The crossbody bag has gotten a bad name in years past. Some view it as the ultimate practical mom-bag or simply a tourist bag. While it’s true that crossbody bags tend to be very functional, they can also be fashionable.
There’s a huge variety of crossbody bags that make them perfect for anyone’s needs. Whether you’re looking for something designer, something retro, or something utilitarian, you can enjoy the safe and comfortable benefits of the crossbody style.
- What You Need to Know About Crossbody Bags
- Top 10 Best Crossbody Bags 2026
- 1. Best Overall Crossbody Bag: Realer Hobo Bucket Bag
- 2. Best Premium Crossbody Bag: Michael Kors Jet Set Crossbody
- 3. Best Leather Crossbody Bag: KPL Crossbody Leather Satchel
- 4. Best Sling Crossbody Bag: Leaper Retro Messenger Sling Bag
- 5. Best Budget Crossbody Bag: Deluxity Lightweight Crossbody Bag
- 6. Best Travel Crossbody Bag: Baggallini Everywhere Bagg
- 7. Best Multi-Pocket Crossbody Bag: Scarleton Multi Pocket Crossbody Bag
- 8. Best Crossbody Bag for Running Errands: Waterfly Crossbody Sling Bag
- 9. Best Leather Hobo Bag: Estalon Leather Crossbody Purse
- 10. Best Laptop Crossbody Bag: Mactso Vintage Canvas Satchel Messenger Bag
- All About Crossbody Bags
What You Need to Know About Crossbody Bags
To help you choose the right crossbody bag for your taste and needs, we’ve gathered the most important info you need to know before you shop.
Why Choose a Crossbody Bag?
There’s a reason why crossbody bags are staples for moms and tourists: they’re immensely practical. By wearing your bag from shoulder to hip, you keep your things close to you while leaving your hands free to hold a wiggly infant or try some delicious street food.
Crossbody bags don’t have to be held, taking up one of your hands, and they don’t have to be balanced precariously on one shoulder either. Since the weight of them is distributed across your body, you can enjoy the benefits of a big bag with all the things you need inside, without having to fatigue one or both hands by clutching the strap of a huge heavy purse all day.
Choosing the Material for Your Bag
In our guide, we’ve attempted to give a good cross-section of materials including leather and vegan leather options. But your choices go beyond just those two. There are other plant-based and synthetic materials that come with their own pros and cons,
Leather
Leather is extremely durable. It’s not prone to tearing or cracking, particularly if you take the time to occasionally condition your leather goods. Most leather is colored by using vegetable dyes that won’t run or bleed onto your clothing and don’t expose you to any synthetic chemicals. Leather also develops a distinct patina as it ages, sometimes even looking better a few years down the line. It’s also water-resistant.
PU/Vegan Leather
Vegan leather often attempts to mimic the look of an animal hide but it can be dyed a wider range of bright colors than many other materials, including real leather. It is also much more affordable than animal leather. Often waterproof some vegan leathers are also resistant to oil stains, cutting, and tearing. It’s also relatively strong given its weight per square inch.
Nylon
This semi-silk synthetic fabric was popularized as a substitute for silk in stockings during the world wars. It’s a popular choice for handbags because it’s an inexpensive vegan option that feels less like plastic than some leather substitutes. It’s also water-resistant and can be tear-resistant as well.
Canvas
Not just for painting on, canvas is a durable material made of natural fibers like cotton or linen. Sometimes this will be combined with a small percentage of PVC material to make it stronger and more waterproof. It’s a great option if you want a vegan material that doesn’t rely heavily on synthetic fibers, making it one of the most eco-friendly options without sacrificing strength.
Styles of Crossbody Bag
There are many styles of bags out there, but we’ve narrowed it down to a few basic designs that the bags on our list fall into. There are also many terms that can describe different style elements, and it can sometimes be hard to define all the names designers and fashion magazines will use to describe handbags.
Some bags we review may fall into more than one category, but for the sake of simplicity, we’ve chosen to call each bag by whichever style it can be most clearly defined by based on a few basic characteristics. Here’s a quick guide to what those characteristics are.
Hobo Bag
A hobo bag is a slouchy purse that’s taller than it is wide. It doesn’t have any framing, so the top will often give a slightly saggy appearance. That makes these bags popular for casual wear. Many crossbody bags fall into this category since they can depend on their strap to hold them up at the top.
Satchel
Satchels tend to be somewhat wider than they are tall. They will have a more structured frame to hold themselves up and will usually close via a flap that folds over the front with snaps or hooks. Satchels can be paired with a crossbody strap or a short handle at the top.
Baguette Bag
Baguette bags are, well, shaped like baguettes. They tend to be a good deal wider than they are tall and will usually close with a zipper at the top. These bags tend to be on the smaller side.
Messenger
A messenger bag is designed to hold documents, books, and in many cases, a full-size laptop. They are almost always crossbody bags that are wider than they are tall. Most will close with a rectangular flap over the front, often with a zipper or velcro closure inside.
Sling
You can think of slings like a crossbody backpack. They tend to be styled similarly to backpacks and frequently have many pockets. Instead of having two straps for either shoulder, slings will have one strap that crosses the body diagonally.
After scouring the available crossbody bags on the market, we’ve come up with a list of ten to share with you. There’s a decent amount of variation when it comes to size and style, but we’re confident that nearly everyone will be able to find one on our list that will fit their needs and budget.
Top 10 Best Crossbody Bags 2026
1. Best Overall Crossbody Bag: Realer Hobo Bucket Bag
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: PU/vegan leather
- Style: hobo bag
- Size: medium– 12.4”x4.7”x11”
Product Overview
This faux leather bag has one main compartment with a center divider. It has several internal pockets as well for organizing smaller items. It’s spacious enough to carry nearly anything you need for a busy day, and if that’s not enough, it does come in a larger size as well.
The bag has a zipper closure at the top and comes with two straps. One shorter strap allows this bag to be carried like a fashion handbag, and the longer strap adjusts between one-shoulder and crossbody lengths to be carried in any configuration you prefer. The long strap attaches with sturdy metal clips.
The bag is available in about 22 different colors, so you have a lot of options when it comes to picking one that works with your existing wardrobe.
The Downsides
Faux leather is a tough material to work with. While this bag looks nice, over time the edges of the strap start peeling because the vinyl material is quite thin. That makes this a little less durable than we’d like for an everyday carrying bag.
Some users may also feel that there’s not enough division in the main compartment. If you aren’t carrying larger objects like a tablet and water bottle, it can be easy for things to get a bit jumbled in the large cavern of the bag.
Who It’s For
People who regularly find themselves carrying a lot of things like notebooks and tablets for work or school will appreciate the open center compartment of this bag. This can easily accommodate those and still have room for a water bottle, makeup bag, phone, and wallet.
If you’re also looking for an attractive alternative to real leather in a variety of colors to match nearly anything, this bag will fit the bill at a moderate price.
Pros
- Suitable for vegans
- Versatile strap lengths
- Wide variety of colors
- Sturdy metal hardware
Cons
- Vinyl isn’t very durable
- Not many dividers in the main compartment
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: canvas
- Style: baguette bag
- Size: 9.5”x6.5”x2”
Product Overview
Designer bags aren’t just for little clutches or big purses. Michael Kors has released this travel-friendly crossbody bag to carry your basic essentials while flying or while you’re out exploring a new city.
The bag is made of a coated canvas material which makes it easy to spot clean with a damp cloth. The signature “MK” logo is printed across the bag, looking more subtle on certain color options, and very bold on others. The interior has two small pockets on either side to fit travel documents or cash, and the lining is quilted and similarly printed with the brand logo.
It has a single zipper closure and no outer pockets. Rather than a sliding buckle for shoulder strap adjustments, it features a belt-style buckle that hooks into precut holes.
The Downsides
Some users may find that this bag is simply too small. Its compact design is really only able to accommodate keys, a phone, and a small wallet comfortably. If you find that your lifestyle doesn’t allow for that, you’re going to need a bag with more interior space.
While many people like having designer branding clearly visible on their bags (isn’t that the main reason to pay a designer price, after all?), some may find that the repeating logo pattern is a bit much on this bag. And, as a bag designed for travel, it would make more sense for it to be a little more discreet. Flashy logos make you a target for pick-pocketers.
If you want a more versatile and less flashy bag for travel, you might prefer our pick from Baggallini.
Who It’s For
If you love designer handbags but need something a little more convenient and petite, this bag by Michael Kors may be your new go-to. Maybe you don’t need to carry your whole life with you, but don’t have enough pocket space for everything (a common problem of women’s clothing). This little bag will give you the designer look you crave while comfortably carrying your essentials.
Pros
- Easy to clean
- Interior pockets
- Sized for the essentials
- Secure adjustable strap
Cons
- May be a bit too small
- Very obvious branding may make you a target
3. Best Leather Crossbody Bag: KPL Crossbody Leather Satchel
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: leather
- Style: satchel
- Size: 14”x10.5”x4
Product Overview
If you’re looking for something timeless that will never go out of style, this bag is a great addition to your wardrobe. The classic satchel styling is just as functional and attractive for modern-day people as it would have been for students and workers 100 hundred years ago.
The timeless style is paired with a classic material: full-grain leather lined with canvas. The leather will soften and patina as you keep this bag in your wardrobe for possibly decades to come. and the sturdy canvas lining will stand up to daily wear and tear. The wider strap helps distribute its weight over a larger area to help reduce shoulder pain while carrying it all day.
Large enough to carry your basic necessities, plus books or a tablet in the main compartment, the front flap and two smaller front compartments securely buckle shut. This makes it more secure for carrying through busy streets. The front compartments keep small but important things like cash or your phone safe, but easily accessible.
The Downsides
When this bag is brand new, the leather may feel quite hard and stiff. While this will soften over time, the breaking-in process may be somewhat inconvenient if you’re looking for a supple, flexible leather bag. Adding leather treatment creams can help speed up the softening process, but you may find it inconvenient to do.
All of the closures on this bag buckle shut with a belt-loop style system. While this really does keep everything securely locked down, it can be a bit of a hassle if you want to quickly open and shut your bag. Having some snaps or zippers would make it much easier to navigate during a busy day.
For a pre-softened leather bag with a zipper closure, you may like our pick from Estalon.
Who It’s For
If you’re looking for a spacious and affordable leather bag, this is a great option. The large internal cavity paired with multiple smaller pockets means you can carry almost anything you need for your busy day without it becoming a jumble. Its wider straps make it more comfortable to carry even if you do load it up with a ton of stuff and the leather will only get softer and nicer with age.
Pros
- Will age nicely
- Sturdy canvas lining
- Comfortable wide strap
- Stay shut securely
Cons
- Material may feel stiff until broken-in
- Buckles take time to open and shut
4. Best Sling Crossbody Bag: Leaper Retro Messenger Sling Bag
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: canvas
- Style: sling
- Size: 10.2”x13.6”x4.4”
Product Overview
This sling-style bag can be worn across your body around the front or back. It can be worn quite close to your torso and has padded straps to keep it from digging into your shoulders. This makes it a great commuter bag if you bike to work or even take crowded public transportation.
The sturdy canvas bag has an attractive unisex style and features plenty of pockets for organization. It has pockets suited to carrying larger items like a laptop, a main center cavity, and small pockets for personal items. The front features several faux-buckle closures that are actually convenient magnetic snaps. These help keep your bag shut as you go about your day, but easily pull open when you need access.
The bag comes in a medium and a large size, so you can choose which one will work best for you. The large can carry up to a 13-inch laptop, whereas the medium will carry a 10-inch tablet. It also comes in colors ranging from bold to neutral.
The Downsides
Over time, the sliding buckle on the strap may loosen up. This means that you may need to make adjustments throughout the day, or it will cause the position of the bag to shift and can lightly choke you if left unchecked. It can also cause the padded portion of the strap to move away from your shoulder where you need that extra cushion.
The magnetic clasps also seem a little weak and prone to failure, breaking and losing their ability to remain secure. Fortunately, the bag can stay shut without them both being closed, but it is slightly annoying to lose the use of them.
Who It’s For
If you need a comfortable and versatile bag that’s well suited to commuting and traversing a big city, you might just fall in love with this bag. The design is not overtly feminine or masculine either, making it a great option for anyone. The padded straps will also save you a good deal of shoulder pain if you’re carrying heavy items like books or laptops around with you.
Pros
- Multiple organization pockets
- Padded strap
- Can be worn around the front or back
Cons
- Adjustment buckle loosens throughout the day
- Weak magnetic clasps
5. Best Budget Crossbody Bag: Deluxity Lightweight Crossbody Bag
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: PU/vegan leather
- Style: hobo bag
- Size: 10”x9”x0.5”
Product Overview
This is a lightweight, slimline bag that features a functional front pocket with two decorative tassels on the zippers to give it a playful and distinctive look. The interior features a deep but flat center cavity with one zipper pocket and one open pocket on either side.
What’s most interesting about this product is how wide the range of colors is. It comes in 50+ shades and combinations of colors. Nearly all of them have the same distinct gold-tone hardware. This product is priced in a way that encourages you to buy multiples. And with such a huge selection to choose from, you can have a few in your wardrobe to match a variety of shoes, coats, or outfits.
The material is a vegan leather substitute, and each bag features a striped lining. In spite of how thin it is, you can carry a surprising amount of stuff inside it.
The Downsides
This bag isn’t made with the highest quality vegan leather, which is to be expected when it’s priced this low. It looks like plastic and the stitching isn’t strong enough to stand up to regularly carrying heavy items in the bag.
The metal is a little flimsy, too, making the hardware more prone to bending or tarnishing. And the decorative tassels are likely to get caught in the zipper.
While this bag can hold a lot, it doesn’t expand much width-wise, so it can’t hold wide objects well. If you’re looking for a handy vegan leather bag that can carry more in multiple pockets, try our pick from Scarleton.
Who It’s For
If you find yourself needing to carry a lot of slim, rectangular things for work or school like documents, notebooks, and tablets, this bag can easily accommodate that and has pockets for your phone, wallet, and keys as well.
It probably won’t be an investment piece you can use for years, but you can keep it in multiple colors to rotate through your wardrobe if you’re a bit of a clotheshorse.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Suited to carrying tall thin items
- Available in many colors
- Attractive full lining
Cons
- Poor quality stitching
- Flimsy hardware
- Lacks expandability width-wise
6. Best Travel Crossbody Bag: Baggallini Everywhere Bagg
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: nylon
- Style: hobo
- Size: 9”x13.5”x5”
Product Overview
Designed with travel in mind, Baggallini is a popular brand among tourists. This Everywhere Bagg is designed to carry everything you might need while traveling, keep your things safe, and work with a variety of outfits.
The sturdy nylon material means that the bag is water-resistant, keeping your documents dry if you get caught in the rain, but it can be machine washed between excursions if needed. The strap is sturdy, though not quite cut-proof. There are also several outer pockets to keep things you need frequent access to.
Inside, you’ll find more organization pockets for documents and smaller items. There’s also a removable RFID-blocking wallet inside the bag to help protect you from hackers wherever you are. It also comes with a sleeve to fit over your luggage handle so that you can secure it on top of your rolling luggage while running to catch your connecting flight.
The Downsides
The strap, while having excellent adjustability, isn’t the greatest quality. It’s rather stiff and hard, which can make it uncomfortable, digging into the skin on your neck and shoulder. It’s also not cut-proof, which is something you might expect from a travel bag.
For the price, this bag is a little disappointing. Some of the stitching comes loose and the pocket loops for the outer pockets are hard to maneuver. It also doesn’t look as sleek and stylish as you may want. Especially in some of the brighter colors, it kind of screams, “I’m a tourist who’s afraid of getting pickpocketed!” Not, “I’m a savvy and sophisticated jet-setter.”
If a sturdy and spacious bag that blends in a little better on European streets is your goal, you may want to choose something a bit more classic, like our choice from KPL.
Who It’s For
If you’re a jet-setter who needs a bag that can carry their necessities from a plane cabin to the busy city streets, you might appreciate the large capacity and extra protective features of this bag.
If you find yourself in unpredictable weather, the washability combined with water-resistance just might prove to be a match made in heaven. While this won’t be at home in a five-star restaurant, you can feel confident while out hunting for the best street food stands.
Pros
- RFID protection
- Water-resistant and washable
- Multiple organizational pockets
- Luggage sleeve
Cons
- Stiff uncomfortable strap
- Not the best quality
- Looks touristy
7. Best Multi-Pocket Crossbody Bag: Scarleton Multi Pocket Crossbody Bag
Editor’s Rating:
Quick Facts:
- Material: PU/vegan leather
- Style: hobo bag
- Size: 9.4”x10.6”x2”
Product Overview
This handy vegan leather bag comes in two sizes, each featuring a deep center compartment and several zipper pockets inside and out to help organize your necessities. A snap closure pocket on the front of the bag allows you quick access to small items like your keys or headphones while you’re out and about.
The soft, thin faux leather has a broken-in look and it comes in 12 colors. It features warm, bronze-toned hardware on the zippers, snaps, and the sliding buckle to adjust the strap length.
The bag is tall enough to accommodate a standard water bottle and the outer zipper pocket can fit a passport, making it suited to traveling. The bag is very lightweight, so it won’t add to the weight of what you’re carrying. It’s also water-resistant.
The Downsides
While the bag is cute and versatile, it is lacking in a few areas. The main compartment, for example, has a good amount of depth, but it doesn’t expand as much as we’d like width-wise, so it is better suited to flatter objects. The front pockets are also meant to allow you quick access to your necessities, but it’s nearly impossible to fit a modern smartphone in a case inside any of these pockets. And what do you need to access on the go, if not your phone?
The dye on this bag too, seems to fade over time, rubbing almost bald in some high-contact areas. For a vegan leather option that is more color-fast and more spacious, you might have better luck with our pick from Realer.
Who It’s For
If you need an easy bag that’s comfortable and cute to carry every day, this could be a good option. Just watch out for color fading, which might give the bag a distressed look after a while. That could be a look you enjoy, however, depending on your personal style.
It’s also a great choice if you don’t want to have a lot of weight pulling on your shoulders. The bag doesn’t have the ability to carry a huge amount, and it doesn’t weigh much on its own either.
Pros
- Very lightweight
- Multiple outer pockets for accessibility
- Water-resistant material
- Deep inner compartment
Cons
- Not much width inside
- Compartments are too small for most phones
- Color can fade and rub off
8. Best Crossbody Bag for Running Errands: Waterfly Crossbody Sling Bag