10 Best Minimalist Wallets for Everyday Carry

If simplicity is the goal, look no further than the NOMATIC Wallet for your next minimalist wallet choice. The primary material used in its construction is elastic; however, there are leather and polyester accents. The design is simple—there’s a slider for cards—which you can pull out quickly with a pull tag, and a small pocket for cash or other little items like a key or fob.

The leather accent is attached to the pull tag, so you can get your cards out quickly without fiddling around. Considering there are just two places to stow gear, you can’t get a much more minimal than this!

In our experience testing this wallet for nearly a year, the material has retained most of its stretchiness. It has started showing signs of wearing out; however, it’s still usable—it just isn’t as tight when you’ve got less stowed inside. The simple design takes some getting used to, but once you’ve gone this basic, it’s hard to go back! If you’re looking for an option that stretches to fit what you’ve got, this is the best minimalist wallet for you.

• The design is simple, but the wallet has excellent segmentation
• Access to cash and cards is quick and easy

• The materials will stretch out over time
• The design is intuitive, but it takes a while to get used to

If you want something that can handle a rugged adventure, look no further than the Trayvax Original 2.0 Wallet. The main component’s construction is stainless steel and aluminum. They’re extraordinarily durable and look sleek, too. The two panels are held together using a thick paracord, which you can tighten or loosen based on what you’ve got stowed inside. The paracord is the weakest link in this wallet since it’s made of such durable materials; however, we haven’t had issues with it breaking. Plus, if it does, it’s easily replaceable.

While testing this wallet, we noticed that the plates can be noisy against metal credit cards and when they touch each other. If you’re sensitive to particular noises, the sound of the two metals hitting each other might hurt your brain. If you know, you know. If not, don’t worry about it!

There are two places to stow your currency options. Cards go between the two plates. One of the plates has a window in which you can put your ID; however, depending on where your ID is from, the details you might need to show could be covered up. The other plate has a money clip so that you can stow cash. It works well for American and other non-tall bills, but taller currencies can interfere with the paracord toggle. It’ll still work, but you’ll have to fiddle to get your cards out.

If durability is the name of your game, this is the best minimalist wallet for you!

• The paracord enables you to fit more cards and is easily replaceable
• Finding the right card is easy to do

• The expansion process isn’t quick and can be rigorous on your hands
• Slack in the paracord can get caught on things in your pocket or backpack

The transition to a minimalist wallet can sometimes be difficult, primarily if you’ve never used something smaller. However, if your new wallet feels similar to your old one, it can make the change easier. The Bellroy Card Pocket is crafted from leather, so it feels like your old wallet, but it comes in a small package with thoughtful internal organization.

This model has a zippered YKK closure, which hasn’t failed in testing but sometimes gets stuck. Once you’ve made it inside, the liner is made from polyester, and there are a few places to stow your gear. There’s a card pocket for your cards and folded-up cash, a coin sleeve for change, a spot to hold a SIM card, and some wiggle room in the middle for extras. For such a small minimalist wallet, this thing packs a punch!

If you’re looking for something more weather-resistant, you can opt for Bellroy’s All Conditions version of the Card Pocket. In our experience, it works similarly but takes up more space and isn’t as malleable.

The Bellroy Card Pocket feels like the perfect middle ground for those just searching for the best minimalist wallet. It has a lot of the details and organization you’d expect from a standard model, but the size of something more streamlined.

• Can easily hold cash, cards, and coins without taking up much room
• It’s small enough to fit in your pocket or inside your pack

• The zipper can get a little sticky
• Things inside the main compartment can get stuck on the zipper

There aren’t many minimalist wallets that only utilize one material—let alone models that only use polyethylene. The RE:FORM RE:02 comes in two designs, the Coin Sleeve and the Card Holder. The two models have a similar construction but are built to hold their namesake.

The polyethylene material is comfortable to hold in your hand and has a unique texture. If you’re a connoisseur with a closet full of wallets, odds are, no others in your collection feel exactly like this one. It utilizes a classic billfold design with magnets to help secure it. However, the magnets don’t present a foolproof closure, so it may pop open when you don’t want it to.

While testing this wallet, we noticed that navigating can be challenging when you have many cards stowed inside, slowing you down while on the go. Once you realize this, you can combat it by getting your card ready while waiting in line to not slow things up too much.

We can fit roughly nine cards inside, but your mileage may vary depending on the thickness of what you try to stow inside. RE:FORM’s RE:FINE material, that polyethylene we were going on about earlier, hasn’t worn out in testing, making this a contender to be one of the best minimalist wallets.

• It utilizes unique materials and magnets to form a sturdy closure system
• There are multiple spots to stow your cards

• The fabric can be so grippy that it’s hard to get your cards out
• It can take some time to get bills inside

Of all the minimalist wallets we’ve had in hand, the Pioneer Flyfold 2.0 might feel the most like a standard billfold. However, it’s not the design that makes this option stand out. Pioneer opted to use 10XD fabric, which is durable and extraordinarily water resistant, which makes this a rugged yet sleek choice for those not ready to give up on billfold life. We’ve tested the first and second iterations of this minimalist wallet. Our experience is that the 10XD fabric feels lighter and more malleable but retains the durability that made the Flyfold special in the first place. Seriously, your gear is safe in this thing!

There’s a spot for your cash like usual–however, some taller currencies may poke out of the top. We’ve got two card slots to work with, each holding roughly six cards, which is ample storage for a thin wallet. However, because there are only two high-capacity slots, finding the card you were looking for can take a few moments. If you place the cards correctly, getting used to the format is quick.

The Pioneer Flyfold 2.0 is one of the larger minimalist wallets on this list, but the durable materials and sleek design make it a worthy inclusion.

• Materials are lightweight but durable and water resistant
• Cards rarely come out of place thanks to orientation

• There are only two card slots, which can be hard for organization
• Larger bills will pop out of the top

If you’re looking for something minimalist, durable, and budget-friendly, the Chums Surfshorts Wallet has your name on it. Plus, there’s a colorway for everyone. Who can argue with that?

The primary material utilized here is ripstop nylon, but there’s a TPU window on one side, so you can show your ID without pulling it out. There are two zippered compartments, one with a divider to separate gear, the other operating as a large area to stow the rest of your gear.

On the exterior, there’s an additional liner pocket with a key ring inside. You can stow roughly five keys here comfortably, but it does affect how much you can fit inside.

In long-term testing, the logo rubbed off, and the zipper lost some of its paint, but the core functions of this minimalist wallet will remain intact! After over a year of use, the zipper finally failed on the first model we had in hand. This was because it got stuck on a piece of clothing as it was coming out, which we think is more on the user more than the zipper, but it broke either way. That said, for less than $15, our experience was good enough to warrant purchasing another one, and we still confidently recommend this wallet.

• A budget-friendly wallet that will last you a long time
• Fits inside both front and back pockets

• There isn’t much internal organization
• Cards can get bent or damaged if overstuffed

Are you looking for a minimalist wallet that can stow a couple of cards with extreme durability and protection? The Secrid Cardprotector can do that for you—but not much else.

We’ve found that you can fit four embossed or six flat cards inside, but no more than that. The exterior is extraordinarily sleek—there isn’t a pixel out of place. Seriously, this thing is mad smooth! On the bottom, a small lever pops the cards out of the top of the wallet.

The best thing about this mechanism is that it fans the cards for you. The card furthest back pops out furthest, and the card furthest forward the least. This makes it easy to grab the card you want without sifting through them all in the middle of the market.

Regarding cash or expandability, you don’t have any in-house options. You could attach something to the exterior, but it wouldn’t be nearly as smooth and fun to hold onto. As we mentioned, this might be the best minimalist wallet for you if you only need a couple of cards.

• The cards pop out pre-fanned, so you can get what you want quickly
• The design is very minimalistic and clean

• You can only stow a few cards at a time and no cash
• The lever has jammed in testing

If you like your gear to match your personality, the art prints on the Paperwallet Micro Wallet will spark your interest! Don’t worry—if you like simple colorways, they’ve got those too. Like many options on this list, the proof is in the puddi…er…materials.

These wallets are made of Tyvek®, which feels like paper but is far more durable. This is a similar material to what you see wrapping houses that are being built—it typically is white and has the manufacturer plastered all over it. On a home, it’s used to control airflow and water permeation. Come to think of it, that’s pretty helpful for a wallet, too.

We’ve got five separate slots to work with, so you can effectively segment your cash and cards to your liking. However, because the material is so lightweight and small, this thing fits in your pocket—front or back. Yup, even feminine-styled pockets! Plus, in our experience, it’s a solid conversation starter, which is excellent for travelers who might feel awkward jumping into a conversation with somebody they don’t know.

We have to admit; this thing takes some getting used to. However, once you’re used to the material and its size, the Paperwallet Micro Wallet might be the best minimalist wallet for you.

• The art on the exterior is fun and unique
• It will fit inside even the smallest pockets

• The material shows wear quickly, although it won’t rip
• It’s tiny, and getting bills inside can be challenging

If you’re looking for a lightweight minimalist wallet with room for a ton of cards and cash, look no further than the SlimFold Original Soft Shell. The material is a mixture of GORE-TEX and Kevlar, so it’s no slouch in terms of durability and water resistance. In our experience, the material is hard to get used to as a wallet due to how thin it is, but once you do, it’s hard to look back. At the time of writing, the Original Soft Shell comes in Charcoal, Black, and Navy with a few unique stitching options, so you can get a sleek colorway to fit into your packing list.

There are 11 card slots in this wallet. No, you heard us right, 11! This defeats the need to stack cards and makes finding what you’re looking for easier on the first go. That said, when open, this wallet has a large footprint, which can be challenging to manage with one hand. Snagging a card on the other side can be tricky, but it isn’t impossible. Everything is laid out in an organized fashion, but it is pretty big.

Coming in at a singular ounce, this thing is durable enough to handle your everyday carry and travel needs, no matter where you take it.

• It has 11 card slots but only weighs an ounce
• The materials are incredibly durable for their weight

• The footprint of the wallet is so large that it’s hard to handle with one hand
• Not a ton of colorway options available

The Garzini Essenziale Magic Wallet looks like a standard wallet, but it has a few tricks up its sleeve. It’s crafted from sleek leather and offers RFID protection, so you can feel safe carrying your cards in public no matter where you’re traveling.

The wallet has a unique folding design that enables you to store up to 10 cards and slot some cash inside, too, without feeling bulky. There’s a learning curve to figure out how to use the folding mechanism properly; however, once you figure it out, it’s easy to use and fun to play with. We find ourselves fidgeting with it absentmindedly while waiting for a queue to move forward.

There’s no ID window, which feels like a miss for a wallet that looks like this. After all, part of the appeal is that it looks like a classic leather model. That said, just because it seems like a classic billfold doesn’t mean it has to have all the features of one. If that were true, we wouldn’t have the magic features that made us try this thing in the first place!

• The leather is durable and looks professional
• You can fit a surprising amount of card and cash inside for the size

• It takes a while to master the folding mechanism, so give yourself some time before traveling with it
• There’s no ID window, and the card slots are tight when loaded with cards