Casetify, a company that makes customizable iPhone, iPad, and MacBook cases, has also begun selling Apple Watch bands, which can be printed with any design. Available for both the 38 and 42mm Apple Watches and in two finishes, bands can be customized with photographs or artwork or ordered from Casetify's pre-designed artist collection.

casetifybandopen

Fit

Casetify's Apple Watch bands are made from polycarbonate and are closest in nature to the Apple Watch Sport bands. I've been wearing a 38mm Casetify Apple Watch band for just over a week and while it is comfortable, the material of the band is not as soft, flexible, or as thin as the fluoroelastomer the Apple Watch Sport bands are constructed from.

casetifybandcomparedtoapplewatchsportband
Bands come in two sizes, one for each watch. The 38mm band fits wrists sized 140 to 200mm, while the 42mm band fits wrists sized 150 to 210mm. The underside of each band is ridged, with the Casetify logo printed on each side.

casetifybandsunderside
At about an eighth of an inch thick, Casetify's bands seem to be approximately a third thicker than the Apple Watch Sport (there's maybe about a millimeter of difference between the two). That's not a huge thickness disparity, but it is noticeable when wearing the Casetify band after wearing a Sport band, especially on a small wrist.

casetifybandthickness
My wrist is under 5.5 inches in circumference so the Casetify looks and feels a bit bulky on my arm, but this may be less of an issue for people with bigger wrists. Part of the reason for the bulk is that I need to wear the band on its second to last loop, so there's a lot of extra band at the underside of my wrist.

casetifybandonwristback
It's definitely thicker and less flexible than the Apple Watch sport band, but the Casetify band has still been comfortable to wear all day long, even during exercise and when it gets wet. The band has a lot of holes to adjust the fit, so it's going to fit well on a lot of different wrist sizes.

casetifybandonwrist
Most Apple Watch bands are relatively easy to put on one-handed, this band from Casetify is not. It's a standard buckle watch, so it takes some maneuvering to get it on your wrist with one hand.

Hardware

The Casetify bands attach to the Apple Watch using stainless steel adapters, in either a matte silver or a matte black finish, and each watch has a matching stainless steel buckle.

casetifyadapter
Bands attach much like any other Apple Watch band, sliding into the groove on the side of the Apple Watch until it snaps in place. The Casetify bands don't slide in and out of the Apple Watch as smoothly or as easily as Apple's own bands, but they do lock into place in the same way.

casetifybandswithbuckle
One of the bands that I received from Casetify was assembled backwards, causing it to not slide in properly or lock, so that's something to watch out for if you order one of these. Fixing it would require unscrewing the adapter and turning the band around.

I have a stainless steel Apple Watch and the matte silver of the adapter does not match the shiny finish of the Apple Watch, but when wearing the watch, the difference in finish isn't overly noticeable from a distance. If someone's close to your wrist, though, the difference is easy to see.

casetifyadaptercolordifference
The matte silver also does not quite match the aluminum of the Apple Watch Sport, and the mismatching finishes is definitely going to be a deal breaker for some people when it comes to the Casetify bands. The incongruity between the band adapter and the Apple Watch is what bothered me most about the Casetify band, but no one seemed to notice but me.

casetifybandattachedtoapplewatch
Casetify provided me with a band that has matte black adapters, but I didn't have access to a Space Black or Space Gray Apple Watch to make a fair comparison on color. I did notice a tiny bit of chipping on the matte black Casetify adapter after I put it on my Apple Watch, so I am concerned that people who buy the matte black version might have similar problems with it. Casetify says that the chipping I saw is uncommon.

spaceblackchipping

Printed Designs

Customizability is the key feature in Casetify's Apple Watch bands, and designing a band that precisely fits your style and specifications is the main reason to purchase one of these bands. Casetify sells pre-designed Apple Watch bands in a range of colors and patterns, but you're also able to create your own using any image.

casetifyprinting2
You can upload an image or connect to Facebook or Instagram to use a photo from one of those services. Bands designs can use one, two, or five photos, and built-in tools on the site and in the app let you resize and move photos as necessary to create a desired design.

casetifybandcreator
Design wise, the possibilities are nearly endless. You can create a band with photos of kids, pets, or favorite cartoon characters, or use a more abstract design or photo. Things like flowers and sunsets turn out particularly well. A high resolution image is necessary for the best print quality, especially when using only a single image.

It's also worth taking a look through Casetify's artist's gallery for designs that have been created by others. There are a lot of whimsical, colorful designs that are fun to browse through.

Print quality on the Casetify bands is good, but it's not something that I'd describe as crisp. Up close, designs look a bit fuzzy due to the pixelated printing process, as you can see in the photo below.

casetifyprinting
At a reasonable distance, Casetify's band designs look quite nice, but I wouldn't choose a photo that has a lot of very fine detail for the printing process. Printing only covers the front of the band. The sides of the band are a light gray color, as is the back of the band.

casetifybandprintingdistance
So far, the design on my band has held up well over a week of heavy use and through attempts to damage the printing through scrubbing, twisting, bending, and rubbing. I have not been able to test the band over a long period of time, but the printing seems reasonably durable, as does the band -- it can stand up to a lot of abuse since it's made of polycarbonate.

Bottom Line

Casetify's bands are more expensive than the Apple Watch Sport band and have some caveats like their thickness and adapters that don't quite match the Apple Watch, but they're also the only Apple Watch band that's customizable, and that makes up for a lot of minor flaws.

If you want a band that's more colorful and has more personality than what you can get from Apple, or if you want to wear a band that's outfitted with pictures of your cat, Casetify's Apple Watch bands are the way to go. $70 is a lot to shell out for a band that's not quite as high-quality as the Apple Watch Sport band, but the tradeoff for customizability is worth it for Apple Watch owners who want something that stands out.

casetifybandspacegray2
One thing to keep in mind - there aren't many third-party Apple Watch bands on the market yet, and that's because Apple hasn't solidified its "Made for Apple Watch" program. Apple has published guidelines on band and adapters (lugs) for third-party accessory designers, but it's not yet approving accessories. Casetify's bands, like all current third-party bands are not "Made for Apple Watch" approved.

In the coming months, we may see a lot more band options hitting the market. For the time being, third-party bands are few and far between, so it's nice to have options like Casetify that let the Apple Watch be better customized to fit different styles and tastes.

Pros:

  • Comfortable to wear
  • Customizable -- endless designs
  • Waterproof/sweatproof
  • Fits a wide range of wrist sizes

Cons:

  • Thicker, less flexible than Apple Watch Sport band
  • Adapter's matte silver doesn't quite match Apple Watch finish
  • Matte black version coating chips easily
  • Printed designs aren't crisp

How to Buy

Casetify's Apple Watch bands can be ordered from the Casetify website or the Casetify iOS app for $70.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)

Top Rated Comments

5105973 Avatar
130 months ago
Thank you for the review. You told me everything I had wanted to know about the Casetify bands.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
testcard Avatar
130 months ago
Those bands scream "cheap and nasty".
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
iBlazed Avatar
130 months ago
Overpriced for what it is. You can get a third party leather band for $25. And the buckle is ugly.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
2457282 Avatar
130 months ago
I find these straps rather fun.

However, I don't have an Apple Watch, so they're lost on me.
well for just an additional $395, you could rectify this problem. :D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kuwxman Avatar
130 months ago
To switch out bands on your own, you will need a Wiha P2 screwdriver to undo the pentalobe screws holding the adapter together.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nagromme Avatar
130 months ago
Designing your own is a really neat idea, and of course costs more than an off-the-shelf stocked model.

But I don't like that clear plastic ring/loop. A black option might look better.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

apple watch ultra 2 new black

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Finally Coming After Two-Year Hiatus

Monday June 16, 2025 8:45 am PDT by
Apple will finally deliver the Apple Watch Ultra 3 sometime this year, according to analyst Jeff Pu of GF Securities Hong Kong (via @jukanlosreve). The analyst expects both the Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3 to arrive this year (likely alongside the new iPhone 17 lineup, if previous launches are anything to go by), according to his latest product roadmap shared with...
iPhone 17 Pro Blue Feature Tighter Crop

iPhone 17 Pro Launching in Three Months With These 12 New Features

Saturday June 14, 2025 5:45 pm PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of June 2025:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone X through iPhone 14 Pro have a...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

iPhone Driver's Licenses: These 17 U.S. States Offer Them or Will Later

Thursday June 19, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states and Puerto...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Wednesday June 18, 2025 10:24 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a few days after Apple provided the betas to developers. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. When the...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Apple Says iOS 26 Won't Be Available on These iPhone Models

Tuesday June 10, 2025 6:58 am PDT by
Apple this week revealed that iOS 26 is compatible with the iPhone 11 series and newer. That means that iOS 18 is the end of the road for the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR, which were all released in 2018. However, those devices will continue to receive security updates for at least a few more years. iOS 26 is compatible with the following iPhone models: iPhone 16e iPhone...
new iphone lockscreen ios 26

iOS 26: Five Changes Coming to Your iPhone Lock Screen

Tuesday June 17, 2025 8:46 am PDT by
With iOS 26, Apple has made some additions to the iPhone Lock Screen that aim to make it more customizable than ever. Of course, things can always change before the software makes its way to the general iPhone-owning public, but here are five new things iOS 26 can do on the Lock Screen as of the current developer beta. Widgets Top or Bottom In iOS 18, the row of widgets on your Lock...
ios 26 call holding

iOS 26 Beta is Hiding a New Ringtone — Here's What It Sounds Like

Thursday June 19, 2025 7:25 pm PDT by
Apple is hiding a new ringtone within iOS 26. The new ringtone is an alternative version of the existing Reflection ringtone, which has been the default ringtone since the iPhone X was released in 2017. It was discovered within the code for the first developer beta of iOS 26, but it remains hidden, so you will not find it in the list of ringtones available in the Settings app for now. It...
apple watch ultra snow

6 Features Coming to the Apple Watch Ultra 3

Tuesday February 25, 2025 9:00 am PST by
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is expected to launch later this year, arriving two years after the previous model with a series of improvements. While no noticeable design changes are expected for the third generation since the company tends to stick with the same Apple Watch design through three generations before changing it, there are a series of internal upgrades on the way. By the time the ...
Craig Federighi No

John Gruber Reacts to Apple Declining His Interview After His Criticism

Wednesday June 18, 2025 8:10 pm PDT by
Every year between 2015 and 2024, at least one Apple executive agreed to be interviewed by Daring Fireball's John Gruber for a special WWDC episode of his podcast, The Talk Show. Last year, for example, Apple's software engineering chief Craig Federighi, marketing chief Greg Joswiak, and top AI researcher John Giannandrea joined Gruber on stage at the California Theatre in San Jose to discuss...