Tested: The Best Money Clips for EDC

Of all the possible everyday carry gear categories, the most ubiquitous and most necessary is without a doubt the wallet. After all, money makes the world go ’round — so the saying goes. Everyone, from the city-dwelling tech enthusiast to the isolationist woodsman, needs something in which to carry their cash and cards.

That being said, traditional wallets aren’t necessarily the best for everyone or every occasion. Even the slimmest minimalist options can be a bit unwieldy at times — like formal occasions during which you might be wearing a suit and, as a result, trying to avoid unsightly pocket bulges. Whether that’s the case or you’re just looking to minimize your carry as much as possible, we’ve got a solution on the following list of the best money clips for EDC, where we got to test out our favorites.

How We Tested

There are tons of money clip options out on the market and yet only a handful could be considered the “best.” In order to shrink the options down, we went to some of our favorite brands and explored reputable names to survey the landscape. We looked at aesthetics, material, weight, capacity, and price when compiling our shortlist for testing.

From there, we used each and every unit, testing out how they functioned and looked. We saw how they felt in our hands and when utilized as actual money holders. One thing we paid attention to was how firm or loose the money felt inside the clips, whether packed with a full wad or with one or two bills, as well as cards. Also, we measured each clip’s entry height as a way to quantify our comparisons (more on that below). The results for all of these are detailed in our writeups.

What to Look for

Aesthetic: Perhaps even more than a money clip’s function, its visual appeal is of paramount importance. After all, minimalism is largely the name of the game when it comes to money clips after all. While informed by its material, a given product’s aesthetic can be hyper-inspired or simply subtle.

Material: A money clip’s material makeup can range from titanium to leather to carbon fiber, as you’ll see below. However, aluminum and stainless steel are other common options available. Titanium and carbon fiber are nice for lightweight durability while steel and aluminum will be more affordable.

Weight/Size: Another major benefit of having a money clip is how much lower profile it is than a traditional wallet. As such, a unit’s weight and size should be paid attention to. You don’t want anything that’ll be too heavy or bulky.

Capacity: Lastly, a money clip’s sole function (usually) is holding actual money. While most can and will hold credit cards, the bread and butter of these products is holding folded bills. Pay attention to how many each money clip can hold (these are typically on the brand’s website and listed below). And remember, there is usually some range of flexibility here as well.

Entry Height: When you’re talking about the practical side of the money clip (as opposed to the aesthetic side), it’s important to talk a bit technical. For this guide, we thought it important to discuss the entry height of a given clip. This is the height (in millimeters) of the front of the unit (aka the entry point). While this has an effect on how thick of a wad you can stuff inside when empty, it doesn’t take into account the flexibility of the money clip, which can be altered slightly with your hand in some cases.

Gerber GDC Money Clip

Best Knife Money Clip: Just because you’re swapping your wallet for a money clip, that doesn’t mean you have to also sacrifice your ability to carry a blade, especially if you opt for Gerber’s G-10 and titanium-coated steel GDC. That’s because, along with functioning like a standard money clip, this piece of EDC gear also houses a hideaway 1.75″ Zilch fixed blade. It’s definitely on the more tactical side of the spectrum, but that’s going to be a big bonus for some. Rather than a capacity for folded bills, Gerber states that the GDC holds up to 5 credit cards.

The Good

To pull the knife out, you press down on a tab in the center of the looped handle. If you’re worried about the blade deploying inside your pocket (as I was prior to testing it out), you don’t really have to worry here, as long as you’re not packing your pockets tight with items that could be deep enough to push the button. While the blade on the Gerber GDC won’t take the place of your everyday pocket knife, it still locks in pretty well. I tried taking it out without pushing down the center button and it just wasn’t happening. Likewise, the knife makes a satisfying “click” sound when it locks back in.

As a money clip, the GDC is far more useful for cards than bills. This must be why the website states its card capacity rather than its cash capacity. I fit five cards into the clip comfortably, and the screws at the bottom of the chassis served as a lip of sorts to keep them from spilling out. Also, for as bulky as this money clip is, it was relatively lightweight.

The Not So Good

As we mentioned, a knife built into your money clip is a cool feature but not super necessary. Is it worth risking the off chance that the blade does deploy inside your pocket? Maybe for some. Likewise, putting the blade back in isn’t terribly safe either, with a high chance of slippage due to the fact that you’ll need to force it a little. It’s also important to note that the blade retention clip drags across the blade and will wear, as already obvious in our limited testing window. If you’re looking for a money clip to hold cash, there are better options, even at this price point.

Verdict: At $36, the Gerber GDC is a cool gadget but probably won’t take the place of your everyday pocket knife. Luckily, the knife didn’t deploy by itself during our testing, but it wouldn’t be impossible. Better for credit cards than folded bills, the titanium nitride-coated steel isn’t as heavy as we expected considering the bulk. For those who love Gerber, you’ll find more of the same quality from the brand, as well as their commitment to multi-use tools.

Dango MC02 Full Titanium Money Clip

Best Multi-Tool: One of the most intriguing brands in the EDC space is Dango, which always makes sure each of its products is capable of doing more than just one thing — a common stigma of money clips as a whole. Made right here in the USA, the MC02 is a full CNC-machined titanium money clip with built-in multi-tool features such as a bottle opener, chisel, nail pry, and lanyard hole. There’s also both a serrated and sharp edge on the chassis for extra utility. Weighing just 3oz, the money clip also benefits from titanium’s lightness as a material.

The Good

Right away, I loved how the Dango MC02 looked, from the way it incorporates its individual tools with its design to the topo pattern on the back side of the housing. The titanium material also helps with its unique look, as well as with keeping it lightweight. With or without the sheath, this money clip has a great in-hand feel –– probably the best on this list, bolstered by the thumb indent on the backside and the overall tactile approach of the unit.

I was surprised by how useful the multi-tool elements were to my everyday life. While I didn’t use the nail pry or chisel, I went to both the bottle opener and the serrated edge a couple of times, with positive results for both. In fact, I thought the serrated edge would be too dull to handle actual work but I tried it on a piece of meat with success, which would make this a fantastic unit for camping as well.

The Not So Good

I’m not entirely sure who would use the leather sheath that comes with this money clip. After struggling too much with it, I took mine off and set it aside during use. My biggest gripe with the MC02 is the high mobility of the money inside when it’s not full. If you stuff this clip all the way, it will do fine, but the width and depth of the crevice, gives it too much room to move and makes it too easy to get caught in the lanyard holes.

I also wish that the entry height were a bit higher to assist you when putting the bills back in. As it stands, it’s the second-smallest on this list at just 1mm (behind the Tightwad below). Often I had to use my finger to lift it a smidge. I also noticed that, despite saying it could fit 10 cards, I found that any more than around 3 or 4 was impractical and too tight.

Verdict: Sporting an attractive design and a great in-hand feel, the Dango MC02 is a surprisingly lightweight titanium money clip with some bonus features that came in handy. While it doesn’t perform as well when overstuffed with cards or understuffed with bills, the money clip is still a worthy option, especially if you’re headed outdoors.

Leatherology Money Clip

Best Leather Clip: A strange choice for a money clip, leather is the go-to for classic folding wallets. Well, Leatherology begs to differ. Without using any magnets, the brand takes a standard metal tension clip and wraps it in handsome full-grain leather that will develop a patina just as your wallet will. Moreover, it can securely store up to 10 bills, or even more if you need it to. This unit is a good option for those who want to transition from a bifold to a money clip without losing the traditional wallet look.

The Good

Despite having a metal core, the Leatherology Money Clip only weighs a mere 0.6oz. And while it only claims to hold 10 bills (though I comfortably fit more inside), many people don’t need to carry more than that on their person. I loved the leather look of this unit for both everyday use and nicer outings such as a fancy dinner or a wedding. And it’s functional as well, with a more narrow butt that helps it maintain a low profile. With an 8-mm entry height (the highest of the units we tested), there’s also a generous lip on the front that makes for a wide entryway for your wad of bills so you won’t have to use your fingers to pry this thing open.

The Not So Good

At just $30, there’s not a lot to complain about with this piece from Leatherology. Some might wish that it could store more folded bills, but for me, this would only matter if you’re also looking to carry some credit cards around. Fortunately, ID cards are slim enough that you’d be fine if that were your only card. Otherwise, you might be in trouble if you’re a bit of a card monster.

Verdict: Truly a classy option for either everyday use or upscale occasions, the Leatherology Money Clip keeps a low profile, has a high lip to assist with bill entry, and even has a classic leather smell. Benefitting from a metal core for structure, rather than magnets, this piece is also surprisingly lightweight at just over half an ounce. It only holds around 10 bills and very few cards, if any, but for $30, you can’t go wrong.

Craighill Station Money Clip

Best for Car Lovers: If you want something that’s got a bit more of a striking appearance and a uniqueness to it, Craighill also has you covered in that vein with their Station Money Clip, whose design is inspired by the Old Station hairpin turn at the Monaco Grand Prix. Available in a trio of colors, this lightweight USA-made wallet alternative is crafted from titanium and has undergone an annealing process for extra spring strength to grip your cash and cars firmly.

The Good

With the Craighill Station Money Clip, there’s a lot to take in for such a small unit. For starters, it’s impossible not to notice the insanely light weight of the piece, clocking in at just 0.18oz. The single-body construction not only looks beautiful, and comes in some fun color options (we went with the bronze iteration), but it’s striking and classy from a design perspective too.

Compared to other money clips which have an apparent limitations on what it can hold, the Station Money Clip is incredibly springy. So not only do you get a high ceiling but you don’t get limited if you’re only carrying a few bills either. The overlapping design allows this to perform well no matter what. I got 20 folded bills inside with no problem, with the help of the high-lip entryway. On the other hand, when I put in just one dollar, my money didn’t move around at all thanks in part to the narrow butt in the back. The clip works just as well with cards or a combination of the two.

The Not So Good

Another fantastic budget-friendly money clip, the Craighill Station feels like a steal at just $38. However, I did notice other users complaining about the inconsistency with the cosmetics of the housing, which I didn’t notice personally but I can see how this could be possible. Also, if you’re somebody who loses small items easily, the Craighill Station will surely be a candidate for your next missing item.

Verdict: Very affordable and insanely lightweight at just 0.18oz, the titanium-constructed Cragihill Station Money Clip is an inspired piece with a ton of utility built into the design. The contours not only visually represent its namesake turn on the Monaco Grand Prix but functionally allow for a wide range of holding options, whether you have a ton of bills or just one or two.

Maxx & Unicorn Money Clip

Best Overall: Not everyone wants to pack a bunch of half-baked features into their EDC money clip. Rather, some folks prefer a single purpose-driven device that does its one job exceedingly well. For those people, we’d like to present the Maxx & Unicorn Money Clip. Made in the USA from raw brass, this hand-bent geometric clip boasts laser engraving, a tumbled finish, and can hold a wad of cash.

The Good

If you’re into the classic styling of a traditional money clip, then Maxx & Unicorn’s Money Clip is the one to look at. Similar to the Craghill Station piece above, this option is less conceptual but nonetheless just as stylized. Its angular top cleverly goes wide around the opening bar, helping give the unit some visual depth as well as providing it with a solid in-hand feel. You also get some versatility here, with a look that fits in with multiple occasions. The specific automotive shape also adds an ergonomic advantage to the money clip that, despite being just 0.78oz, never feels lightweight in your hand (only in your pocket).

There’s no quote for capacity on the brand’s website but we were able to fit 15 bills inside with no real issue. Fewer bills were perhaps slightly looser inside but still held firm. However, what made this money clip one of my favorites was how well it worked with both cash and cards. While it can’t really take more than around 5 cards, it never feels like you’re abusing the money clip by doing so. Some other clips, which are meant only for cash, feel erroneously used when putting cards inside.

The Not So Good

My one quibble with the Maxx & Unicorn Money Clip is the position of the entry point, which is quite close to the other side of the top. This only really matters when the clip is empty and you’re putting a larger wad of cash inside but the thickness of the wad might have trouble without much of a “backboard” to press against. Luckily, the lip of the entryway sticks up a decent height (6mm) so you have some width happening there as well.

Verdict: Very traditional but without being boring, the Money Clip from Maxx & Unicorn has some serious character and style, but serves a solid function as well. The brass construction allows it to be heavy enough that you feel something sturdy in your hand but it’s still lightweight enough to stay out of mind in your pocket. For just $49, this is a fantastic EDC option.

M-Clip Tightwad Money Clip

Best Carbon Fiber: Carbon fiber is a fantastic material for any EDC loadout for its lightness and durability. Made to be nearly flat over your bills, the Tightwad from M-Clip is built from Toray carbon fiber and feels virtually nonexistent in your pocket at around 0.25oz. With a patented design that allows you to effortlessly use your thumb to open it up rather than struggling to lift the clip, it can hold up to 50 bills alone, or 10 bills with 5 credit cards. There’s a steel version of the Tightwad but we went with this carbon fiber option, which is considerably more lightweight.

The Good

If you’re into carbon fiber as a material and/or as an aesthetic, then the Tightwad from M-Clip is your best bet, despite its flaws. This wallet alternative has a sleek look that will fit perfectly into any carbon fiber-heavy EDC loadout, even if it has some limitations style-wise. I especially loved the window in the base, which gave it some tactical depth in my hand and also helped with removing single bills at a time when I had the wad facing inward.

Despite the low entry height, the clip is rather flexible and can be lifted nearly 1cm using your hand alone. However, I’m not so sure who would be okay doing this every time they needed to stuff a wad of bills inside.

The Not So Good

So the website claims that the Tightwad can fit 10 bills AND 5 credit cards. However, this capacity quote seems to be based on the width of the butt, which is admittedly large and can only be maximized if you use two hands to widen the clip. Unfortunately, this also means that the items you have inside the clip will move around considerably. For instance, when I put just two cards inside, they kept feeling like they were going to fall out and they moved around constantly, which was surprising considering the tight entry point.

In terms of folded bills, it was a pain getting any inside, and almost impossible without already having a credit card inside, which I used for leverage. It’s also important to note that the carbon fiber version can’t be personalized like the steel version can.

Verdict: The M-Clip Tightwad is still the best carbon fiber money clip around, with a sleek aesthetic and a 50-bill max capacity –– although we’re a bit skeptical about the latter. Even if this were accurate, though, the clip is quite loose when fewer items are inside. Fortunately, the clip can be widened thanks to its flexibility, although you need two hands to do so.

Tumi Ballistic Etched Money Clip

Best for Travel: For frequent flyers, it’s important to look distinguished while also being able to feel if your money clip has somehow gone missing. From the renowned luggage brand Tumi comes the Ballistic Etched Money Clip, constructed with silvertone-finished metal and made to have the same etched pattern as their ballistic nylon fabric travel bags. Weighing just over 1oz, it’s also embossed at the bottom with the year 1975 in Roman numerals to denote the year the company was founded.

The Good

For those looking for a handsome money clip that will go well with their plane ensemble as well as be versatile enough to handle any outfit you wear on your trip, the Tumi Ballistic Etched Money Clip is a great pick. As a bonus, I also happen to be partial to Tumi’s branding, which is featured on both the front and back of this unit. It’s also at a really agreeable weight that’s not too light nor too heavy.

Simple yet fun to hold in your hand with its pleasing pattern on the exterior, the money clip also has some great functionality. With a moderate 4mm entry height, it’s easy enough to stuff items inside and narrow enough that your bills won’t be moving around, no matter how much you put inside. It’s firm whether you have a lot of cash or just a couple of dollars. This is especially useful when traveling since you don’t know how much money you’re going to have on a given day. You don’t want to have to switch money clips during your trip, and with this one from Tumi, you won’t have to.

The Not So Good

While the Tumi money clip had very few flaws, I did happen to notice that it slid around in my pocket more than other options, likely due to the combination of material and weight. However, if you have a zipper pocket or some sort of interior compartment, this shouldn’t be an issue. I also noticed the plethora of fingerprints that got all over this money clip. Fortunately, these wipe off very easily but just something I was forced to always be mindful of.

Verdict: Moderately priced at just under $100, the Tumi Ballistic Etched Money Clip is fun to use and perfect for traveling due to its ability to remain firm no matter how much you have inside –– great for the unpredictabilities of jet-setting. It may be a bit slick inside the pocket and prone to fingerprints but these are mild quibbles compared to just how satisfying it is to use this money clip.

The James Brand The Martindale

Best Upgrade: Few EDC brands understand how to blend minimalism with functionality like The James Brand, whose range extends to knives, pens, and even watches. Debuting earlier this year after years of R&D, The Martindale is their first-ever money clip, built with a single billet of 6al-4v titanium, meaning there are no moving parts, that weighs just 0.5oz, and is available in a plain titanium or black-colored option (we got hands-on with the former). It not only sports a unique aesthetic but has clever functionality, building the actual money clip into a scaffolding to help with ergonomics and utility.

The Good

It’s difficult to ignore the handsome aesthetic of The Martindale money clip from The James Brand but there’s a lot more to it, surprisingly, than that. The unique upper bar allows for leverage when putting in your cash by simply pushing up the entry tab. You might try to pry open some money clips with little to no success, but TJB’s design is actually effective. Likewise, the in-hand feel of this unit is remarkable, while also finding superb stability when taking money in and out. Even though it’s incredibly lightweight thanks to the titanium construction, it appears to be heftier than that thanks to the complex design, which is a good thing.

On top of how well it holds both large and small wads of folded bills, I was pleasantly shocked to find out how well The Martindale handles cards. For instance, when adding in extra credit cards, I was able to slip individual cards on the side opposite the entry tab as well, which simply isn’t the case on any of the other options I tested.

The Not So Good

There’s really nothing to complain about here, except for maybe the price tag, which is justified due to the incredible design and the meticulous titanium construction. In fact, I’d love to see this money clip in stainless steel, which would not only add some heft to the build, which may appeal to some but also lower the price.

Verdict: The best-designed money clip that we tested, by far, The Martindale from The James Brand is a lightweight, ergonomic, and well-balanced money clip that works equally well for bills and cards. It’s notably pricier than the competition, but this is certainly warranted due to the titanium material and superb design. If you have the money, you should highly consider this one.

Money Clips Comparison Chart

Are Money Clips Better Than Wallets?

While it ultimately comes down to personal preference, money clips can be a better option if you’re more prone to carrying cash, as opposed to cards — although they can do a good job at that too. If you’re the type of person with multiple credit cards or IDs, you should probably stick to a wallet. However, with the preponderance of tap payments, you can typically keep all of your cards on your phone these days.

Although a wallet is traditional, a money clip can help you downsize. It forces you to focus on what you really need to carry on your person rather than overstuffing it with non-essentials.

Honorable Mentions

Ekster has become well known for its card holders but this Cash Clip is an affordable, simple option for those looking to venture into new territory of money clips. We didn’t love the Ekster logo on the outside but it’s still a solid option for a cheap price.

Money clips can make great gifts and this Shinola Money Clip is a solid option regardless, sporting a minimalist aesthetic in sterling silver that will develop patina over time. We opted for The James Brand’s Martindale over this, since it sports a sleeker look and is more affordable for a high-end option.

Vargo does a great job making stylish titanium gear and this money clip is another stylish titanium choice for just under $20.

Saint Laurent’s Money Clip is a beautiful option for those who can afford it but at nearly $300, this thing is an impractial choice for EDC enthusiasts.

Tested: The Best Minimalist Wallets for EDC

If you’re not quite ready to go the way of a money clip but you still want to pare down your cash and card carrier, you’ll definitely find the perfect middle ground on our list of the best minimalist wallets, where we got hands-on with our favorites.