Best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases

You'll fear neither long drops nor hard surfaces with the best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases. Adding a case to your phone is an important precaution against damage, and will help you get the most out of your flagship iPhone.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max has been replaced in Apple's lineup by the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and to avoid needing to make that upgrade yourself, a case is essential. Also, cases can be invaluable in other ways, by adding stands, handholds or storage to your phone for more convenient use.

If you've not bought the phone yet, here are the best iPhone 13 deals around right now. Or, if you're not sure the iPhone 13 Pro Max is right for you, check out the best iPhones to see our top picks for different kinds of users.

Just be careful if you haven't bought an iPhone yet. The iPhone 14 Pro Max is now the reigning big, fully featured iPhone, with the iPhone 13 Pro Max sent out to pasture. Read our iPhone 14 Pro Max vs. iPhone 13 Pro Max face-off for more details on the differences between these models.

The best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases you can buy today

The CaseBorne R Series blends a transparent design with an outer rim of color, giving users some understated personalization. It manages to remain lightweight while meeting twice the military drop-test standard — up to 12 feet. It's made of polycarbonate and aluminum, with a rubber insert that insulates your phone from shock. It's also 100% compatible with MagSafe accessories. 

The transparent rear panel of the CaseBorne R allows that coveted Apple branding to still show through while protecting the glass back from scratches. Alternatively, there is also an aramid fiber rear which gives the phone a cool carbon fiber look. Unfortunately, the CaseBorne R doesn't offer any color coordination options. It'd be great to match the case accents up with the phone, but that's not possible with the current models.

The Mous Limitless 4.0 Phone Case is one of the pricier options on the list, but it's also one of the highest quality. To ensure the best possible connection for MagSafe accessories, Mous sandwiches another set of magnets between the layers of the case. This means MagSafe accessories attach to this case better than with many other third-party offerings. 

Mous's AiroShock technology provides durable shock protections, and its layers work to spread any impact force across the case. The company also backs up its protection with a lifetime warranty and 30-day returns. That means there's little risk in giving it a shot.

For those that want a case that feels like it's barely there, Totallee makes some of the thinnest. The Totallee iPhone 13 Pro Max Case is as thin as a fingernail in its matte version and its transparent model is only as thick as a dime. Despite their thinness, these cases do serve to protect the phone from minor mishaps and general wear. In addition, the small lip around the camera section and screen keeps users from dents and scratches and can help absorb shock from minor drops. 

However, the Totallee case isn't for everyone. It's not meant to provide extensive shock protection, and it's too thin to prevent damage from significant tumbles. Those that are clumsy or use their phone in places where it's likely to take damage should look toward something a bit stronger.

The iPhone 13 Pro Max Leather Case is going to be a love-it-or-hate-it product for users. Some swear by the leather styling and make it their go-to case for every iPhone. Others will be turned off by its old-fashioned, simplistic design. The leather case is interesting because part of its appeal is that it picks up "character." 

Instead of the phone taking scratches or scuffs, the leather takes the hit, which creates a story of your experience with your phone. Of course, coming from Apple, it has magnets that ensure that MagSafe grip stays strong and does a great job of protecting the phone throughout its lifetime.

Spigen has long been a dependable third-party manufacturer of phone cases. Its Tough Armor is an affordable and rugged solution for those who need excellent protection from their cases. It's a bit bulkier than some of the other entries on the list, but that translates into increased durability. 

Importantly, Spigen's Tough Armor has additional magnets built-in so that MagSafe accessories continue to function just as well as they would on a bare iPhone. This isn't an issue with slimmer cases, but thicker models will prevent MagSafe from working correctly without these additional magnets.

OtterBox is a hallowed name in the phone case game, synonymous with full, reliable protection -- and simple replacement cases should yours fail in any way. The Defender Series is an enduring classic that's rated for five times as many drops as the military standard, and crafted with 50% recycled plastic. It features dual-layer protection with a polycarbonate shell and a synthetic rubber slipcover. 

It's compatible with MagSafe chargers, and it's still thin enough to fit in your pocket. This rugged protective case even comes in three color configurations: Dark Mineral, Purple Perception, and Black. Though the case itself may seem a bit unassuming, it comes with an array of features that make it absolutely perfect for ensuring your new phone makes it through its first year (or first few months) intact. 

Clear cases are fantastic for preserving the simple beauty of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, but sometimes a few pops of color can go a long way. Speck's Presidio Perfect-Clear with Impact Geometry case is not only protective, but it has a few instances of eye-catching hues that are sure to grab others' attention. This perfectly-clear case resists discoloration and fights yellowing. If it turns yellow, Speck will replace it for free. You can't argue with its 13-foot drop protection, or its raised bezels to protect your phone's screen or camera lenses, as they mean business. 

The case is also crafted with Microban to help resist up to 99% of bacteria growth on the surface. To ensure you're still able to express a bit of your personality, this Speck special comes in four different hues outlining the perfectly clear case: Black, Rosy Pink, Fountain Teal, and Unreal Red. 

You can't go wrong with a great-looking leather case for any phone. If you're not looking for flashy, especially protective, or even personality-reflecting, Nomad's Modern Leather Case is a great choice for you. It's crafted from Black Horween leather, meant to develop a rugged patina the more you use it. It's also rated to survive up to 10 foot drops, so if you do happen to let the case slip from your hands, you don't have to worry about it shattering or having your phone too damaged. 

The Nomad Modern Leather Case even includes dual lanyard attachment points, so you can wear the phone as if it were an accessory. This is a great case for anyone working in a business setting with little need for flashy cases or customization. It's also available in three hues: Rustic Brown, Black, and Natural. 

Some phone cases include full-fledged wallets. The Incipio Stashback for iPhone 13 Pro Max takes that idea to the next level and includes a concealed storage compartment that can hold up to three credit cards. No one even has to know you're carrying those things with you, let alone inside your phone case. However, its thicker size means that it's not MagSafe-compatible.

Further, Incipio's case itself is rated for 14-foot drop protection, with a raised-edge bezel that protects the screen. It's also scratch-resistant, with antimicrobial protection to help cut down 99.9% of surface bacteria. Choose from either Jet Black or Midnight Navy hues, and enjoy a lifetime guarantee should you run into issues. 

Can be turned into compost once you're done with it. And if that wasn't green enough, every case sold results in a tree being planted. That doesn't interfere with the case's functionality though, as you can still use wireless charging or MagSafe accessories with the Organicore in place.

The only problem with using biodegradable materials is that it's not quite as tough as some rival cases. Incipio promises 8-foot drop protection and raised bezels around the display, which aren't to be sniffed at, but if you want absolute assurance that your phone will survive any kind of fall, you'll need to look elsewhere.

How to choose the best iPhone 13 Pro Max case for you 

When selecting your new iPhone 13 Pro Max case, you should prioritize keeping your phone safe from drops, falls, scrapes, and scratches. Choosing the type of material your case disc rafted from is tantamount to ensuring you have plenty of protection. 

The better the drop rating for a case, the less you have to worry about a shattered screen. If you don't care about replacing phones when they're caput, or you just don't think you'll drop it at all, you can shift your focus to more aesthetically-pleasing cases that don't rely as much on hardy materials to protect your device. 

You don't have to worry about dropping your iPhone in water, as the iPhone 13 Pro Max's IP68 water resistance rating means the device should emerge from up to 6 meters of water after 30 minutes with no damage. You will wan to keep a shortcut that can eject water from your iPhone's speakers close at hand, though.

Remember that phone cases can and do vary in price. But just because you find a $69.95 phone case from a specialty retailer, that doesn't mean you should discount the $19.95 case from Amazon. There could be a large disparity in quality between the two, in the direction you wouldn't expect. You'll have to make the decision, ultimately, taking into account which one is the most viable with each of its unique features, no matter the price, low or high. 

If you opt for a transparent case, remember that you will need to keep it clean to stop it from 'yellowing'. Check out how to clean a clear phone case for guidance. 

How we test the best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases

We use a combination of our own testing and customer experiences when selecting the best iPhone 13 Pro Max cases.

For cases we try ourselves, we'll install them on a test device and carry them around with us for several days, noting anything interesting about the experience. Any special features we'll test, as well as more basic parts of our time with the case like how it felt to hold or how it is to look at. 

If we've not been able to get a case in for review yet, we'll take a look at Amazon reviews and other customer write-ups to help inform our decision. Drop testing and durability claims we're unable to test for ourselves (at least not without risking our own phones) so for these, we defer to the manufacturers' claims, but recommend that users understand that these aren't independently verified.