7 Best Apple CarPlay Lightning Cables for Your iPhone

Short and durable lightning cables work best when connecting your iPhone to your car for CarPlay. Plus, they can help you clear cable clutter. We’ve found some of the best Apple CarPlay cables to plug your iPhone in while driving.

AmazonBasics USB-A to Lightning Cable Cord

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The AmazonBasics USB-A to Lightning cable is affordable, and the 1ft length makes it easy to connect and manage. It has nylon braiding, which adds to its durability. The cable works as intended and acts as the bridge between your phone and the

The build is decent for the price and should last you long. If you are out to save money (or looking for something short-term), this AmazonBasics cable is a good pick. The only limitation is the charging speed.

What We Like

  • Affordable price
  • Braided exterior

What We Don’t Like

  • Repeated bending can spoil the cable

esbeecables Short iPhone Charging Cable

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The esbeecables 20 cm long Lightning cable is an apt pick if your car has a phone cradle next to the USB-A port. It’s a well-built cable with a braided exterior and textured strain relief to aid in a better grip. Interestingly, the company bundles three cables in a single package, making it a good deal for the money.

Again, these are USB-A cables, which translate into slower transfer rates. But since you will only use them in your car, this shouldn’t be a dealbreaker.

What We Like

  • Convenient length
  • Braided exterior

What We Don’t Like

  • Slow charging speeds

OIITH 1ft iPhone Cable

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The OIITH iPhone cable brings many good features to the table. It is super affordable, durable, and delivers an impressive performance. It measures just 12 inches and acts as the perfect bridge between your iPhone and your car. Aside from that, it has the same bells and whistles as long and textured strain relief.

The textured strain relief works in your favor, and you’ll be able to unplug your phone easily. Lastly, the cable is not braided, but is sturdy and durable.

What We Like

  • Durable ends of the cable
  • Looks attractive

What We Don’t Like

  • Not braided

Durcord iPhone Charger

Durcord iPhone Charger

The Durcord cable is short but highly flexible at the ends. It bundles a solid braided exterior with a hard plastic covering at the ends in an affordable package. Further, it supports fast charging—but only up to 12W.

The main hero of the Durcord cable is its durability. The cable’s plastic ends protect the cable from the elements and daily wear and tear. And despite being MFI-certified, the Durcord cable is affordable and you get three cables in the box.

What We Like

  • Thick, bendable ends
  • Rugged exterior

What We Don’t Like

  • Needs to be plugged out and plugged in sometimes to work

Belkin DuraTek Plus

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The Belkin DuraTek Plus cable is sturdy and durable (and stylish, too!) and gets the job done. In fact, Belkin claims that the DuraTek Plus is over 10 times stronger than its Apple counterpart. It can fast-charge your iPhone (when connected to an 18W charger). Plus, the five-year warranty adds an extra sense of security.

This USB-A to Lightning cable is slightly long at 4 ft. But you do get a built-in leather clasp to hold the extra length. It carries a host of extras. For example, it can fast-charge your iPhone when connected to an 18W charger. Secondly, the 5-year warranty adds an extra sense of security.

Alternatively, you can also check out the Native Union Belt Cable. This one boasts top-of-the-class construction.

What We Like

  • Extremely durable
  • Comes with a cable tie

What We Don’t Like

  • Can be too long for some cars

Kiyoda Coiled Lightning Cable

Kiyoda Coiled Lightning Cable

The Kiyoda coiled lighting cable is almost like a spring or a slinky. It’s coiled, and pulling the end of the cable extends its length, allowing other passengers in your car to use it. It is an MFI-certified cable, so you can rest assured that your iPhone remains safe when charging in the car.

While we wish the cable were braided for added durability, it has solid build quality. Moreover, you get two cables in the box. So, even if one stops working, you’ll have a backup solution. That said, it’s not a perfect cable, and you may have to disconnect and reconnect the cable sometimes to get it to work.

What We Like

  • Coiled design is useful
  • Includes two cables in the box

What We Don’t Like

  • Needs to be unplugged and plugged in at times to work
  • Not braided

Magtame Magnetic Coiled USB-C to Lightning Cable

Magtame Magnetic Coiled iPhone Charger Cable

The Magtame cable brings several advantages to the table. For one, it has magnets throughout the length of the wire, which keeps it coiled when not in use. When unwrapped, it’s a standard USB-C to lightning cable. Another advantage of the Magtame cable is that it has a USB-C end, so you can even take it out of your car to fast-charge your iPhone at top speed using an adapter.

However, note that if you have a car in which CarPlay only works via a USB-A port, the Magtame cable won’t be useful inside the car.

What We Like

  • Braided exterior
  • Magnets throughout the cable
  • Supports fast-charging up to 30W

What We Don’t Like

  • Difficult to coil sometimes due to the orientation of the poles in the magnets

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Last updated on 12 April, 2024

2 Comments

  1. This article would have been more useful if you featured shorter than 3 foot cables. I’m not a fan of Amazon charging cables. Amber & Belkin are good, but you didn’t feature shorter options

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