5 Of The Coolest Gadgets Under $30 That Are Compatible With Your iPhone

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For anyone in touch with technology, the mobile phone can be considered a necessary bodily appendage. Almost everything you may need or want is essentially accessible through it. If not, it's highly likely that you can acquire what you need and somehow operate it using your smartphone. This is especially true for the iPhone, for which you can get a variety of cool gadgetry.

Of course, it's very easy to come up with a list of the usual suspects in terms of iPhone accessories. Things like iPhone cases, lanyards, MagSafe card holders, Bluetooth earphones, and portable battery chargers are considered essential, albeit a bit boring. Some of them can also cost a pretty penny.

For the purposes of this roundup, we made $30 our price ceiling and Amazon our main source for inspiration, so the items are easier to purchase. Since coolness is the main factor, a few of the products mentioned may appeal more to niche shoppers. Some basic items made the list though, so there's a little something for every type of iPhone buyers.

A phone charger may seem like an unexciting choice, but there are a few options that are a step above a generic brick. The UGREEN Uno 30-watt USB-C Charger comes in the shape of a tiny, cute robot. Its feet are magnetic and removable and its face is an LED screen that shows different expressions indicating charging statuses. It's compact and comes with a foldable plug, making it the perfect travel charger.

Most importantly, it has fast-charging capabilities, thanks to the GaN chip built into the gadget. According to the product page on Amazon, it can bump up the battery percentage of an iPhone 17 from zero to sixty percent in only 30 minutes, and most of the positive reviews confirm that, with some reporting even higher percentages in a shorter amount of time.

As of this writing, the UGREEN Uno 30W USB-C Robot GaN Fast Charger is listed at $30 but is currently on sale for $20. It comes in three different colors. If you want the 65-watt version, it's usually priced at $50 but is currently discounted at $35.

In case you didn't know, headphones specifically designed for sleep are a thing. People who don't mind wearing accessories to bed may find merit in hearing relaxing sounds as they drift off to dreamland. If you're curious about trying out an audio device as a sleep aid, the Musicozy Sleep Headphones are a great one to test.

The headphones are actually built into an eye mask that you wear over your eyes to block out light and curb potential sleep disruption. It's made of soft and stretchy material, so it shouldn't make you too uncomfortable regardless of your preferred sleep position. The headphones have Bluetooth connectivity, so it should be able to connect to your iPhone and play sleep-inducing tracks through your chosen music streaming service. Long battery life is one of the stated guarantees on its Amazon listing, and a lot of the reviews attest to it being true.

It can be argued that some regular earphones can double as sleep earphones, but not all are designed for side sleeping or hours-long listening. The Musicozy Sleep Headphones are quite affordable for this purpose — the gadget normally costs $40, but to date, several color options are available at around $25-$27.

When it comes to smartphone cameras, the iPhone is at the forefront in terms of photo and video quality. You can even enhance your iPhone camera output using third-party apps. Because of its already-superior camera capabilities, for most users, there's really no need to take a separate point-and-shoot, DSLR, or action camera on trips; all you need is your iPhone.

Having said that, it's fun to use accessories that make it easier to wield the iPhone when taking photos or videos that require a flexible hand. One such gadget is the Ulanzi Bluetooth Smartphone Cap Grip.

When attached to the iPhone, it allows the photo or video taker to hold the phone like a standard camera using a more comfortable grip. It comes with a shutter button that can be detached and used as a wireless remote as well as a built-in fill light, which is great for shooting in low-light settings. Compared to a selfie stick, it's definitely less obtrusive and maybe even more fun to use.

Most of its reviews on Amazon are positive and have regarded it highly for its well-rounded functionality. For now, you can purchase it for $25, even less if you have an Amazon Prime subscription.

iPhone users who happen to be parents of young children will often find themselves using their mobile device for kid entertainment. The music and video streaming service algorithms for many parents of small children have already been skewed by nonstop replaying of the song "Golden" from "KPop Demon Hunters" or "Peppa Pig" or "Bluey" video clips. There are also probably a multitude of "Candy Crush"-type games installed and hogging your iPhone storage and battery. If any of these scenarios sound too familiar to you, and you are interested in finding an alternative use for your iPhone that your offspring may enjoy, consider turning your phone into a book projector.

The Moonlite Storytime Projector looks like a more modern version of a retro toy, the View-Master. Instead of having to buy a separate stereoscope device, you can simply affix the projector to your iPhone's camera flash. Much like the View-Master, the attachment also takes in image reels. Using your iPhone's camera light, the gadget projects storybook images onto a plain wall or ceiling, complete with sound effects through the Moonlite iPhone app.

As a parent myself, I personally purchased the Moonlite Storytime Projector back when my kids were still toddlers and can vouch for the awesome way it upgraded our bedtime routine. Right now, the projector by itself along with a sample reel costs only $17 on Amazon. If you are ready to build your collection of story reels, several are on sale right now for under $30 listed in the Moonlite Storytime Amazon page — you can buy stories individually or in a preset bundle. Alternatively, you can also build your own bundle through the Moonlite Storytime website.

While some may debate the classification of NFC tags as a "gadget," these nifty stickers — when scanned with an iPhone and programmed using the Shortcuts app — can automate smart devices and turn your mobile phone into a magic wand of sorts that makes it easy to use electronics within your vicinity. For instance, you can stick one to your washing machine and automatically set a timer on your iPhone for 45 minutes to remind you to move your laundry to the dryer. You can place one underneath your office desk so that when you tap it with your iPhone, it switches on your Work Focus Mode and launches the "Perfect Concentration" playlist on Spotify. You can even attach one to a coaster or photo frame in your living room so that when guests who come over tap it with their phones, they can automatically connect to your home Wi-Fi without having to type a complicated password. These are only some of the many possible ways life can be made easier for you using your iPhone and NFC stickers, which are incredibly affordable.

Zanbo has a pack of 100 NFC stickers for only $20 on Amazon as of this writing. The sticker itself is only an inch in diameter or roughly the size of a U.S. quarter. While it has a strong adhesive on the back that makes it easy to attach to anything, the Amazon listing warns that it cannot be stuck to metal surfaces or used in "high-magnetic environments." Your iPhone must also be unlocked to scan the NFC tag.