The Secrid Slim wallet is the grandfather of the pop-up, cardholder type of wallets. Secrid developed the first aluminum card protector and ejector system in Holland back in 2009. Since then, Fidelo, Ekster, and many other companies have developed their own variations that also fan out cards.
Secrid is the original, though, and they have a substantial head start over the competition in getting it right. But that isn’t stopping anybody else from trying to bea them at their own game.
Secrid Wallets
Some people call Secrid wallets “box wallets” because cards are housed and protected in a rigid aluminum case. The case protects cards from bending and breaking while shielding each card’s sensitive information from data-stealing RFID skimmers.
A lever at the bottom of the wallet ejects a total of 4 embossed cards or 6 smooth cards. And no matter how hard you shake it, the cards won’t come out of the case until you move the lever.
Secrid is known for its fine cowhide leathers which come exclusively from Europe. They have an unheard-of 20 different types of stylish leathers to choose from, including a vegan option. If quality leather is your thing, the Secrid will indulge your every cowhide fantasy.
The Secrid Hybrid, Slimwallet, Miniwallet, and Twinwallet all have variations on a bifold design. Inside is a folding slot for cash inside plus several additional card slots. The entire wallet is barely larger than the cards that it holds, which means that it’s an easy front pocket carry. Even in tight-fitting jeans, it will slide in next to a cell phone without much fuss.
With all of these appealing attributes, it’s no wonder that so many manufacturers have created their own “knock-off” wallets like Secrid. Here are 8 worthy alternatives to consider.
Best: Ekster Parliament
This is my top pick. Beautiful leather and super efficient card ejector system.
I’ve been carrying the Ekster Parliament for several months and it still looks like the day it came out the box. The stitching is tight and even, and the leather is so smooth it slips in and out my front pocket life Teflon. The Parliament is an upgrade of the Ekster Senate that uses a bifold design.
The second fold covers the cash band and gives the wallet a much more luxurious feel and appearance. The Secrid has a very similar bifold design but uses an interior vinyl pocket for cash instead of a band.
Both the Secrid Slim wallet and Ekster Parliament have an aluminum cardholder housing and they both eject your cards into a fan. The Secrid does it with a lever while the Parliament uses a slider button. Both work equally well.
I like the fact that the leather used in the Parliament has sealed, burnished edges while the leather edges of the Secrid have more a freshly sheared appearance. Because they both cost about the same, I’d spring for the Parliament. Read my full review of Ekster wallets to learn a whole lot more.
Fidelo Hybrid Minimalist Wallet
The Fidelo Hybrid Minimalist wallet comes as a mix and match kit. Like the Secrid wallet, it is built around an aluminum housing that ejects cards into a fan with a trigger mechanism.
You can carry this aluminum cardholder by itself for an extra slim carry. Or put it in the top grain leather sleeve that is available in 23 different colors and leather types. For carrying cash, add one of two money bands that come with the wallet kit.
Owners really like the ejection system and the overall quality. I found that the pop-up mechanism isn’t as smooth as the Ekster or Secrid. The slots in the leather cover are sometimes too tight to slip a card into, but that will loosen up over time.
Perhaps the best feature of all is the price. It costs roughly half of the Secrid Slimwallet while adding the hybrid convertibility of a removable leather sleeve and money band. The aircraft-grade aluminum case keeps your cards safe from bending and provides RFID skimming protection. It’s definitely worth a look.
Dlife Credit Card Holder
The Dlife Credit Card Holder is the least expensive wallet on this list. The minimalist dimensions of this bifold wallet are similar to the Secrid, as are the aluminum cardholder that ejects your cards and the leather exterior. It also has snap strap that closes the wallet like the Secrid Miniwallet. And yes, the cash slot inside is also similar.
The biggest difference is that the Dlife only comes in black, so your color coordination options are limited–unless you’re into gothic. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
At a purchase price that is less than 4 double-shot lattes at Starbucks, this is a perfect entry-level pop-up style wallet. After all, you may not be ready to reduce the size of your everyday carry down to a wallet that holds 6 cards and a few bills inside. So why spend $75 when you can fork out a fraction of that to test the waters?
With some minor complaints about cards falling out and a trigger breaking, owners generally give this wallet a thumb’s up.
Conceal Plus Card Blocr
The Conceal Plus Card Blocr follows the lead of the Secrid Miniwallet with a carbon copy design, except for two features. The ejection lever that fans out the cards in this wallet is at the top of the wallet, not the bottom.
The strap closes the wallet snaps on the side rather than the top. The leather is available in 8 different colors, including bright show-off tints like Saffiano Red and Saffiano Green.
Like the Secrid, the aircraft aluminum card case gives 4 – 6 cards RFID scanning protection, plus room for a few unprotected cards inside. Many owners say they were surprised at the small size of the wallet when they opened the box.
All of the credit cards on this list, including the Conceal Plus Card Blocr, are roughly the same size, about 4” x 3”. So be prepared for a true minimalist experience. Think of it as a gateway wallet for eliminating your pocket clutter.
Lungear Credit Card Wallet
The Lungear Credit Card wallet isn’t a bifold. Its design is much more like the Secrid Cardprotector, but with an additional money band. Lungear adds some aesthetically pleasing pizzaz by wrapping their aluminum cardholder in your choice of 6 different colors of leather.
Superficially, it looks much like the Ekster Senate from the outside. And with no additional layers of leather to get in the way, the Lungear Credit Card wallet is exceedingly thin and comfortable to carry.
The leather wrapping makes the wallet easier to hold onto, even for someone with large hands. The minimalist size offers up more potential places to carry it, like in a shirt pocket, skinny jeans, or a clutch. Credit cards pop out in a fan like magic with the flip of a lever. The Lungear also comes with a money band that will hold a few bills folded over twice on the outside of the wallet.
This is a perfect no-frills wallet for someone who only needs to carry a half dozen cards and just a few bills of cash.
Lefada US Minimalist Wallet
The Lefada US Minimalist wallet is another bifold wallet that fans out cards. It’s made by a family-run business in New York that strives for a dapper look in their wallets. First, they use crazy-horse leather. Despite what the name suggests, it’s a full-grain cowhide leather that is treated to give the wallet a vintage look as it ages.
Like the Fidelo Hybrid wallet, this leather cover is removable, so you can carry the aluminum pop-up case by itself.
One omission that separates the Lefada from the Secrid Hybrid wallet is the lack of a place for bills on the inside. However, Lefada provides an outside slot that can be used for cash. If you remove the leather cover, they include a money band to slip over the bare cardholder.
There is a lot of value in this wallet for the price. Some owners complain about scratches on the leather, but that’s part of the charm with crazy horse leather. It’s meant to age that way.
Fantom R7 Wallet
The Fantom R7 wallet gives you two ways to extract your cards. Use the lever to slide them out into an easily accessible fan. Or insert your thumb in the thumb slot and slide out the card that’s on top. With a 6 card capacity, the wallet is just 1/3 of an inch thick. Empty, it only weighs 1 ounce.
If you’re a minimalist, every feature of this wallet will satisfy your desire for a clean and simple design. They even managed to squeeze in a coin compartment that you access behind the thumb lever. That’s REALLY unusual in this type of wallet.
Like most cardholder sized wallets, the Fantom R7 includes a money clip on the outside to hold currency. The aluminum chassis provides RFID protection and comes in 6 different colors.
It’s taller than any others on list, and I wonder why they need the lever at all. It’s just as easy to pull the cards out with your thumb and forefinger. But the lever spreads them out perfectly, so that’s definitely a bonus.
Canadian engineers designed the wallet which was funded by a Kickstarter campaign. It has only been on the market since July 2019 and available only here on its website.
LEARN MORE: One of the coolest minimalist wallets out there is the Ridge minimalist cardholder wallet. Read my full Ridge Wallet Review to see why this wallet is exploding in popularity.
