12 Best Card Sleeves To Protect Your Cards At All Costs

Card sleeves this, cards sleeves that, but what exactly is a card sleeve? Straight to the point, card sleeves are sheaths, most likely made of plastic or polypropylene, which are used to protect, hold & organize different types of cards. The first card sleeves (called deck protectors) were released back in 1995 by the Ultra Pro company. When only 1 type of these sleeves was available, it was a piece of cake. How do we decide on one now that we have hundreds of them? 

You’re right. Indeed, you may either get the perfect card sleeve or just mess it all up. Mercifully, we’re here never to let you go for the latter. We either get the best ones or go home. Below, you’ll find a list of card sleeves that are closest to perfection, followed by specifics for each one. All that’s left to you, is to lend one ear and match the sleeves with your preferences. Let the fun begin! 

• Buying tips;
• Editor’s best choices;
• The card sleeves: 

1. Pro Support Card Sleeves;
2. TitanShield Card Sleeves;
3. HERKKA Trading Card Sleeves;
4. Ultra PRO Toploaders & Clear Sleeves;
5. Hard Plastic Card Sleeves;
6. Holographic Card Sleeves;
7. Ultra PRO Eclipse Card Sleeves;
8. BCW Double Matte Deck Sleeve;
9. Album Pages Card Sleeves;
10. Dragon Shield Sleeves;
11. KMC Card Sleeves;
12. Card Sleeves Toploader;

• Questions & Answers;
• Conclusion;

Buying Tips

Check the size of your cards. Yes, most card sleeves are made for any standard-sized cards, but yours may not be it. There are dimensions and instructions written on each sleeve, so make sure to double-check your cards and the size of the sleeves. If you put pressure when putting the cards in, where’s the point of using sleeves? 

Think about the number of cards your deck has. Different card games have different numbers of cards. Also, different packs of sleeves have a specific number of sleeves they come with. If you’re tending to buy something for UNO cards, 100 pieces would do nothing, since UNO has 112 cards. Furthermore, if you’re looking for something for a game and its different editions, check for 300, 500, or more pieces packs.

Analyze how often you play the card game. If you’re trying to find some good sleeves to protect cards you use very regularly, go for the quality. Check the ratings, reviews, and material. Even if it’s a higher price. If you just want something for your cards to look good on, and to protect them those few times you play them, cheaper ones, or sleeves that have some designs on them (so your cards look even fancier) works great. 

Decide between all-transparent & colored ones. A few of the card sleeves below have a color of your choice on the back, but of course, are all clear on the front. They would look great on cards that have important details on the front. Most of them, tho’, are all transparent, so it’s more practical since you can read everything in the back & the front of each card, and also see all the art in them.

Consider if you’ll take them when traveling. Normal sleeves made of soft plastic aren’t perfect for traveling (we’ll get to that later). On the other hand, hard-plastic sleeves, toploaders, or even soft sleeves that come with their secure packs, would make it easier for you to carry them, in case you don’t want to spend money on a carrying case/storage.  

Editor’s Best Choices

Best Soft Sleeves: Pro Support Card Sleeves

These card sleeves complete their mission: protect the cards from any dirt or other damage, and feel very comfortable when playing and shuffling.

The Sturdiest Card Sleeves: Hard Plastic Card Sleeves

It’s a challenge itself causing any harm to the cards when they’re inside these hard sleeves. They look great, feel great, and keep the cards safe.

Most Durable Sleeves: KMC Card Sleeves

Everyone loves these, and everyone’s right. They last a long time, keep your cards protected and come with a large enough number of sleeves. 

Best Pockets Sleeves: Album Pages Card Sleeves

You’ll have all cards in one place, and they will also look pretty on the album. Very practical to use and carry around. 

Most Artistic Sleeves: Holographic Card Sleeves

The holographic effect is just what we need. It spreads positive vibes and makes the cards look even prettier. It’s a 2 in 1: useful & artistic… 

1. Pro Support Card Sleeves – $18.99

Amazon ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (4,333 global ratings);

Details: 

• 2 packs of cards sleeves;
• Each pack has 200 card sleeves;
• Dimensions are 64mm X 89mm;
• Made from polypropylene; 
• Besides standard decks, it also fits cards such as MTG, CAH, Exploding Kittens, Exploding Kittens, etc.

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

There’s nothing better than simple & practical things in one. These 2 packs, with a total of 400 sleeves, work perfectly on protecting your cards from any liquid, or any other possible damage. Each sleeve fits one card, and because of the very well-thought design, the cards won’t be stuck to the sleeve, and that’s what we like most. They’re shiny from the outside, but they’re as transparent as you can’t see that there’s a sleeve. These card sleeves feel very comfortable, and the cool thing is that it makes it very easy to shuffle the cards, which is a 10 out of 10 feature. Also, let me mention that they are ideal for double sleeving. Lovely! 

2. TitanShield Card Sleeves – $10.99

Amazon ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (4,776 ratings);

Details: 

• The package comes with 150 sleeves;
• Dimensions are 66 x 91 mm;
• Comes in red, green, yellow, blue, black, orange, white, brown, pink, etc;
• Made of high-grade soft plastic;
• Good for any standard size cards;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

First things first, the design is very classy & appealing. It’s important to mention that the material of these sleeves is around 40 % thicker than the other card sleeves you may find. They prevent bent corners and have anti-slip properties, so it’s very easy to handle and play. The fact that they come in more than 10 different colors, makes them even more wantable. Since most of the card games have less than 150 cards, we think these card sleeves are a choice to consider. Any other sleeve that may remain left could be used for tokens or anything you need during the game. We love high-quality stuff! 

3. HERKKA Trading Card Sleeves

Amazon ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars ( 4,049 ratings);

Details: 

• Fits 900 cards;
• One album page, 11.4 x 8.9 inches, fits 9 cards;
• The dimensions of the cards are 3.7 x 2.7 inches;
• Made of polypropylene;
• Transparent;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

It’s a piece of cake that the sleeves fits 9 cards on one page, so you can organize the cards better. Since there are 100 album pages, the sleeves all together fit 900 cards. They’re waterproof, very simple to store the cards, and very convincing to protect as well. Because they are transparent, it’s all simple for you to find whatever you’re looking for, without having to check each sleeve one by one. Apart from game cards, you may also store baseball cards, mini photos, business cards, and many more. Each album page has 11 holes, which helps you keep them all together in any ring binder.  Based on our very own experience, these HERKKA card sleeves are very durable and do their job flawlessly. Comparing the price with the large number of cards these sleeves fit, they’re undoubtedly strong competitors. 

4. Ultra PRO Toploaders & Card Sleeves – $24.99

Amazon ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars (6,525 ratings);

Details:

• Contains 100 toploaders & 100 card sleeves;
• Designed for cards of 2.5 x 3.5 inches;
• Made by non-PVC polypropylene;
• Transparent;
• Great for Yu-gi-oh cards, sports cards, photo cards, Pokemon, and other card games.

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

Once you fit the cards in, you’ll know they’re protected. Both the sleeves & the top loaders are masterpieces themselves. The toploaders keep the cards from bending or from having any other damage. What people like to do, is put the card first in the card sleeve, and then in the Toploader, so it is like double protection. We would recommend you use the top loaders for long-term storage. What we like most is that the sleeves stay clear, fit the cards perfectly, and to be frank, have a very reasonable price, considering that they do last so many years. If you do have a larger number of cards, you may think about getting more packs, since 100 would be good only for 1 deck of cards, in most cases. 

5. Hard Plastic Card Sleeves – $21.99

Amazon ratings: 4.4 out of 5 stars ( 625 ratings);

Details: 

• Contains 100 pieces;
• Each card sleeve is 3 x 4 inches;
• Made of hard plastic;
• There are also versions of 30, 55, 160, and 280 pieces available, depending on your deck.

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

As you may assume, they’re made of hard plastic, which makes them water and dustproof. There’s a gap at each card sleeve which makes it simple to store the cards, without scratching them. The material is very sturdy, and it is very difficult to break accidentally (we’re not talking if you use a hammer or something). A great thing is that you may just simply put them in your traveling case, or simply in your pocket, and you’ll be sure your favorite cards are in their safe spot. The sleeves are super transparent, so they don’t dim the pictures, but just keep your cards clean and new. If you have more decks of cards, try purchasing the 160 or 280 pieces versions, so you’ll organize all your cards at once. 

6. Holographic Card Sleeves – $14.95

Amazon ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (302 ratings);

Details: 

• A pack of 100 card sleeves;
• Dimensions are 2.6 x 3.6 inches;
• Black holographic;
• Fits all standard cards sizes;
• Other colors, such as red, yellow, white, pink, blue, green, and more available on Amazon;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

These scream perfection! The most beautiful feature of these sleeves is definitely the holographic effect. It’s obvious enough to make the cards look prettier, but doesn’t cover the name or the picture on the cards. Let me make it clear about the color: the back, depending on your choice, could be black, pink, blue, or whatever, but the front is transparent. Because of the details, these card sleeves grab everyone’s attention, and what’s to not like in there? Fit all standard decks sizes, such as Pokemon, MTG, UNO, and more. They’re all you’re looking for: make the cards look attractive, are waterproof & protect them, are sturdy, and comfortable to hold as well. 

7. Ultra PRO Eclipse Card Sleeves – $9.39

Amazon ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars (638 ratings);

Details: 

• A set of 100 card sleeves;
• Made for cards of 2.6 x 3.6 inches (standard size);
• This is the pumpkin orange version, but you may also find them in apple red, forest green, royal purple, smoke grey, and more;
• Work best for MTG, Pokemon, Dragon Ball Super, Ascension, etc.

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

One more Ultra PRO creation, because why not? They’ve proven quality. The front is transparent, so you can see the card without struggling, while the back comes in colors of your choice. Sleeves are split-resistant, sturdy, and very practical. They’re not too thin, nor too thick, so it’s very comfortable using them while playing. Feel very smooth, and also shuffle super easy, and that makes us love them endlessly. We’ve proven that the color affects your addiction to the cards, even more, so make sure you purchase the sleeves in your favorite color. What we like doing, is having a specific color for each game, so if you have more decks, each deck will have its separate color. These card sleeves are waterproof, and because of the texture, they’re split-resistant. 

8. BCW Double Matte Deck Sleeve – $6.13

Amazon ratings: 4.5 out of 5 stars (532 ratings);

Details:

• Contains 100 sleeves;
• Solid black color;
• Made to fit up to 3.5 x 2.5 inches cards;
• Matte & shiny;
• Designed for any standard-sized cards;

What do we like most about these sleeves?

If you’re asking us, the first impression is, hands down, how good they look on the outside. That combination of matte and shiny solid black on two sides of the sleeves is what made us fall in love with them. They fit the cards perfectly and are very comfortable to hold. Even when traveling, they don’t let cards rub with each other, and that’s its job. Not too sturdy, not too soft, but just strong enough to become protection. Yes, the front is transparent, so don’t worry about checking on the cards. The best part is that the sleeves don’t lose the images of the cards, and also there’s no hangover plastic on the edges, which I bet, is something you’re looking for. They’re not perfect for shuffling, because of the material, but in other aspects, everything’s on point. 

9. Album Pages Card Sleeves – $15.99

Amazon ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars (557 ratings);

Details:

• Has 360 pockets;
• The album has 20 pages;
• Fits all standard-sized cards;
• Made of polypropylene;
• Comes in black and green;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

Feels like you’re going through your childhood photos album, and there’s nothing better than that… It covers a large number of cards, a total of 360, 9 cards on a page. Using the side loading pockets, it’s very practical storing the cards and get them out, without risking tearing them off. Another superior detail is that the album has also a very secure elastic band to hold all the cards in place. Preferred for MTG, Pokemon, World Of Warcraft, UNO, and more. Speaking of UNO, because of the design, this card sleeves album may also be used as a travel case. The inside pockets are all transparent, but however, you’re free to choose between black and green outside color. At some point, for any card lover (and collector), this may be a great gift. 

10. Dragon Shield Sleeves – $12.20

Amazon ratings: 4.7 out of 5 stars (370 ratings);

Details:

• Contains 100 standard-sized card sleeves;
• Made of purple polypropylene;
• Non-glare effect;
• All sleeves come with a box;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

Based on our extensive research, Dragon Shield card sleeves are always on top of the list, because of their very fabulous quality. They’re made of a non-glare front, and a smooth, matte purple back. It’s thick enough to protect the cards but thin enough to experience good shuffling.  There’s a label on top of the box, so you may add details about the cards, and this is how you know what’s inside each box, without having to open them. These sleeves have a simple design, that just fulfills their mission: taking care of the cards at all costs. Cards fit very nicely inside the sleeves, they don’t slip while playing, and the non-glare front makes it comfortable to read and use while playing any game. However, if you have very shiny cards, the non-glare material may show some struggles, so instead, get the normal sleeves of Dragon Shield. Just saying, you human!

11. KMC Card Sleeves – $12.40

Amazon ratings: 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,881 ratings);

Details: 

• 3 packs of 100 sleeves;
• A total of 300 card sleeves;
• Clear, transparent color;
• Great for double sleeving;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

What we look up for in card sleeves, is firstly, and most importantly, a good quality. These KMC card sleeves have it. They are all transparent, so it looks like there’s no sleeve on the cards, and all the art is visible, but they’re protected. The fitting is perfect, so you don’t have to bend cards when putting them in or out. Also, these sleeves are not super tight, so it doesn’t make you stressed while using them. Because of its very perfect thickness, there’s no struggling while shuffling the cards, or holding them during the play. Not only from water, but the sleeves protect the cards from any oil, liquid, dust, or dirt. They can also be used as double sleeving, or put together with the cards on deck protectors. Having such a reasonable price, a great quality, and a total of 300 pieces, these are not a waste of money! 

12. Card Sleeves Toploaders – $16.35

Amazon ratings: 4.6 out of 5 stars (989 ratings);

Details:

• 5 packs of 100 sleeves;
• Made of polypropylene;
• Come in black color;
• Good for any gaming cards of 3.5 x 2.5 inches cards;

Reasons why we love these card sleeves:

Last but not least, these are 2 in 1: you have 500 card sleeves, and 5 packs you may use to carry the cards. The back of the sleeves is black, while the front is clear, so, you know they’re what they’re supposed to be. These sleeves are very durable, lightweight, easy to use, and greatly protect your cards from any dirt. Even though they’re sturdy, there’s no problem if you want to shuffle the cards with the sleeves on. It feels like they’re not even there. Any standard-sized cards would fit great, counting Yugioh, sports cards, MTG, normal cards, UNO, Phase 10, and more. They’re very secure and comfortable to use, and the packs could be great holders even if you take them with you when traveling. As you may assume, these card sleeves are dust, water, and dual-proof, and we couldn’t be asking for more! 

Questions & Answers

1. Are card sleeves necessary?

• We wouldn’t say necessary, but they’re life savers, especially if you want to keep your cards protected. When playing, you may accidentally spill things on cards, and they’re never as good as new. Even if you’re very careful, shuffling the cards, holding them, and passing them to someone else, may cause scratches or other damage to the cards.

2. Do you keep cards in sleeves only when you don’t play with them?

• No. We have deck holders or cases for that. The idea is that you always keep your cards in their sleeves, even when playing, even when shuffling. The masses of sleeves are waterproof and are sturdy enough, so there would be needed too much pressure to harm the cards.

3. Is there any technique to use before putting cards on the sleeves?

• Not really. You must wipe your cards before putting them on the sleeves, so there isn’t any dirt (in the worst scenario, any type of oil) on them, and this is how it doesn’t affect the cards’ visibility.  

4. How often should I change my card sleeves?

• It all depends on how often you use the cards. However, if you play regularly, it’s preferred to change the sleeves every 2 months. The sleeves may last longer (to years), but based on previous experiences, we don’t think it’s proper keeping the same material for years. That’s all up to you though… 

5. Are hard sleeves or soft sleeves better?

• There are pros and cons to that. Soft sleeves are easier to shuffle & to hold, and it’s simpler to put the cards on or remove them, but hard sleeves protect the cards better. Depends on your use.

6. Can you use card sleeves to carry the cards while traveling?

• We wouldn’t recommend that unless they come with a pack. I mean, yes, you may put the cards on sleeves and then in any carrying case, but not them alone. They may get distributed, and it would get messy in your suitcase. Also, when moving too much, cards may get out of their sleeves, and we don’t wanna see that. 

7. What’s the difference between card sleeves & top loaders?

• Cards sleeves are plastic cases made for each card, to protect them from any damage, while top-loaders are card holders (most likely made out of hard plastic) to help you hold & organize the cards.

Conclusion

We made it to the end, and yes, you may wish it had more… We know how important card games are to many people, and us as well, and that’s why we took so much care of this article. We think that to a card collector, keeping the cards safe is way more valuable than getting new cards. Especially when cards have a meaning. Especially when cards belong to our very favorite card game. 

There’s no doubt you’ll find card sleeves for your cards, no matter their specifics. Each is very unique and has its strong part, which most likely will help you out. What we suggest you do, is follow our buying guide, where we added details of what you should take care of when buying your card sleeves. However, as a second help, our best picks are very sincere (and based on our experience), so, check that out as well! 

Till next time, folks!