Best iPhone camera grips in 2024: rigs and cages to hold your smartphone steady

The latest iPhone models do an excellent job of enabling you to capture tripod-steady video clips and blur-free telephoto stills when shooting handheld. This is thanks to OIS (optical image stabilization) hardware which vibrates the sensor in the x, y, and z axis to counteract camera shake. Software is also employed to counteract camera shake - and this is especially effective when shooting in the Camera app’s Action Mode. So if the iPhone is so great at shooting handheld why are we recommending that you buy a camera grip?

The iPhone camera grips and cages in this guide provide various ways to improve your iPhone photography and videography. The iPhone’s smooth glass and metal body can be a bit slippy to hold, especially if you’re panning and tilting to capture a fast-moving subject. 

The grips in this guide give you a firmer hold on your iPhone, so you can perform a variety of camera moves safely and smoothly.  By shooting with a cage or grip-mounted iPhone you can grasp the grip’s handle and film from a lower camera angle than you could when holding the iPhone’s body.

iPhone battery life gets better with each new model, but I still can’t go out on a shoot without a backup battery charger. By reviewing video clips on a shoot (especially HDR clips), I find that my iPhone’s battery runs out before I get home. Some of the camera grips in this guide double up as MagSafe chargers so you can shoot uninterrupted for much longer.

And finally, a cage or grip gives you a bit more ‘street cred’. When shooting professional models who are used to DSLR photography a grip makes the iPhone look more like a camera, especially if there’s a physical shutter button to press (which helps the model to know when to strike a new pose). If you shoot iPhone video with a cage you can mount additional kit such as LED lights and shotgun mics to create a more impressive and functional video rig. 

The best iPhone camera grips in 2024

Best iPhone camera grip overall

Composing a photo or clip with your iPhone is not as comfortable as using a traditional camera. You need to use two hands to hold the iPhone safely while using your thumb to tap the Camera app’s shutter button (or trigger a recording using the Action button on the bottom of an iPhone 15 model). Although iPhones are made of tougher stuff these days I still managed to crack the display on my iPhone 14 Pro Max after dropping it. When switching between the iPhone’s lenses you may accidentally obscure one of them with a finger as you grip your device. On a long shoot you’ll drain the iPhone’s battery more quickly and may miss a photo opportunity. 

The ShiftCam ProGrip solves all of these problems, plus it makes your iPhone look and feel more like a traditional camera. Its ergonomic non-slip rubber grip lets you hold your iPhone comfortably in one hand (and hold it even more securely thanks to a hand strap). The spring grip can be adjusted to fit a range of iPhone models. You can capture a shot (or trigger a video recording) by pressing a physical button that’s placed where a DSLR’s shutter button would be.  This button triggers the Camera app’s shutter via bluetooth. Thanks to a built-in 15W lightning-fast wireless charging power bank you can shoot for up to three times longer,  so there’s no need to carry an external charger in your kit bag. Like a DSLR your ProGrip mounted iPhone feels satisfyingly heavy, encouraging you to compose a considered shot rather than grabbing a quick snap on the fly. 

By making my iPhone look and behave more like a conventional camera the ShiftCam ProGrip has given me the confidence to shoot professional models without worrying about not being taken seriously as a photographer. It’s been my ‘go to’ iPhone camera grip for the last few years.

See our full Shiftcam ProGrip review

Best iPhone camera grip for content creators

Created in collaboration with film maker Brandon Li, this SmallRig kit consists of a stylish dark green graduating to black aluminum cage that you slot your iPhone 15 Pro Max into. The cage ships with two handles that you can mount on any of the cage’s four sides, enabling you to shoot portrait or landscape-oriented footage.  The two handles have a quick release system so you can quickly re-deploy them to perform gimbal-smooth pans, tilts, cranes and tracking shots at any orientation. This quick release system gives this cage the edge over the similar Neewer iPhone cage featured in this guide. The handles of that cage need to be manually screwed in (or unscrewed to change orientation) which takes up valuable shooting time. 

Another key feature of the SmallRig Brandon Li Mobile Video Kit is a handy remote shutter button that is mounted on the right handle’s cold shoe mount. This button enables you to start and stop video recording (or capture a still) with the press of your thumb while you hold the handle securely (rather than having to tap the iPhone Camera app’s onscreen button which can cause your shot to wobble). You can also unclip the shutter button and trigger the camera remotely from a distance. The kit also ships with a VNDR (variable neutral density) filter that mounts on the front of the cage, so you can capture more detail in a landscape’s bright sky (or force your iPhone’s Camera app to use a slower shutter speed.) 

When using the cage during a wet test shoot I wasn’t worried about my iPhone rig getting rained on. Unlike an smartphone gimbal, the cage has no electronic moving parts that are vulnerable to water, so I was able to shoot gimbal-smooth footage in a downpour. Check out the supporting video in my full review to see the SmallRig Brandon Li Mobile Video Kit in action. Most of the grips and cages in this guide are designed for iPhone use but some - such as the The SmallRig All-In-One Kit-  are compatible with a range of smartphones. 

See our full Smallrig x Brandon Li Mobile Video Kit review

Best budget iPhone camera grip

The SnapGrip Creator Kit from ShiftCam consists of three devices - the SnapGrip itself, a SnapLight and a SnapPod. All these devices can be combined together to extend the shooting abilities of your iPhone. We’ll start off by looking at the SnapGrip itself and then explain how its additional modular accessories work.

As its name suggests the SnapGrip attaches to your iPhone quickly. With the ShiftCam ProGrip you have to take a little time prising its spring-mounted ‘jaws’ apart before placing the iPhone inside it. The SnapGrip instantly clamps to your iPhone magnetically, providing a tactile ergonomic grip that enables you to hold the iPhone like a compact camera. A Bluetooth connected shutter button enables you to snap a shot (or capture video) just like you would with a conventional camera.

To enable you to shoot for longer the magnetically attached SnapGrip wirelessly changes your iPhone. As the phone is attached magnetically its a quick and easy job to swivel it in the SnapGrip to shoot vertical social-media friendly portrait clips, or capture horizontal landscape ones for viewing on a widescreen TV. If you’re using an older iPhone model then the Creator Kit supplies a magnetic sticker to enable you to attach the SnapGrip to your device. The SnapGrip feels more plasticky and cheaper than the ProGrip, and this is reflected in a more affordable price (especially if you buy the SnapGrip on its own rather than with its modular accessories). 

Talking of accessories the SnapLight is a circular LED than magnetically clamps to your iPhone (or onto the front of the SnapGrip or SnapPod.). This LED can be handy for adding a sparkle to your subject’s eyes when snapping a portrait. You can also flip the SnapLight to illuminate a selfie when shooting with the iPhone’s front facing camera. The SnapPod doubles up as a selfie stick and as a mini tripod. This enables you to snap yourself using the iPhone Camera app’s timer. Again, the SnapPod attaches to the iPhone (or the SnapGrip) magnetically. 

Best iPhone camera grip for weddings

If you’re shooting in a busy location such as a wedding then you’ll want to avoid tripping guests up with a tripod. You’ll also need to get from A to B very quickly and you may need some additional light when shooting indoors or after the sun has set. The SmallRig All-In-One Kit is perfect for iPhone videographers as it solves all of these problems. 

Your iPhone is clamped inside the kit’s large aluminum cage. As the cage’s clamp is adjustable you could use any smartphone model with this kit, not just an iPhone. The cage’s sturdy handles attach to any side (so you can configure it to shoot portrait or landscape footage), giving a firm hold over your iPhone. By holding two handles, it is much easier to perform smoother camera moves such as tilts, cranes, and pans (especially when combined with the iPhone’s built-in stabilization features).

The Shiftcam ProGrip is my go-to grip when shooting stills. However, when I have an event to film, I prefer the SmallRig All-In-One Kit as it ships with a mini-shotgun mic and an LED. The shotgun mic slides into one of the cage’s cold shoe mounts and plugs into my iPhone via a cable. This enables me to capture close proximity dialogue and general atmos without needing to attach a wireless mic to a subject.  The mic’s polar pattern focuses on sound in front of the iPhone without picking up unwanted audio from behind. This makes it great for shooting in noisy locations.

The LED also slides into a cold shoe mount on either handle and adds valuable fill light to dark locations, leading to better quality iPhone footage. The whole rig can be mounted on the supplied mini tripod in case you do need to shoot hands-free. I’ve used this rig professionally a few times and it looks much more impressive than if I’d just shot an event using an iPhone, which is key to impressing your client (and not looking like a wedding guest with a smartphone). 

Read our full SmallRig All-In-One Kit for Smartphone review

Best iPhone camera grip for action

The Neewer Cage Kit consists of a black aluminium frame that fits securely around your iPhone 15 Pro Max. Unlike larger cages such as the SmallRig All-In-One Kit, the Newer cage is only a little larger than your iPhone so it doesn’t take up us much space in your kit bag.  Once you’ve slid your iPhone into place (and clamped the cage shut with a locking lever) you need to attach two handles to the cage for a better grip on your iPhone. The handles screw easily into place courtesy of textured screws and you can mount them on either side of the cage for shooting in landscape orientation, or place them in the threads on the top and bottom of the cage to shoot portrait orientated clips for social media sites. The two handles are made of smooth metal but provide a very secure grip. 

By holding the iPhone with both hands via the cage’s handles you can perform smoother and more controlled camera moves such as pans, tilts and crane shots. I shot a parkour sequence with my iPhone 15 Pro Max  mounted in the Neewer cage and I was able to follow my subject’s every move without fear of dropping the iPhone. Thanks to the side handles I was able to smoothly rotate the iPhone through 360º to follow the subject as he performed a flip. In theory you could use a gimbal to perform a 360º rotation but getting the speed of the roll axis to match the subject’s rotation would be a challenge. By shooting our subject’s summersault using a handheld cage I was able to start rotating the iPhone at the correct time and match the speed of the subject with precision.

The Neewer iPhone cage is most similar in design to the SmallRig Brandon Li cage, though its handles lack the cold shoe mounts found on the SmallRig kit’s handles. The Neewer kit does have cold shoe mounts on the cage itself, so we were able to attach a JOBY Beamo LED light to our iPhone for shooting parkour in our location’s darker corridors. The Neewer cage also has a 67mm thread filter mount, so you can attach filters such as the Neewer ND2-32 Filter (sold separately) to your iPhone when shooting in high-contrast locations. The kit also ships with a 17mm lens mount for attaching iPhone lenses (sold separately).

6. Best underwater iPhone camera grip

Technically your iPhone 15 is able to film while submerged at a depth of up to 18 meters for 30 minutes, which makes it water resistant (but not waterproof due to the time limit). However, would you really want to risk your expensive iPhone on a deep dive?  The Joby SeaPal enables your iPhone to go where no other grips can take it - underwater!  While other iPhone users may be limited to capturing shore-based activities on a beach holiday, the SeaPal’s waterproof casing enables you to use your iPhone to shoot shoals of fish on a snorkeling trip (up to a depth of 10 meters/33 feet.) Another bonus of keeping your iPhone sealed in the SeaPal’s case is that it will be protected from being smeared in suntan lotion or being ingressed by sand particles. 

The Joby SeaPal Waterproof Case takes a little time to set up for the first time (say 15 minutes), but then you’re good to go. It ships with a collection of rubber mounts that you need to clip into the body of the case to fit your particular iPhone or smartphone model. A downloadable manual gives you a clear diagram of which rubber mounts to insert and where two place them. After an initial waterproofing test you can pop your iPhone into the case and rotate a large plastic button to seal it in. Make sure that the knob makes a satisfying click to endure that the case is fully sealed.

The front of the case has large glass port for your iPhone’s three lenses to shoot through. This glass is superior to cheaper third-party plastic cases that may be more prone to fogging up. The SeaPal case’s glass is also scratch resistant, so your shots and clips should look pristine. On the rear of the case is a plastic membrane. This is thin enough for you to interact with your iPhone’s screen while filming underwater, so you can swipe in the Camera app to change shooting modes or trigger a recording. 

Like other grips the SeaPal Waterproof Case has a hand (or glove) friendly grip so that you can hold onto it securely. For an even firmer hold I think it is worth purchasing the Joby Bluetooth Shutter Grip. This extra accessory also enables you to snap a shot or capture a clip the press of a physical button, so you don’t need to fumble with the touchscreen. An optional dome port needs to be bought if you want to use your iPhone's ultra-wide 0.5x lens underwater. 

Read our full Joby Seapal review and see our guide to best underwater cases for cameras and phones

How to choose the best iPhone camera grips

When exploring our iPhone grip buying guide it’s important to check the specifications to make sure that a particular grip will suit your needs. For example some grips (such as the SmallRig Brandon Li Mobile Video Kit) boast a physical Bluetooth shutter button that makes it easier to snap a shot than by tapping the iPhone’s screen. Some grips (like the Neewer iPhone Cage) are just cages with handles that make your iPhone easier to maneuver, while others (such as the ShiftCam ProGrip) can charge your iPhone wirelessly to prolong a shoot. 

Be careful to check that you're buying a full kit (rather than just a cage). Some grips — such as the JOBY SeaPal — require you to purchase additional accessories to expand their functionality. For example, the SeaPal’s Bluetooth Shutter Grip is sold separately from the waterproof case.

How we test the best wireless iPhone grips

Where possible we test the the grips on real shoots, such as capturing parkour action with the Neewer iPhone Cage. If you click through the the full reviews of these grips you’ll see a video of them in action in the review’s Performance section, which will help you make a more informed choice. The only grip I’ve yet to test in a real world location is the JOBY SeaPal Waterproof Case, as I’m waiting for warmer weather for that beach trip! But I did submerge the SeaPal in a sink to test its waterproof credentials and the footage was clear and free from condensation.  

Commonly asked questions