What Are the Best Men’s Wallets?

Finding a simple, sturdy leather wallet under $100 can be a challenge, but design journalistFred Nicolausfound it in this bifold from Leatherology. He’s had it for four years and even put it through the laundry a few times, and “it still looks good,” he says. It has six card slots, a bill compartment, and two interior pockets, which Nicolaus is perfect (“anything more than that would be overkill”). You can also get it monogrammed for a small fee: “I opted for ‘LOL’ instead of my initials. It helps me appreciate the absurdity every time I whip my wallet out to pay $9 for a cortado.”

Made with English bridle leather, this bifold wallet has a nice saddle-tan color that sets it apart from other black and brown wallets out there. Former Strategist writerDavid Notisfound it on a hunt for a simple billfold leather wallet and liked that it was made from a thicker leather and had strong stitching. After a few uses, Notis reported that the leather softened up nicely and appreciated the way the tan leather ages and darkens with time.

If you carry a lot of cash, you need a bifold.Geoff Snack, a rare-book dealer who makes a lot of cash transactions in his work, swears by a “simple, hearty billfold,” as it can hold a bunch of bills and credit cards. The wallet he’s been using for the past nine years is no longer in production, but he recommends this leather wallet from Maximum Henry, a brand that he likes. It’s made from one piece of Belgian vegetable-tanned leather (it’s cleverly folded inside out and stitched, molded, and then pressed flat) and comes in 16 saturated colors. Snack likes the “daisy” color, a bright yellow.

Another colorful option is this wallet with five pockets and a snap closure from Italian accessories brand Medea that Shaad D’Souza, editor ofShaad magazine, owned a version of. He had one in violet with two pockets that he sadly lost, “but the profile of that wallet is kind of perfect: basically the size of a bifold, but not ugly and boring like a bifold,” he says. (D’Souza’s current wallet is fromSix95: “It looks different enough from a regular one that I don’t feel like a finance guy when I use it, holds all my cards and a couple of bills if I need them, and doesn’t bulk out my back pocket. The leather has aged really nicely too.”)

Comme des Garçons wallets are aperennialfavoriteat the Strategist thanks to theirbright colors,unexpected patterns, andunique configurations. Several staffers (including myself) have used one over the years. I can personally attest to the fact that myclassic leather CDG walletlooks as nice as it did when I first got it over a decade ago. Strategist deputy editor Simone Kitchens has owned several wallets from the brand over the years (her husband has one, too) and says that they basically “last until you lose them.” D’Souza got this half-zip wallet a decade ago and recently gave it to his boyfriend so he could try the slimmer choices he mentions above. This style has an open interior with an inner pocket that can be used for cards, cash, or coins.

Smythson may be known for itsstationery, but Robert Khederian, a real-estate agent and author ofSecond Story, a newsletter about old houses, swears by the brand’s leather products. He has owned a version of this simple calf-leather wallet for eight years that he says is still “going strong.” The made-in-Spain wallet has six card slots, a pocket for bills, and two side slots.

Ettinger, another English company, has been manufacturing leather goods in the U.K. since 1934. My husband bought this compact wallet (sized specifically for the American dollar) in 2019 after reading about it in the r/BuyItForLife sub-Reddit. “For a full feature wallet, it’s very slim, and the grained texture of the goat leather feels pretty fancy,” he says. And after years of stuffing it into jean pockets, it still looks great: “The corners are sharp and there isn’t a single loose thread,” he says.

For something with a bit more texture, former Strategist contributorChris Blackrecommends a woven-leather billfold from Bottega Veneta. It’s on the larger size and has eight card slots, two bill compartments, and two additional pockets. “Woven leather just seems durable,” Black wrote. “Plus this larger size is great for receipt hoarding.”

This Prada wallet is another good option for a billfold. It’s recommended byHudson WilderfounderConway Liao, who has owned an older version for years. Made of Saffiano leather that Liao says is durable and scratch-resistant, it has a bill compartment, six credit card slots, and two side slots. Unlike the other wallets above, this one has a vertical orientation. “I appreciate the compactness of this,” says Liao. AuthorSean Namalso owns a similar wallet from Prada that he received as a gift from his father-in-law and notes how durable it is.

In the age of Apple Pay, a traditional wallet can feel too clunky, which is where a cardholder comes in. WhenarchitectAlexander Sassaroli isn’t using his beloved 15-year-old bifold wallet from Jack Spade, he opts for this slim six-card holder by Launer, which he picked up at Peter Hermann Leathergoods in Soho. “The leather is great quality, it’s easy to get what I need out of the holder, there’s a pocket in the middle for some cash if you need it, and it’s very cool to have the gold royal patent mark on the front of the wallet,” he says.

Here’s a rustic option from Polo Ralph Lauren that’s made of washed full-grain leather, is debossed with the brand’s logo, and has six card slots and center pocket. Chris Blackrecommends itfor how nice it looks for the sub-$150 price.

Just a simple, black card case with five slots and an embossed logo from Saint Laurent. It’s whatRob Franklin, author ofGreat Black Hope, has been using. He likes that it’s “nothing too blingy” and that it’s held up nicely. For a little more flair, he also recommends the one incrocodile-embossed leather.

As menswear writerMax Berlingertold me: “It’s 2026 and you only need one credit card and an ID with you, and maybe a slit for cash, but even that’s pushing it.” He likes his cardholder from Bottega Veneta, which he says is comparatively well priced for something designer.

Prada predictably also makes a nice cardholder if a billfold is too much wallet for your needs. Strategist senior writer Michael Zhao has had his for four years and likes how the leather has aged over that period. “The saffiano texture is smoothing over around the edges, but in a cool, patina-y way,” he says. It’s also very durable. “It’s been through the wash more times than I care to admit, yet the interior still smells of new leather.” And for a cardholder with six card slots and a center pocket, Zhao says that it holds a surprising amount of cash.

WriterIra Madison IIIprefers the Saint-Marc card wallet from Goyard, which is like a billfold, but only for cards, and it has two card slots, two flat pockets, and a badge pocket. “I’m a huge fan of the Goyard card wallet because most of my cards are on my phone and I only need it for my ID, credit and debit card, my OMNY, and some folded cash,” he says. “Mine got sweaty and worn out in my front pocket while dancing at clubs and music festivals, so I replaced it with a Canal Street one. And do so every year!”

Here’s a nontraditional option: a modular, metal cardholder that’s also smart. Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon has been using the Ekster cardholder for about a year and a half and likes how compact it is. It holds up to 12 cards and bills and has a spring mechanism that shoots your cards out for easy access. McMahon calls it “far too satisfying to give up: It makes getting my cards out feel more like an intentional, enjoyable act than just slipping it out of a traditional wallet.” It also comes with a band around the outside, which he uses to store parking slips “so they don’t get lost in a mix of business cards and stray notes.” Other features include RFID-blocking technology, Apple “Find My” compatibility, and the ability to add accessories.

And a more streamlined option from Ridge. Nico Lazaro, a fashion consultant and author of the menswear newsletterThe Bengal Stripe, calls it “a huge upgrade from your usual leather wallet,” as it’s “light and compact, super durable, and securely carries everything I need.” At first he thought it looked too technical, but after trying it, he was sold by “the idea of something compact, streamlined, and made from modern materials.”

Sometimes, a minimalist wallet is all you need.Ruby J. Thelot, a design and media professor and founder of13101401 Inc., prefers to keep it simple with binder clips and rubber bands (“I find the blue ones from bunches of asparagus or broccoli are the best and most durable; when they break, I simply buy more vegetables,” he says), but if he had to buy a proper one, he’d go for one by Toronto-based artist Rue Yi. It’s made of stainless steel and looks more like a business cardholder than a traditional wallet, but it has the words of entomologist Justin O. Schmidt engraved on it. Thelot would get the one that says “Hydrochloric Acid on a Paper Cut” (a description of the pain level caused by a paper wasp). “The kind of pain I like: bright, sharp, short,” says Thelot.