11 Best USB Flash Drives (2026): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

These WIRED-tested memory sticks are a virtual filing cabinet in your pocket. Simon HillGearMar 6, 2026 9:00 AMThe Best USB Flash DrivesThese WIRED-tested memory sticks are a virtual filing cabinet in your pocket.CommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyFeatured in this articleBest OverallSanDisk Extreme ProRead more$68 $62 (9% off) Amazon (128 GB)A Compact AlternativePatriot Supersonic Rage PrimeRead more$70 $68 (3% off) B&H (500 GB)Best USB-C Flash Drive (and the Fastest)Kingston DataTraveler MaxRead more$147 Amazon (1 TB)Best Budget Flash DriveVerbatim PinstripeRead more$21 Amazon (256 GB)The once ubiquitous USB flash drive has declined in popularity with the rise of the cloud, but these portable storage devices still have a lot to offer. Also known as thumb drives or memory sticks, flash drives provide storage for backing up precious photos, playing movies on the big screen, or copying files from one phone or laptop to another. They can also keep sensitive data off the internet altogether, which greatly diminishes the possibility of that data being hacked. They are affordable, small enough to fit on a keychain, and boast ever-increasing capacities and data transfer speeds. After testing many, we’ve selected these as the best USB flash drives for various purposes and budgets.If you need more than 1 terabyte of storage, check out our guides to the Best Portable Storage Drives or the Best Cloud Storage Services. And don't forget to back up your digital life.Updated March 2026: We've added the SanDisk Crayola as a new recommendation and the Kingston Dual Portable as a flash drive we like, removed a couple of older drives, and updated prices, which have risen significantly. There seems to have been a surge in demand for flash drives lately, so watch out for predatory pricing from third-party sellers when drives go out of stock.Best OverallPhotograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistSanDiskExtreme Pro$68 $62 (9% off) Amazon (128 GB)$48 Walmart (128 GB)$48 B&H (128 GB)$48 Adorama (128 GB)The SanDisk Extreme Pro is tough to beat as it strikes the right balance between speed, reliability, and price. It has a sleek and durable aluminum case with a loop for attaching it to a key ring. You can push the plastic slider with one hand to reveal or hide the USB-A plug. In our tests, the speeds matched what SanDisk advertises (420 megabytes per second read, 380 MB/s write), making it suitable for anyone regularly copying small or midsize files between devices. I have been using one of these drives regularly for almost three years, and it still works great. You get a variety of storage capacity options (up to 1 terabyte) and a lifetime warranty.SpecsConnector:USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-ACapacity:128, 256, 512 GB, 1 TBMax Speeds:420 MB/s read, 380 MB/s writeWarranty:LifetimeA Compact AlternativePhotograph: Simon HillPhotograph: Simon HillChevronChevronSave to wishlistSave to wishlistPatriotSupersonic Rage Prime$70 $68 (3% off) B&H (500 GB)$147 Adorama (1 TB)$48 Amazon (250 GB)$68 Amazon (500 GB)This drive supplants the PNY Pro Elite V2 as our pick for a compact drive because it’s a touch smaller, lighter, and cheaper. It consistently managed read and write speeds around the 450 MB/s mark in my tests. A red LED lights up when the drive is busy, which is a handy visual cue. It’s plastic with a sliding cover to protect the USB-A plug, so there’s no cap to lose. There is a tiny loop for a keyring, though it’s like threading the eye of a needle. I tested the 500-GB drive, but you can go smaller or bigger.SpecsConnector:USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-ACapacity:250, 500 GB, 1 TBMax Speeds:600 MB/s read, 600 MB/s writeWarranty:5 yearsBest USB-C Flash Drive (and the Fastest)Photograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistKingstonDataTraveler Max$147 Amazon (1 TB)$149 $119 (20% off) Adorama (1 TB)The Kingston drive copied the entire camera folder from my Pixel phone to my laptop so quickly that I feared it must have failed. But when I checked my laptop, everything was there. It’s a very lightweight plastic drive with a ridged top that allows you to slide the USB-C plug in and out. A tiny loop at the top means you can attach it to a key ring. It’s a great choice if you want to back up or move files between smartphones, tablets, or laptops with USB-C ports. It’s one of the speediest drives I have tested (1,000 MB/s read, 900 MB/s write), so it’s especially good for transferring large files. We've linked to the 1-terabyte model, but there are 256- and 512-gigabyte options, too. Kingston offers a limited five-year warranty on this drive.SpecsConnector:USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-CCapacity:256, 512 GB, 1 TBMax Speeds:1,000 MB/s read, 900 MB/s writeWarranty:5 yearsBest Budget Flash DrivePhotograph: Simon HillSave to wishlistSave to wishlistVerbatimPinstripe$21 Amazon (256 GB)$60 Staples (256 GB)The affordable Pinstripe from Verbatim will not win any races—my tests of the 256-GB drive saw variable write speeds of up to 80 MB/s and read speeds a little faster—but I like the simple