The 10 Best USB Flash Drives of 2021

Best Overall: SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB Drive

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Our top pick is the SanDisk PRO which offers 420/380 read/write speeds which are around 3 times faster than what a typical USB 3.0 drive will offer you. Our reviewer Eric found read speeds dropped about halfway through the process, which was a bit frustrating. The drive is made of a nice-looking aluminum casing with a single LED light and keychain loop on one end. It looks and feels like a professional's tool

Onboard, you've got 128-bit file encryption for sensitive files and the USB 3.1 connection is backward compatible, so you can still work with older machines. This drive also comes with RescuePRO, a file backup system that helps you recover lost files. Finally, SanDisk backs this drive up with a full lifetime warranty in case you run into any trouble. 

This device is among the more expensive drives on the list, but we feel the extras it offers more than compensate for that.

_{Capacity: 128 or 256GB | Interface: USB-A (3.1) | Read speed: 420 MB/s | Write Speed: 380 MB/s}

Best for Multiple Devices: SanDisk Ultra 128GB Dual Drive

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The SanDisk USB Dual Drive is aptly named because it comes outfitted with both a USB-A and USB-C connector. That allows you to connect the drive to just about anything, including computers, Android smartphones, and even some iPads Pro. If you're one who often moves files between a computer and a mobile device, this is your best choice and it comes at a great price.

This drive does suffer from low read/write speeds of just 150 MB/s. The dual connectors are also retractable, so you're not exposed to risk when not in use. That makes it easy to stow in a pocket or backpack without worrying about the connector which is often the most vulnerable part of a USB drive. Mostly though, we love the dual connector idea making this a great drive for just about any device in your life.

_{Capacity: Up to 256GB | Interface: USB-A and USB-C (3.1) | Read speed: 150 MB/s | Write Speed: 150 MB/s}

Best for iPhones and iPads: SanDisk iXpand 128GB Flash Drive

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Apple isn't fully onboard the USB-C train just yet. Apple's phones still carry lightning ports, which can make it tough to expand the storage of devices that often run out of space. SanDisk has you covered here with an oddly shaped USB drive with a curled-up lightning connector at one end and a typical USB-A connector on the other end. The lightning end in particular is exposed which makes our reviewer, Eric, questioned its long-term durability.

But this device allows you to transfer files from your computer to your iPhone, assuming you have a computer with a USB-A port (not all Macs do, after all). The iXpand USB drive also comes with iXpand software which helps you backup your phone quickly and easily, just by plugging in the device. You can also use it for individual files rather than a full backup if you prefer.

_{Capacity: Up to 256 | Interface: USB-A (3.0) and Lightning | Read speed: 150 MB/s | Write Speed: 150 MB/s} 

Best for Ultrabooks: Samsung FIT 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive

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Ultrabooks are ideal for their convenient size and portability, so you may want a USB drive to match. The Samsung FIT drive is exactly that, barely sticking out of the USB-A connector so when you plug it into your computer, you have a tiny little extra nub, and that's about it. It's super small, but that can be a bad thing since it can be very easily lost. Our reviewer recommends keeping a lanyard on it, though that may defeat the purpose of having such a small device.

Regardless you get good read and write speeds of 200 MB/s and 60 MB/s respectively. You'll want to make sure your ultrabook has a USB-A port before picking one up, but if it does, this Drive should fit right in. It's resistant to the elements and comes in at a good price.

_{Capacity: Up to 256GB | Interface: USB-A (3.1) | Read speed: 200 MB/s | Write Speed: 60 MB/s} 

Best for Macbooks: Silicon Power C80 64GB Flash Drive

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Macbooks typically require a USB-C interface, so this drive's design which includes both a USB-A and USB-C connector is ideal. The zinc alloy looks great along with your Macbook, making this an ideal companion. You'll get a USB 3.2 interface, but Silicon Power is shy with its read and write speed specifications, which is a little disappointing. It's also disappointing that the storage capacity only goes up to 64GB. 

But the ring design is sharp looking and it hangs well on a keychain or lanyard. The USB-C connector is protected by the body, while the USB-A end is solid zinc-alloy, so it's durable as well as stylish. The device also includes free optional file management software if you want to use it.

_{Capacity: Up to 64GB | Interface: USB-A and USB-C (3.2) | Read speed: Not Listed | Write Speed: Not Listed}

Best for Security: Kingston Data Traveler Vault

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Security on flash drives is nothing new. Indeed, whole industries have sprung up around keeping data on flash drives safe. There are concepts like fingerprint readers and password keypads built-in, which are nice, but they tend to just jack up the cost of the drive. In our world, the Kingston Datatraveler Vault with its 256-bit encryption is the best protection you can buy.

Kingston calls this "business-grade" security, and you can even step it up even further with a managed version that uses SafeConsole for extra management tools. Plus, the drive comes with ESET antivirus software loaded to avoid trojans and viruses. Importantly, the flash drives are TAA compliant which means they follow government protocols as well. It's available up to 64GB in size, but you will pay for that privilege both in cost and in slower than usual transfer speeds.

_{Capacity: Up to 64GB | Interface: USB-A (3.0) | Read speed: 165 MB/s | Write Speed: 22 MB/s}

Most Rugged: Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 64GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive

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If you are more of the rugged sort, or you just like to periodically dropkick your USB drive into a pool, then the appropriately-named Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth is a great choice for you. It is waterproof to 200 meters thanks to an all-aluminum build and EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) seal. It's shock-resistant and vibration-resistant too. The screw-top on the housing can make plugging the drive into laptops a little tricky since it raises the end a bit.  But beyond that, this is a USB drive that is built to withstand basically anything and it comes with a five-year warranty besides.

_{Capacity: up to 256GB | Interface: USB-A (3.0) | Read speed: 85 MB/s | Write Speed: 85 MB/s}

Best Capacity: PNY Turbo 256GB

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If you have a ton of data you need to store in a portable solution, this drive from PNY goes up to 1TB in size. Specifications vary with different sizes. Generally, as the size goes up, so do the specifications. That's probably why the 1TB drive costs more than 4 times the 256 models. That being said, the 256GB model is quite reasonably priced, and keeping that much data on your keychain is awesome.

Read/write speeds are respectable at 140/80 MB/s respectively. USB 3.0 architecture ensures you'll be able to use this drive on just about any computer. We'd like to see a sturdier build for this much data to be perfectly honest, but overall, as long as you take care of it, this drive will help you offload a ton of data and free up a lot of storage.

_{Capacity: Up to 1TB | Interface: USB-A (3.0) | Read speed: 140 MB/s | Write Speed: 80 MB/s}

Best Budget: Kingston DataTraveler SE9 G2 Flash Drive

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The Kingston DataTraveler SE9 gives you a ton of storage on a budget. Plus you get pretty decent read/write speeds of 200/60 MB/s. You can buy the DataTraveller in sizes up to 256GB and at every level, you're getting a great dollar to GB ratio.

The drive is a solid metal casing with no moving parts and no cap on the end. Kingston designed the drive that way, but we'd feel better about preserving the electronics inside if there was a cap included. We get where Kingston is coming from, but if you put 256 GB of anything on a device, you want to see it protected as much as possible. Add in the five-year warranty and slim design, and this is a great value for a USB drive.

_{Capacity: Up to 256GB | Interface: USB-A (3.2) | Read speed: 200 MB/s | Write Speed: 60 MB/s}