With the Apple iPhone being one of the UK's most popular phone choices, it's no wonder that as a nation we are spending a fortune on repairing our screens. That considered, it is vital to protect your screen as best as you can. Scratches, cracks and total destruction are a constant threat for phone users, with repairs often coming with intimidating price tags.
Whether you have an iPhone 12 or 11 Pro Max or a trusty iPhone 7, we've scoured the market to find the best options for you and help avoid those nasty screen cracks. Our top 10 list contains glass, tempered glass and TPU recommendations from Amazon to make it convenient for you to find your ideal iPhone screen protector.
Quick List - Top Screen Protectors for iPhones
Spigen
The Easiest in Application From a Prestigious Company
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Continue reading for our buying guide which will help you resolve unanswered questions surrounding the purchase of an iPhone screen protector. From the benefits to the materials, we've got it all covered to help you choose with ease.
When on the search for the perfect product, you'll often notice technical jargon complicating their descriptions. If you don't know where to start with a PET, a TPU or a tempered glass phone screen protector, or you just want to know what it all means, then this is the section to get you on the right path towards your protection needs.
Tempered glass dominates the chart for iPhone screen protection! This is because it's a multilayered protector with superior shielding against all forms of damage, most significantly lethal hard surface drops.
In most cases, a dangerous drop of the phone will only cause the tempered glass to shatter which yields an astonishingly cheaper repair than the iPhone's built-in screen. Despite the word glass in its name, the protector doesn't add extra weight to your device and keeps with the smooth feel of your phone's natural glass screen.
Prices are understandably higher than PET and TPU products due to their bigger scope of strengths and support for your device. But as popularity and demand have risen, there are more affordable options out there to help you get ultimate phone screen protection.
PET is a standard type of plastic that you unknowingly see every day. It's the plastic used in water bottles and food wrappers, as well as a viable option in the screen protection game.
One of the benefits of PET screen protectors is the affordability, as they are typically the cheapest option out there. It is also a widely recyclable material, which means you can dispose of them in an eco-friendly way when you have finished with them.
The main downside of PET is that it doesn't offer 'shock protection' so it isn't likely to protect from drops and bangs, but it does claim anti-scratch protection. This is a good option if you are looking for something affordable as they usually come in reasonably priced multipacks, but in general PET protectors are slowly becoming harder to find as glass takes over.
Finally, TPU. This is a sturdier plastic than PET as it is chemically enhanced and can offer you much more protection from scratches and dirt. Due to its elasticity, the TPU protection boasts 'self-healing' for minor damages. This means a small scratch, which would leave a permanent mark on your screen, can slowly revert to its original state.
The cost of TPU screens in comparison to PET isn't drastic, but the strengths you gain are conclusively greater. These screens do offer a level of security for drops but still can't guarantee total protection.
Much like PET phone screens, they have fallen short in popularity due to the rise in tempered glass, meaning you may have more trouble finding a TPU product that is compatible with your iPhone.
Along with its base materials, screen protectors claim a list of additional features which can not only confuse but don't always explain what their advantages are. Here we will look at those advertised features to see which ones will truly benefit your phone's screen and make your decision simpler.
You will often notice tempered glass screen protector packaging brandishes the tag line '9H hardness', and although this mysterious figure relates to a product's Mohs scale of hardness, it isn't a true representation of where it lands on the chart.
The scale itself informs us of the scratch resistance of a smooth surface when a mineral makes contact, so this means a phone screen is typically rated around 5 or 6 Mohs.
To make things more understandable, 9H refers to the toughest type of standard pencil. The rating you will find on the box lets you know that the glass can withstand the pressure from a pencil at a 45-degree angle and, more importantly, shows us that the product has had some form of testing.
This confusingly titled coating is one of the more desirable features that you will want when buying a screen protector. Oleophobic coating prevents the build-up of oils on your glass screen which makes cleaning fingerprints and other stubborn natural greases a much easier task.
If your protector fronts this coating, it means that a simple wipe with a dust cloth will return that new look to your iPhone. So while your fingerprints will still show up on your screen, a quick clean can remove all traces.
Whether it's mobile banking, checking emails or shopping, we are doing more and more private tasks on devices that we want to keep prying eyes from witnessing. Privacy layers are a new addition in the world of screen protection and offer something much more than damage control.
Typically these products contain a technology that only allows light from the screen to pass through certain parts of the tempered glass layer. That means when in portrait mode, your device's screen isn't visible outside of the viewing angle of 60 or 90 degrees.
You will have the choice of privacy layers with a two-way filter or a four-way filter, whereby the former allows you the option to share your screen in landscape and the latter gives you total protection from potential spying eyes.
A surprisingly intimidating aspect of buying screen protection is the prospect of administering it while avoiding bubbles, trapped dirt or wonky placement. Luckily, companies have gone a long way to make this much easier for you to do at home and often include kits with their products to avoid mistakes.
Protectors should with handy phone cleaning equipment as standard, but you can also look for those with a step-by-step guide on how to get the cover onto your phone screen successfully. Some of these even come with a convenient video guide to walk you through the process.
There is also the option for paid services where they will apply protection to your phone for a fee – but this can be an expensive extra and with the amount of guidance and how far these products have come, it can feel unnecessary.
iPhones come in all different shapes and sizes, especially if we compare Apple's biggest iPhone, the 12 Pro Max, to its bite-sized friend, the iPhone SE 2020. Between these two devices, there is a screen size difference of around 2 inches, so it is important to ensure you are buying the correct size shield for your model's screen.
Just because the screen of the device is the same size from phone to phone, that doesn't mean that the screen protectors will transfer between them. iPhones often move around the placement of their microphones, camera and speaker which can lead to covering up important features if the correct screen isn't applied.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Spigen Spigen EZ Fit Tempered Glass|Pack of 2 | ![]() | The Easiest in Application From a Prestigious Company | |
2 | Ailun Glass Screen Protector|Pack of 3 | ![]() | A Budget Choice That Gives Optimum Protection | |
3 | JETech Screen Protector|Pack of 2 | ![]() | A Popular Choice That's Incredible Value for Money | |
4 | UNBREAKcable UNBREAKcable Screen Protector|Pack of 2 | ![]() | Smart Installation With a Long Time Warranty | |
5 | RhinoShield Screen Protector | ![]() | A Sturdy Polyester Screen That Avoids the Bulk | |
6 | TOCOL Privacy Screen Protector|Pack of 2 | ![]() | A Great Addition for Protecting Your Privacy, Screen and Camera Lens in One | |
7 | JETech Screen Protector|Pack of 3 | ![]() | A Scratch Protective Layer That Can Be Difficult to Apply | |
8 | Belkin InvisiGlass Ultra Privacy Screen Protector | ![]() | An Premium Option With Robust Privacy Protection |
Spigen has been an established big dog in phone protection for years and this is the best of the best to keep your screen safe and sound. Not only does it pack a punch when it comes to its additional features, but it comes with a perspex application kit which you place over your phone to give you perfect bubble-free placement every time.
All of the tempered glass protectors made by Spigen are compatible with their ultra-supportive phone cases so this shield can be a perfect match to keep your iPhone screen well preserved for many years to come.
This Ailun protector displays an impressively low price for the three screen protectors you receive in a pack. It's no wonder this product holds an Amazon Choice badge – its sturdy glass screen offers the desired 9H hardness which gives further protection when your iPhone is in your pocket!
While it doesn't come with an alignment tool, its cleaning kit will help prevent any trapped dirt and potential bubbles when you are applying the screens.
What makes JETech such a favourite is the number of available products they have designed to protect your screens and devices. In this pack, you receive three brilliant tempered glass films, a cleaning kit and some guidance stickers that will help you with the placement of your iPhone 11 or XR screen.
The product is very honest in its description that it doesn't cover the natural curve of many modern phone screens, so be sure to consider this when shopping. As JETech is a popular brand, you can also find products for almost all iPhone models with a quick search.
What impresses us is that this UNBREAKcable screen protector comes with a 36-month warranty after registration. With the price already at a reasonable level, it's hard to turn your nose up at free replacements for your defective phone screens.
Along with the screen's oleophobic coating, it also claims to self-expel any bubbles that may occur during the application process. As well as this, the easy-to-install screen comes with a handy frame to keep things straight.
The RhinoShield impact protection screen has an eye-catching 6-layer protective factor that can absorb shock damage and has some serious scratch resistance. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that the product has a higher price tag than most, especially for a PET film.
It's a tough challenge to get a PET protector on your phone and with this being a more expensive option, you may be upset to hear that again, it only comes with a single screen – this means perfection has to be met on your first try. Luckily the team have included a step-by-step video with its product to relieve some pressure.
This package contains everything you need to protect your iPhone 12, all under an affordable price tag. TOCOL have included a plethora of goodies inside the box to try and make the painful application process that little bit more bearable.
The privacy protection that this device brags isn't the only thing that puts it up against some of the more established screens out there – with the inclusion of its camera lens glass screen, you'll be confidently snapping high-quality photos with a clear, scratch-free lens.
Compared to tempered glass options, this JETech film protector is a lightweight choice for those who don't want their screen imposed by thicker protection. This three-pack of films all measure in with a 0.13 mm thickness, so you continue to get amazing touch responsiveness alongside a layer of scratch protection.
Unfortunately, this won't protect you from shock damage if you were to drop your phone, so if you know you have a clumsy side then it may be best to look at another material for your screen protector.
The Belkin InvisiGlass comes with a premium price tag which may put you off choosing this product, but don't let that obscure its fantastic qualities. The screen protector offers you brilliant privacy protection against nosy onlookers and even comes with a smart installation tool to get the screen down right the first time.
Sadly, the product comes with only one protector for your phone, which makes this a rather expensive investment should you have any application problems or drop your phone after only a week.
That gut-wrenching feeling when you find your phone upside down on the ground is all too familiar, but knowing you have a strong layer of protection can help relieve that anxiety. No matter how careful you are, accidents can still happen and we agree that it's a worthwhile investment to support your phone in the worst-case scenario.
Apple boasts that iPhones have the strongest glass screen in the smartphone game, but this doesn't mean that it's indestructible. Aside from preventing annoying screen scratches, buying a cover for your screen can give you added 'shock protection' which will help care for your device if it experiences a harmful drop.
Although it's a great place to start, bear in mind that a protector doesn't guarantee full protection of your phone's screen. It only sits on top of your device's screen, after all, so even if it advertises corner-to-corner protection, there are still weak spots.
Pairing one of these with a strong, shock-resistant phone case will comfortably give you that edge over damage from accidental drops or impact.
It's always beneficial to look into getting yourself some appropriate insurance as a backup, in case damage is more fatal. Apple offers its own insurance called AppleCare but providers such as o2, Vodaphone, EE and Tesco all offer suitable alternatives.
Inspired to upgrade your phone case too? Check out the article below for more tips and product recommendations. Or, if you're looking for other phone gadgets and accessories, we've got a few ideas for those too!
We hope this buying guide helps you to arm yourself with the best screen protection the market has to offer. The technical specifications may have once left you scratching your head, but after reading our guide you should be able to confidently differentiate the PETs from the TPUs and the oleophobic from the Mohs!
Now that we've helped you with that, you should be left with the simple, strong protection you need for your precious device.
Author: Kieran Davies
No. 1: Spigen|Spigen EZ Fit Tempered Glass|Pack of 2
No. 2: Ailun|Glass Screen Protector|Pack of 3
No. 3: JETech|Screen Protector|Pack of 2
No. 4: UNBREAKcable|UNBREAKcable Screen Protector|Pack of 2
No. 5: RhinoShield|Screen Protector
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