The best long Lightning cable
The 10-foot Native Union Night cable makes charging your iPhone super easy when you need a long, strong, stable Lightning cable.
If you've ever struggled with a short cord, you'll absolutely love Native Union's weighted Night cable . Not only is it 10 feet long, it's also durable and has a weighted knot that keeps it from pulling your iPhone off the table while it's charging.
Native Union makes its Lightning cables out of braided nylon, which is strong and durable. It also means that the cable doesn't tangle as much. There are four layers of material protecting the cable's wires: braided nylon, a TPE rubber sleeve, a tinned copper braid, and a grounding layer. Inside all those layers are wires that are also protected and reinforced — some of them even have Kevlar fiber inside.
Native Union is so confident in its Lightning cables that it put them through a 10,000 bend test to see whether they would break or fray, and the cables survived. The company also offers a limited lifetime warranty , so you know this cable is built to last.
I've used the Native Union Night cable for the past five years as my main charger, and it has never let me down. I've bent it all sorts of ways, and it hasn't frayed at all. I typically use the weight to keep my iPhone on my nightstand while I charge it, but it's easy to adjust when I need the weight anchoring the cord in another place. The cable comes in several fun colors, too, so it looks nice in any home.
The Night cable is also highly rated by users on Amazon and Native Union's website . Many tech publications also recommend Native Union's Night cable.
Pros: 10-feet long, weighted so it doesn't fall, covered in sturdy woven fabric, 12-month warranty, MFi certified by Apple, it bends but doesn't break
Cons: Expensive
$39.99 from Amazon $39.99 from Native UnionThe best light-up Lightning cable
The Monoprice Luxe Series Lightning Charge & Sync Cable lights up to let you know your phone is charging and it's durable.
Monoprice makes lots of great cables for charging up your phone, and it has a stellar lifetime warranty that promises to replace broken cords. Of all its cables, the Monoprice Luxe Series Lightning Charge & Sync Cable stands out with its LED status light, which glows orange or green depending on your iPhone's charging status.
It's nice to know the progress of your phone's charging at a glance, and we love peeking over to see whether our iPhone is fully charged. The light is subtly placed right in the connector next to your phone, so it's easy to see.
The cable itself is well protected by a layer of braided nylon and there are metal enclosures around the connector and LED to ensure that the cable stays strong at its weakest points. Like all of Monoprice's cables, this one has Apple MFi Certification, so you don't have to worry about the quality standards behind this cable.
We've been using the cable for a few months now without any issue and can confirm that it's sturdy and well made. It's quickly become my favorite for juicing up at my desk during the work day.
Pros: Sturdy cable, MFi certified, available in many lengths, lights up when charging, lifetime warranty
Cons: Expensive
$26.22 from AmazonThe best universal Lightning cable
The Universal Cable by Nomad can charge any phone with its Lightning, Micro USB, and USB-C ends.
If you live in a multi-device household, you need this Universal Cable from Nomad . It has Lightning, Micro USB, and USB-C ends to charge any phone and many other devices, too.
The core cable is USB A to Micro USB, and it measures 1.5 meters in length, so it's long enough to stretch a bit. You can also wrap up the excess cable with the included tie.
The cable itself is 10K Mil-spec flex tested and Apple MFi approved. Its braided ballistic nylon covering keeps it strong and prevents fraying even with intense use. Nomad guarantees that the cable will last at least five years, which is pretty impressive.
We tried out one of these cables and loved it. It's the only cable you'll ever need. No matter what devices you, your friends, and your family carry, this cable can charge them — no questions asked.
Nomad also sells regular Lightning-only cables and ones that are made of Kevlar for extra durability.
Pros: Works with all phones, MFi certified, strong, five-year guarantee
Cons: A bit pricey
$34.95 from REIWhat else we considered
AmazonWe try a lot of Lightning cables, and while they all do charge our iPhones, some are just more durable, well-made, and affordable than others.
We test these cables by using them day in and day out over the course of years and months to determine which ones are actually worth spending more than $10 on.
Here are some more cables we tried and liked, but didn't end up recommending in this guide.
- Belkin : Belkin's duratex cable is one of our favorites for its durability and nice design, but it is more expensive than the ones from Anker and AmazonBasics and it doesn't have other standout features that set it apart. To be clear, it is still a great cable and you won't be disappointed if you buy it.
- Syncwire : Syncwire's cable is good, relatively affordable, and very simple. Because the cables from Anker and AmazonBasics are both slightly more robust and also cheaper, this budget cable didn't make the cut.
- Apple : Apple makes a great Lightning-to-USB-C cable for fast charging iPhones, but it is more expensive than Anker's MFi-certified cable, which is $15.99, and it's less durable.
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