The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is a foldable phone with a lot of promise. S Pen support means this will be great for creators on the go who want to sketch out ideas wherever the muse strikes them, and the improved durability and water-resistance means that you don’t quite have to baby the Fold 3 the way you did the Fold 2 (just don’t take it to the beach or the desert). Of course, you can bolster that protection with a great case, and these are the best Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases we’ve been able to find so far.
Get the Note experience
Samsung S Pen Folio Cover
Staff pick
While the Galaxy Z Fold 3 supports the S Pen, it doesn’t have a slot for one like the Notes of yesteryear. That’s okay, though, because you can buy both the S Pen and a Folio case to store it in one easy bundle. This case can feel a bit bulky to some, but for S Pen addicts, this is the case for you.
$80 at Samsung
$80 at Amazon
$80 at Best Buy
Protect everything
Spigen Tough Armor Designed for Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
Most Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases leave the phone’s hinge totally exposed, but Spigen has a couple with that extra bit of protection. The Tough Armor’s version should still sit flat on a desk in tablet mode (unlike the Slim Armor Pro), and it offers a nice lip around the outer screen and the camera.
$50 at Amazon
Heavy duty, slim profile
UAG Civilian
UAG’s Civilian line brings more robust drop protection and grip to your Galaxy Z Fold 3 without getting as bulky as the multi-layer cases by Spigen and others. The Mallard Blue is quite nice, but the Olive Green will mesh marvelously with the Phantom Green Z Fold 3.
$60 at Amazon
Get colorful
GooseBox Ultra Thin
While most cases for the Z Fold 3 focus on kickstands or heavy duty protection, GooseBox instead focuses on a minimal design and a barely-there feel in the hand. You can choose between matte, shiny, or even electroplated clear cases to perfectly match your colorway — or replace it with something more fun.
$14 at Amazon
Unconventional kickstand
Spigen Neo Hybrid S Designed for Galaxy Z Fold 3 5G
This heavy duty case offers high impact protection while also being uniquely functional. The back panel can rotate out to become a wide, sturdy kickstand for when you’re working in tablet mode. However, because it consists of the entire back panel, the case will still sit flat on a table. It also means the lip around the camera is nice and deep.
$60 at Amazon
A refined grip
Samsung Leather Flip Stand Cover
While the Galaxy Z Flip 3 got a couple of different grip styles integrated into its first-party cases, Samsung only brought a phone strap to one of the first-party Z Fold 3 cases. The strap also pulls double duty as a kickstand when you have the phone in tablet mode.
$90 at Samsung
$90 at Amazon
Clean and clear
Spigen Ultra Hybrid
There are precious few clear cases available for the Z Fold 3 right now, but that’s okay because Spigen’s got the only one you need. Now, I know this case looks green, but that’s just the refraction of the Phantom Green through the polycarbonate; it is a clear case.
$40 at Amazon
$60 at Best Buy
Safe and secure
Incipio Grip
The Galaxy Z Fold 3 can be a bit difficult to grip properly at times, but Incipio is back with its Grip series to help you hold on to your folding phone, whether it’s closed, open, or in between. It also comes in black and a very bold red, but I like this two-tone Navy Blue colorway best.
$70 at Incipio
Sleek kickstand
VRS Design QuickStand Pro
This dual-layer case has a built-in kickstand, but it’s not as wide or cumbersome as the Spigen Neo Hybrid S. Available in three colors, this case has a good pattern across the back for extra grip and non-slip pads to keep it from sliding around a table when lying flat.
$43 at Amazon
Better fit and finish
Araree Bonnet
This more minimalistic take on a folio eschews flimsy front clip-on cases for the outer screen, instead giving you a clean-looking cover screen while still offering protection from the folio and the TPU-covered bottom half of the Z Fold 3.
$32 at Amazon
Colorful carbon fiber
ZYKY Carbon Fiber Cover
If leather isn’t your preferred look, this snap-on case instead takes notes from one of the most icon case styles of the last decade: carbon fiber. I’m partial to the blue or red, but we also have the classic black carbon fiber or a softer brown to pick from.
From $22 at Amazon
Pick your finish
Ringke Slim Case
Ringke’s hard-shell case comes in black, a reflective clear, and a matte clear. The matte finish, in particular, is quite alluring because it should hopefully be a little better about hiding fingerprints and scuffs. Like most Ringke cases, this one has an anchor point for a lanyard, strap, or phone charm.
$24 at Amazon
Why great Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 cases are harder to find right now
There’s a bevy of fun cases from Samsung and Spigen for the Galaxy Z Fold 3, with the S Pen Folio sitting pretty at the top of the pack. I like the S Pen, but I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to tolerate the extra girth here — at least it’s not as awkward as the S21 Ultra version. The Spigen Tough Armor and Neo Hybris S cases are also quite interesting, especially the way the hard back panel rotates out into the kickstand while the inner layer keeps the Z Fold 3 secure. It adds a fair amount of bulk, but heavy-duty cases are popular for a reason: they protect your investment.
Despite how blatantly awesome the Galaxy Z Fold 3 looks, you can’t deny this is an expensive phone that’s still trying to break out of a niche enthusiast segment and into the mainstream. As such, many case manufacturers are waiting to see how the Z Fold 3 — and the Z Flip 3 — sell before deciding how many cases they’ll offer. This means that outside some early cases from bigger companies like Spigen, Incipio, and Samsung, of course, you might not see much in the way of cases for the Z Fold 3 for a while longer.
Don’t worry, though! We know that case makers come around on these phones pretty quickly. Its predecessor, the Galaxy Z Fold 2, has good case selection now, as does the Z Flip series. It just means if you’re not too keen on what’s available today, you can grab an affordable case for now and wait for your dream case to arrive.
