This $45 phone case has a built-in grip, kickstand, and car mount - which would have cost me $75 to buy separately

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Amir Ismael/Scooch

• New iPhones are pretty expensive now, making it harder to shell out extra money for accessories.
• Scooch, a new smartphone accessories brand, found a way to pack a case, grip, kickstand, and car mount into one gadget called the Wingman, is built to withstand military drop tests.
• At about $45, it's cheaper than buying everything separately.
• I've always been the type to buy one basic case and leave it on my phone forever, but the Wingman's versatility and convenience led me to make a permanent switch.

Owning a new iPhone is expensive. On top of the $1,250 I paid for the device and my monthly bill for service, I also needed to shell out money for essential accessories like a protective case, a car mount, and some sort of grip like a PopSockets Grip or Speck GrabTab.

Being the smart shopper that I am, I decided to add up the cost of everything I needed before actually buying it and it came out to about $75 - $40 for a decent case, at least $10 for a grip, and $25 for the car dash mount my coworker Brandt recommended - which was a lot more than I wanted to spend.

After holding out on buying everything separately, I found a single product that packed everything I needed all in one at a much cheaper price - the Scooch Wingman iPhone Case (from $40).

David Slotnick/Business Insider

Push down on the middle of the wing to extend it for use.

The Scooch Wingman is a highly protective case that meets military drop standards by using EXO-D impact technology. While its ability to withstand 6-foot drops and lots of abuse is a very important feature, the built-in wing on the back is what makes the case special. Acting as a grip, a kickstand, and a car mount, the innovative wing design adds a lot of usability to an otherwise simple, yet solid iPhone case.

Since I was in the market for a bunch of products that could do all of those things separately, I decided to give the Wingman a try. I'm usually the type of person to put one case on my iPhone and leave it on forever, but the Wingman was so useful I made the switch permanently.

Here's how it works as a phone grip

As phones get bigger and bigger, they also get harder to hold. We've all struggled to click the shutter while gripping the phone at the right angle for a selfie and that's where the wing comes in handy most. Simply push down on the middle of the wing in order to get it to stick out and you'll then have a grip that functions similarly to a PopSocket Grip. Since I have the largest iPhone, the Xs Max, I often find myself using the grip function whenever I'm holding it in my hand; it just feels more secure.

Personally, I prefer this design over PopSockets Grips because when it's not in use, it lays flush against the phone. The only upside that other grips have is that they are available in hundreds if not thousands of colors and themes. If you must have a grip with your favorite color, cartoon character, or sports team, then PopSocket Grips would be the way to go. If not, the Wingman works perfectly fine.

David Slotnick/Business Insider

The kickstand feature is great for watching videos or using FaceTime

I bought this gigantic iPhone so that I could watch videos on a decent-sized screen, but the last thing I want to do is have to hold my phone for an entire TV show or movie. In the past, I've had to come up with creative ways to keep my phone standing like leaning it against a water bottle, a stack of books, or whatever else might be laying around. With the Scooch Wingman, the wing is there to keep your phone propped up. It's even good for FaceTiming, taking photos with the self-timer, or anything else you might want to do without using your hands.

David Slotnick/Business Insider

Using the Scooch Wingman as a car mount is easy:

Installing a phone mount in your car is a good way to be a safe and responsible driver. I'm all for using dash mounts, but I have several cars of my own and occasionally drive my parents' cars. Buying a separate dash mount for each car would be a bit ridiculous, not to mention expensive. The Scooch Wingman ensures that I never go without a mount, no matter which car I'm driving. Simply extend the wing and slide it into your car's air vent. The curved design of the wing will keep your phone securely in place. Below, you'll see my iPhone Xs Max mounted in my mom's Honda CR-V. It does block a good portion of the air vent, but it definitely beats driving and trying to look at GPS directions with the phone in my lap.

Amir Ismael/Business Insider

Unfortunately, the Scooch Wingman doesn't work with wireless chargers, but such is the case with most add-on grips anyway. As much as I liked using a wireless charger with my last case, the trade-off for everything the Wingman does offer makes using a normal charging cable worthwhile.

As cool as the collective features are, the price is the most impressive part. At about $45 for the iPhone X/Xs or iPhone Xs Max, the Scooch Wingman is a clear winner in terms of value. If you have an older iPhone or a Samsung phone, you can also find choices on Amazon here.

As an added bonus, Scooch will donate 10% of the proceeds from every product sold to programs that support victims of crime and domestic abuse. It doesn't make the case any better from a function standpoint, but it's always nice to see a brand you like supporting a noble cause.

In short, you can either buy a bunch of different iPhone cases and accessories, or you can buy a Scooch Wingman. It's protective, versatile, and convenient in every way.

Scooch Wingman for iPhone Xs Max, available on Amazon, starting at $39.99

Scooch Wingman for iPhone X/Xs, available on Amazon, starting at $44.39

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