11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks
Photo: Simon Hill
Some of our Favorite Flash Drives
We tested many other USB flash drives that didn’t make the cut. Here are a few that might be considered for some people.
Photo: Simon Hill
Kingston Dual Portable SSD (1 TB) for $229: With a snazzy red metallic body, this SSD disguised as a flash drive is very fast, with a claimed 1,050 MB/s read and 950 MB/s write in my tests. USB 3.2 Gen 2 with jack C on one end and jack A on the other, both with removable covers. As much as I like this drive, which comes in 512-GB, 1-TB, and 2-TB models, it’s on the expensive side.
Amazon Basics Flash Drive (128 GB) for $18: I like the grippy texture on the slide of this drive because it’s easy to open with one hand and locks in place securely. The loop at the top is perfect for a key ring, and is lightweight. Performance was limited, as you’d expect at this price, but it still exceeded the claimed speed of 130 MB/s and write speed of 30 MB/s for large files, even though it only had 116 GB usable out of the box.
Buffalo External SSD-PUT Stick (500 GB) for $70: Another SSD in a flash drive body, this drive hit 450 MB/s in my tests and offers drop shock protection. There is also a USB-A connector, and it comes with a USB-C adapter. It’s great for flash drives, so you might find it blocking nearby ports. You can also find lower-priced 1- and 2-TB versions of this drive.
PNY Pro Elite V2 (256 GB) for $60: This slide-in drive has a plastic cover to protect the USB-A plug, and it was our joint pick for a while. It performed well (read and write speeds hovering around 415 MB/s and 425 MB/s) in my tests, and has space for a lanyard or key. I tested the 256-GB drive, but there are 512-GB and 1-terabyte models.
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go (128 GB) for $29: This portable drive rotates to give you USB-C or USB-A, and comes in various sizes and some fun colors, but the bottom drives are slow (USB 3.1). You can get a 128 GB and larger USB 3.2 Gen 1 drive with up to 400 MB/s read and it’s a solid alternative to the PNY Duo above.
PNY Elite-X (128 GB) for $16: This sleek, slide-out drive has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 jack and a loop on the end to fit into a keychain. It worked fine but it looked amazing in my tests (about 200 MB/s read, and 130 MB/s write).
Kingston IronKey 200 keyboard (16 GB) for $112: If you need a secure drive, Kingston’s IronKey boasts FIPS 140-3 certification, XTS-AES 256-bit encryption, and special epoxy around its perimeter to make it impossible to remove parts. Downside, it’s expensive, the keypad is fiddly, and 10 incorrect entries wipes the drive.
Samsung Bar Plus (256 GB) for $52: A sleek, one-piece, curved design makes this drive easy to retract and there’s a loop so you can slip it into a key ring. Test read speeds were just shy of 400 MB/s, with write speeds of just over 100 MB/s, but the smaller drives (32 GB and 64 GB) were much slower. The Bar Plus is also a durable option, and Samsung says it’s waterproof, shock-proof, temperature-proof, magnet-proof, and x-ray-proof.
Avoid These Flash Drives
Photo: Simon Hill
Silicon Power DS72 Portable SSD (1 TB): This is a reasonable price for a 1-TB drive with USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A and USB-C connectors, and it consistently hit read and write speeds of 450 MB/s in my tests (it can hit 1050 MB/s and 850 MB/s with the right gear). It’s warm to the touch, but the reason I don’t recommend this drive is the stupid plastic connector covers. You have to bend them, and they get in the way when you try to insert the drive.
Verbatim Dual (64 GB): This teeny drive is cheap and has both USB-A and USB-C plugs, but I found write speeds to vary (60 MB/s on USB-C and 90 MB/s on USB-A) and read speeds were around 150 MB/s on both. There’s a USB-A cover and a wee strap to attach, but this drive is almost too small, and it proved difficult to insert and remove. It also comes in 16- or 32-gigabyte options.
How to Eject and Format Drives
It is a good idea to format your USB flash drive before you start using it. You will usually be asked which format you want to use. Almost every device will recognize the FAT32 format, but it limits the size of each file to 4 GB. Go for exFAT if you have large files. When you format a flash drive, it will completely erase everything stored on it. Here’s how to do it manually:
- On a Windows computer: Open File Explorer and look for your drive underneath This PC. Right click on it, and select Format.
- On Mac: Kind of Disk Utility in Search, or find it with Applications > Utilities. Select your drive from the list and click Clear it up. Then you can rename and choose the format.
- On a Chromebook: Open Files and right-click on your drive to select Format the device.
You’re probably familiar with the warnings about removing a drive without first ejecting it. But there is a real risk of your data getting corrupted, so here’s how to do it right:
- On a Windows computer: You can click a button Safely Remove Hardware notification icon in the system tray and select Take it out option. If you prefer not to extract, type Device Manager in the search bar and click to open. Expand Disk Drives and right click on your USB flash drive, select Buildings, Policiesand set to Quick Removal.
- On Mac: You’ll see an eject icon listed next to the drive name in the Finder, or you can simply drag the flash drive image from your desktop to the trash.
- On a Chromebook: Open Files and right-click on your drive, and select Remove the device.
- On an Android device: You can turn on and extend the USB notification to get the Take it out option.
- On iPhone or iPad: There is no option to remove. Make sure there is no data transfer going on before downloading it. It’s a good idea to close the Files app or any app you used to transfer files.
How To Get More From Your USB Flash Drive
There are a few things to keep in mind when buying USB flash drives, and we have some tips for using them.
Power: To determine the capacity of the storage device you need, first check the size of the folders or files you want to copy. Each USB drive in our guide has a specified capacity, but the usable storage will be slightly less than that, because the device’s firmware needs space.
Speed: USB standards are improving all the time, and we recommend USB 3.0 as a minimum, although higher is better. Although USB standards have different theoretical maximum speeds, it is important to check the manufacturer’s stated read and write speeds for each drive. If you’re primarily transferring data, you’ll want to look for a high-quality drive write speed. If you plan to run software on a computer using a drive (such as a video game), you’ll want a higher-end model. learn speed. Manufacturers will state the average speed, but most drives are very fast for transferring large files and often very slow for transferring small files.
Compatibility: Most flash drives will work with any device with a suitable USB port, but check compatibility to avoid disappointment. If you want to use the drive with an Android device or something from the iPhone 16 range or later, it will need USB on-the-go (OTG) support. Most Android devices support USB OTG. You will receive a notification when you insert the flash drive with options to install File Transfer. You can try the USB OTG test app to confirm support if you are not sure. Earlier Apple iPhones and iPads do not support USB OTG, but you can install an application on compatible drives, such as SanDisk’s iXpand series.
Connectors: Most flash drives have USB-A connectors, but you can also find drives with USB-C, MicroUSB, and Lightning connectors. If you plan to use a flash drive with your smartphone and computer, make one with both required types of connectors. You can also buy USB hubs with multiple USB ports or adapters, but pay close attention to the supported standard or it may limit your data transfer speeds. This Anker USB-A to USB-C adapter is, for example, USB 3.0.
Security: Remember that USB drives can cause security problems, especially for businesses, and rightly so never plug in random drives you find lying around. If you plan to store sensitive data on your flash drive, then consider biometric or passcode protection, and check the level of encryption it provides. There are software utilities that provide encryption and allow you to password-protect your files on any USB flash drive.
I run a read and write speed test on the entire drive using USB Flash Benchmark and CrystalDiskMark. I also upload HD and 4K movies to each drive and play them on the LG OLED TV, back up photos from phones and laptops, and copy files to all supported devices. I’ve tested other drives as security camera backups, as NAS (network attached storage) for routers, for playing MP3 music files, and for loading and saving games on various retro consoles. Our top picks continue to be used regularly to back up files over the course of months, so we can be sure that performance doesn’t degrade.
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