The best wallets for men and women

Buying the best wallet can often be a challenge. Wallets for men and women differ significantly, and even within their respective categories: aside from the basic look and feel, you’ll also need to consider how your ideal wallet caters to your habits.

Do you hoard receipts, vouchers and loyalty cards like a fiend, or are you a devout minimalist? Do you want a wallet that allows contactless payments by design, or are you frightened by the thought of unwitting transactions? We told you: buying a wallet is more complicated than you think.

Fortunately, we have the answer. We’ve scoured the web and picked out of a selection of the best wallets available, from budget to super-luxe. Before you jump down to our list below, though, read our buying guide designed to help you pick out the perfect wallet.

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Best wallets: At a glance

• Best wallet under £10: Buono Pelle | £8.21
• Best extra-spacious wallet: Mt Eston Trifold | £35
• Best luxury smart wallet: Ekster Parliament | £85
• Best anti-magnetic wallet: Teehon | £8.49

How to choose the best wallet for you

What do you mostly use your wallet for?

It may sound like a daft question, but before buying a wallet, you really need to ask yourself what you’ll be using it for. Yes, it will obviously contain your cash – but how many cards do you need to squeeze in there? Are you the sort of person who accumulates lots of receipts and small change? These factors will obviously help you narrow things down and choose between something slimline for cards or something bulkier for cash and coins. Thankfully, we have tons of options catering to both in our list below.

What colour should you choose?

Ideally, your wallet should complement your outfit. If you mostly dress in black, don’t opt for a brown wallet that will clash with your clothes. But if it just so happens to be that blues dominate your apparel, brown will complement your getup nicely. Don’t feel the need to stick with traditional dark tones, either: nothing’s stopping you from going with a bombastic colour choice if that suits your style.

Should you buy a genuine leather wallet?

Many people shy away from genuine leather in favour of more animal-friendly options – and there are plenty of them on the market. Often these can look just as trendy as leather designs, and are just as reliable when it comes to carrying your currency. Unless you’re really invested in old-school authenticity, there’s no reason to rule out synthetic materials.

Do you want to make contactless payments through your wallet?

Contactless technology makes today’s credit cards and travel tickets much smarter than they used to be. With the right wallet, you don’t even need to take your card out: you can plonk the whole thing on a scanner and make your transaction in a second. Alternatively, you may prefer an anti-magnetic design, which primarily protects your cards against accidental transactions. 

Anti-magnetic designs (known as RFID-blocking designs) also supposedly protect against “electronic pickpocketing” or “RFID skimming”, whereby thieves with concealed card readers can theoretically brush past you and make contactless payments without you even noticing.

Thankfully, there is little evidence to suggest that this kind of fraud even occurs. Over a ten-month period in 2018, there were a reported 2,739 cases of “contactless fraud” (via The Standard), whereby scammers with stolen cards use contactless payment methods to siphon off cash before the card is blocked. of those 2,739 cases, there was not one verified case of so-called “RFID skimming”.

Of course, if you’re still concerned, you can see below which of the wallets offer protection against any unintentional purchases, fraudulent or otherwise.

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The best wallets you can buy in 2023

1. Buono Pelle: Best-value classic wallet

Price when reviewed: £8.21 | Check price at Amazon If you just want a sturdy, no-nonsense wallet, Buono Pelle has you covered. With a sleek, black real-leather finish, space for seven cards and a zipped coin section, it’s a reliable wallet that gets the job done without making any flashy statements. It also has two note compartments, one zipped and one not – ideal for separating cash from receipts and other paper slips.

If you’ve been putting off replacing a reliable old wallet, this could be the ideal successor. It also comes with a gift box, making it a great option to gift as a present because it looks and feels way more expensive. For a fiver, it also includes RFID-blocking materials, which means that it will prevent accidental credit card transactions that can otherwise take place when you swipe your wallet on a card reader.

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 7 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: Coin section and note section; Size: 11.5 x 9.3cm

2. Travando Dublin: Best imitation-leather wallet

Price when reviewed: £20 | Check price at Amazon You don’t need to buy real leather to get a stylish and practical wallet. This Travando offering is the best faux-leather wallet on the market, boasting elegant German design. It does everything you’d expect from a premium wallet, with ample room for all your monetary bits and bobs, and a classic, tasteful style. It’s perfect for those who want something sleekly functional that isn’t made from animal products.

The wallet has 11 card slots and two transparent driver’s license windows, so you can always keep them safely tucked in. When ordered from Amazon, the wallet comes in luxurious packaging, making for an ideal gift for someone you know.

Key specs – Genuine leather: No; Total card space: 11 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: No; Size: 9.4 x 12.7 x 2.2cm

3. Teehon Leather Wallet: Best anti-magnetic wallet

Price when reviewed: £8.49 | Check price at Amazon This affordable genuine leather wallet from Teehon tastefully combines a stylish, classic exterior with a vibrant orange lining. With 12 credit card slots, two banknote compartments, a coin pocket and an ID window, this wallet gives you ample storage space. What we especially like are the five hidden compartments, which are great for keeping anything of particular importance.

What’s more, it has RFID blocking, so you can rest assured that you won’t be making any accidental purchases or falling victim to scammers any time soon! When purchased from Amazon, the wallet comes with a postcard and gift box, making it an ideal present for someone you know.

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 12 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: No; Size: 12.5 x 10 x 1.5cm

4. POWR Slim: Best wallet for minimalists

Price when reviewed: £9.99 | Check price at Amazon If you’re someone who finds themselves simply filling larger wallets with stuff you don’t need or someone who never carries cash, this POWR wallet may well be for you because it’s an ultra-slim alternative that’s really only capable of holding a few cards. A small side pocket will hold notes.

An added benefit of this wallet is that it takes up very little space whether in your pocket, bag or car. However, you need to be mindful that it may not an ideal fit to carry coins, or too many cards and receipts. This wallet comes in a choice of seven different colours and the company offers a generous six-month money-back guarantee if you’re unhappy.

Key specs – Total card space: 7 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Size: 1.8 x 9 x 12cm

5. Eastpak Crew Single: Best affordable canvas wallet

Price when reviewed: £13 | Check price at Amazon Leather and its imitations are the most popular materials for wallets. They aren’t the only choice, though, and Eastpak’s Crew Single wallet represents a great, affordable alternative. Eastpak is a well-known and well-trusted brand, and for good reason. The durable construction of this wallet, alone, makes it well worth considering.

With slots for your cards and multiple spacious compartments, it has plenty of storage space. The wallet is closed via tri-fold velcro and the compartment on the back is zippered, so you can rest assured your valuables are safe. Furthermore, it comes in a wide range of colours and patterns, so the personalisation choices are far greater than you’ll get with most wallets.

If you are looking for a cheap, durable, velcro canvas wallet, then look no further. Provided you take care of it, the Eastpak Crew Single should last you many years to come.

Key specs – Genuine leather: No; Total card space: 3 slots; Anti-magnetic: No; Zip: Yes; Size: 13 x 9.5cm

6. Ekster Parliament: Best luxury smart wallet

Price when reviewed: £85 | Check price at Amazon Ekster is a Dutch company, meaning “magpie”. You can see the logic behind the nomenclature: magpies like hoarding shiny, precious things. Of course, magpies are probably less worried about contactless fraud than you are – and if you want to ensure all your cards are safe whilst also making a style statement, here’s your opportunity.

Our favourite aspect of this real-leather wallet is the little button at the bottom of the wallet that sends all your cards out in slider formation, so you can instantly identify and pull out the one that you want to use. Even though we’re stating the obvious, we must stress that this is not a wallet for those of you who prefer to carry cash or coins as there’s just no space for it. The Ekster Parliament also makes for a good secondary option when you just want to carry a few cards instead of lugging around your heavy everyday wallet.

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 10 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: No; Size: 12.2 x 7.5cm

7. Vaultskin Notting Hill: Best slimline wallet

Price when reviewed: £46 | Check price at Amazon Vaultskin’s minimalist range of wallets is ideal if you don’t like to lug around a big hefty folio. This highly compact Notting Hill design is the polar opposite of bulkiness, yet it somehow accommodates up to 12 cards. An outside pocket makes your most-used card instantly accessible, and there’s even a little slot for a house key or a few coins.

The company recommends that you keep your driving license in the pocket for extra convenience. It’s available in black, brown, “cognac” and “alpine green”, meaning you can pick the perfect version to match your wardrobe – and if you’re buying it as a present, you’ll be happy to know that it comes with an eye-catching gift box, too.

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 7 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: Yes; Size: 8 x 10.5 x 11.2cm

8. I-Clip wallet: Best money clip wallet

Price when reviewed: From £30 | Check price at Amazon Thanks to its ingenious, space-efficient design and quality German craftsmanship, the I-Clip shows that a wallet doesn’t have to be cumbersome and bulky in order to securely hold plenty of cards and cash. The wallet has been created with a minimalist approach which makes it smaller and easier to use than most other offerings on the market. Despite this, it still somehow manages to have a respectable 12 card slots. What’s more, with its secure clip, you can rest assured that the contents of your wallet are safe.

Made from quality genuine leather, the wallet looks and feels classy and with such a compact design it’ll fit snugly anywhere you need it to, such as a back pocket, backpack or glove compartment. There’s a whole host of colours available and it comes in a matching gift box, making it a great present for a loved one!

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 12 slots; Anti-magnetic: Optional; Zip: No; Size: 8.6 x 6 x 1.5cm

9. Mt Eston Trifold: Best extra-spacious wallet

Price when reviewed: £35 | Check price at Amazon If you need to carry around a lot of cards, a regular wallet can quickly get overstuffed. In that case, Mt Eston’s Trifold Men’s Leather Wallet is just what you need because it can house 11 cards the traditional way, and it also has four extra-capacity slots behind each card section, allowing you to fit even more stuff, such as travel tickets or receipts, in.

As an added bonus, it also comes with a lifetime warranty and a 100% money-back guarantee. The fabric comprises of napa pebble grain 100% genuine leather that adds a premium smooth-leather finish. You’ll be pleased to know that it comes inside a sealed gift box, giving us another great idea for a birthday gift.

Key specs – Genuine leather: Yes; Total card space: 11 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: No; Size: 11.3 x 8.9 x 1.5cm

10. Osprey Quicklock: Best canvas wallet

Price when reviewed: £18 | Check price at Amazon If you are looking to invest a bit more into a canvas wallet, we think the Osprey Quicklock is a great contender. The most noteworthy thing that your money gets is RFID blocking, which in the modern age is becoming more and more important. This protects your card details from being stolen via RFID skimming, which is a method of fraud that’s sadly becoming increasingly more common.

The wallet is made from a durable nylon material, which makes it ideal for camping and other outdoor activities, as it can withstand more than its leather counterparts. It is also worth mentioning that the build quality is excellent, so this is another canvas wallet that should last you many years. It is compact and convenient to carry around, but has cardholders and plenty of compartments, so its compactness doesn’t hinder its storage capacity.

Key specs – Genuine leather: No; Total card space: 3 slots; Anti-magnetic: Yes; Zip: No; Size: 10.5 x 8.8cm