Even if you’re the most careful person when it comes to your tech, accidents happen — and seeing a crack on your phone screen after a particularly hard fall can be frustrating. A good quality phone case can only do so much to help you avoid this fate, and most cases will leave your glass screen vulnerable to damage.
Screen protectors are an affordable way to prevent screen cracking or shattering when you drop your phone, according to experts. To help you choose the right screen protector for your phone, no matter which brand or model you have, we consulted a variety of tech experts on the differences in materials, features and application methods.
SKIP AHEAD The best screen protectors of 2024
Selected.Our top picks
We spoke with technology experts about what makes a good screen protector and their top favorite brands. We also considered Select staff favorites. Here’s what we kept in mind when sourcing products:
- Material: We included screen protectors made from tempered glass, which provides the best scratch and fall resistance, according to our experts.
- Size availability: A screen protector is only useful if it fits the entirety of your phone screen. For this reason, every screen protector we recommend is available in various sizes, for both Apple and Android smartphones.
- Water resistant: Some of our top picks are water resistant, which means they can withstand the occasional droplet of water from sudden weather changes or bathroom mishaps.
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The below options are either direct recommendations from Select staff or from our experts. We’ve included only options made from some form of tempered glass, as experts agree this material offers the best protection for your screen.
Spigen iPhone Screen Protector
Spigen is a top brand recommended by our experts. Arthur Zilberman, president of laptop repair company Laptop MD, notes the Spigen EZ Fit tempered glass screen protector is case-friendly, affordable and durable. It’s also easy to install, he says: It includes an alignment tray that you place on top of your phone screen and press down on to secure the glass in place. You get two screen protectors with each purchase, in case you ever need to replace the first one.
Spigen offers the EZ Fit screen protector for the iPad, Apple Watch and all iPhone models (including the latest iPhone 15 series). It’s also available for some Galaxy watch and phone models, as well as other smartphone models.
Ailun Glass Screen Protector
If you’re looking for a relatively affordable option, Zilberman recommends this tempered glass screen protector from Ailun, which works for the new iPhone 15. It features a clear, water-resistant and oleophobic (or oil-resistant) screen coating that protects against sweat and oil residue from your fingerprints, according to the brand. The box comes with three screen protectors — the downside is that the product includes guide stickers rather than an installation tray, so it may be a little trickier to get the product on your screen.
Ailun screen protectors are currently available for several devices, including Samsung’s Galaxy devices, older iPhones and more.
Zagg InvisibleShield Glass XTR2 Screen Protector
Zagg is a favorite of Mac Frederick, the owner of Phone Repair Philly, due to its “price and value.” It offers several durable tempered glass options through its InvisibleShield line, which is available for iPhone devices, Android devices, tablets, smartwatches and more. The one we’ve chosen to highlight works with the Phone 14 Pro but you can also shop for other iPhone sizes. The Glass XTR2 protector hides the visibility of fingerprints on your screen and filters out blue light using a protective layer, according to the brand. You can use the included apply tabs and installation tray to best align the protector with your screen, and the brand says it contains an antimicrobial treatment to prevent odor-causing bacteria.
Zagg InvisibleShield Privacy Screen Protector
Another screen protector from Zagg’s Invisible Shield line, this privacy screen protector is my favorite. It effectively protects my phone from constant drops on hardwood and tiled floors and keeps others from peeking into my phone, thanks to its stealthy privacy shield. The screen looks black if you look at it from the side, even if the display is on — which means I can look at work emails in peace even in crowded areas like airports. Fingerprints are also barely visible, thanks to the brand’s oil diffusion technology. You’ll also receive a microfiber cloth to wipe down your screen before installation and apply tabs to help align this protector. I own it for the iPhone 14 Pro, but you can also shop it for other iPhone, Google and Samsung models.
Supershieldz 3-Pack Screen Protector
Frederick says Supershieldz is one of his favorite brands for tempered glass phone cases due to the products’ durability and affordability — it’s one of the cheapest screen protectors on our list. This pack comes with three screen protectors, all of which are made with scratch-resistant tempered glass, according to Supershieldz. The screen protectors have rounded edges for comfort and feature an oleophobic coating that repels sweat and oil from your fingers, according to the brand.
Supershieldz’s tempered glass screen protectors are available for devices from Apple, Samsung, Google, LG and more.
Frequently asked questions
Scratching or damaging your screen is easier than you might think, in our experience. If you carry your phone in your purse, backpack or pocket with change or keys, the screen “can easily get visible scratches from [those] hard surfaces,” which can “weaken the integrity of the original display and cause cracks more easily,” said Zilberman.
Screen protectors are the best way to minimize cracks in, scratches on or the shattering of your physical screen, according to our experts. While they vary in price, most aren’t terribly expensive: Plastic ones typically cost less than $15, while glass screen protectors range from around $10 to upward of $50.
There are limitations to what a screen protector can do, though: “It isn’t going to cover every square millimeter of the glass display,” said Frederick. The protector also usually won’t protect the back, edges and corners of your phone — the experts we spoke to suggested pairing a screen protector with a heavy-duty case from brands like Casetify or Lifeproof, preferably one with rubber edges that’ll absorb the impact of a drop and prevent damage.
When shopping for a screen protector, we recommend looking at features like material, comfort and ease of installation. Zilberman says that while you can get plenty of high-quality protectors at an affordable price, he doesn’t recommend sacrificing performance for a cheaper option.
Material Screen protectors come in a variety of materials — there are plastics like polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), as well as tempered glass (with some even boasting chemically strengthened glass, like Corning’s Gorilla Glass protectors). Our experts agree that a quality tempered glass protector will be most effective at protecting your display compared to plastic protectors. Tempered glass is a stronger material because it can absorb the impact if your phone falls, in our experience — I’ve had my tempered glass case for over a year and dropped my phone countless times, without a scratch.
Comfort and feel Since we interact with our phones via touch, the feel and comfort of using a screen protector is important to consider. Screen protectors can sometimes change the touchscreen’s sensitivity — certain smartphone models ask you to input whether or not you’re using a screen protector on the device to better calibrate sensitivity, says Zilberman. Tempered glass is designed to have a smoother feel than other types of screen protectors and won’t affect touchscreen sensitivity, according to experts we spoke to.
Display Tempered glass mimics the original display and offers good clarity, whereas plastic screen protectors can create an unsightly glare and affect screen quality by adding a “murkier and grayer hue to your screen,” says Zilberman. Both plastic and tempered glass protectors can have privacy and anti-glare filters to fit your preferences. However, tempered glass protectors are more physically noticeable on your screen since they’re thicker — a plastic protector blends in remarkably well with the original display, experts note.
Ease of installation Installing a screen protector can be difficult, especially when there’s a chance of misaligning the protector or having annoying air bubbles and specks of dust lodged underneath the film. Most screen protectors include a plastic installation tray that can go directly over your phone screen to align the protector or one that holds your phone while you guide the screen on. Some protectors will come with “guide stickers” that show you where the screen protector will lie on your screen.
Compatibility According to Frederick, there isn’t much variation in terms of how well a screen protector works from one smartphone brand to another. However, screen protectors do come in different shapes and sizes depending on your phone, so it’s always good to check its compatibility.
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Arthur Zilberman is the president of tech repair company Laptop MD. Laptop MD launched in 1999, and Zilberman has been in the laptop repair business for over 20 years.
- Mac Frederick is the owner of Phone Repair Philly, located in Philadelphia, PA.
Mili Godiois an updates editor at Select who covers a wide range of topics, includingvacuums,exercise bikesandcoffee makers.
Nishka Dhawan is an associate commerce editor at Select. She’s covered the tech space for more than three years and has written articles on IP ratings, phone cases and best practices for cleaning tech. For this article, both Dhawan and Godio spoke to Select staff and industry experts about their favorite screen protectors and what to keep in mind while shopping.
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