Which is better, leather cases or silicone cases? A good number of shoppers get torn between deciding on whether to go for a silicone or leather case. Phone cases, be it leather or silicone have some level of protection they offer to smartphones, just that the degree to which they offer it varies.

The different variations between the cases are explained below with special emphasis on sleekness, slimness, quality, durability, and accessibility.

Sleekness

Original leather material looks much sleeker compared to the silicone. It’s much softer to touch and feel. The only disadvantage here is that leather cases do not provide a tighter grip on the device.

Silicone cases are soft too but not as smooth as the leather cases. They have a rather rubbery and slippery feel which makes them look cheap instead of sleek as they get older. The advantage of having a silicone case that feels rubbery is that it allows one to have a good grip when holding your devices. The phone is less likely to slip off and drop down accidentally.

Slimness

Although leather material looks more attractive, it’s surprisingly heavier compared to silicon cases. If for example, you’re to use a leather case on an iPhone, one can easily tell that there’s some additional weight. This sometimes makes it harder to press the power buttons on the sides. One has to use more force for the buttons to work. They are generally bulky cases and tend to distort the phone’s original look.

Silicone cases are easy to slip onto the phone because they’re stretchy. They add no weight to the phone nor do they change the way your phone looks. They tuck on to the phone’s entire body in a good way.

A few factors like the quality of the silicone may dictate how heavy or light it will be. There are rubber silicon cases and then there’s plastic. Rubber cases have thicker sides and corners. These are the ones that add bulk to the phone. Plastic silicone cases on the other hand aren’t as heavy as the rubber type. Whichever type you decide to purchase, you can rest assured it will fit your phone properly.

Durability

Durability seems to be one of the most important considerations when purchasing a phone case. In terms of durability, silicone cases last longer especially the rubber type if compared to plastic cases. However, leather cases last much longer. Why? Once silicon cases get even just one single tear, it keeps growing larger with time because it can stretch. Rubber silicon contains a combination of two layers that is a silicon layer and a rigid layer which acts as great shock absorption. This makes silicon generally great just as long as they don’t come into contact with sharp items that can cause them to tear.

This makes leather cases the better choice. The only drawback is that to achieve this longevity, they still require extra maintenance because they are susceptible to damages caused by dust, water, and too much exposure to heat. Leather cases aren’t dust and waterproof. They collect so much dust which plays a big role in the loss of their original color. Exposure to water is what leads to peeling off of the flip cover making it look dirty and old in a short time.

So in case you’re having difficulty deciding between leather and silicone, leather Cases will last longer.

Accessibility

Silicone cases are easier to access compared to leather cases. This is because they mostly cover the back part of the smartphone leaving the front part open and easier to navigate. There’s no need to flip or open anything to access the phone screen, it’s always there and ready for use. While leaving the front part not completely protected may be disadvantageous on its own though it still offers the best accessibility.

The case of leather however is different. This is more so when the phone case type is a Flip case. Flip cases can be uncomfortable to use especially for the first time. One has to constantly flip and close to fully use their phone screen. This is a rather inconvenient process and doesn’t make leather cases easily accessible.

Protection

Both leather and silicon Cases offer protection. The only difference is that they won’t be able to protect your phone from serious accidental drops. They can only offer average protection against scratches, bumps and minor drops. Leather and silicone cases cover the phone’s power buttons. They also have a slightly raised front to protect the phone screen in case it falls face flat. The disadvantage is that the center of the phone isn’t entirely protected so it may get scratches.

Quality

Speaking of quality, the leather cases win the challenge on this one. Original leather cases can’t bend or break because of their hard nature. This is a good thing because the phone is not only assured of protection but also durability.

 It’s only outside elements like water and dust which lower the quality if not well maintained. Silicone cases, on the other hand, are of weaker quality because of their rubbery texture. They can easily be twisted or bent around causing them to form cracks. Also because their build makes room to store excess temperature. This can easily weaken the silicon quality. In terms of quality, leather cases are a better option.

Final say

With the above information, it’s much easier to make an informed choice on what phone case is more suitable for you, silicone, or leather. Both cases are guaranteed to protect the phone against minor damage such as accidental drops, scratches and tears. However, they still require extra maintenance for them to last long. You can’t keep on dropping the phone and expect it to last. Similarly, if the leather case isn’t cleaned occasionally expect it to lose the original colour within a few days.  The effort on your part will increase the cases life-span.

Go for mobile phone cases that deliver according to your expectations for example durability, quality, and protection to mention but a few. If the price is what’s limit you, then you can choose the silicone case because it’s much cheaper than a leather case.