ glass displays are susceptible to cracks and scratches, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 is no exception, so screen protectors are worth considering, especially if you’re going caseless. Thankfully, Supershieldz is already selling a cheap 2-pack of tempered glass sheets for the Z Fold 7’s front screen to get you started.

These screen protectors are designed with rounded edges to make them more comfortable to swipe your fingers across. Supershieldz says they’re water- and- oil-resistant, though in my experience that wears off of any aftermarket screen protector quickly. The one drawback is that Supershieldz doesn’t include an applicator with your $8.99 purchase. You can find options online that do, but they’re all alphabet soup brand names you’ve never heard of, at least as of launch day as I’m writing this.

How to Pick a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Case

What matters most when you’re buying a phone case is how you actually use the thing. Are you a desk jockey like me, or are you always on the go? Does your job or lifestyle threaten your phone’s structural integrity on the daily? Do you care more about the phone looking and feeling good in-hand than being protected from dings and scratches?

Settle on that first, then start looking at how much things cost. Sure, you just spent at least $2,000 on a new device, but that doesn’t mean you have to shell out another $100. But beware: A deal is not always a deal. Look for brands you’ve heard of, or at least that you can find mention of in reviews online from outlets you trust. Often, the cheap brands you find on Amazon might work for a bit, but they don’t always fit well and very often feel terrible to hold. That’s to say nothing of the protection they offer, which may not be a lot (although phones these days are fairly hardy on their own, so I’d be more concerned about the phone falling out of the case than the case failing to protect it).

The big challenge with a foldable phone is keeping it safe – especially that hinge area – without adding a ton of bulk. Look for a case that shaves off as much of that as possible while protecting it, especially if you want to have any hope of slipping the Galaxy Z Fold 7 into your pocket. It certainly helps that Samsung made the phones drastically thinner this year, but it’s still thicker than most slab-style phones.

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.