6 Of The Best SD Card Readers For Android, According To User Reviews

Though they initially faced competition from rival formats, SD cards — short for Secure Digital — have long been the standard form of solid-state storage cards for use in all sorts of devices. With smaller microSD cards also available, the convenient, reliable, and widely-adopted memory solution is a great way to fit a substantial amount of data into a tiny space. Cameras have long made use of the technology, but they just scratch the surface, with everything from portable media players to the Nintendo Switch handheld gaming console having some kind of SD card slot.

For a long time, cellphones — both smartphones and less capable devices like feature phones and flip phones — with microSD card slots were pretty common. That's changed, though, to the point that in 2024, the feature has gone from flagship models and is only available in certain budget to mid-priced phones. Since many Android phones are lacking SD card slots, reading such cards requires the purchase of an SD card reader, usually via the USB Type-C connection that's become the standard charging and connectivity port on Android phones in recent years. So, based on user reviews we've compiled a list of the best SD card readers available for Android. More information on how these items were selected can be found at the end of this list.

An Apple product making an Android accessory list might be a bit surprising, but nevertheless, using the USB Type-C standard, Apple's SD card reader is fully compatible with Android devices. It's far from the cheapest SD card reader around, as it retails for roughly $40 from vendors Best Buy and Amazon, but it's among the best-reviewed by Best Buy customers, with plentiful glowing assessments. The Apple card reader averages 4.8 stars out of five from 1,297 Best Buy reviews at the time of writing. The Amazon listing, by virtue of only being added in August 2024, averages 4.7 stars out of five — but that's with only four customer reviews.

"Apple does some things right and some things wrong like every company, but they knocked this one out of the park!" reads a review from TRex. "I can just store it in my camera bag and hit the road! It pops up in my phones and displays every item in my SD card and downloads them what seems like as fast as I took them. Would recommend!" 

While the price is a bit steep relative to the following products, it is an official Apple accessory — and there's no question that it's a well-made, high-quality card reader.

If you're looking for a more reasonably-priced USB Type-C SD card reader that'll work with an Android phone, one attractive option from a reputable brand is the IOGEAR USB-C 2-in-1 SD Card Reader/Writer. Retailing for about $20, it's often available for less on sale at Amazon or on clearance at Best Buy. It's also available, for a higher price, at Walmart. This SD card reader doesn't have a huge number of reviews, but the ones that are there are very positive, with Best Buy averaging 4.8 stars out of five among 39 reviews, Amazon averaging four stars out of five among 43 reviews, and Walmart averaging five stars from three reviews.

"Great for switching between new tech and old," reads one unnamed Walmart customer's review. "Good speeds too. I really like the port covers so they doesn't get dirty." The port cover is the plastic accessory pictured above alongside the card reader — which has both USB Type-C and USB Type-A plugs. Amazon user, T. Rowe, spoke well of its "levels of functionality and durability" remarking it was enough for "a 5 star response."

Another well-reviewed SD card reader from a known brand is the SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB-C Reader, which sells for $22.99 at Amazon and $24.99 at Best Buy. While there's only 38 reviews at Best Buy, averaging 4.5 stars out of five, Amazon has 3,050 reviews for this device, averaging 4.7 stars out of five. It also carries the "Amazon's Choice" label, which according to a 2018 Amazon statement to CNET, is "a way to simplify shopping for customers by highlighting highly rated, well-priced products ready to ship immediately for the most popular searches on Amazon." This card reader works with Android, but you need to format the SD cards as FAT32 on your PC or Mac.

"As someone who relies on fast and reliable data transfers, this reader has exceeded all my expectations," reads one positive Amazon review. "Its USB-C connectivity ensures lightning-fast transfer speeds, allowing me to offload large files in a fraction of the time compared to other readers. The UHS-II compatibility means it's optimized for high-speed SD cards, perfect for handling 4K video footage or RAW image files with ease." Between the positive reviews and the fairly reasonable price, it seems like a solid choice.

This next option is more than just an SD card reader — being a bit of a Swiss Army Knife of connectivity. The Multi-Port USB Hub with SD, Micro SD and Compact Flash Card Reader from Onn, a Walmart house brand, sells for $14.25. As the name indicates, it's not just an SD card reader, offering dedicated readers for microSD and even the antiquated CompactFlash while also functioning as a USB hub with three USB Type-A ports running at USB 2.0 speeds. It will work with whatever you throw it at, without the need for additional adapters, as it has plugs for USB Type-A, USB Type-C, and MicroUSB. Walmart customers seem to love it, as it averages a 4.3 stars out of five rating from the 255 customers who have elected to review it.

"Feels sturdy," reads one review from a verified customer. "Plugs in easily and is user friendly. A must have if your laptop doesn't have many ports and as an advantage it can read 3 different cards as well. I like the fact that it has usb and c to be able to plug in to different devices. The only disadvantage is the cord is a bit short but I would buy it again." This seems like a great buy.

Another device available at Walmart is the Vivitar Mobile SD, Micro SD and Compact Flash Card Reader, which retails for $39.99 but is often discounted under $30. Walmart customers really seem to like it, as this Vivitar card reader averages a rating of 4.2 stars out of five from 398 reviews. With the included adapters it can work with pretty much any modern smartphone, as it supports not just USB Type-C but also MicroUSB and Lightning.

"A family member still uses an older digital camera instead of a smartphone," begins one review from verified customer Brooke. "I was able to use the adapter to save the pictures to my Pixel Android phone using the USB C cord. I also tried it with my computer using the USB C cord and it was just as easy. I'm excited I can easily save these pictures now!" 

Another verified customer singled out the Vivitar card reader's high compatibility. "The card reader works straight out of the box with my PC and Android phone," they said — adding the caveat that it needs a Vivitar app to work on an iPad despite being plug and play on everything else, including a Linux server.

One card reader option that sits at the intersection of brand recognition and value pricing is the Anker SD Card Reader 2-in-1, which retails for $17.99 at Amazon and Walmart. On Amazon, there's lots of positive customer feedback, as the card reader averages 4.7 stars out of five from 6,289 user reviews, while Walmart averages a perfect five stars from just ten reviews. It features dedicated slots for SD and microSD without the need for an adapter, and includes support for newer Ultra High Speed (UHS) cards. The promotional copy touts "Universal Compatibility" with phones, laptops, and more — plus the Anker card reader also carries the Amazon's Choice label.

"Works great to review dashcam footage (SD) on my android," reads an Amazon review from user Alan Mason. "Small enough to keep in the center console, easy enough to plug and play a SD card from the Performance Data Recorder in my 2016 Corvette. I can easily review track footage or dashcam footage, and mass delete old dash cam videos to free up space." Another reviewer wrote "I've tried several of these lately, and this is the only one that reliably works. It's simple to use, fast and well made. Used with android platform phone and tablet."

For this list, SD card readers compatible with Android were only selected if they had high average customer review ratings on the websites of major retailers. Only SD card readers averaging four out of five stars or better at Amazon, Best Buy, and/or Walmart were selected. Known brand names were also appreciated due to reliable warranties and customer support. The Amazon's Choice label being present on both the SanDisk and Anker listings also helped to strengthen the case for their inclusion.