The Best Smart Wallets
[2022 Buyers Guide]
As technology becomes more prevalent in our daily lives there comes a point where everyday items become infused with technology. Wallets are no exception to this rule as technology becomes cheaper and cheaper companies are pushing the boundaries with what can be done. Smart wallets are what we call wallets that have ‘smart’ features that use technology in some way to attempt to make our lives easier in some way.
Many of these features would probably be considered ‘gimmicks’ in some but many are highly useful in creating a wallet that can truly help you and improve your daily life. This article is going to review our favorite smart wallets and really look into whether or not these ‘smart’ features are useful and worth the increased price tag that these wallets usually have attached to them.
What are the different smart features?
Different smart wallets have different smart features. Take a look at the list below and have a think of whether any of these features would be useful to you in your daily life. If the answer is yes, then keep reading. If not, then perhaps the price wouldn’t justify purchasing a smart wallet and you should look elsewhere. If that is the case check out some of our other wallet reviews with the links below.
Find my phone (or wallet): This is one of the most common smart features you can find in a smart wallet. Your wallet would connect to an app you can download from the IOS or Android Play store and enable you to track your phone whether it is. This means if you happen to lose your phone when out it can easily be traced back when using the app. This is a great feature for people who are prone to losing their belongings.
Powerbank (recharge your phone): My personal favorite smart feature in a wallet. This enables you to recharge your smartphone while out and about is incredibly useful for people who either 1) have a phone with poor battery life 2) travel a lot and may not have access to an outlet for charging over extended periods of time.
Alarm System: Similar to the ‘find my phone’ feature this is a small but handy feature that can help you find your phone or wallet when at home. If you’ve misplaced your phone or wallet in your house you can use either device to sound an alarm to make finding your device easier.
Wireless charging: Piggybacking off the power bank feature many wallets now have the option to charge your phone wirelessly without the need of having to plug your phone in. This reduces bulk from the wallet as the wallet doesn’t need to implement and hold wires anymore.
Find my phone (or wallet): This is one of the most common smart features you can find in a smart wallet. Your wallet would connect to an app you can download from the IOS or Android Play store and enable you to track your phone whether it is. This means if you happen to lose your phone when out it can easily be traced back when using the app. This is a great feature for people who are prone to losing their belongings.
Powerbank (recharge your phone): My personal favorite smart feature in a wallet. This enables you to recharge your smartphone while out and about is incredibly useful for people who either 1) have a phone with poor battery life 2) travel a lot and may not have access to an outlet for charging over extended periods of time.
Alarm System: Similar to the ‘find my phone’ feature this is a small but handy feature that can help you find your phone or wallet when at home. If you’ve misplaced your phone or wallet in your house you can use either device to sound an alarm to make finding your device easier.
Wireless charging: Piggybacking off the power bank feature many wallets now have the option to charge your phone wirelessly without the need of having to plug your phone in. This reduces bulk from the wallet as the wallet doesn’t need to implement and hold wires anymore.
Smart Wallet Scams (Avoid)
Having been reviewing and discovering new smart wallets for many years now I’ve stumbled across a scary amount of scam wallets circulating across the market. It seems scammers have jumped on the popularity of smart wallets and because of this, you need to be really careful which wallet you choose.
Examples of scam smart wallets are included on this list, but we are completely transparent regarding those that could be scams. Below are a bunch of smart wallets to avoid and those that we have deemed to be scams.
Ekster Vachetta Wallet
The Ekster wallet is one of my all-time favorites first becoming known by its successful Kickstarter campaign back in 2016. This hybrid leather and metal wallet are unique as the main mechanism of the wallet is a device that enables you to store and easily cascade your cards with a simple push of a button.
This metal device is wrapped around a leather pouch that adds additional functionality to the wallet including more room for cards along with ample banknote storage. The wallet is really hard to criticize as it looks amazing (being made from vegetable-tanned leather) and has an authentic premium look to it with the deep red, or brown colorization it’s available in.
The Ekster is also a smart wallet that comes with a handy card-shaped device that enables you to easily track the whereabouts of your wallet from the comfort of a downloadable smartphone app. Other features of this tracking device include voice-activated assistance with google assistant, Alexa or Siri and the ability to take group selfies from the wallet itself.
The wallet comes in at a price tag of $99 but the smart tracking device is actually optional which means you’ll have to purchase that separately to the wallet (the device is $49.00). Overall the wallet is fantastic quality with amazing functionality. If you’re not a fan of the Ekster Vachetta wallet itself then you could always purchase the Ekster Tracking device by itself and use it in any wallet of your choosing. For more information on the Ekster Vachette wallet and their range click the link below.
Innway Accent Wallet
The Innway Accent is one of the newest wallets on this list only being successfully funded on Kickstarter earlier this year (2020). That being said, it was successfully funded as the folks are now in the process of releasing their signature smart wallet, the Innway Accent, to the generic public.
The Innway Accent is very similar to the Ekster wallet previously mentioned on this list. Where it differs is in the way it handles its smart features. Unlike the Ekster (which has its smart tracker as a removable device) the Innway Accent has its smart features built directly into the wallet itself. This provides many of the already discussed features including alarm system, GPS Tracker and wallet/phone finder. All these features can easily be set up with the Innway app that’s custom-built and works seamlessly with the wallet.
The wallet also has an inbuilt metal device that stores up to X cards and provides easy access to them at the push of a button. This cascades them out in an easy to access fashion with ease. Along with this, the Innway is also wrapped in premium leather with a flat bill area for easy storage of any banknotes or other paper items.
Although the Innway Access isn’t yet available to purchase (only for Kickstarter backers) you can keep an eye out on the Innway access website for when it’s available to the general public. For more information on the Access itself check out their Kickstarter campaign with the link below.
Walleon Smart Wallet
The Walleon Wallet is an up-and-coming smart wallet aimed to be funded through IndieGoGo. The wallet itself has gained a huge following to the point where a private group on Facebook formed with over 800+ dedicated followers watching with bated breath until the wallet hits the market. The Walleon boasts some cool specs and features not readily available in other Smart Tracking wallets. Some of these much-anticipated features include local Bluetooth or Global tracking, a built-in power bank for on-the-move charging, and an awesome modern design with LED Light indicators.
The most anticipated feature, in my mind, and one that sets the Walleon apart from others on the market is its built-in power bank that provides on-the-move charging capabilities. With both the option of wireless and cable charging and a 1600 mah battery the wallet might not be able to fully charge your device but is more than enough to provide peace of mind and a quick battery boost when you need it most.
So far the designers of this wallet seem pretty responsive and are engaging with potential customers keeping them up to date and well informed on the development of the Walleon Wallet. It’s no secret that Smart Wallets have had a shady history with crowdfunding with many either failing or proven to be a scam (check out other wallets on this list like the Volterman or Cashew). That being said, Walleon themselves have been entirely transparent in knowing this and plan to revolutionize the smart wallet space by providing transparency and a community-focused environment for the planning and design of the Walleon Wallet – I have very high hopes for this wallet.
The Walleon has yet to hit the market but is planning on launching through IndieGoGo in the very near future. The wallet plans to retail starting around $145.00 (more info on pricing but can be found here) and can be bought at a backers price with a 45% Early Bird Discount (plus free gift). For more information on the Walleon Wallet, and its full range of features, visit their pre-launch campaign page using the link below.
Woolet Howl 2.0 Wallet
Probably my personal favorite on this list the Woolet is not only an incredibly attractive wallet (I compare the aesthetics to the likes of Bellroy) but seamlessly integrates its smart features without adding bulk to the wallet.
The Woolet Howl is designed in a typical bi-fold style being made from xxx leather. The wallet has a great capacity of up to 4 – 11 cards which are fantastic considering its smaller size coming in at 112mm x 92mm. Overall, the wallet is a fantastic take on the classic leather bi-fold and really brings it into the 21st century with its premium quality and smart features.
Speaking of smart features, the wallet has some of the best arrays on this list. Along with the typical tracking capabilities the Woolet Howl also has an integrated wireless charger allowing you to charge your Apple or Android phone while on the move. This is a really nice feature and is completely hidden within the wallet not inhibiting the size of the wallet.
The Woolet is one of the more expensive wallets on this list (coming in at $159.00) but considering its premium build quality and a huge array of smart features I can’t really complain. For more information on the Woolet Howl 2.0 wallet check out their official website using the link below.
Cuir Ally Voyager Wallet
The Cuir Ally Voyager wallet is probably the most ambitious wallet on this list and is not only rich with smart features but others that firmly puts it in the category of travel or passport wallet. This makes the wallet quite bulky but is meant for people who travel a lot and find themselves needing items that people wouldn’t normally need in their wallet.
The wallet is styled in a typical bi-fold but the features go way beyond what we tend to think of a leather wallet. Firstly, the wallet comes with a slot for a passport that slots directly into the side of the wallet and fits securely. Included with the wallet is also a small ‘micro’ pen that also has its own slot in the wallet fitting in the seam/crease of the wallet. As you’d expect this wallet is much larger than most having been designed to fit a passport in it. It also has ample room for card storage and a deep full-length pocket for your banknotes or travel documents.
The smart features of the wallet are also very typical of a smart wallet. The wallet’s main features include a phone locator, GPS wallet locator (for if its lost) and even a hands-free selfie feature that allows you to take any photos using your wallet.
The Cuir Ally Voyager Wallet comes in at $79.99 which is a fair and attractive price for a wallet of this size and that provides many great features. For more information on the Cuir Ally click the link below for more information.
Volterman Travel Wallet
Update: The Volterman has been found to be a potential scam as many original backers (from Kickstarter) have failed to receive their wallets. Please read more on the subject here.
Volterman probably takes the prize for the most attractive wallets on this list. There’s no doubt about the reasons why they managed to raise over 3 million combined in all crowdfunding campaigns for their wallets over the years.
My favorite wallet from Volterman is their travel wallet. This super sleek and attractive long wallet is perfect for people on the move and the perfect combination of practicality, in a thin compact design. This model enables you to carry a huge number of cards along with a flat bill system for currencies all across the world. I must also mention the Volterman is perfectly designed to fit
The main smart feature to Volterman Travel wallet has its alarm system, theft detection camera, GPS Tracking, and 5000 mAh Powerbank. This enables you to charge your smartphone while on the move and even has wireless charging capabilities if your phone supports that feature.
Overall, this is a fantastic wallet that really does it all in the most attractive way. If you’re not looking for a travel wallet then Volterman also offers more standard-sized wallets with these same smart features so make sure to check them out. For more information on Volterman and their range click the link below.
