There are several core differences between a Pop Socket vs Ring holders; these differences allow unique benefits when attached to the back of your smartphone.
The main difference between a ring holder vs a Popsocket is that a Ring holder has the advantage of securely rotating the phone 360 degrees when compared to the static position of a Pop Socket or Love handle. A Pop Socket on the other hand is more customizable, less secure and ideal for mid-size and small phones.
PopSocket benefits those with standard or small size phones, while a Ring grip holder works better on larger screens to enable your thumb to reach the bottom of the screen.
You’ll also want to see the 8 Best Phone Grips & Hand Holders (with Wireless Charging)
In this post I’m going to be comparing in-depth details on the pros, cons, and major differences between PopSockets vs Ring holders vs love handles.
Pop Socket vs Ring Grip Holders
So, how can you identify which phone accessory is the best when comparing the pop socket vs ring holder vs love handle? I found pop sockets can have the same utility as the ring holder if you place it on the lower end of your cell phone.
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Top | PopSockets PopGrip - Most Popular | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon | |
Top | LOVEHANDLE - Most Minimalist design | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon | |
Top | Phone Ring Holder - 360 rotation - Wireless Charging Compatible | PrimeEligible | View on Amazon |
If you’re jogging or moving, then a ring grip holder is more secure. If not, a pop socket is ideal to pick up and put down with ease.
The differences between the two stem from the way you hold them as both of them are circular. Let’s dive deeper into each choice’s advantages and disadvantages.
| Accessory type | Material | Phone Kickstand | Wireless Capable | Customize design | Ideal Placement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pop Socket | Strong plastic | Yes | Yes | Yes | Bottom (back of phone) |
| Ring Grip holders | Ceramic | Yes | Yes | No | Middle (back of phone) |
| Love Handle | Elastic/plastic base | No | No | No | Middle (back of phone) |
To hold a pop socket, you need to lay two fingers to secure the phone. A ring holder can use only one finger. Both worked well for the purpose.
The main advantages of Phone Pop sockets are:
- Graspable in any angle for Hands-free viewing
- Doubles as a phone stand
- Changeable pop heads for cool desings
- Changeable ring allows for a vast collection of rings
- Compatible with wireless charging
- Pop socket wallet
Pop Sockets are also Detachable in different devices and can be combined with cases on the iPhone, Android, or Google phones.
Related: 12 Best Drawing Tablets for Smartphones (Android & iPhone)
The main advantages of Ring Holders are:
- 360 degree holding angle with just one finger.
- Slim, modern, trendy look for adults
- Lets your thumb reach bottom of screen on larger phones
- Can be combined with cases
Ring holders have the advantage of allowing you to control the device at any angle with support and security. There’s also the sticky Wallet bling and some models (ceramic material) are compatible with wireless charging.
Both accessories allow you to use the phone as a kickstand; which is incredibly useful if you’re connecting a drawing tablet to your smartphone
Pop Socket: Pros and Cons
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The pop socket is one of the most popular smartphone accessories. Let’s explore all the different pros and cons of this advanced and practical tool…
Advantages:
Pop sockets are attached directly to the device with an adhesive and reusable material. Thus, when the sticky side pops out, you can wash it, let it dry, and put it back! Alternatively, you can choose a new ring to place from a vast collection.
Related: Coolest Pop Sockets with unique designs (custom)
Moreover, a pop socket allows you to attach other flat surfaces like your car mount or a dashboard or purchase the pop socket wallet.
Apart from that, pop sockets are made of solid and durable materials to ensure you use them for years. You can also view movies or anything else hands-free by placing the device on a table. Finally, you can rotate your pop socket at any angle.
Cons:
To use a pop socket, you will need two fingers instead of one (ring holders). Also, many people argue that pop sockets are harder to stick on a waterproof surface. Moreover, unlike ring holders, a pop socket stands out of the device, and it might get grabbed onto clothing or other accessories.
Although pop sockets are a durable accessory, there are a few pop socket imitations that you should avoid purchasing (many users mention that the base plate cracks easily), but this seems to be improved since the model has improved and evolved since its first release.
Wireless charging capabilities:
This fantastic accessory is compatible with wireless chargers, meaning you don’t even have to remove the PopTop to charge your phone.
Comfort & Capabilities:
The pop socket is a very lightweight and comfortable gadget. Moreover, you can effortlessly take selfies without the risk of dropping your device. Oppositely, it might not be so comfortable for those who have larger hands. It’s nice to be able to carry a phone stand anywhere you go-the pop socket allows for this.
Love Handles: Best Cheap Pop Socket Alternative
Love handles for phones are an elastic strap accessory that is over a plastic base. You can quickly start using them by sticking them to your phone. In a few words, this is an inexpensive alternative to pop sockets. Since love handles are a reliable budget solution, they have their pros and cons.
Advantages:
Love Handles have an extra slim and charming design. This is the best thing for those who want to place your device in your pocket. It is made up of only one material, so you don’t have any moving parts that could get loose in the future. Moreover, there is a relatively extensive collection of handles to choose from. Lastly, when the time comes and you wish to remove it, you can easily take it off with a piece of floss or string.
Cons:
The biggest con is that it can’t charge wirelessly. This is because the thickness of it doesn’t allow many phones to stay flat on the wireless charger.
With a love handle, you will need to use 1 to 3 fingers, depending on your fingers’ size. Apart from that, love handles can’t be used as a kickstand. Thus, if you want to watch a movie and use it as a kickstand, you have to buy the 360 mount accessory.
The stripe might also discolor faster than you think, and unfortunately, you cannot replace it. This makes a Ring grip stand more useful than a love handle for watching videos on your phone.
Finally, love handles are not recommended for heavier phones because the grip is more flimsy and material is more light.
Wireless charging capabilities:
Love handles are not compatible with wireless charging and it’s very hard to find a workaround for this even if you have a thin case. Bulkier cases typically do not allow wireless qi charging regardless of the phone grip accessory attachment.
Comfort & Capabilities:
Love handles are very comfortable, soft, and have good handling due to the elastic grip. This type of accessory is exceptionally slim and has a low profile. Like the pop socket, you can take selfies with no fear.
Phone Ring Holders: Pros and Cons
Phone Ring Holders stand out for their minimalistic, rounded, and stylish design. You can choose between many different and extraordinary shapes and sizes. Like Love Handles, they have a slim profile. Most ring holders are made of metal or ceramic materials.
Advantages:
With phone ring holders, you need just one finger to hold your phone. Therefore, ring holders are the only accessory that allows you to use your fingers to hold other things like a coffee mug.
Moreover, they have a slim form, almost flat, depending on the ring you choose. You can find a fair amount of cases that can be combined with rings. Since ring holders are graspable, many people argue that they are safer than other accessories.
Related: 7 Best Phone Ring Holders that work with Wireless Charging
You can also use your phone with ring holders either in portrait or landscape mode and rotate it 360°. Due to its almost flat surface, a ring holder is unlikely to be tangled with clothing or accessories. Last but not least, ring holders allow you to attach a specially designed, sticky wallet bling.
The Grip is the most secure with a phone ring holder vs any other smartphone accessory I’ve used, especially compared to the pop socket.
Cons: Why Pop Sockets are bad
Are pop sockets bad? If so, why is that? Many users argue that ring holders’ adhesive material is not as durable as pop sockets’. For this reason, it is more likely for a ring holder to come off your phone. This is the reason why they are coming with extra adhesive pads.
Moreover, due to their material, rings might get scratched and lose their color quickly. Although the magnetic mount is an excellent feature, it is not very strong. As a small plate, it can easily detach from the device and fall.
Wireless charging capabilities:
From all the ring holders, only those made of ceramic materials appear to be compatible with wireless charging.
Comfort & Capabilities:
Ring holders are a beautiful and elegant accessory that provides ultimate comfort and control. Moreover, they are pocket-friendly due to their almost flat design.
What is better overall: Phone Ring or Pop socket?
Phone Rings are a modern and classy accessory, which are specially created for multitasking with one hand. A ring holder allows you to use it with only one finger. Plus, if you are a fan of sleek, professional accessories, you can combine phone rings with elegant sticky wallet bling.
On the other hand, PopSockets provide a better utility. You can easily remove the PopSocket, PopTop or attach the device to additional items (from car mounts to the pop socket wallet). Pop sockets include many other advanced features as well, like compatibility with wireless charging.
A ring holder is the best choice for those who want a more secure, trendy accessory for daily use. On the flip side, a pop socket has numerous advantages. For instance, you can easily attach it to your phone and wirelessly charge it simultaneously.
Both devices can be used as a phone ring kick stand to watch videos horizontally. Only select models have a magnet car mount capability
Thus, pop sockets are simply the best choice for you if you want an ultimately flexible holder that is more customizable. The Phone ring holder is better if you’re looking to run or jog with your phone and value security over design.
Ergonomically there is a difference between one and two fingers, which the one finger usage could pose benefits for those who desire comfort over functionality (Source)
4 Best Phone Ring holders (Pop Socket Ring Alternatives)
There are quite a few decent phone ring holders, but below I’ve done my research on functionality, wireless charging capabilities, design, and overall pros and cons you’ll find in each section. here are the 4 best Phone Ring holders & Pop Socket Ring Alternatives.
Superone: Best pop socket alternative that is MagSafe, removable, and wireless charging compatible.
This grip is a fantastic premium choice that is only compatible with iPhone 12 series. Superone is an extremely premium ring holder made of stainless steel. It is built-in with the official and highly durable MagSafe magnet base, which you can easily remove.
Moreover, Superone grip allows you to add both a pop socket and a ring holder! It has a thin (1.65 x 2.2 inches) and sleek design, but it is compatible only with MagSafe cases. You can also place your device with safety to a car mount. Due to its strong magnets, you don’t have to worry if the phone will drop off from any bump or shake.
To sum up, Superone is a highly premium alternative to pop sockets and the best choice for those who want a reliable ring holder for iPhones.
SunWuun: Best slim, most thin phone ring grip holder (trendy)
SunWuun is an affordable choice with one of the thinnest ring grips (2.2 inches thick) on the market. It fits with all phones with flat and non-textured backs. SunWuun’s adhesive material is strong and reduces the danger of dropping.
SunWuun’s latest ring allows you to rotate it to any angle and adjust it as a kickstand to portrait and landscape mode. It is suitable for metal backplane, PC metal, and silicone types of cases. Since the adhesive surface is not very sticky in the first place, you can use a hair dryer’s hot air for a few seconds before sticking it to your device.
To summarize, SunWuun is a reliable ring holder that comes at a reasonable price for its offerings. Thus, if you need a budget accessory for your phone, this is a great alternative to pop sockets.
SyncWire:Best phone ring holder for iPhone/Samsung
SyncWire is the best choice for those of you who own an iPhone or Samsung device. However, it is also compatible with other smartphones like Sony or LG devices. It is made of zinc alloy, and the plate is metallic.
Due to the material that it is made of, SyncWire is exceptionally durable and sticks well on the device. Moreover, you can apply it to almost all flat surfaces like plastic, metal, TPU. It is more discoloration-resistant than other ring holders. The metal plate is perfect and risk-free for a magnetic mount like a car mount.
Finally, SyncWire has a sleek and compact design. The beautifully polished metal surface makes it a lovely and reliable ring holder at the same time. You can find it in different metallic shades like rose-gold and silver. In a few words, the latest SyncWire is a bestseller accessory for good reasons.
Tacomege: Best budget phone ring holder that works with phone cases
If you are one of those people who prefer discreet, transparent accessories made of simple yet strong materials, then tacomege is the perfect ring holder for your device. It is made from explicit acrylic materials that will not cover the patterns of your case.
Tacomege is exceptionally cheap, allowing you to purchase more than one and not worry about losing it. Moreover, Tacomege works fantastic for your trips, as it is one of the most discreet devices to use on the go. Of course, Tacomege is compatible with any device and comes in different shapes.
You can choose between a relatively extensive collection of colors (gold and silver shades). To summarize, if you are looking for a highly affordable, popular ring holder, Tacomege is the best way to go.
Pop Socket vs Love Handle
A love handle phone grip accessory is a lot more comfortable for one to hold their phone for a long time. The love handle is made out of a much more lightweight material and has screws that pop out of the phone tool to make it easier to grip.
The Pop socket is made out of a more durable material plastic and are know not last extremely long (thermoplastic type). (source)
I often have problems dropping my phone because my fingers soften up when holding it for an extended period of time and I don’t have any grips to assist this.
Wireless charging capable
A Pop socket has models that allow the top to pop off, making it useful for charging wirelessly. The Love handle phone holder doesn’t do this and prevents wireless charging capabilities.
A love handle phone tool has a reduction is phone slips from the hand due to the an increased grip on the hand while holding it since it loops around. Pop sockets are smooth with very little grip on the hand that is holding it, but ideal for those who use smaller phones and want a cool design
Comfort and Security:
This occurs with a pop socket as well, but a love handle provides slightly more security when dropping your phone. (A good example is when your running, the love handle phone grip accessory will prevent the drop better than a pop socket from my experience.)
Pop Socket vs Love Handle: Using the phone accessory for longer periods of time
A pop socket is an accessory for smartphones that you can use to hold the phone more easily. However, I have found them to be slightly uncomfortable for very long phone interactions and ergonomically the love handle helps for this.
In short, the Pop sock is better in terms of using the phone for shorter periods of time. For longer durations it can be uncomfortable.
Some reasons it is uncomfortable are that the phone tool is longer and the pop socket is not made out of a lightweight material. The longer I use a pop socket puts more pressure on my hand because my hand has to be a lot farther from my body to hold the phone level.
Even though I like the love handle phone accessory more than the Pop Socket, both tools are great for different reasons. A pop socket definitely works for those who use it for shorter durations due to how easy it is to pick it up, pop the apparatus up, and pop it back in.
FAQ:
Where do I place the pop socket or ring holder on my phone?
Pop Sockets and ring holders have the ability to be placed on the back of your phone, but what position is best, the top, bottom or middle?
While most apply the pop socket in the middle of the backside of the phone, this is a big mistake because it limits your capabilities of reaching the keyboard. See our post on where to place a Popsocket on your phone to see the best position and their pros and cons.
By placing the pop socket on the bottom of backside of your phone-you’ll be able to reach the iPhone or android keyboard easier and hold it horizontally to watch videos.
Related: 7 Best Tablets for FaceTime, Video calls, and Skype
Small, big phones etc etc. lower third of the phone helps larger phones. While middle works well, for horizontal viewing putti on the bottom of the phone or tip of phone is ideal.
On the flip-side, if you’re using a ring holder, the middle of the phone works just fine to place the ring holder, because the ring portion allows support for the bottom side of your finger to reach any part of the phone that’s in length depending on the size of your fingers.
In an ideal world, the middle of the phone would be a good position to place the pop socket or ring holder, but it causes problems for people with larger hands because they would have difficulty accessing the bottom side of your phone.
It makes no sense to have a horizontal attachment on your phone when you want to have vertically enabled apps and games as a core part of the pop sockets use.
Which works better with a case- Phone Ring or Pop Socket?
The majority of phone grips are designed to work with various cases, however, not all are. Some phone grips have a lip that overlaps the edge of the case. This might be good if you do not have a case or just want additional support.
If you have a regular-sized silicone case, it can fit inside the lip and provide your phone with additional support and stability.
Can a Pop socket or ring holder be used as a kickstand for your phone?
Yes, a pop socket or ring holder can be used as a stand for your phone because it can be placed on the back of the phone with a plastic or ceramic piece that sticks out when you pull it from its closed position.
A Pop socket pops out, while a phone ring holder rotates out and can spin 360 degrees. These are both slim and are made with this usage of a stand for video or while eating, and lounging in mind.
Related: 7 Best iPad Document Camera Stands (iPhone & iPad)
Are pop sockets bad for your fingers?
Extended durations of a pop socket could make your finger feel uncomfortable after a while. I personally find the pop socket to provide benefit to my hands and fingers when I use it in short durations because it does make the phone holding experience more comfortable.
Pop sockets and ring holders are not inherently bad for your fingers. They are designed to provide a comfortable and secure grip on your iPhone, Android, or other devices of similar size and shape. they are meant to do the opposite – make holding your phone more comfortable. They help reduce the chances of dropping your phone and potentially damaging the screen, bezels, and other physical parts of these devices.
However, if you have any pre-existing finger or hand issues, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis, using a pop socket may exacerbate these conditions. It is always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional if you have any concerns about using a pop socket or any other device.
Conclusion
Pop sockets provide more customizable features because the head of the phone accessory can pop up and down, making it appear more slim. It also has customizable colors.
The Ring holder on the other hand is more secure and doesn’t pop off, instead it folds downward and allows for 360 rotation and access to the keyboard when you place it higher on the back of the phone.
Both Ring holders and pop sockets are attached to the back of phones with a thin layer of adhesive, making them easy to install and remove if they are the more premium versions as I’ve found cheap versions leave marks and scratches.
Whether your phone is a premium or budget device, you can utilize a premium pop socket or ring holder to make phone holding for long periods of time easier.
A ring holder is a ring styled phone attachment that securely fits around most phones. The benefit of a ring holder is that it secures your device in an easily rotating position. This allows for hands-free access to your phone while keeping it within easy reach of the phone’s touchscreen keyboard.
A Pop socket allows this functionality as well, but it’s limited to the position you apply it.
Some users choose to install permanent ring holders by applying an adhesive backed metal plate within the center of the ring holder, rather than using adhesive on their devices.
For the types who run with their phone, I’ll stick with a ring holder because its more modern, sleek, and trendy design allows me to run while I use my phone, the pop socket is similar, but lacks this functionality due to its more customizable design.
