The Best Screen Protectors of 2024
These screen protectors come in versions for nearly every phone, giving your device an extra layer of protection.
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There are few feelings quite as unnerving as that immediately felt after dropping your phone screen-down. The Schrödinger's cat-like status of the display's integrity, the hesitant flip to unveil the screen, the gasp as a spiderweb of cracks become visible on the surface and lastly, the immediate grief for the money you'll lose getting it repaired. Engineers have long joked that Murphy's law is the real essential law of physics, and phone owners should treat their devices with that same principle. Luckily, screen protectors are a low-cost means of reducing your anxiety post-phone drop.
The Good Housekeeping Institute has been researching, testing and reporting on consumer electronics and their accessories for years. The Media and Technology Lab has a wide breadth of experiencing evaluating phones and their accessories, from waterproof cases to car mounts and portable chargers. To pick the two protectors below, analysts compared protectors they've previously used in their personal lives, reviewed the marketplace for new entries and customer feedback and tested one new protector in our Labs.
Pros
- OtterBox's DROP+ certification means their products have been rigorously tested in common phone drop scenarios
- Scratch resistant
Cons
- Pricey
When it comes to protecting our beloved electronics, OtterBox is an Institute favorite. Their rugged phone cases have been top performers in our Lab tests for years, and both consumer testers and analysts have found them to offer best-in-line protection for their devices.
Though the Premium Glass screen protector is a little pricier than some other protectors on the market, our analysts agree it's a good investment given it features OtterBox's DROP+ certification. This means it's been tested to withstand multiple drops from up to 4 feet (a claim we were able to verify in our Labs).
The protector is also scratch resistant and performed very well in our scratch test (wherein we use a box cutter to attempt to create new scratches on the protector), showing no signs of scratching after 50 passes. The kit includes an alcohol wipe, polishing cloth and dust removal sticker to ensure you'll have everything you need for a seamless application.
Pros
- EZ Fit Tray allows for easy and accurate alignment and installation
- Stands up to real-life wear and tear
Cons
- May be prone to bubbles
Our budget recommendation from Spigen is made of glass, similar to our top pick, though it comes in a two-pack, so you'll effectively pay half the price of the OtterBox model. The protector comes with a convenient EZ Fit Tray that makes sliding the glass onto your phone effortless and prevents the much-dreaded misaligned protector.
Our Lab analysts were impressed with the unique application method and that it features 9H tempered glass given the price point. One GH editor who has been using the protector for the past five months said, "I've dropped this phone on the street while running. I've dropped my metal water bottle on top of my phone. My phone fell out of my pocket while hiking up some rocks and much, much more. Yet, my phone still looks brand new!"
However, the same tester, along with some Amazon reviews mentioned that the protector can be prone to bubbles, though that can always be resolved with a flat, hard object run across the surface to remove them.
How we test screen protectors
Screen protectors have a very simple purpose: to shield your phone's screen from scratches or cracks. Our experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute's Media and Technology Lab simulate the wear that a user might experience with their phone in our Labs through a combination of using a drop tester (which allows us to drop items in a uniform, standardized manner from a set height) and our scratch test (using a box cutter) to see how well different protectors maintain their integrity.
Analysts and editors also apply protectors to their phones and take notes on the application process, as well as how well they hold up as they use them in their daily lives. Since each screen protector is different, we look at Amazon reviews to ensure we haven't received a "good one" and that other consumers consensus falls in line with our own.
What is the most protective type of screen protector?
There's a myriad of materials from which screen protectors are made of. Many are plastic and create a thin divide on top of the screen; others are tempered glass, offering a sturdier layer between screen and environment. Some are even liquid, and solidify into a film atop the screen.
We recommend tempered glass screen protectors for a few reasons. They're among the most resilient to scratches and major impact, thanks to their thicker construction. Plus, they are easy to apply quickly and cheap enough to replace even if you're clumsy and break them frequently.
No matter what kind of protector you end up picking, remember to pair it with a sturdy phone case to ensure your phone is properly protected.
Why a screen protector isn't enough to protect your phone
"The bottom line is, all screen protectors end up cracking or scratching at some point," said Media and Tech Lab Analyst Olivia Lipski. Any screen protector, no matter the material, will eventually break or fail under the right circumstances. If you're only using a screen protector, then you're much more likely to run into these failures than if you were using a protective, durable phone case.
Although a case and screen protector is a protective enough combination for most people, those who are particularly clumsy (this author included!) should consider investing in a care plan for their phone from its manufacturer, such as AppleCare for iPhones, Google Preferred Care for Pixel devices and Samsung Care+ for Samsung phones. These services charge a monthly subscription fee (typically around $10 to $15) and reduce the cost of servicing your phone when it does inevitably break. For example, an AppleCare+ plan can reduce the cost of a broken screen on an iPhone 15 Pro Max from $379 out of pocket to $29.
As someone who has broken more phones than I'm proud to admit, subscribing to a service like this has saved me hundreds of dollars over the year. People who find themselves breaking their screen less often than once every two years will likely not find the best value in a plan like this, however.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Nikolas Greenwald is a data engineer at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where he helps develop Lab testing protocols and manages testing and consumer data. He has a degree in Chemical Engineering from Northeastern University. For our most recent look at screen protectors, he evaluated documentation and reviews of over 15 protectors. He also polled GH editors and analysts for recommendations, liaised with Olivia Lipski, Media and Tech Reviews Analyst, to discuss recently road tested screen protectors, and tested one new screen protector in Lab.
As a data engineer in the Good Housekeeping Institute, Nik (he/him) works with all of our Labs to develop testing protocols and manage data collection and analysis. Before joining Good Housekeeping in 2022, Nik worked in the labs of MIT and Regeneron, working on projects ranging from chemical inventory and reporting to the development of bioassays. He holds a degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University.
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