5 of the thinnest USB drives you can buy

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Although easy access to fast internet and the proliferation of cloud storage solutions have helped create alternatives to USB drives, they remain relevant, especially when you need reliable local and portable storage of relatively high capacity. Additionally, as flash storage has matured, manufacturers are offering USB drives in different physical shapes and sizes, and there are many mini USB drives on the market that are only a fraction of the size of traditional thumb-sized solutions.

These compact, slim USB drives take up barely any space and are especially useful with mobile devices. If you’re looking for a good one, we’ve picked out some of these compact and slim USB drives to get you started. We chose these recommendations after taking into account buyer feedback as well as expert opinion. We’ve also included a diverse selection of options that include USB-A and USB-C connectors and offer support for different USB generations.

Sandisk, known for its storage solutions, offers a wide range of high-quality USB drives. However, the Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive is one of its most compact and smallest offerings. This unique USB drive is available in storage capacities ranging from 64GB to 1TB. It can work with most of your modern computing devices, including desktops, laptops, phones and tablets. It’s also designed for USB 3.2 Gen 1 and is claimed to offer sequential read speeds of up to 400 Mbps. However, the 64GB variant is limited to 300Mbps read speeds.

The Extreme Fit weighs just 0.1 ounces, making it very lightweight, and comes with a five-year limited warranty. The company also offers its Memory Zone app for Windows and Mac, which you can use to create an automated backup of the drive’s contents. This can come in handy if the USB flash drive unfortunately ends up dying, which is not uncommon, as some Amazon buyers mention their unit dying after weeks or months.

The Sandisk deal starts at $28 and goes up to $250. Shoppers on Amazon gave it a solid average rating of 4.6 out of 5 and appreciate its low-profile form factor, which lets you keep it plugged in at all times without worrying about it getting snagged or breaking. Buyers also like its fast data transfer rates, and many use it with their car to store camera recordings or listen to local music. Experts at Cult of Mac, ZDNet, and Storage Review like its consistent performance and form factor, but note that its transfer speeds could be faster, especially compared to external SSDs.

The Elite-X Fit from PNY is another highly rated mini USB drive that you can consider. Its price is reasonable; however, it uses the USB-A connector and is designed for USB 3.2 Gen 1. The company claims it can deliver sequential read speeds of 200 Mbps, and you can choose from storage capacities of 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB. It barely protrudes when plugged into a port, comes with a connector cap, and has a built-in cutout for attaching it to different objects, including a keychain. Most importantly, you can use it with a wide range of devices; however, you will need an adapter for phones, tablets, or devices with a USB-C port.

Its 128 GB variant has a list price of $30; however, you can often find it at a discount. The 64GB variant appears to be limited to a three-pack currently at around $36, but you can always check to see if it’s available when shopping. The higher storage variants, 256GB and 512GB, sell for a list price of $38 and $83, respectively. The USB drive has accumulated a good average rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon, with buyers highlighting its reliability and compact design. That said, some buyers aren’t happy with real-world sustained write speeds of less than 20 Mbps – something to keep in mind before ordering. There are also reports of these drives failing within months.

If you want a fast USB flash drive with a Type A connector, the Samsung Fit Plus is designed for USB 3.2 Gen 1 and supports read speeds of up to 400 Mbps. It also features a metal chassis for durability and a built-in cutout to prevent it from getting lost due to its small size. The company offers a five-year limited warranty and claims it’s waterproof, shock-resistant, X-ray-resistant, magnet-resistant, and can withstand extreme temperatures.

The only problem is that while it comes in multiple storage capacities, ranging from 64GB to 512GB, only the 512GB version of the drive, which will cost you $74, appears to be in stock at the time of writing. It has a fairly high average rating of 4.7 out of 5 from Amazon buyers, who like its reliability and data transfer speeds. One customer says his unit has been working well for over five years; however, this has not been the case for everyone. A small selection of buyers have seen their USB drives die after two years, a year, or even six months. The folks at Windows Central put it through its paces and found it to perform well with a sleek, sturdy design, but they mention the lack of an activity light.

In addition to its excellent USB-C key, Sandisk offers a compact reader with a Type-A connector called Sandisk Ultra Fit. Like the USB-C model, it’s quite small and USB 3.2 Gen 1 compatible. However, it comes in eight storage variants, from 16GB to 2TB, giving you plenty of choice. Keep in mind that read speeds vary depending on capacity, with models with capacities of 128 GB or more supporting speeds of 400 Mbps, while 64 GB tops out at 300 Mbps and smaller capacities are limited to 130 Mbps.

Among other highlights, you get a five-year limited warranty and access to the company’s file recovery software and the Drive app, which allows automated backups on your Windows or Mac computer. It starts at $16 and goes up to $570. Amazon shoppers also have generally positive feedback about it and have given it a decent rating of 4.4 out of 5. Shoppers like its low-profile design and performance. However, some complaints involve people getting faulty units, their drives dying within a few months, and slow write speeds. The relatively slow speed issue was also highlighted by the folks at Windows Central, who also mention its thin plastic build but are otherwise happy with its range of storage options and compact design.

While our other recommendations come with a single USB-C to USB-A connector and have to rely on an adapter to plug into different port types, the Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C has both USB-A and USB-C connectors. This design choice makes it quite versatile and compatible with the vast majority of devices out of the box. More importantly, despite its dual connector design, it is quite compact and durable.

It is available in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB storage capacities and comes with a five-year limited warranty. Although it is designed for USB 3.2 Gen 1, it is unfortunately limited to read speeds of 200 Mbps. Another highlight of the USB drive is the included plastic cap that keeps the USB-C connector covered when not in use and makes it easier to grip when trying to remove it from a USB-A port.

It starts at a list price of $31 for the 64GB model and goes up to $69 for the 256GB variant. However, you can often find it at a discount. Amazon buyers have good things to say about the Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C and have given it an average rating of 4.6 out of 5. Buyers like its dual-port design and small form factor. Most complaints concern slow data transfer.

USB drives come in all shapes and sizes; However, while selecting the thinnest USB drives, we focused on offerings from reputable brands marketed as discreet, mini, or compact. We’ve included drives with USB-A and USB-C connectors as well as different USB generations to meet different needs. Additionally, we refined our selection after considering feedback from Amazon buyers as well as expert reviews where available. All of our recommendations are rated 4.4 out of 5 or higher, ensuring they don’t include any widely reported issues.