Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

The 9 Best Portable Safes for Travel in 2024 [Hotel, Pool, Beach]

Amar Hussain's image
Amar Hussain
Amar Hussain's image

Amar Hussain

Senior Content Contributor

823 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 63U.S. States Visited: 9

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications incl...
Edited by: Keri Stooksbury
Keri Stooksbury's image

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

49 Published Articles 3413 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 50U.S. States Visited: 28

With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now editor-in-chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Traveling can put your belongings at risk, and you would be wise to look for a way of keeping your valuables protected on your journey. While you hope thieves won’t take aim at you and your family, it’s best to be prepared for this unfortunate occurrence, especially when traveling internationally.

To avoid being an easy target, look to arm yourself with a high-quality portable safe. These safes can be used to store your phone, credit cards, jewelry, passport, and other valuables. They can be carried with you or left in your hotel room and used in place of hotel safes that may have easily breakable codes.

Things To Consider When Buying a Portable Safe

Portable Safe
Portable safes can be used to store your phone, credit cards, jewelry, passport, and other valuables. Image Credit: Amar Hussain

Before we get into our top picks for portable safes, we’ll also address the most important aspects to consider when purchasing one.

Above all, you should consider the lock type. Digital locks might be your preference, but classic combination locks work just as well. Additionally, the safe material and protection methods make a real difference here.

You’ll also want to be aware of the size of the safe to ensure that it will hold all of your valuables. Let’s dig deeper into these factors.

Lock Type

Portable Safe Lock Type
Combination locks are common on portable safes. Image Credit: Amar Hussain

There are several types of locks that can be found on portable safes. Manual key locks and combination locks are more common than digital locks and provide a high level of protection. Keeping the key to your safe in a dedicated place and the safe itself with you, or the other way around, will provide protection for your valuables.

Bottom Line: Combination safes are hard to break into, as long as the material itself is protective and resistant to tampering with a tool.

Material

Another crucial factor in a proper portable safe is the material. You need waterproof material to protect your valuables, but you also need a sturdy and durable construction for longevity, making it impossible for thieves to break into.

Some of the best materials for a portable safe include alloy steel, metal blends, and butadiene and zinc combinations.

Size

Portable Safe Size
Portable safes come in a variety of sizes to suit different needs and preferences. Image Credit: Amar Hussain

Portable safes come in a variety of sizes to suit different needs and preferences. On the smaller end, compact safes are intended to hold your phone and a few essentials and usually measure 5 to 7 inches.

On the other hand, much larger safes can also fit jewelry, documents, expensive perfume, and watches. These typically measure 15 by 10 inches and have a capacity of more than a liter.

The 9 Best Portable Safes

Let’s get into the best portable travel safe options. We compiled our list based on the protective factors and capacity mentioned above to bring you the highest level of security for your valuables while traveling.

1. Compact Combination-Lock Safe for Travel

BEST OVERALL: Master Lock Portable Small Lock Box
If you want a way to keep your belongings safe without taking up too much room in your bags, this is a great portable safe option. It's weather-resistant and durable.

Master Lock 5900D Set Your Combination Portable Safe

The Master Lock 5900D is a small safe that can be packed up in any travel backpack or bag. It has a compact size safe with a combination lock that provides complete protection for your valuable items.

Not only does it allow you to set up a combination, but you can also use its integrated cable to attach it to any object, improving the security of your items. The interior has just enough room to fit your phone, passport, cards, and other small items.

This portable safe is also equipped with shock-absorbing foam and is water-resistant, giving you peace of mind while you’re on the move.

What We Like

  • Compact safe with a combination lock

What We Don’t Like

  • It could be breached with tools if stolen

2. Waterproof and Compact Steel Safe

UPGRADE PICK: VAULTEK LifePod Secure Waterproof Travel Case
You can use this portable safe while you're traveling abroad or while you're commuting to work. It's a versatile way to make sure your tech and documents always stay protected.

VAULTEK LifePod Secure Waterproof Travel Case

With the VAULTEK power safe, you’ll be equipped with a completely protective safe for your belongings while traveling. It’s a compact safe that measures just 7 by 6 inches and is made of alloy steel to ensure protection.

It features a touch-activated keypad for code entry, and there’s a backup key entry discretely placed on the side. This way, even if you forget your code, you can use the spare key to open the safe.

This safe also stands out with features like a protective rubber gasket and dual compression latches.

What We Like

  • Double-layered protection with a keypad and a spare key

What We Don’t Like

  • Too small to fit anything larger than a passport and a watch

3. Great Travel Safe for the Beach or Pool

SAFEGO Portable Indoor/Outdoor Lock Box
This portable lockbox is small and colorful enough that it looks like it could be a toy or a purse, which helps add to its appeal as a way to protect things.

SAFEGO Portable Indoor Outdoor Lock Box Safe With Key

The SAFEGO lockbox comes with both custom combination access and key entry. If you will be using the spare key, it’s best to keep it somewhere accessible to you but not in the direct vicinity of the safe.

Styled to look similar to a small purse or bucket bag, this safe has an adjustable steel cable so you can attach it to another object. It’s extremely durable as it’s made from a blend of steel, zinc, and acrylonitrile butadiene. All in all, these features make the safe both impact-resistant and impervious to theft.

What We Like

  • Made with a blend of metals and a powerful metal cable

What We Don’t Like

  • Its design may limit its appeal

4. Anti-Pry Travel Safe Box With Combination Lock

Amazon Basics Portable Security Case
All you have to do with this safe is pick a combination and make sure you don't forget it. Everything else is intuitive, so you won't have any trouble using it.

Amazon Basics Portable Security Case Lock Box Safe

This safe has you covered if you want a safe place to stash your money and room key. It fits easily into your travel or beach bag, with dimensions of just 9 by 6 inches.

Still, it’s big enough to fit small items such as your phone or small pieces of jewelry. With a combination lock and anti-pry alloy steel material, this is a classic safe that does what it’s meant to do. Surprisingly, this safe contains a foam-padded interior and is California DOJ-certified as a firearm safety device.

What We Like

  • Simple and easy to use

What We Don’t Like

  • No spare keys

5. Innovative Design With Wire Mesh

DISCOUNT: 21%
Pacsafe Travelsafe Gii 5 Liter Portable Safe
With its 5-liter capacity, this is a spacious travel safe that won't add much weight to your luggage. It's also durable and waterproof enough to protect your things from the elements.

PacsafeTravelsafe Gii 5 Liter Portable Safe

One of the best large-scale travel safes is the Pacsafe option, with as much as 5 liters of capacity. It’s one of the largest portable safes you can find, and it still comes in a handy and portable bag design.

It has stainless steel wire mesh embedded in the fabric and a combination lock for maximum protection. All of your items will remain safe in this tamper-resistant bag.

The bag can be anchored to fixtures such as pipes or trees with a stainless-steel cable. It can even be stored flat in a suitcase and doesn’t take up much space for its size.

What We Like

  • Portable and has a large capacity

What We Don’t Like

  • The bag could theoretically be torn by heavy tools

6. Compact Alloy-Steel Box Safe

SentrySafe Portable Travel Safe
Not only is this safe small, and portable, but it's also ultra-convenient. It comes with a durable wire cord that you can use to fasten the safe to a pole or your luggage.

SentrySafe Portable Safe 0.21 Cubic Feet Black

This small box safe is constructed from steel and features a sturdy digital lock and carrying handle. With a durable box design, it’s a great choice for travel when it might be shifted around or dropped.

It’s easy to reset the code and it will only consume 10 x 13 x 4.4 inches of your packing space. Its size and alloy-steel construction make it suitable for keeping your, passport, credit cards, and jewelry safe at wherever your temporary home base happens to be.

What We Like

  • Has a carrying handle

What We Don’t Like

  • Too big to carry around for everyday use

7. Safe Box for Guns and Travel Items

DISCOUNT: 25%
Dalmbox Car Gun Safe
This box has been certified to keep virtually anything safe. From firearms to important documents, it's a great option if you need a place to secure your most important items.

Dalmbox Car Gun Safe For Pistols With Combination Lock

The Dalmbox gun safe box is a perfect option to keep on your hotel room nightstand. It’s a protective safe box with interior foam padding and a heavy steel cable to lock it to any fixed object.

With a 3-digit combination lock, this lightweight box works equally well on a plane, in a hotel room, or while taking a walk. You can bring it with you anywhere, and feel good about the fact that thieves will have a hard time breaking the code or breaching the steel construction. It’s also suitable for keeping guns away from children.

What We Like

  • Multipurpose safe box

What We Don’t Like

  • Can’t fit wide objects

8. Safe With up to 8-Digit Code

DISCOUNT: 12%
RPNB Gun Safe
This might be marketed as a gun safe, but you can use it for a variety of things. It has foam inserts that will keep fragile items from being damaged.

RPNB Gun Safe California DOJ Certified

Whether you wish to keep your gun away from children or to have a practical travel safe box, the RPNB gun safe is a solid choice. It’s perfect for thin items such as small pieces of jewelry, passports, credit cards, and phones.

This is a larger travel safe with dimensions of 12.2 by 7.87 inches, with plenty of room for a handgun along with other personal items. You can rely on either the biometric scanner or use a key to open the case, which is a great security addition in the world of travel safes.

What We Like

  • Cutting-edge biometric lock

What We Don’t Like

  • Dimensions favor thinner items

9. Small Safe With 3 Modes of Entry

VAULTEK LifePod Secure Waterproof Travel Case Rugged Electronic Lock Box
79 Reviews
VAULTEK LifePod Secure Waterproof Travel Case Rugged Electronic Lock Box
A great safe to keep your important belongings both handy and secure. This safe has biometric, key, and digital combination locks for extra security, and the box itself is very strong.

VAULTEK LifePod Secure Waterproof Travel Case Rugged Electronic Lock Box

You’ll never need another travel safe with an advanced option like the Jolitac pistol safe box. It has 3 modes of entry with a coded keypad, keyhole, and biometric sensor. All of this is in a small and compact package.

Inside you’ll find padded foam, while the outside features a tether lanyard and steel security cord. It comes with 2 regular keys for the lock, and you can charge it via its micro-USB port when your battery’s dead.

What We Like

  • Nonmetal polymer construction, triple access points

What We Don’t Like

  • Thin security cable

Final Thoughts

In the end, it all comes down to choosing the best option for you and your family based on the features we’ve listed as essential for portable travel safes. The type of lock and safe material you choose completely depends on your preference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are portable travel safes worth it?

Portable travel safes can be a great help when it comes to keeping your valuable items secure. No matter where you go, their compact size and security locks are a great combo for travel.

What’s the best portable safe size?

It all depends on the items you’ll be keeping in the safe, but in general, safe sizes between 10 by 5 inches and 15 by 10 inches are sufficient. Smaller sizes will hold items such as your passport and phone, while larger sizes can contain more than 1 liter of storage.

What are the strongest portable safe materials?

The strongest portable safe materials are alloy steel, reinforced metal blends, and carbon steel.

How heavy should a portable safe be?

It all depends on your items and the safe material, but there are compact solutions that weigh as few as 3 or 4 pounds.

Amar Hussain's image

About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status