Your laptop never has enough ports—especially if it’s the Macbook Air this guide was written on. You can carry around an array of dongles to plug everything in, or you can nab one of these USB hubs. Hubs expand the number and kind of ports available from one device so you can cut down on the clutter. After testing dozens over the years, these are the best USB hubs I’ve found for different needs.
Hunting for more home-office gizmos and gadgets? Check out our other guides, including the Ultimate Work-From-Home Gear, the Best Office Chairs, the Best USB Flash Drives, and the Best Portable External Storage Drives.
Update May 2024: Added the Monoprice 5-in-1 USB-C Hub, Satechi USB-C Multiport 8K Hub, and Ugreen Revodok Pro 211 Docking Station.
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Do You Need a Hub or a Docking Station?
USB hubs are small, portable devices you can plug directly into a port on your laptop to get extra USB ports, SD card readers, headphone jacks, and other extra connections. However, if you plan on regularly connecting your laptop to a full-blown workstation—with a keyboard, mouse, monitors, the whole shebang—then you might want to consider a docking station instead.
USB docking stations are larger, more expensive, and are designed to spend most of their time on your desk. They typically have a power supply to charge other devices and offer multiple monitor outputs, plus Ethernet connections. If you frequently use your laptop at a desk, we’ll have a new guide soon on the best docking stations, so stay tuned.