Photo: Vall Rade (Shutterstock)

When you get a new iPhone, it’s always a good idea to get a case to go with it: Accidents happen, and you don’t want a crack on the expensive new phone you just bought. And if you’re buying your phone from an Apple store or Apple.com, the company will promote its cases while you’re checking out. But you’re better off ignoring them for a good third-party case.

Apple’s iPhone cases are not worth the money

When your iPhone costs over $1,000, a $59 case seems like a small additional expense—but it’s actually a lot of money for a case. Apple has three types of cases for its iPhones: clear, silicone, and leather, and none of them are worth the asking price.

When you pay $49 to $59 for a case, you should get a high-quality one that will last a long time, and that’s not the case with most of these products. According to user reports we’ve seen, the clear case tends to crack at the edges, the silicone case breaks too easily, and the leather case tends to show uneven wear after a while. If you simply must get an Apple case, the leather case appears to have better user reviews online (but still probably isn’t the best leather case for your iPhone). However, leather cases require a bit more care and may not be ideal for everyone. If you have sweaty hands, your leather case will look dirty or old pretty fast. Either way, you can find iPhone cases that are cheaper and/or better than Apple’s own options.

What to do when your Apple case is falling apart

In case your Apple original case has begun breaking, you can still get it replaced under warranty up to a year after you buy it. Take it to an Apple store nearby or contact Apple support with a proof of purchase for advice on getting a replacement. The warranty covers manufacturing defects, and if your Apple original case is breaking apart with regular use, you may have a good case for a free new one.

G/O Media may get a commission

Can you just skip an iPhone case altogether?

When you’re using your iPhone without a case, the chances of cosmetic damage are pretty high, and a good case reduces those odds significantly. But if you absolutely hate using a case, you should consider buying an insurance plan. AppleCare+ is probably the best one for your iPhone, but you can also look at other options like insurance plans bundled with your credit card. That way, if your phone ends up with accidental damage, you’ll either get the problem fixed or walk away with a brand new iPhone. In general, though, it’s not a good idea going caseless with an expensive and almost unrepairable device like an iPhone.

This content was originally published here.