You just have to be willing to live with USB 2.0 compatibility. We also found the SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 to be a great choice, as you get secure 128-bit AES encryption for a very low price. It offers an outstanding mix of features and affordability, with USB 3.1 support, data-read speeds up to 300 MB/s and a design so compact that you can leave the drive plugged into your laptop without worrying about damage.
We tested and used a variety of USB flash drives, an dwe found the Samsung Fit Plus (MUF-128AB) to be the best. But regardless of which USB drive you select, it should hold every file you care about in a simple, easy-to-use package. They vary by price, format, speed, physical size and storage size. To help you choose the best USB memory stick, here are 10 of our favorites. Some USB flash drives even come with secondary Lightning connectors to plug into iPhones and older iPads. If you've got a drive with a rounded USB-C connector instead, you'll be able to use it with newer Windows laptops and Android smartphones and tablets, plus recent Macs and even the newest iPads. Most flash drives still have a rectangular USB-A plug, which will work on most Windows PCs and older Macs plus most printers, smart TVs, routers and other devices.