Why Do You Need a Screen Protector for Your iPhone?
Even the most affordable iPhone is far from cheap. You can get AppleCare+, but if your display is damaged, you’ll have to go without a smartphone for a while. The easiest way to keep this from happening is either a case, a screen protector, or both.
Sure, you could opt for a whole folio-style wallet case that covers the screen, but these increase the thickness of your iPhone significantly. If you have a larger iPhone, your pocket is probably already being stretched to its limit. A screen protector can protect your iPhone 13 without that extra bulk.
A good screen protector protects a part of your display that a case can’t—the oleophobic coating. Apple coats iPhone displays with a special layer to keep skin oils from marring the display. This can wear down over time simply from using it.
Screen protectors often have their own oleophobic layer, meaning you won’t have ugly fingerprints to deal with. More importantly, by their nature screen protectors are also replaceable. If you damage your display or your oleophobic coating wears off, you’re headed to an Apple Store. If you damage a screen protector, you just swap it for another one.
Don’t forget the other part of your iPhone that is made of glass, like the camera lens. Damage these, and there go all your fancy photos. Fortunately, we include a tempered glass camera lens protector here as well, so you can make sure your whole iPhone is scratch-resistant and protected.
Pros
- ✓ 9H hardness rating
- ✓ Installation tool makes installing a breeze
- ✓ Oleophobic coating fights off fingerprints
Cons
- ✗ Included cloth can leave behind lint
When it comes to tempered glass screen protectors, hardness is the key, as this determines how much protection you get. The Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit is rated at 9H hardness, which is the best you’ll see in a screen protector.
Another feature of the Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit is the oleophobic coating, which keeps the surface free of fingerprints. The screen protector won’t leave a residue on your iPhone screen either, so it’ll come off clean when you decide to remove it.
Positioning a screen protector can be tricky, even if you have extraordinarily steady hands. To make sure the Glas.tR EZ Fit goes on perfectly, Spigen has included an installation frame. Just place the screen protector in the tool, then put your phone inside, display-side down. Perfect alignment and easy installation, every time.
If you want to protect more than just your screen, you’ll probably also want an iPhone case. Spigen guarantees that this screen protector will work with any of its iPhone 13 cases, but it should also work with most other case types.
A screen protector is designed to take damage instead of your phone’s screen taking it. This means that over time, you’ll need to replace it. Fortunately, Spigen includes two screen protectors in the pack so you can change it out when it’s time.
The Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit is available for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the iPhone 13 Mini.
Best iPhone 13 Screen Protector Overall
Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit
The Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit offers the same features as screen protectors more than double the price, plus it includes a handy installation tool.
Pros
- ✓ 2.5D rounded edges add a premium feel
- ✓ Three screen protectors included for most iPhone 13 models
- ✓ 9H hardness rating
Cons
- ✗ No installation tool included
The Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector may be our budget pick, but that doesn’t mean that the company skimped on protection. Like our best overall pick, the Supershieldz screen protector is made from glass tested at a hardness rating of 9H.
Screen protectors don’t always have the smoothest edges, making using your phone less than comfortable. The Supershieldz screen protector uses what it calls 2.5D rounded edges. This makes sure your fingers or nails don’t catch the ends of the screen protector, making the iPhone 13 even more comfortable to use.
Like all glass screen protectors, Supershieldz’s offering is hydrophobic, meaning water won’t make it through to your phone’s screen. It’s also oleophobic, keeping fingerprints off of your screen protector as well as your iPhone’s screen.
Unlike the Spigen, there is no installation tool for the Supershieldz screen protector. That said, the company does provide a link to an instructional video to help you install the screen protector properly.
You’ll pay less for the Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector than you will for our overall pick, but that’s not the only bonus. This comes in a three-pack, meaning you’ll keep your phone protected for even longer. We’re not sure why, but the version for the iPhone 13 Mini only comes in a two-pack, though.
The Supershieldz Tempered Glass Screen Protector is available for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro, the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the iPhone 13 Mini.
Best Budget iPhone 13 Screen Protector
Pros
- ✓ More touch sensitive than glass screen protectors
- ✓ Easy installation
- ✓ Six screen protectors in each package
Cons
- ✗ Doesn’t protect as much as tempered glass
Not everybody wants a tempered glass screen protector. If you’re searching for something even more affordable than our budget pick with a few unique features, consider the Supershieldz High Definition Clear Shield screen protector.
PET screen protectors are less visible than tempered glass options. If you aren’t a fan of the look of tempered glass screen protectors, PET is an excellent option. Some people also find they feel a little nicer than glass models, though this will vary across brands and models.
If the idea of a non-glass screen protector has you thinking of the screen protectors of old, that isn’t the case. Those were generally made of TPU, which has a rubbery feel. By comparison, a PET screen protector feels smoother, more like the display on your iPhone.
Supershieldz uses a Japanese PET film that the company says leaves no residue when removed. PET screen protectors are often easier to install than tempered glass models, though you have to carefully avoid bubbles.
If you’re worried about going through a few screen protectors before you get it installed right, fear not. Not only is the Supershieldz High Definition Clear Shield (PET) very affordable, but you get six of them in a single pack, regardless of which iPhone 13 model you have.
The Supershieldz High Definition Clear Shield (PET) is available for iPhone 13 and 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, and iPhone 13 Mini.
Best iPhone 13 Film Screen Protector
Pros
- ✓ Prevents nearby strangers seeing your screen
- ✓ Includes tempered glass screen protector and privacy film
- ✓ Installation tool included
Cons
- ✗ Privacy screen reduces phone screen brightness
Do you frequently deal with sensitive info on your phone or just prefer nearby strangers to not be able to read your text messages? The PULEN Tempered Glass Screen Protector is the perfect option for you.
As the name implies, this screen protector is made of high-quality tempered glass, but it has some extra tricks. Specifically, it includes an extra film layer for privacy. This reduces the viewing angle of your display to around 45 degrees. Basically, your screen is only fully viewable if you look directly from the front.
PULEN didn’t skimp on the actual protection features of the screen protector, either. The tempered glass layer is rated at 9H hardness, so it’s as durable as any other option here. Separating the privacy layer into a separate film layer is handy since it allows you to choose between a standard screen protector and a privacy screen.
Like Spigen, PULEN includes a tool to make installing the tempered glass and privacy film layers easy. Place the screen protector and film inside the tool, then place your iPhone inside, display-side down.
We should point out that while the tempered glass layer won’t affect brightness, the privacy film will. This is necessary for the privacy features, but you can counteract it by turning up your brightness, but you may lose a bit of battery life as a result.
The PULEN Tempered Glass Screen Protector features two of the tempered glass and privacy film layers in each pack. Since the company includes the installation tool, this should be plenty.
You can buy the PULEN Tempered Glass Screen Protector for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
Best iPhone 13 Privacy Screen Protector
Pros
- ✓ Made from glass with a 9H hardness rating
- ✓ Anti-glare design keeps nighttime photography clear
- ✓ Three lens protectors included in each pack
Cons
- ✗ Can collect condensation in damp conditions
Like our favorite screen protector, the UniqueMe Tempered Glass Camera Lens Protector features glass with a 9H hardness rating. This means the other important glass on your iPhone is as protected as the glass that makes up the screen.
A tempered glass screen protector can cause glare thanks to the camera flash, but UniqueMe has equipped this protector with an anti-glare coating for better nighttime photography. The company also applied an oleophobic layer to ensure you don’t ruin a potentially great photo with a fingerprint smudge.
To ensure you don’t trap dust or other debris between the camera lens and this protector, UniqueMe has included wipes. This lets you be confident that your lens is fully clean before applying the protector. There is no installation tool, but given the shape of the camera bump, these are pretty difficult to install wrong.
UniqueMe’s camera lens protectors come three to a pack at a low price. This means that you’ll have plenty of cash left over to pair this with a screen protector to make sure your iPhone is as protected as it can be.
The UniqueMe Tempered Glass Camera Lens Protector is available in two different versions. One is compatible with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, while the other is compatible with the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini.
Best iPhone 13 Camera Lens Protector
