Best Smart Wallet For The Digital Man
Smart gadgets are the in thing at the moment, and with technology advancing, more and more personal items are getting “smart.” And now wallets are joining in, are you prone to losing your wallet? Or are you scared of credit card theft?
What We Use At Home
Secrid Slimwallet
It’s the wallet we use for a reason; it provides safe and secure access to our cards.
Ebay.com | $69.95 out of stock | Buy Now |
Amazon.com | out of stock | Buy Now |
Best Budget Option
FIDELO
For the price, FIDELO is up there with the best; it just needs a few things ironing out.
Amazon.com | $24.99 1 new from $24.99 | Buy Now |
Ebay.com | $51.35 out of stock | Buy Now |
Best Design
Ekster Parliament
Out of the five smart wallets, the Eksters design stood out for me.
Ebay.com | $99.63 out of stock | Buy Now |
Amazon.com | out of stock | Buy Now |
The Buyers Guide To Smart Wallets
When you find the best smart wallet for you, you don’t have to worry anymore. Some smart wallets contain GPS tracking, which means you can never lose your wallet again. And as for credit card theft, who needs to be worried when your wallet is lined with RFID protection.
Finding the right smart wallet can be a difficult task. Every wallet has it’s own unique feature; it’s just about finding the one that suits your best.
Here are some things I looked out for before making my purchase:
Price
It varies from wallet to wallet, and the more features it has, the more expensive it will be. But that doesn't mean the quality will be good.
Size
No one likes a bulky wallet, it's uncomfortable when you sit down, and worst of all it advertises which pocket you wallet it in.
RFID Blocking
RFID blocking stops people from gaining access to the private details on your bank cards.
Materials
The material is what holds the smart wallets together. If the wallet uses high-quality materials, it's more than likely the wallet will be well made too.
Card Capacity
Many of us use multiple cards; having access to them is essential for anyone. Think about how many cards you need your smart wallet to carry.
Money Clip/Band
Having access to cash when you need it is vital; money clips offer a secure way of carrying cash.
Table of Contents
The Best Smart Wallets
Armed with your newly acquired buyers’ guide, here are a few wallets for you to take a look at. You never know, you might find your next wallet:
Secrid SlimWallet | FIDELO Hybrid | Ekster Parliament | Zitahli | Tile Slim | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
MRSP | $78.90 | $34.80 | $69.00 | $28.95 | $23.99 |
Materials | Real Leather | Leather Outer Case Aviation Grade Aluminium | Dutch/German Leather | Real Leather | Metal |
Colors | Matte Grey Black Matte Green Black Matte Black | Dessert Tan Vintage Brown Rustic Brown Plus 20 More | Black Roma Cognac Steel Blue | Bassa Brown Black Carbon Fiber Chocolate Plus 7 More | Silver |
Size (Inches) | 2.5″ x 4″ x 0.6″ | 4.3″ x 2.6″ x 0.32″ | 4.1″ x 2.5″ x 0.59″ | 4.3″ x 3.15″ x 0.4″ | 3.4″ x 2.2″ x 0.1″ |
Card Capacity | 4-6 RFID Protected 6 No Protection | 5 RFID Protected 1 No Protection | 4-6 RFID Protected | 3-4 RFID Protected 4 No Protection | None |
RFID Blocking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Money Clip/Band | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Buy | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price | Find Best Price |
#1 – Secrid Slimwallet
WHAT WE USE
Ebay.com | $69.95 out of stock | Buy Now |
Amazon.com | out of stock | Buy Now |
Dutch wallet makers designed the Secrid slim wallet. Their beautifully designed wallet can hold up to six flat cards or four embossed cards.
It weighs 2.7 Oz while measuring out at 2.5″ x 4″ x 0.6″ making this a seriously slim wallet with exceptional carrying abilities.
Inside the wallet you don’t just have space for your credit cards, it also features a money clip to hold your banknotes.
They also provide you with a slot to store your receipts and business cards.
The design of the wallet makes it easy to access all of the pockets.
The wallet itself is made using a luxury soft matte leather, which can withstand the toughest of treatment.
You have several color designs available to you, all of which can add a little style and class to your pocket. All Secrid products come with a 2-year warranty for additional protection.
Key Features
- Fits 4-6 cards
- Size: 2.5" x 4" x 0.6"
- Room for 6 extra cards
- RFID protection
- Made with real leather
- Slim design
- Money Clip
- 3 Colors available
What Other People Say
People loved the wallet; they couldn’t imagine going back to a thicker one. They also mentioned the build quality was excellent, and the card popped out every time. One problem was getting the cards out of the leather slot; they said it was a bit tight.
Another customer loved showing off the card mechanism. They also mentioned how the overall profile was slim and was just what they were looking for. Even though the profile was slim, you still had more than enough space for your cards.
Final Verdict
The Secrid Slimwallet has been nothing but excellent for me. The small and lightweight design means no bulky pockets. And although it’s small, it still provides more than enough room for multiple cards and spare cash.
The cards release from the RFID casing smoothly every time. This doesn’t just make access easier; it looks pretty cool too.
What We Liked
- Great card release
- Nice card release trigger
- No bending
What We Didn’t Like
- Cards come out toghter
#2 – FIDELO Hybrid
Best Budget Smart Wallet
Amazon.com | $24.99 1 new from $24.99 | Buy Now |
Ebay.com | $51.35 out of stock | Buy Now |
Their smart wallet uses a snap closure and is available to you in 23 color options. The cardholder uses RFID protection, while remaining compact in size (4.3″ x 2.6″ x 0.32″).
Included in the set is a genuine leather case that is used to store spare cash, Ids, and more.
Fidelo smart wallet provide the user with a reliable but minimalist feel to it.
If you’re looking to store extra cash, the smart wallet comes with a carbon fiber accented money clip.
Remove your credit cards with one hand with the quick release trigger.
To make the card holder FIDELO uses aviation-grade aluminum, and for the storage pocket, they use full-grain leather.
They do this to provide you with a high quality and functional smart wallet — the best part; the 100% satisfaction guarantee they offer to all customers.
Key Features
- Size: 4.3" x 2.6" x 0.32"
- Full grain leather case
- RFID card Holder
- Card holder made from Aviation grade aluminium
- Carbon fiber accented money band
- 100% satisfaction
- 23 color selections
- Holds up to 6 cards
What Other People Say
People loved the excellent packaging; it felt as if it was gift-ready. They also had no issues carrying nine cards in the wallet, which people sounded thrilled with. Another person waited six months before leaving a review; they hadn’t had any problems with it so far.
One customer stated that it held everything they needed on a day to day basis, and the card removal system was smooth. There was a downside though. The cards didn’t fan out as the video suggests; they actually all come out together.
Final Verdict
For the price, this is an excellent smart wallet for people looking to get a minimalist wallet. The RFID technology actively stops card skimmers from stealing your personal details. The trigger worked well at releasing the cards, but it didn’t fan out the way we expected.
Overall the smart wallet looks stylish and well made with high-quality materials. The 23 different styles the wallet features all look amazing. It was small enough to fit in your pocket without big bulges sticking out from your pocket.
One thing to watch is the trigger release; it seems to stiffen up over time.
What We Liked
- Not over priced
- Nice card release trigger
- Slim design
What We Didn’t Like
- Handling with one hand can be hard
- Cards didn’t completely fan out
- The middle section couldn't hold as many cards as claimed
#3 – Ekster Parliament
BEST BUDGET OPTION
Ebay.com | $99.63 out of stock | Buy Now |
Amazon.com | out of stock | Buy Now |
The Ekster Parliament collection is a luxury leather smart wallet that bi-folds; to keep the wallet secure, it uses a snap closure to seal the smart wallet.
Their wallet provides the user with RFID/NFC blocking technology, which protects you from card skimming.
Inside the smart wallets RFID protection casing, you can fit four-six cards depending on the depth of the embossing on the cards..
You can only fit up to six cards in the RFID/NFC, which uses a card slider system to release the cards upwards, although it does not fan like the picture suggests.
Although, the RFID casing of the smart wallet is more than capable of holding ten + cards without any issue.
The handcrafted leather smart wallet is created by dutch designers who promise a 100% satisfaction guarantee.
The smart wallet measures in at 4.1″ x 2.5″ x 0.59″, and has four styles for you to choose from. Even after you fill the wallet with cards, you still have plenty of space for spare cash and receipts.
Key Features
- RFID/NFC blocking technology
- RFID casing holds 4-6 cards
- Smart wallet can hold 10+ cards
- Size: 4.1" x 2.5" x 0.59"
- 100% satisfaction guarantee
- Four styles to pick from
- Money band
- German/Dutch leathers
What Other People Say
Most people were delighted with how the smart wallet performed; the button released the cards every-time, and the design was exquisite. Some people claimed the elastic straps were too tight, but over time this should loosen off, hopefully not too much.
You could hold more than enough cards in the smart wallet ready for any occasion.
But there were some other issues; when overloaded, the card release system could get stuck, making it hard to remove the cards. The button feature that released the cards worked well but overall was weak over time.
Final Verdict
Overall the smart wallet had an excellent design and was made using a good grade of leather. It kept the cards secure and security safe. One thing that I would like to mention again is the button does get stiff over time and eventually breaks from everyday use.
The smart wallet is a great idea, but they failed with the card slot; I wouldn’t stick more than four cards in there. This will elevate the risk of your credit cards, getting caught in the middle section. The money band secured any cash excellently, but it does seem to loosen after time.
What We Liked
- Push-button card release
- Sleek design
- Security protected
What We Didn’t Like
- Tight money band
- Plastic button is prone to breaking
#4 – Zitahli
Amazon.com | $26.95 2 new from $26.95 1 used from $24.75 | Buy Now |
Ebay.com | $33.99 | Buy Now |
Their bi-fold closure smart wallet uses a minimalist design, which is strong and durable. The Smart wallet comes with ten color styles, including black, carbon texture, and vintage blue.
The smart wallet size is 4.3″ x 3.15″ x 0.4″ and can fit between six-eight cards depending on their size.
To make the smart wallet, they use Japanese cardboard to help keep the shape.
Zitahli makes the edges of the wallet stronger, by gluing the cowhide to a durable fabric.
They seam the leather to the wallet, unlike other brands that cut and smooth the edges down, which results in tearing.
The wallet features an RFID casing to help protect your cards from skimming technology.
Gain access to your credit cards from the RFID protection casing by pulling the small red tab. Their RFID protection is made by weaving three different metal composites together.
Key Features
- Size: 4.3" x 3.15" x 0.4"
- 10 color styles
- RFID protection
- Hold 3-4 cards in the RFID slot
- Holds 6-8 cards in total
- 10 colors to choose from
- Leather can be scrapped 50,000 times
- Woven with 3 metal composites
What Other People Say
They all really liked the slim look of there smart wallet; it wasn’t noticeable when they sat down. One person mentioned it was nice that the wallet came precisely as they described it.
The smart wallet could hold eight cards easily, and the pull strap helped gain access to your cards in the slide-out pouch.
Another person said it was excellent in quality and design, but that wasn’t how everyone felt. There was a surprising amount of people having problems with the red tab; it was snapping off far too often. Another issue was with the smart wallets money clip. They claimed it felt un-secure.
Final Verdict
The smart wallet came new nicely packaged and in a stylish box. Overall the Zitahli effectively blocked RFID signals, which is its primary purpose. The outside pockets were great and enabled quick access to Id cards and credit cards.
Inside there was plenty of room for receipts, credit/business cards, and cash. But there were problems, the cards in the pull-out area often got stuck when pulling them out; this resulted in you over pulling the red snap and breaking it.
Another problem was the money clip; it fell out far too often. In the end, it is a beautiful wallet, but it needs some areas ironing out.
What We Liked
- More than capable
- Compact
- Made with good quality leather
What We Didn’t Like
- Notes feel lose when not carrying too many
- Cards get caught
- Tight ID slot
#5 – Tile Slim
Amazon.com | $29.95 4 new from $29.93 | Buy Now |
Ebay.com | $29.99 out of stock | Buy Now |
The Tile Slim was designed to turn your average wallet into a smart wallet; you can purchase them one by one, or in the more significant back of four.
The waterproof smart device is available in two styles the Slim, great for wallets, phones, and passports.
The second is the Tile Mate, which works with key-rings, pet collars, and mobile phones.
If you not sure which one need, they have a combo pack available.
The Slim is Tile’s brand new finder device; its sleek design means it can easily fit in your credit cardholder.
The device can be integrated with Alexa and google home to add voice command controls.
Tile allows you to ring your procession using the smartphone app within 200 ft of Bluetooth and claims to have a battery life of three years. If you lose your phone, simply press the Tile button, and it will ring your phone even if it’s on silent.
If you’ve left your device behind, check the map on their app, it will show you the place it was last connected to your phone. The Tile community works together; if you lose your tile, it will send updates to your phone when someone passes its location.
Key Features
- Size: 3.4" x 2.2" x 0.1"
- Pack of 1 or 4
- Three-year battery life
- Styles: Slim, Mate, Combo (mix of eight units)
- Waterproof
- Tile Community
- Adhesive strips (sold separately)
- GPS
What Other People Say
They liked the thickness of the smart device but was skeptical the battery would last for three years. They also said it was a nice feeling knowing they’d never lose the keys again. Another customer claimed it to be effortless to set up, and so far has worked very well.
Some people weren’t as fond of the smart device. They found the app flawed, due to you having to be connected to the device for the location function to work. And if you were out of range, you had to rely on other people passing your device while they were connected tot he app.
Final Verdict
The Tile is great and in essence, works great, but it did have a few flaws in my eyes. Lossing your keys in public can be a nightmare; having to rely on other people to locate your Tile isn’t great when it urgent.
Granted it does remember the last location it was connected, but what if you’ve left it on the bus? This for some people makes the Tile useless, but I think that’s a little harsh. It’s more inconvenient if anything.
What We Liked
- Easy to setup
- Finder Alarm
- Tile Community
What We Didn’t Like
- Relies on other uses to find the device
- The app drained battery life
But This Is The Best Smart Wallet
For me, I have to stick with Secrid Slimwallet. It provided the smoothest card release while providing excellent RFID protection.
I also really enjoyed the compact design and excellent build quality. That being said, the Ekster Parliament was just as beautiful.
Overall, if you’re looking for the best all-rounder, then this smart wallet is for you. But if you’re looking for something a little cheaper, then the FIDELO will serve you well.
Before you leave I want you you to understand what is the risk associated with smart technology. The comprehensive article will give you everything you need to stay safe.
If you liked this article, or you think I’ve missed something out, then don’t forget to comment below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you still looking for some answers? If the answer is is yes, your in the right place, here are some of the most frequently asked question about smart wallets:
The best way to protect yourself from card skimming is to use RFID blocking technology. But there are a couple of other ways, piling all your cards together makes it harder for skimmers to locate the information of one card in particular.
The most important thing to remember is to be aware of the people around you when you make payment. Some RFID scanners can be used from a distance while your making a purchase
Yes, surprisingly, Aluminum foil can effectively block RFID radio waves. Simply wrap your credit card in foil before you go out. Although saying that, it doesn’t look very pretty, which is why I’ll be sticking to an RFID blocking wallet.
Smart wallets are like an ordinary wallet, but with a couple of added features. Some of these features include:
- RFID blocker
- CIB technology
- GPS location
- Locator alarm
Yes, they do, but it does present some challenges. The biggest issue is the signal strength; an RFID wallet will drastically reduce the range of the Tile.
RFID blocks radio signals, which is why the Bluetooth on the Tile will struggle.
People don’t have to pick your pockets anymore. Now they can steal the personal information from your credit card or passport without having to reach into your pockets.
But that doesn’t mean you need one. It all depends on how safe you want to feel. Maybe this YouTube video will help you decide!
It’s an interesting question, the technology is out there, and countless demonstration videos on YouTube. But then you read an article like the one on CSO.
The writer claims to have never found any real-life documentation that these crimes have been committed. It’s an exciting read!
In my opinion, if the technology is out there, and you can profit from it. Then there is no doubt in my mind that it happens in real life.