Best USB-C Thumb Drives Android Central 2019

Good flash drives last for years and years and years; I still have working USB-A flash drives from high school kicking around in my drawers. That's why if you're going to buy a flash drive right now, I would highly, highly recommend opting for a USB-C thumb drive if you need some removable storage. USB-C also has the benefit of being compatible with your phone without needing to pull out any OTG adapters: just plug it in and move photos or files to the drive with a file explorer app!

Best in class: SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive

Staff pick

SanDisk is one of the leaders in removable storage, and its USB-C dual drive is hands-down the most reliable you can buy. It comes in 16-256GB models.

From $9 at Amazon

Supersized capacities: PNY Elite USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C

The PNY Elite Type-C is available from 64GB up to 512GB, allowing you to store up to half a terabyte of movies, music, photos, or backup files compactly.

From $25 at Amazon

Compact and name brand: SanDisk Ultra

This single-port 16-128GB flash drive is an excellent option if you've already got a USB-C computer like a Chromebook.

From $9 at Amazon

Tiny yet mighty: UGREEN USB 3.0 2-in-1 OTG

Available from 16-64GB, this compact little thumb drive is so tiny, you'd lose it if it didn't come with a handy keychain!

From $17 at Amazon

Shiny, spinny storage: KEATHY USB-C Flash Drive

This may not be a name brand, but it's a nice look, has both a USB-C and USB-A port, and is available from 32-128GB.

From $12 at Amazon

Short and slim: Kingston Data Traveler Micro Duo

Rather than including a keychain, the tiny 32-128GB Micro Duo is easy to stow in your gear bag or on your desk.

From $9 at Amazon

Plastic on plastic: Verbatim Store 'n' Go Dual

The reversible cap is threaded through the keychain tether, helping keep the cap from getting lost in your bag or office. Available from 16-64GB.

From $10 at Amazon

Adapter included: Samsung Duo Plus

Available from 32-256GB, the Duo Plus only has a USB-C port while the other end houses a USB-C to USB-A adapter, which you can use with other peripherals.

From $13 at Amazon

Lightning port included: DezoByte 3-in-1 128GB

The USB-C port here is standard, but the USB-A port hides a secret, fold-out Lightning port within it, allowing it to be a 3-in-1 rather than a 2-in-1.

$32 at Amazon

Double the ports, double the fun

You may notice that most of the drives on this list are multi-port flash drives, having a USB-C port on one end and a USB-A port on the opposite end. This makes the flash drive an extra-easy way for users to offload photos and files from an Android phone to their computer, even an older computer that doesn't have USB-C ports yet.

There's also another reason to like a dual-port thumb drive like the SanDisk Ultra Dual are a great idea: even if one port breaks — life happens — you can still use the functional port to get data off the drive before it breaks completely. Think of it as insurance!

That said, an extra port is also an extra point of failure, so if you want a Type-C-only flash drive, you can get a smaller or higher capacity drives, such as up to 512GB model available for the PNY Elite, which is tempting me greatly because it can hold so many movies for offline viewing during those long cross-country flights.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.