CODE 118 Wallet review

This CODE 118 wallet review covers a slim metal card holder that makes a simple pitch: the machined-metal wallet you know from Ridge and Ekster, at roughly half the price. It mostly delivers, as long as you know where the corners were cut. The brand is also written CODE118, so a search for a code118 wallet review lands on the same product covered here.

CODE 118 Wallet at a glance

Build quality and materials

The wallet is machined from 6061-T6 aerospace-grade aluminum with 3K carbon fiber accents, giving it a solid, premium feel for the money. Two metal plates sandwich your cards, held by an elastic strap that stretches to take a few extra, and the whole thing arrives in a protective case. Build quality is genuinely good in the hand: it feels far closer to a $90 wallet than a $35 one. The one quality caveat, covered below, is the brushed finish rather than the structure.

The pop-up mechanism and card capacity

Card access is the highlight. A spring-loaded lever mechanism fans your cards out the top with one push of the thumb, the same quick-access idea as pricier metal wallets, and it works smoothly. At 3.9 by 2.3 by roughly 0.29 inches the wallet slips into a front pocket, and it holds around ten cards in practice using the strap, short of the 15 the marketing claims but plenty for daily carry. For cash, an elastic band on the back holds a few folded bills, and an optional modular cash-clip backplate adds a proper money clip if you carry notes daily.

The MagSafe version

The headline variant is the MagSafe model, and a CODE 118 MagSafe wallet review has to weigh the magnets carefully. It clips to the back of an iPhone 12 or later phone, and in daily use most owners find the hold good. But CODE 118 calls it MagSafe compatible rather than Apple certified, and it does not publish a magnet strength figure, so treat the grip as good but not guaranteed as firm as a certified accessory. There is no tracker built in. The brand sells a separate Tracker Card that works with Apple Find My, plus an AirTag strap, if you want to locate the wallet or phone.

RFID blocking

Both the standard and MagSafe versions have RFID blocking built in, a shielding layer that stops wireless skimming of the contactless chips in your cards. CODE 118 does not publish the frequencies it blocks, but built-in RFID protection at this price is a genuine plus that many budget metal wallets skip.

Accessories and the modular system

CODE 118 is designed as a modular system rather than a single fixed wallet. Beyond the card holder itself, the accessories include a modular cash-clip backplate that attaches with magnets, a Find My Tracker Card, and an AirTag strap, so you can build a multi-function everyday carry to suit how you pack. The magnetic backplate and the MagSafe model share the same magnet system, and the aerospace-grade materials carry across the range. It is a broader accessories ecosystem than most budget metal wallets offer, even though none of the add-ons are essential to use the wallet.

Price, shipping and returns

At $34.95 for the standard wallet and $44.95 for the MagSafe version, on a site that runs near-permanent half-off pricing against higher list prices, value is the whole story. Shipping is direct from code-wallets.com or the official CODE118 Amazon store, and returns run 45 days. CODE 118 advertises a lifetime warranty with unlimited replacements, though the exact terms are vague and, as below, support does not always follow through.

The honest cons

Two things temper the value. First, the brushed matte finish picks up scratches within the first month of pocket carry, a complaint that recurs across reviews; the carbon fiber finish or a case hides wear better than the plain brushed aluminum. Second, while build quality is good, the add-on tracker card draws durability complaints, and a meaningful share of Trustpilot reviewers report slow or no replies when they try to claim the lifetime warranty. About a fifth of reviews are one-star, clustered on delivery days and warranty support rather than the wallet itself.

CODE 118 vs the alternatives

Against the Ridge, the CODE 118 copies the idea at half the price but with a finish that scratches faster and less certain support; the full Code 118 vs Ridge comparison covers it in detail. Against the leather-and-aluminum Ekster, it is cheaper and more MagSafe-focused. And against the Groove, it trades a money-clip design for a pop-up ejector and a MagSafe option.

See our best minimalist wallets, best MagSafe wallets and best wallets for men guides for the wider field.

Is CODE 118 legit?

Yes. The real brand at code-wallets.com is Trustpilot rated across more than 2,600 reviews. Be careful, though: a cluster of copycat domains advertise huge discounts and are not the genuine store. Buy from code-wallets.com or the official CODE118 Amazon storefront and nowhere else, to avoid a fake that never ships.

Who should buy the CODE 118 Wallet

The CODE 118 suits someone who wants a metal, RFID-blocking card wallet with a MagSafe option at roughly half the price of a Ridge, and who accepts a finish that scratches and support that can be hit or miss. It is the wrong pick if you want the premium finish and trusted warranty of a Ridge, or full-grain leather, in which case a pricier metal or leather wallet is the safer buy.