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Best mobile phone straps and lanyards 2026
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Whether you’re prone to leaving your phone behind, worried about accidental drops or simply want to keep your hands free, a mobile phone strap can be a useful accessory.
We’ve tested premium phone lanyards from big brands such as Mous, Peak Design and Pela, along with cheaper alternatives. Prices range from just £3 to as much as £57.
How our tests find you the best
We've tested 10 mobile phone lanyards
We tested a broad range of lanyards with different designs to help find the right type for you.
Durability of the strap or cord
A lanyard's strap or cord needs to be strong. We slowly applied increasing pressure to see if each lanyard could survive intact.
Drop test
A good lanyard needs to withstand the phone being dropped and left to dangle, so you can confidently go hands-free.
We also test...
A panel of testers note the comfort and ease of use of each phone lanyard. Plus, we'll tell you if any lanyard can prevent a snatch-and-grab attempt.
The best mobile phone straps and lanyards from our tests
The biggest brands and the 10 most popular are listed below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the phone lanyard and strap test results.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations.
| Phone lanyard | Price | Score | Comfort | Adjustability | Ease of use | Drop test |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sign up to reveal Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time. Already a member? | 97% | Passed | ||||
| 94% | Passed | |||||
| 93% | Passed | |||||
| 93% | Passed | |||||
| 90% | Passed | |||||
| 90% | Passed | |||||
| 90% | Passed | |||||
| 90% | Passed | |||||
| 69% | Passed | |||||
| 37% | Failed |
Sign up to reveal
Get instant access to this and all our scores and recommendations
Unlock tableGet Digital access £9.99 per month, cancel at any time.
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Date tested: August 2026. Page last checked: September 2026. We are not able to show every retailer and cheaper prices may be available. Comfort: whether the lanyard's strap or cord material feels comfortable and natural. Adjustability: whether you can widen or loosen the fit easily. Ease of use: what the lanyard is like to move around with while attached. Drop test: does the connected phone remain attached to the lanyard when dropped and left to dangle?
The phone lanyards and straps we tested are listed in alphabetical order below.
Only logged-in Which? members can view the best phone lanyards and straps from our tests.
Join Which? to get instant access to our test results and Best Buy recommendations below.
Besumyn Crossbody Phone Strap
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Strap card
Casetify 2-in-1 Utility Lanyard
Available from Casetify (£57)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Strap card
Casetify Utility Wrist Lanyard
Available from Casetify (£33)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Strap card
Mous Phone Sling
Available from Mous (£20)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Loop connection
Mous Wrist Strap
Available from Mous (£8)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Loop connection
Looking to upgrade your phone? See how the latest smartphones performed in our tests and which models we think are worth your money
Otterbox 2-in-1 Crossbody Strap
Available from Otterbox (£30)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Loop connection
Peak Design Mobile Crossbody Multi-Strap
Available from Peak Design (£55)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Loop connection or strap card
Peak Design Mobile Cuff
Available from Peak Design (£26)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Loop connection or strap card
Pela Phone Strap
Available from Pela (£16)
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Strap card
Sucritude Phone Wrist Strap
Most recently tested August 2026
Connection type Strap card
How we test mobile phone straps and lanyards
We buy the bestselling mobile phone lanyards and put them through our tough tests. We don't accept freebies from product manufacturers or retailers.
We regularly revisit the mobile phone lanyards on sale to see if there are any more popular models that need testing, and when we find them, we do.
We get a diverse panel of testers – including people of different heights, builds and ages – to try each phone lanyard to assess fit, ease of connection and comfort.
Durability
Newton force test
To test the robustness of the lanyard cord or strap, we attach each lanyard to a door handle and pull with a Newton meter, which measures force. We slowly increase the force applied until the maximum is reached. A lanyard passes this test if the strap or cord survives intact without any damage or coming apart.
Drop test
We walk around with the lanyard while a phone is attached and drop the phone five times. This tests the strength of the connection points to ensure they can endure the weight of the phone dangling from your wrist or side.
Pull test
Here, we mimic a snatch-and-grab attempt. We do this by attaching the lanyard to a door handle (we don’t want to harm any Which? researchers) and aggressively pull to see what happens.
Because of other factors, such as the durability of the phone case, this test does not count toward the final score.
Why you can trust us: at Which? we're free from manufacturer and retailer influence. Find out more about our impartiality and how your support helps us to stay editorially independent
How to attach a phone strap
Most phone lanyards connect to your phone case using either a strap card or a loop. Some offer both options.
Strap cards (also known as tether tabs)
A strap card is a small piece of plastic or material that sits between your phone and its case, with a connection point protruding through the charging port opening. The lanyard then clips on to this, usually with a lobster claw clip (see picture).
Our testers found strap cards to be the easier of the two methods to set up.
Loop connection
These use a small loop of thread that attaches to dedicated lanyard holes – twin openings found on the side of your phone case. Some can also be threaded through other openings, such as charging or speaker ports, although this could interfere with their use.
Threading the loop through small holes can be fiddly, although some lanyards include a threading tool to make it easier – you can also make your own using a paperclip. You push the thread through the lanyard holes, tie it around itself and pull to tighten. Our testers found this method particularly tricky for those with dexterity issues.
However, once attached, loop connections proved more robust than strap cards in our tests. But the strength of the overall connection will also depend on factors such as the durability of your phone case.
Other connection points
Lanyards may also use clips, buckles, magnetic connectors or other mechanisms to join different parts together.
These can vary in quality and strength. On 2-in-1 models, you can switch between wrist and crossbody configurations.
Can a phone strap help prevent theft?
Phone snatching has become a well-publicised problem in recent years.
In London alone, there were 81,000 reported cases in 2024 and 71,000 in 2025. Our guide on what to do if your phone gets stolen explains what steps to take if yours is taken.
A phone lanyard might seem like an obvious way to protect your phone, but few are actually marketed as anti-theft devices – and our testing suggests there's good reason for that.
To find out what our tests uncovered, log in or become a Which? member.
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