Glass or Film Screen Protector for Your Phone? A Guide

A cracked screen is the most common type of phone damage, and replacing it often costs €100–300. A screen protector (often just called “glass”) costs only a few euros, which makes it the cheapest way to avoid an expensive repair. But tempered glass is not the only option: film is a better fit for some phones, hybrid glass for others. In this guide we compare all the options and explain how to apply glass without bubbles.

Tempered glass (9H): the standard choice

Tempered glass is the most popular screen protection for phones with a flat screen. Its hardness is rated 9H: keys, coins or sand in your pocket won't scratch the surface. The typical thickness is about 0.3 mm, so the touchscreen works as normal.

The main advantage is impact absorption: when the phone is dropped, it is often the glass itself that cracks while the screen stays intact. Replacing the glass costs a few euros, the screen – hundreds. The only downside is that standard glass sticks poorly to strongly curved screen edges.

Examples from our catalogue, from basic to premium: Wozinsky 9H glass for iPhone 16, 3mk HardGlass with oleophobic coating and Tech-Protect AR+ glass with anti-reflective coating. You will find current prices on the product pages.

Screen protector film: when it beats glass

Protective film is thinner and more flexible, so it is the best (and sometimes the only) choice in two cases:

• Curved screens. Film follows the curve across the entire surface – exactly where standard glass lifts at the edges.
• Foldable phones. For the inner screen of the Galaxy Z Flip or Z Fold, tempered glass is no good at all – it doesn't fold. Only special manufacturer-approved films are used here.

Film protects against scratches, but it absorbs impact less well than glass – it is not as good at surviving drops.

Hybrid glass: between glass and film

Hybrid glass (e.g. 3mk FlexibleGlass) combines the best of both worlds: a hardness of about 7H, a thickness of just ~0.2 mm and, most importantly, it does not shatter into shards. It is more flexible than tempered glass, so it also suits slightly curved screens. A good choice if you want protection you can barely feel, or if a child uses the phone – there is no risk of sharp splinters.

Don't forget the camera glass

Camera lenses stick out from the body, so they are the first thing to get scratched when you put the phone down on a table – and a scratched lens means blurry photos. Hybrid camera protection costs just a few euros and goes on in a few seconds.

How to apply a screen protector without bubbles

1. Choose a dust-free room – the bathroom after a hot shower works best: the steam “settles” the dust.
2. Clean the screen with an alcohol wipe (often included in the kit), then dry it with a microfibre cloth.
3. Pick up any remaining dust with sticky tape – this is the most important step: any speck of dust left under the glass turns into a bubble.
4. Line up the glass with the camera cut-out and the edges before peeling off the protective layer, and only then apply it, starting from one edge.
5. Push out the bubbles with a card or a microfibre cloth, from the centre towards the edges.

If a bubble won't push out, there is dust under it. Lift the edge of the glass with sticky tape, remove the dust and stick it back down.

Frequently asked questions

Glass or film – which is better? Flat screen – tempered glass. Curved or foldable screen – film. Want the thinnest option that won't shatter into shards – hybrid glass.

Will the glass get in the way of my case? Quality screen protectors are “case friendly” – the edges leave room for the case. The best protection is glass together with a case: we wrote about the types of cases in our case buying guide.

How often should I replace the glass? When it cracks or when the oleophobic (grease-resistant) coating wears off – usually after 6–12 months of heavy use.

You'll find all our screen protectors, films and camera protectors – more than 2,700 models – in our screen protector catalogue. Fast delivery throughout Lithuania.