Looking for a great smartphone that doesn’t break the bank? The Google Pixel 4a is the latest budget version of Google’s Pixel range, and it’s a stunning phone with a flagship camera and a price that’ll fit much better into budgets that can’t accommodate a flagship price. But even a cheaper phone deserves protection, as breakages or replacements will eat into the money you’ve saved by picking a phone with a lower price. Here are some of the best Google Pixel 4a cases to keep your budget phone looking shiny and stop it from meeting a sticky end.
Speck Presidio ExoTech Case
If you want a compact single-layer case that also doubles as a very rugged cover, this item from Speck should be near the top of your list. It has been drop-tested to military standards, so it will do a great job of keeping your Pixel 4a in one piece in the unfortunate event of a bad fall. The tactile, rubberized material also gives you plenty of grip, so the chances of a fall in the first place are pretty low. There’s also a Microban coating, which will keep bacteria growth on your phone to a minimum, while the raised bezels help to keep the Pixel’s screen out of harm’s way.
Caseology Vault Case
Made from a sturdy layer of TPU, this cover from Caseology will protect the Pixel 4a against most shocks and impacts, even pretty bad ones. It offers military-grade drop protection, while its textured cover helps you to grip the phone securely. As expected in this day and age, the case also offers raised lips for the display and the camera lenses, while its single-layer design makes it convenient to use and stow away. It comes with the all necessary cutouts for the Pixel’s fingerprint sensor and ports.
Crave Dual Guard Protection Series Case
As the name suggests, Crave’s Dual Guard case for the Pixel 4a utilizes a dual-layer design, combining hard polycarbonate with a more flexible and tactile TPU outer material. Together, they provide the cover with a noticeable degree of ruggedness, capable of withstanding the vast majority of everyday accidents. The granular surface provides extra grip, while the raised lips also protects the fingerprint sensor, camera lens, and screen. Despite comprising two layers, the case remains conveniently lightweight and thin, so slipping your Pixel into your pocket won’t ever become a problem.
Ringke Fusion Case
Ringke create some of the best clear cases around, and the Fusion is one of its best. It’s a dual-layer case and uses soft TPU as a bumper, combined with a hard and clear back panel made from polycarbonate. This combo grants scratch-protection and good drop-protection, and it has been rated up to military grades for falls. There’s a raised lip around the edges of the display and camera module, stopping those areas from resting on surfaces and keeping them away from dirt and grit. If you’re really worried about drops, then there’s also a lanyard attachment on the case, which can be combined with a wrist or neck strap. We’ve highlighted the clear version, but there’s also a Smoke Black version if you’d prefer the tint.
Catalyst Impact Protection Case
Catalyst’s Impact Protection case does exactly what it claims: Offers drop protection from up to 9.9 feet (3 meters) and uses a corner airbag system to help disperse the energy from impacts. Raised edges ensure your phone doesn’t rest on surfaces, and it even comes with a wrist lanyard to make drops even more unlikely. Weirdly for a rugged case, it has some utility, too — it’s styled for the frequent traveler. Take the case off, and you’ll find a space for a spare SIM card and a SIM removal tool. While this may seem odd for most, for a frequent country-hopper, having somewhere to quickly store an international SIM card can be a real boon. It’s on the more expensive side, though, so keep that in mind.
Vena vCommute Wallet Case
Want a wallet case, but without the traditional folio design? Vena may have exactly what you’re looking for. The vCommute is well named because it strikes us as the perfect case for everyday adventures. The rear compartment is well hidden and has room for a number of tickets, ID cards, spare cash, or cards, and it folds into a magnetically locked kickstand as well. It doesn’t skimp on protection, either. Polycarbonate and TPU offer strong protection, along with a corner airbag system that meets military-grade drop protection. Vena claims it can resist drops up to 4 feet, which isn’t bad at all and should cover most everyday drops. This one’s a good case for the Pixel 4a user on the go.
Spigen Slim Armor Essential S Case
Looking for slim but strong protection that doesn’t block your view? Spigen’s Slim Armor Essential S is the case for you. It’s made from completely clear TPU and polycarbonate, so you can show off your phone’s great style. It’s not just about showing off your phone though, and you’ll find plenty of protection here too. The flexible TPU material will protect against scratches and minor drops, and it’s been treated so it doesn’t yellow as it ages, while the polycarbonate back provides a solid backbone. An excellent everyday case, even if it is a bit expensive when bought from Spigen.
Ghostek Covert Case
With a large 5.81-inch display and an eye-catching design, there’s not much that’s covert about the Pixel 4a — but that won’t be true with this case from Ghostek. The Covert case’s name is something of a misnomer, because it’s definitely obvious, with its protective edges and red highlights on the smoke-black option, but it’s a great choice nonetheless. It’s a dual-layer case, made from a hard polycarbonate back and a shock-absorbant TPU bumper, and it also comes with a kickstand, perfect for propping the phone in landscape while watching videos. It’s deceptively protective too, and Ghostek boasts of drop protection of up to 8 feet. That’s not bad at all for the price.
Olixar Leather-Style Wallet Case
Looking for a case that adds complete protection, and some additional utility as well? You probably want a wallet folio case. This wallet case from Olixar covers all sides of your phone, thanks to the wraparound cover and inner case. It has room for payment cards, tickets, or spare cash in the inside pocket, and it can fold into a horizontal stand as well. All right, it’s not real leather, not at this price, but the PU leather used looks good and is durable to boot. It’s an excellent case that adds style and protection in equal measure.
Moment Thin Photography Case
The Pixel 4a has a flagship-level camera, but with only a single lens, it lacks some hardware tricks, like wide-angle shots. You can fix that with this case from Moment. A special attachment over the lens hole takes one of Moment’s range of lenses, and with a simple twist, you can add wide-angle, fisheye, or macro lenses, adding a completely different spin to your photography. It’s fairly protective, and there’s a lanyard point as well, so a wrist strap can be added. However, be warned that this case is expensive for what it is, and the lenses themselves aren’t cheap.
Otterbox Symmetry Clear Stardust Glitter Case
If you want serious protection, one of the first places you visit is Otterbox. But just because Otterbox offers some great protection doesn’t mean it can’t do style too. The Symmetry Clear series offers some fantastic protection with drop protection that’s been through Otterbox’s rigorous tests, but it also looks good. The Stardust Glitter variant is the perfect case for someone who wants to show off some glittery goodness, but also wants to use Otterbox’s combination of polycarbonate and TPU to keep their phone safe. An excellent case, but certainly a pricey one.
UAG Scout Series Case
UAG is another brand with a strong name for phone protection, and we’re pleased to see it’s brought the Scout series to the Pixel 4a. It’s made from flexible but strong TPU, and it’s been rated up to military standards for drop protection. UAG’s cases have never been the most understated, but the Scout series is one of its sleeker and more stylish options, and we dig its minimalist look. Tough and unpretentious, this is a good case if you want protection but don’t want to let everyone know how rugged you are.
Incipio DualPro Case
Incipio’s DualPro case brings twin layers of protection, but without adding all the extra bulk you might have come to expect from heavy-duty cases. It’s made from a hard polycarbonate shell laid over a soft TPU inner core, and this combination gives you the strength and shock-resistance needed to protect against a wide range of everyday hazards — and it includes drop protection of up to 10 feet. The asking price isn’t too bad either, and the quality speaks for itself.
Poetic Revolution Case
Great protection doesn’t have to cost a lot, just like how a great phone doesn’t have to cost a lot. Cover your budget phone with a budget case from Poetic. The Revolution case is certainly protective, and it comes with several layers of resistant materials to prove its point. It offers military-grade performance for drops, has a screen protector to complete the protection, and has a built-in kickstand. On the minus side, it’s not exactly stylish unless you’re looking for a rugged industrial look. But at this price, we can’t really complain.
