Finding the best USB-C cable for your phone can be tricky. If the cable that came with your phone breaks, or if you just want to spice things up a little with aftermarket options, there are lots of options. Luckily, we’re here to help you traverse that difficult journey and help you get the cables you need.
We’ve compiled some options here for basically everyone — from the most casual users who just needs a cheap cable to charge their phone, all the way to gamers and pro users.
When looking for third-party cables, you’re probably more likely to trust an established brand, which makes this Anker Powerline III Flow USB-C cable so good. For most charging and data transfer applications, it fits the bill very well, as it’s capable of passing 100W of power to your phone. While it’s not braided, it also has a nice in-hand feel, not to mention amazing resistance with a lifespan of 25,000 bends — in other words, this cable won’t be breaking anytime soon. For $21, it’s a little on the pricey side, but it’s a great cable that won’t let you down.
- Brand: Anker
- Cable Type: USB-C to USB-C
- Length: 3 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
Anker Powerline III Flow USB-C Cable
If you need something that just does the job, Anker also has another option in the form of the USB-C Premium Cable (no fancy branding here, folks). The Anker USB-C Premium Cable comes in a two-pack, a more classic USB-A to USB-C format, and it’s braided. Unfortunately, it’s USB 2.0, so don’t expect ultra-fast data transfer or charging speeds out of this cable. But it works fine for its main purpose — serving standard charging needs and maybe the occasional file transfer. For $15, it doesn’t get much better than this.
- Brand: Anker
- Cable Type: USB-A to USB-C
- Length: 6 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
Anker USB-C Premium Cable
I know AmazonBasics typically isn’t your first choice for premium, durable stuff, but if you need a cable right now, it’s definitely far from the worst option. This is as average as it gets — it’s USB-C to USB-C with 2.0 speeds. There’s a basic rubber design and build that won’t earn it any awards, but it’s probably as durable as the cable that came with your phone. It’s available in multiple packs, with a single cable costing you $7.50 and options of multiple cables also available. You can even choose the length, ranging from 3 feet to 10 feet. You can do better, but this is a good cable that won’t break the bank.
- Brand: AmazonBasics
- Cable Type: USB-A to USB-C
- Length: 6 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480 Mbps
Not every cable is built the same, and some work better for different purposes. This is one of those weirder options, but it tries to present a solution to something we all do but are afraid to admit — using our phones while charging. This adds additional wear and tear to the cable, and this option by AINOPE aims to fix it by using an angled design that allows you to hold your phone more comfortably and reduce tearing. Other than that, it’s a fairly standard USB-C to USB-C cable that you can get in a two-pack.
- Brand: AINOPE
- Cable Type: USB-A to USB-C
- Length: 10 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
This Baseus cable is pretty much the best of both worlds when it comes to features and pricing. Not only is it really good-looking (for a cable), with a sturdy braided cord and a slick metal connector, but it’s also able to pass up to 100W of power. The Baseus is also compatible with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 4.0 spec as well as USB-PD. Transfer speeds are limited to 480 Mbps based on the USB 2.0 standard – but let’s be honest, you mainly care about charging speeds here. You can get yourself a two-pack of these for just $16, which comes down to just $8 per cable.
- Brand: Baseus
- Cable Type: USB-C to USB-C
- Length: 6.6-feet
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
USAMS is probably not a brand you hear of frequently, but it does have one curious option in its product list — a cable that can connect to both iPhones and Android phones. If you happen to carry around devices from both ecosystems, this is a good option to get, especially for travel, or to allow you to use both Android Auto and CarPlay while driving. In practice, this is pretty much just a regular USB-C to USB-C cable, but it comes with two extra attached heads — there’s a USB-A head on one end, which you can use to connect to older, non-C ports, and the other is a Lightning head for plugging into iPhones. For $14 (and $16 for a slightly longer 6.6-feet option), it’s one of the most versatile cables money can buy.
- Brand: USAMS
- Cable Type: USB-C/USB-A to USB-C/Lightning
- Length: 4 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
USAMS 2-in-1 USB-C/Lightning Cable
If you happen to have some devices that predate USB-C, or they happen to still be using Micro-USB, maybe this option from USAMS is a good fit to fill your charging needs. This USB-C to USB-C master cable comes with multiple extra heads attached, including a USB-A connector on one end and two alternate connectors (one Micro-USB and one Lightning) on the other. No matter what input/output ports you encounter, this cable should work quite well to charge any device you want. And for $15, there’s no reason not to keep one around — you never know if you’ll end up needing it.
- Brand: USAMS
- Cable Type: USB-C/USB-A to USB-C/Lightning/microUSB
- Length: 4 ft
- Data Transfer Rate: 480Mbps
USAMS 3-in-1 USB-C/Lightning/microUSB cable
We hope you like the items we recommend and discuss! AndroidPolice has affiliate
and sponsored partnerships, so we receive a share of the revenue from some of your purchases. This
won’t affect the price you pay and helps us offer the best product recommendations.
About The Author
