The 16 best men’s wallets for carrying cards and cash

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The best men's wallets have convenient features for accessing cash and cards, have relatively slim profiles, and are made from long-lasting materials. The worst ones are bulky in the pocket and make it difficult to slide cards out quickly.

For the last few years, we've been testing wallets and polling our teammates about their favorite styles, features, and brands. While some prefer high-tech wallets with RFID-blocking technology (which helps prevent digital theft), the majority of people prefer a simple, leather billfold wallet that fits cleanly in their pocket.

Our top pick overall is the Bellroy Apex Slim Sleeve, which happens to fit all of our parameters (it's also the best overall pick in our guide to the best slim wallets). Not only is it RFID-blocking, but it also has a sleek, minimal exterior and a design with everything you need, including a few easy-to-access card slots, cash storage, and a casing that snaps shut with a satisfying magnetic clasp. If you're looking for a more traditional billfold made from quality leather, we recommend the Bellroy Slim Sleeve.

Whether you're shopping for yourself or a gift for someone special, upgrading to one of the best wallets for men is worthwhile — and it won't cost you too much money.

While wallets are universally essential, men's wallets are designed to be kept in pockets instead of purses or bags. If you're looking for larger styles, you can check out our guide to the best women's wallets.

How we tested men's wallets

We used real-world testing, crowdsourced interviews, and extensive research (including reading hundreds of customer comments) to create our guide to the best wallets for men. Our testing included using wallets for weeks at a time in our own daily lives to assess convenience, card access, and the overall carrying experience. We also relied on feedback from our teammates, who shared insights about their preferences for pocket-friendly wallet features. Beyond materials, design elements, and craftsmanship, we also considered value when determining what made it into this guide. Ultimately, we feel strongly that expensive, designer wallets aren't worth it unless fashion is your first priority.

Our top 5 picks for the best wallets for men

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Best overall: Bellroy Apex Slim Sleeve

The Bellroy Apex Slim Sleeve is our top pick as the best men's wallet because it ticks nearly every box for convenience, aesthetics, and special features. For reference, this RFID-protected wallet is about two-thirds the length of an iPhone. The sleek profile slips easily into front pockets, and its leather has aged gracefully in the past two years that I've used it. Because of its firm leather shell casing, it can be packed full and still feels slim. 

The checkout experience is so much easier when your wallet has everything you need in your palm. You can open it using one hand with a side squeeze, which makes it easy to use for those with limited dexterity. Once open, the wallet's card slots are easy to access and have a pull tab in one of its sleeves. Then it clasps firmly shut with a gratifying magnetic snap. It's genuinely a pleasure to use and feels worth its cost, and the brand offers a three-year warranty on all of its products.

Read more in our full Bellroy review.

Best monogrammed: Leatherology Bifold Wallet

Leatherology specializes in high-quality leather goods without the designer markup. While the brand sells everything from handbags to duffle bags, its selection of wallets is one of the best affordable options on the market. Leatherology's monogramming options make them great for a personalized upgrade for yourself or someone you're gifting.

My personal favorite style is the Bifold Wallet because of its classic design. It's tall enough to store your bills without them messily sticking out and has enough slots for well over 8 cards. I chose the RFID-blocking model for extra security and added my initials in gold lettering.

I was very impressed with the leather quality, stitching, and overall construction of the wallet, but if you want an upgraded version, you can opt for the premium model, which is made from vegetable-tanned full-grain leather.

Best slim leather: Bellroy Slim Sleeve Wallet

Bellroy is a relatively young company that released its first product in 2010. Founded by a few friends in Australia who set out to design the best wallets for men in terms of size and card positioning, Bellroy has since released several different series of wallets for just about any use. You may remember seeing some of those wallets mentioned on Business Insider's Reviews vertical before.

The Slim Sleeve wallet is designed to be the best slim wallet, utilizing Bellroy's "nude" approach to minimize excess material and maintain a slim profile. There are no buckles, trimmings, snaps, buttons, or fasteners. The only materials are leather and thread, with as little of each used as possible.

The bifold style can hold up to 12 cards plus cash. It has four pockets: three for cards, one for bills. The two quick-access card slots inside the wallet are perfect for your everyday credit card or commuter pass — I can easily pull out my most used card without having to take the wallet out of my pocket. 

As far as materials go, the Slim Sleeve is excellent. Bellroy is a certified B Corp, a designation given to companies that meet rigorous standards for "social and environmental performance." This means that Bellroy sources its leather and materials ethically and sustainably. The leather is high-quality top grain, soft yet sturdy, and comes in several colors.

Best minimalistic leather: Bellroy Hide & Seek Low Wallet

Unless you live in or frequently travel to places with taller bills (like Euros or British Pounds), the Hide & Seek Low is one of the best all-around designs for minimalists searching for the best wallets for men.

The low-profile design eliminates extra space that will inevitably be filled with things you don't need, while leaving just enough room for all the things you do need. You'll be able to carry all your essentials, such as credit cards, business cards, IDs, and cash, without needing extra space that's prone to overpacking.

While it's shorter than the Hide & Seek Wallet, it's still tall enough to keep your bills from protruding from the wallet. It also has a flap that keeps your money hidden and out of the way.

I was able to fit the 12 cards and 6 bills from the Gucci wallet I currently carry into the Bellroy Hide & Seek Low with plenty of room for more.

Just like all of Bellroy's leather wallets, the Hide & Seek Low Wallet utilizes top-grain leather that has been ethically and sustainably sourced.

Best for lots of cards: The Ridge Wallet

If you want something simple, straightforward, and high-quality when shopping for the top wallets for men, consider The Ridge Wallet. Rather than being made of leather, like most wallets, it's made of durable aluminum.

The slim design allows for up to 12 cards, making it the perfect wallet for eliminating clutter while still carrying all of your essentials. 

Your cards slide into the wallet at the top and can be accessed by pushing up on the cutout at the bottom. They'll come out in a fanning motion, and from there, you can easily grab whichever card you need.

The back of the wallet is where you'll find the cash strap or money clip. I personally prefer the cash strap because it seems a little more secure than the clip design. And, when you're not carrying any cash, it doubles as a good spot to keep things you'd want quicker access to, like a Metro card or bus tickets.

Even at full capacity, the wallet is slim enough to fit in your front pocket comfortably. 

Read more in our full Ridge RFID Slim Wallet review.

Best vegan cardholder: Herschel Charlie Cardholder Wallet Vegan Leather

Herschel Supply Co. is likely most recognizable for its retro-inspired backpacks, but they also have smaller accessories to fit into their wide range of quality travel goods. The Charlie is an RFID-protected cardholder that fits a light EDC in a slim profile. It works great for carrying the bare necessities on your person, wrapped up in an animal-friendly material. 

The pebbled faux leather has a surprisingly supple texture that looks like genuine leather at a glance. If you just need your transit card, ID, and a couple of bank cards, and you're already a Herschel loyalist, the vegan Charlie belongs in your collection. After wearing it, it's aged nicely with a light fade and stitching that's remained firmly intact.

Best money clip alternative: Leatherology Bifold with Money Clip

If you're looking for a super low-profile option but a cardholder or money clip doesn't fit your needs for carrying a mix of cards and cash, the Leatherology Bifold with Money Clip is the best alternative.

It's constructed like a classic bifold but reduces bulk by removing the billfold storage in favor of a money clip. The design allows more than 6 cards and a decent amount of cash.

I've always used a traditional wallet, but with cashless payment methods like Apple Pay and CashApp, I tend to carry much less cash than I once did. I love that this bifold still feels like a traditional wallet, but only allows me to carry the necessities — there's no extra room for old receipts and useless business cards.

Best for lots of cash: Bellroy Note Sleeve

When searching for the best wallet for men who carry cash, we considered not only how many bills it can hold but also which types of bills it can hold. The aptly named Bellroy Note Sleeve checked off all of our boxes for bills. 

With a 4.02-inch height, the Bellroy Note Wallet can hold US dollars, Australian dollars, and taller bills such as British pounds and Euros. You'll appreciate it if you frequently travel or simply live in a country with taller bills. Additionally, it features a coin holder for all your non-paper currency.

I appreciate that my US dollars are completely out of sight when in the Bellroy Note Sleeve. Although low-profile wallets are designed to accommodate US dollar bills, I've found that they can still protrude from the top when you have a lot of bills. I could fit more than 10 bills in the Note Wallet without any problem.

You'll also find ample sleeves for your essential cards, and a coin pocket for all the change you'll receive after spending your cash.

Best for Passport: Bellroy Travel Folio

A passport wallet can't replace your daily carry wallet, but it is essential for travel. Its purpose is to keep all of your important things in one place, and when you're moving through a bustling airport with other belongings like luggage, it's critical that nothing gets misplaced or lost.

Bellroy's Travel Foilo has ample space for two passports, cards, cash, boarding passes, and other small documents you might need while traveling. Its zippered design ensures everything is secure. My favorite feature is the included pen, which comes in handy for customs paperwork you usually have to fill out on the plane before landing.

I've been using the same Travel Folio for over 6 years, and while the leather has minor scratches from use, it's still in excellent condition.

Best hardcase: Secrid Cardslide

There are a lot of imitators, but Secrid is a true innovator in minimalist aluminum wallets. The Cardslide combines the brand's Cardholder, which features a patented spring-loaded lever that lets you instantly access your cards, with a slide for storing paper money, up to two extra cards, and whatever else you need, and a Moneyband to hold even more cash. 

The coolest feature is the Cardholder. With a push of a button, your cards pop up. It holds four to six cards, depending on whether they're embossed. When the cards are inside the case, they won't fall out, even with a good shake while upside down. Secrid won a prestigious Red Dot Design award for its Cardholder design. 

The slide is just extra storage space, taking this from simply being a cardholder to more of an actual wallet. Secrid, a small family-owned business, ethically and sustainably produces its products in Holland. They rigorously test the products — promising at least 1 million operations — to guarantee longevity backed by a standard two-year or three-year warranty if you register your Cardslide on the company's website.

Best handcrafted: Tanner Goods Utility Bifold

Tanner Goods started out making belts using old-school hand tools in Portland, Oregon nearly 20 years ago. While the tools and techniques may have changed since then, the brand maintains a true sense of craftsmanship and heritage in constructing the best wallets for men. 

They handcraft the Utility Bifold in Minnesota from a sturdy 3.5 ounces of vegetable-tanned English Bridle leather. Bridle leather is both super durable – it was, after all, made to stand up to horse sweat and the elements — and extremely handsome and will only get better with age. They burnish and wax the leather wallet to bring out its natural beauty and for added longevity. 

Inside, there are four card pockets that hold two cards each, a traditional bill pocket, and two hidden pockets. While this isn't a minimalist wallet, it still fits in your front pocket. Tanner Goods really stands behind its products, offering a limited lifetime warranty. This wallet doesn't have lots of bells and whistles, but it is elegant, very well made, and will last you for years to come. There are 11 color choices, but I'd recommend the natural or saddle tan in keeping with the spirit of the piece. 

Best waterproof: Skog Å Kust Plånbok Floating Waterproof Wallet

Skog Å Kust is a fairly young brand specializing in outdoor gear like all-weather backpacks and bags. The family-owned brand from Pennsylvania gets its name from the Swedish words for forest, creek, and coast. Their Plånbok Floating Waterproof Wallet is a go-to for camping, boating, fishing, and hiking. It's also great at forestalling having to dry out your stuff after your "hilarious" friend pushes you into a pool.

They make one of the best wallets for men by using Cordura ballistic ripstop fabric and welding the seams for a sup

aismael@businessinsider.com (Amir Ismael,Andrew Amelinckx,Gabrielle Chase)مصدر