MagSafe may have been born as a simple charging solution for Apple’s Macs, but it’s really come into its own since Apple introduced it to the iPhone with the iPhone 12. And since, MagSafe offers both a unique method of attaching accessories to smartphones, and one of the few ways Apple allows fast wireless charging on its flagship device.
So if you want to use your iPhone for navigation or listening to music, podcasts, or audiobooks in your car, one of the simplest ways to mount it is with a MagSafe car mount. You’ll get an easy, magnetic connection that requires next to no fiddling, and in many cases, the ideal way to charge your iPhone. The best MagSafe car mounts have strong magnets, some amount of adjustability, and at the very least are designed with charging in mind, whether wirelessly or with a cable. Don’t worry about searching on your own, we’ve gathered the best MagSafe car mounts for your perusal in our collection below.
Mophie / Pocket-lint
Mophie Wireless Charging Vent Mount With MagSafe
Best overall MagSafe car mount
Mophie’s Wireless Charging Vent Mount with MagSafe is one of a small group of wireless charging mounts allowed to charge the iPhone at 15 W as opposed to 7.5 W. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, it’s also an Apple Store exclusive. The posable arm the Mophie uses makes things a bit more complicated than you might need, but being able to easily adjust your iPhone placement to your view is worth it.
Belkin / Pocket-lint
Belkin BoostCharge Pro Wireless Car Charger
Best premium MagSafe car mount
$97 $100 Save $3
The Belkin BoostCharge Pro Wireless Car Charger is sleeker than Mophie’s mount, and feels a lot like a product Apple itself would design. It mounts in an air vent and can display your iPhone in either portrait or landscape orientation. Critically, it also charges your phone wirelessly at 15 W.
-
ESR / Pocket-lint
ESR Magnetic Wireless Car Charger
Best value MagSafe car mount
ESR’s Magnetic Wireless Car Charger isn’t as premium as our other top picks, but it gets the important parts right. A secure mount in your vent or on your dashboard, powerful magnets to guarantee your iPhone snaps on and stays there, and the all important fast charging to make sure you top off your battery quickly.
-
Anker / Pocket-lint
Anker 613 Car Charging Mount
Glow-in-the-dark and endless adjustable
Anker’s known for its compact chargers, and the only real downside of the 613 Magnetic Wireless Charger is that it charges slowly. Otherwise, you’re getting 134 degrees of maximum angle adjustment, a strong secure magnet, and a glow in the dark charging pad, so you always know where to put your phone.
-
Belkin / Pocket-lint
Belkin Car Vent Mount Pro
Sleek mount with cable management
If you like Belkin’s mount but don’t really care about wireless charging, go with the Car Vent Mount Pro. It has the same basic air vent-mounted design, the ability to adjust the angle of your phone after the fact, and a space in the back for cable management when you ultimately need to plug your phone in to charge or play music over your car’s stereo.
-
OtterBox / Pocket-lint
OtterBox Car Dash & Windshield Mount for MagSafe
Affordable mount with an adjustable arm
Much like the company’s cases, OtterBox’s Car Dash & Windshield Mount for MagSafe does not hide what it is. This is a basic car mount built for a dashboard or windshield, with a big adjustable arm, the ability to support your iPhone in landscape or portrait orientation, and enough magnets to attach to your phone easily.
-
ESR / Pocket-lint
ESR Magnetic Car Mount
Cheap and reliable
$17 $26 Save $9
ESR’s Magnetic Car Mount has extremely strong magnets with a holding force of 2,300 g, and mounts in your car’s vents at three different points for an even more secure attachment. It’s posable like the other mounts on this list, but doesn’t have a built-in charger, meaning you’ll have to have a cable if you want to keep your phone charged on the go.
-
Peak Design / Pocket-lint
Peak Design Charging Car Mount
Beautifully constructed, slow charging
The Peak Design Charging Car Mount is a minimalist, charging solution made from machined aluminium. It’s an elegant match for an iPhone, and Peak Design’s thoughtful touches are littered throughout: the mount attaches with a weatherproof 3M adhesive, you can place your iPhone horizontally or vertically, and there’s even a way to connect phones without built-in magnets.
Best MagSafe car mounts: Which one should you get?
If you need a way to have your iPhone in view in your car for maps or quick glances at your favourite playlist, your best bet is a MagSafe car mount. The Mophie Wireless Charging Vent Mount with MagSafe is an Apple approved charging method – one of the Apple Store chosen – with 15 W fast wireless charging that means your phone should always be topped off after a car ride. It’s not the most elegant option, but it hits all the right notes in terms of price and features.
Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro Wireless Car Charger is really just Mophie’s mount in an even more compact, stripped-down package. It attaches to one of your car’s air vents, can be adjusted in case you need to change the angle of your iPhone on the fly, and it charges at 15 W rather than 7.5 W so that you won’t be tempted to pull out another cable while you’re driving.
The most affordable option that still gets you fast charging is ESR’s Magnetic Wireless Car Charger. It doesn’t look as fancy as our other options, but it supports fast wireless charging, slips easily into a vent or onto a dashboard, with a strong magnet to make sure your phone doesn’t slide off.
Is it better to attach your MagSafe car mount on your dashboard or your air vents?
It really depends on your car. Air vent mounts are so common because dashboards and windshields are a lot trickier to stick things to. Not every adhesive or suction cup easily sticks to the surfaces, and increasingly, dashboards are sloped or crowded with other screens in a way that makes it difficult to find a place to put your phone. Air vents are pretty universal (save for futuristic EVs that play with A/C design), and almost always have enough room for a simple mount. They might not be as secure as sticking something to a flat dashboard, but that’s just one of the tradeoffs you’ll have to consider.
Does a mount need to have “MagSafe” branding to stick to your iPhone?
No. Any magnets arranged in a circle should connect to your phone, and any Qi-compatible wireless charger should charge it. MagSafe is a particular Apple flavour of magnets, charging, and software handshakes that theoretically guarantees a certain level of quality, but it’s not necessary to get the key benefits. In fact, several of the mounts we selected aren’t technically “MagSafe” accessories.