5 Of The Thinnest USB Drives You Can Buy

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Although easy access to fast internet and the proliferation of cloud storage solutions have helped create alternatives to USB flash drives, they continue to remain relevant, particularly when you need reliable local and portable storage in relatively high capacity. Moreover, as flash storage has matured, manufacturers are offering USB drives in different physical shapes and sizes, and there are plenty of proper mini USB drives on the market that are a fraction of the size of traditional thumb-sized solutions.

These compact and thin USB flash drives barely take up any space and are especially useful with mobile devices. If you're looking for a good one, we have handpicked some of these compact and thin USB drives to help you get started. We picked these recommendations after considering buyer feedback as well as expert opinion. We also have included a diverse selection, spanning options that feature USB-A and USB-C connectors and offer different USB generation support.

Sandisk, which is known for its storage solutions, offers a wide range of high-quality USB flash drives. However, the Extreme Fit USB-C Flash Drive is one of its most compact and small offerings. This unique USB stick is available in storage capacities ranging from 64 GB to 1 TB. It can work with most of your modern computing devices, including desktops, laptops, phones, and tablets. It's also rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1 and is claimed to deliver up to 400 MBps sequential read speeds. However, the 64 GB variant is limited to 300 MBps read speeds.

The Extreme Fit weighs just 0.1 ounces, making it very light, and comes with a five-year limited warranty. The company also offers its Memory Zone app for Windows and Mac, which you can use to create an automated backup of the drive's contents. This can come in handy if the USB drive unfortunately ends up dying, which is not unheard of, as some Amazon shoppers mention their unit dying after weeks or months.

The Sandisk offering starts at $28 and goes up to $250. Buyers on Amazon have given it a solid average buyer rating of 4.6 out of 5 and appreciate its low-profile form factor, which enables you to keep it plugged in at all times without worrying about it getting snagged or snapped off. Shoppers also like its fast data transfer rates, and many use it with their cars to store camera recordings or play local music. Experts from Cult of Mac, ZDNet, and Storage Review appreciate its consistent performance and form factor, but note that its transfer speeds could be faster, particularly compared to external SSDs.

PNY's Elite-X Fit is another well-rated mini flash drive that you can consider. It's reasonably priced; however, it uses the USB-A connector and is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1. The company says it can deliver sequential read speeds of 200 MBps, and you can pick from 64 GB, 128 GB, 256 GB, and 512 GB storage capacities. It barely sticks out when plugged into a port, comes with a connector cap, and has a built-in cutout to attach it to different objects, including a keyring. More importantly, you can use it with a wide range of devices; however, you'll need an adapter for phones, tablets, or devices with a USB-C port.

Its 128 GB variant carries a list price of $30; however, you can often spot it at a discount. The 64 GB variant seems to be limited to a three-pack currently at around $36, but you can always check if it's available when you're shopping. The higher storage 256 GB and 512 GB variants sell for a list price of $38 and $83, respectively. The flash drive has accumulated a good average buyer rating of 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon, with buyers highlighting its reliability and compact design. That said, some buyers are not happy with sustained write speeds in the real world, which are below 20 MBps — something to keep in mind before ordering. There are also reports about these drives breaking down within months. 

If you want a fast USB drive with a Type-A connector, Samsung's Fit Plus is rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1 and supports read speeds of up to 400 MBps. It also features a metal chassis for durability and a built-in cutout to help prevent it from getting lost because of its tiny size. The company provides a five-year limited warranty and says it's waterproof, shockproof, X-ray proof, magnet proof, and can handle extreme temperatures.

The only problem is that despite being offered in multiple storage capacities, ranging from 64 GB to 512 GB, only the 512 GB version of the drive, which will cost you $74, seems to be in stock at the time of writing. It has garnered a pretty strong average buyer rating of 4.7 out of 5 from Amazon shoppers, who like its reliability and data transfer speeds. One customer says their unit has been going strong for over five years; however, that hasn't been the case for everyone. A small selection of buyers saw their flash drives die after two years, a year, or even six months. Folks at Windows Central put it through its paces and found it to be a capable performer with a sleek and sturdy design, but they mention the lack of an activity light.

Besides its excellent USB-C flash drive, Sandisk offers a compact drive with a Type-A connector dubbed the Sandisk Ultra Fit. Like the USB-C model, it's pretty small and rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1. However, it comes in eight storage variants, from 16 GB to 2 TB, giving you plenty of choice. Keep in mind that the read speeds vary depending on the capacity, with models with 128 GB or higher capacity supporting 400 MBps speeds, whereas 64 GB tops out at 300 MBps, and smaller capacities are limited to 130 MBps.

In other highlights, you get a five-year limited warranty and access to the company's file recovery software and the drive app, which enables automated backups to your Windows or Mac computer. It starts at $16 and goes up to $570. Amazon shoppers also have generally positive feedback about it and have given it a decent rating of 4.4 out of 5. Buyers appreciate its low-profile design and performance. However, there are some complaints about folks getting defective units, their drives dying within months, and slow write speeds. The relatively slow speed issue has also been highlighted by folks at Windows Central, who also mention its thin plastic construction but are otherwise happy with its range of storage options and compact design.

While our other recommendations come with a single USB-C to USB-A connector and have to rely on an adapter to plug into different types of ports, the Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C features both USB-A and USB-C connectors. This design choice makes it pretty versatile and compatible with the vast majority of devices out of the box. More importantly, despite its dual connector design, it's pretty compact and durable.

It comes in 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB storage capacities, and is paired with a five-year limited warranty. Although it's rated for USB 3.2 Gen 1, it's sadly limited to 200 MBps read speeds. Another highlight of the flash drive is the included plastic cap that keeps the USB-C connector covered when not in use and helps with the grip when you are trying to remove it from a USB-A port.

It starts at a list price of $31 for the 64 GB model, and goes up to $69 for the 256 GB variant. However, you can often find it at a discount. Amazon shoppers have good things to say for the Kingston DataTraveler microDuo 3C and have awarded it an average buyer rating of 4.6 out of 5. Buyers appreciate its dual-port design and small form factor. Most complaints are about its slow data transfer speeds.

USB flash drives come in all shapes and sizes; however, while picking the thinnest USB drives, we focused on offerings from reputed brands that are marketed as low-profile, mini, or compact. We included drives with both USB-A and USB-C connectors as well as different USB generations to cater to different needs. Moreover, we refined our selection after considering feedback from Amazon shoppers as well as expert opinion when available. All our recommendations are rated 4.4 out of 5 or above, ensuring they don't include any widely reported problems.