Best USB-C and Thunderbolt charging cables for iPhone, iPad and Mac
Description
USB-C is the modern connection standard shared by most new devices today. It comes in several different formats—USB-C, USB4 and Thunderbolt—but they all have the same reversible connector at the end and are interchangeable and backwards compatible. All of Apple’s new devices now use USB-C or Thunderbolt for charging and data transfers.
We’ve tried and tested the best USB-C and Thunderbolt cables here. If you want to jump straight to our recommendations click the one that meets your requirements:
You can find cheaper online but we recommend cables only from trusted brands, such as Anker, Cable Matters, CalDigit, Plugable, Belkin and Ugreen. When charging your precious devices, you want to be sure that you aren’t putting them at risk of overheating and potentially causing a fire in your home.
Apple’s old Lightning connector was also reversible—where it doesn’t matter which side of the connector faces up or down as you plug it in—so no big change there, but USB-C is much more than just a symmetrical design. It can transfer data much faster—pushing Lightning’s 0.48Gbps to up to 120Gbps.
Apple’s iPhone 15, 16 and 17 have a USB-C port, replacing the old trusty but proprietary Lightning cable that has been a part of iPhones and older iPads since 2012. Apple supplies a USB-C charging cable in the box, but if you want a single cable for fast charging and data transfers—or just a spare charging cable—we’ve rounded up some of our favorites to help you get the best one.
Some are fast, some are super-powerful, some are both, a few are retractable, and some are just fun. Yes… fun!
We go into more detail about everything you need to know about USB-C cables after the chart of best cables, but for now you need to know about the cable of your dreams:
- Which speed (measured in watts) your devices require: an iPhone needs at least 20W to fast-charge, an iPad 30W, a MacBook Air at least 45W, a MacBook Pro 100W and the 16-inch Pro 140W.
- Do you need it to transfer data as well as supply power? Most charging cables are limited to a rather slow 480Mbps data rate. If you want proper bandwidth as well as charging power look for at least 5Gbps or as much as 40Gbps.
- How long should it be: if the charger is within arms reach of your device a short cable might suffice where a long cable will just be an inconvenience, but if you want to charge your iPhone, Pad or MacBook while sat on the sofa a longer cable will make all the difference.
We’ve supplied the cable data to these questions in our reviews below.
The difference between USB-A, Lightning and USB-C
<button class="lightbox-trigger" type="button"><svg fill="none" height="12" viewBox="0 0 12 12" width="12" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<path d="M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z" fill="#fff"></path>
</svg>
</button></figure>
Foundry
Note that the cables reviewed here are USB-C to USB-C (or backwards-compatible Thunderbolt to Thunderbolt). Old iPhone chargers had the non-reversible rectangular USB-A connector to connect to the charger and a Lightning connector that went into the iPhone. Don’t stick with USB-A at one end as the old standard is limited in data transfer speed to 10Gbps and limited in charging speed to just a rather pathetic 15W.
<button class="lightbox-trigger" type="button"><svg fill="none" height="12" viewBox="0 0 12 12" width="12" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<path d="M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z" fill="#fff"></path>
</svg>
</button></figure>
Foundry
Using a USB-C charger will enable fast charging even for iPhones with a Lightning port. You can still charge an Apple device with a USB-A charger but not at the fastest speed. From the iPhone 15 onwards it’s USB-C into the charger and USB-C into the iPhone. See our roundup of the best USB-C chargers for iPhone.
We have even more tips that show you the fastest ways to charge an iPhone.
Best USB-C cables for iPhone and iPad
iPhones have included either a USB-C to Lightning cable (USB-C-to-Lightning) or even older USB-A to Lightning (USB-A-to-USB-C) for years, and elsewhere we have rounded up the best Lightning cables we’ve seen for iPhones older than the iPhone 15. USB-A is the larger, non-reversible connector. USB-C is required for iPhone fast charging.
From the iPhone 15 onwards also with the AirPods Pro 2, you’ll need a cable with USB-C on both ends (USB-C-to-USB-C) to charge an iPhone or iPad unless you charge wirelessly—check out the best MagSafe wireless iPhone chargers.
All iPads on sale today feature a USB-C connector. But even the 10th Gen iPad’s USB-C is still limited to a 480Mbps data speed. The iPad mini has a USB-C port that supports 5Gbps; the iPad Air 10Gbps; and the iPad Pro has a USB4/Thunderbolt port that can zip data along at 40Gbps. Check your iPad’s data transfer rate before choosing a new cable.
For charging only, any of the USB-C cables reviewed below will be fine as 20W should be enough to charge even an iPad. But if you are connecting to other devices or syncing via cable, we recommend cables that support faster data transfers. A 10Gbps USB-C cable, such as the Cable Matters cord below, is an excellent option if you don’t want to spend a bundle on Thunderbolt.
1. Apple 60W USB-C Charge Cable (1m)
<figure class="wp-lightbox-container">
<button class="lightbox-trigger" type="button"><svg fill="none" height="12" viewBox="0 0 12 12" width="12" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg">
<path d="M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z" fill="#fff"></path>
</svg>
</button></figure>
Pros
- Made by Apple
- 60W Power Delivery
- Robust woven design
Cons
<li
United States
