The best power banks to buy in 2025 to keep all your devices charged and ready
These affordable mobile chargers, starting at just $20, make sure you never run out of juice.
Your phone is down to 4%, you’re miles from an outlet and you're trying to scan a boarding pass. Or load driving directions. Maybe even order a burrito. This isn't just an inconvenience, it's a full-blown battery emergency. And unless you’ve made peace with a 4% lifestyle (both emotionally and electronically), it’s time to add a power bank to your inventory. Whether you want something pocket-friendly, laptop-ready or just cheap-but-reliable, we’ve rounded up the best power banks to keep your devices charged (and, hopefully, panic attacks at bay).
Given that these things come in all shapes and sizes with a huge variety of capacities and capabilities, what constitutes a "best"? It's a combination of things: price, features, user ratings and, of course, our knowledge and hands-on experience. (I've been testing tech products for over 30 years; I'm pretty good at separating the e-wheat from the e-chaff.)
Of course, it's also important to think about safety. Power banks have been in the news lately, and not in a good way. Although there are millions of these things out there and relatively few reported incidents, when it comes to batteries, it's probably better to choose established brands that will adequately test, certify or even recall (as Anker did recently) their products — even if it means spending a bit more. Alternately, look to newer, safer technologies, like the one employed by the Kuxiu S2, below. It's also a little pricier, but still affordable.
For other factors to consider and answers to frequently asked power-bank questions, scroll past the top picks.
Table of contents:
The best power banks for 2025
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 10,000 mAh | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB Type-A | Maximum output: 45W PD | Size: 4.3 x 2.7 x 0.7 inches | Weight: 6.4 oz | Digital Status Display: No | Warranty: 3 years
INIU may not be a household name, but the company sells a lot of highly rated (based on Amazon user reviews) power products, and my online research revealed there's a small but vocal fan base.
I just joined it. Forget budget; the P41 is one of the best power banks, period. The fact that it's often priced below $20 is just icing on the cake — and reason enough to buy two or three so you always have one where you need it.
This little guy features three USB ports, an LED flashlight (not very bright, alas) and a braided finger-strap that's also — surprise! — a USB-C cord, so you always have one with you. Just for a fun, there's a light-up paw print embedded in the case; it takes the place of the usual boring array of battery-charge LEDs. When all five lights are glowing, the battery is fully charged. Adorable.
Perhaps most impressive of all, the P41 is backed by a 3-year warranty. That might be the fruit of INIU's 15-layer protection system, which promises to guard against overcharging, under-charging, high temperatures and more.
- Often priced below $20
- Compact design
- Charging cable doubles as a finger strap
- Integrated flashlight
- 3-year warranty
- Flashlight not very bright
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 10,000 mAh | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB Type-A | Maximum output: 45W PD | Size: 3.3 x 2 x 1 inches | Weight: 5.6 ounces | Digital status display: Yes | Warranty: 3 years
Basically a little brother to the INIU P41 (above), the P51 serves up the same ports, output and capacity in a smaller, lighter case. (Actually, it's shorter and narrower, but also a little thicker.) You also get that highly desirable USB-C lanyard.
So what's actually different about it, aside from size? You do lose the flashlight, but the P50 adds a display so you can see exactly how much charge is remaining. And it's available in six different colors, four of them from a pleasing pastel palette. (Pictured above: light blue.)
The P50 has a list price of $40 but typically sells for $33 — and watch for promo codes that discount it even further. (At this writing, for example, the black color is priced at $30, and an available 45%-off code knocks that down to just $16.50.)
- One of the smallest 10,000-mAh power banks you can get
- Can output 45 watts
- Charging cable doubles as finger strap
- 3-year warranty
- 6 color choices
- Display shows only charge percentage
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 5,000 mAh | Ports: Qi2 MagSafe, 1 USB-C | Maximum output: 20W PD | Size: 4.1 x 2.6 x 0.3 inches | Weight: 5 oz | Digital Status Display: No | Warranty: 2 years
There's a new-and-improved battery technology in town: solid state. In a nutshell, it replaces liquid electrolytes with solid ones, the result being not only a safer battery, but also one that can last longer before it starts to degrade.
In nearly all other respects, the Kuxiu S2 is a traditional — fairly boring, even — Qi2 MagSafe battery, one with a single USB-C port for in/out charging. It's definitely priced higher than other 5,000-mAh power banks, but remember that it should last longer: up to 80% capacity after 1,000 charging cycles, roughly double that of a traditional lithium-based battery.
And while there's not a ton of testing data out there yet, solid-state batteries are non-flammable; they’re much less likely to overheat, swell or catch fire.
While I wish it had greater capacity and maybe a kickstand, I can't deny that this is, hopefully, the beginning of a safer future for power banks.
- Newer, safer solid-state technology
- Supports Qi2 MagSafe
- 2-year warranty
- Costs more than competing power banks
- Only one USB port
- No kickstand
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 10,000 mAh | Ports: Qi2 MagSafe, 1 USB-C | Maximum output: 27W | Size: 4.2 x 2.7 x 0.8 inches | Weight: 8.8 oz | Digital Status Display: Yes | Warranty: 2 years
Striking the right balance of capacity, performance and support, the Anker MagGo A1654 is our pick for the best iPhone battery pack. It was among the first to offer Qi2 certification, and it comes with one of the better warranties: 2 years, double that of most power banks.
I especially like the MagGo's smart display, which shows the battery level and remaining usage time when you're charging your phone (or other device) and battery level and remaining recharge time when it's plugged in.
Save for its integrated kickstand, this is fairly no-frills as these things go — and on the pricey side to boot. But if you're not in a rush, watch for sales; Anker products tend to get discounted regularly, and this one can often be had for $70 or less.
- Available in five pleasant colors
- Qi2-certified 15-watt fast-charging
- Integrated kickstand
- Status window shows remaining charge time or battery life
- 2-year warranty
- Kickstand feels a little flimsy
- On the pricey side
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 20,000 mAh | Ports: 1 USB-C, 1 USB Type-A, 1 integrated USB-C cable | Maximum output: 165W PD | Size: 5.7 x 2.1 x 2 inches | Weight: 1.2 pounds | Digital status display: Yes | Warranty: 2 years
Laptops need more and faster juice than what you get from the typical power bank. UGreen's Nexode packs a 20,000-mAh battery that can output up to 165 watts — enough to fast-charge even a high-end MacBook Pro. And it comes with a retractable USB-C cable.
(Side note: In my experience, these spring-loaded mechanisms often fail over time. Thankfully, UGreen backs the power bank with a 2-year warranty; you should be able to get a replacement if the cable stops retracting properly.)
This little brick is more compact than I expected, and I really like the status screen that displays port status, power flow and more. Unfortunately, you don't get an AC adapter for recharging the Nexode itself — though that's forgivable given the surprisingly affordable price tag: $100, occasionally discounted to $75. I remember when you'd expect to pay at least $200 for a power bank that could charge a laptop.
By the way, if you don't care about the built-in cable, there's a 25,000-mAh version of the Nexode that can output a whopping 200 watts; it's priced at $130, often discounted to $100.
- Surprisingly affordable
- Integrated retractable USB-C cable
- Informative status screen
- 2-year warranty
- AC adapter not included
- Can charge only those laptops that use USB-C power ports
- Poor printed instructions
Rick Broida/Yahoo
Capacity: 24,000 mAh | Ports: 2 USB-C, 1 USB Type-A | Maximum output: 140W PD | Size: 6.5 x 2.5 x 2.3 inches | Weight: 1.5 pounds | Digital status display: Yes | Warranty: 1 year
Nerd Alert! The Shargeek 170 is fully transparent on all three sides of its prismatic case, the highlight being a circuit board fronted by an informative, futuristic status screen. It looks like something that would be right at home on a Star Trek set.
Fortunately, there's real power behind the good looks: This high-capacity battery can output up to 140 watts from a single USB-C port or a maximum of 170 watts across up to three devices. The four-quadrant display shows (re)charging time, output, input and remaining battery percentage — useful (and interesting!) information to have.
At 1.5 pounds, however, it's a fairly hefty addition to your carry-on bag. And the $169 price tag is hard to swallow, though I've seen it discounted as low as $98. Even at that price, though, I feel it should come with an AC charging adapter — and probably a longer warranty as well.
- Dazzling see-through design
- Informative status display
- Up to 170 watts total output
- Heavy
- Pricey
- 1-year warranty
- AC adapter not included
Other power banks we're testing
As we wrapped up this round of power-bank evaluations, a few just-announced products caught our eye. Among them: The nifty-looking Sharge 3-in-1 Power Bank, the Statik State Power Bank (another MagSafe battery based on solid-state technology) and the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 — the first power bank that's also a 4G mobile hotspot. We intend to review these once they're available, along with the ultra-rugged, outdoor-friendly Elecom Nestout.
We'll also be taking a closer look at Google's new Pixelsnap technology, which brings MagSafe-style charging to the company's new Pixel 10 phones. While there are "designed for Pixelsnap" products coming soon, you can actually use any existing Qi2-compatible MagSafe power banks — including those listed above.
How we tested power banks
This is a tricky area, because there are so many variables when it comes to battery performance. Outside of a lab environment, it's challenging to say that this battery lasted longer or charged faster than that one. And it's similarly difficult to know if a power bank is producing the maximum wattage claimed by the manufacturer.
However, we did perform various usability tests, including making sure all ports worked properly and fit our cables securely. We read the instructions to make sure they were clear and easy to follow (not that power banks are particularly complicated to use), with appropriate warnings regarding safe operation.
Finally, of course, we connected various devices, including an iPhone 13, an iPad Pro and Sonos Ace headphones, and checked for excessive heat. (All batteries get warm, but in the past we've encountered some that veered unsettlingly close to hot. Thankfully, newer power banks — including all those recommended above — don't seem to have that issue.)
Factors to consider when choosing a power bank
Capacity: Battery capacity is reflected in milliampere-hours (mAh). Higher is better, of course, but it also typically means a larger, heavier battery. A power bank with a 5,000-mAh battery should give your phone one full charge; 10,000 mAh is typically good for around two. If you want something that can also charge a laptop, look for 20,000 mAh, minimum, and a wattage output of 65W or more.
Digital Status Display: When you're wondering how much charge is left in your power bank, it's nice to see an actual percentage on a screen. Some power banks offer this; others might have just a series of LEDs to give you a ballpark idea. A status display isn't essential, but it's nice to have — especially if it also displays things like power consumption, remaining time to charge, etc.
Qi2, MagSafe and Pixelsnap: There is, thankfully, a wireless charging standard for phones, albeit with a confusing array of names. Qi (pronounced "chee") was the original version, and that's been elevated twice: first to Qi2 (15-watt charging maximum), and more recently to the current Qi2 25W standard, allowing up to 25-watt charging for compatible phones — albeit with the caveat that you use a wall charger that's capable of 30-watt power or more. Qi2 is effective synonymous with MagSafe (on iPhones) and Pixelsnap (on newer Google Pixel phones). That all boils down to this: If you're an iPhone user, it might make sense to choose a MagSafe-compatible power bank, one that can magnetically piggyback onto your device. We've listed our favorite above, but you can find lots more options in our roundup of the best MagSafe battery packs for 2025.
Ports: While USB-C is rapidly becoming the standard for device charging, you may still own some legacy devices that require a USB Type-A port (the larger, more rectangular port that requires proper plug orientation, ugh). Needless to say, you should choose a power bank that has the ports you need. And if you're looking to fast-charge certain devices (namely your phone or laptop), be sure those ports supply sufficient wattage (see Power Delivery, below).
Recharging: How do you actually recharge the power bank? In most cases you'll have to plug it into an AC adapter, but unfortunately this isn't something that's usually included — you'll have to BYO. Check the item description to learn what wattage the AC adapter should output. For example, the INUI P50 supports a maximum input of 20 watts, so you might choose something like this dual-port 20W USB wall charger (2 for $10). Something like the UGreen Nexode, which can recharge at 100 watts, would benefit from this Anker 100W wall charger ($30). Ultimately, you want to make sure you're supplying the power bank with the maximum wattage so it recharges as quickly as possible.
PD (Power Delivery): Included with most (but not all) modern power banks, PD is a fast-charging technology that allows USB-C ports to deliver significantly more power (up to 100 watts) to devices than their non-PD counterparts (15 watts). If you want to use your power bank to charge items like laptops and game consoles like the Nintendo Switch, definitely choose one that's PD-compatible.
Safety: Remember when hoverboards were all over the news for catching fire? Battery problems. Same with ebikes. And perhaps you've seen more recent news about power banks catching fire? Scary stuff, but whenever you combine chemicals, electronics and heat, there's a risk. Unfortunately, we can't say with any certainty that Power Bank X is safer than Power Bank Y; even those marked as "TSA-approved" merely meet specific guidelines. Our advice: Pay close attention to power banks that get unusually hot, and if they're bulging, consider that an immediate fire hazard. Opt for hard-wired power from your seat when flying whenever possible, and read the FAA's guide to portable chargers to learn more.
Warranty: All rechargeable batteries degrade over time, but sometimes power banks straight-up fail, meaning they'll no longer hold a charge. I've seen this happen on occasion; one time it was after just six months, another at about three years. Needless to say, the longer the warranty, the better the chance you'll have at getting a defective unit replaced. I also think an above-average warranty (meaning longer than just one year) points to the overall quality of the product.
FAQs
Why do I see a different price than what's listed here?
Power-bank prices fluctuate regularly, especially those sold by Amazon. Although our system is designed to show you the current price, there may be instances where there's a coupon or discount code not reflected in that listing. We'll usually note the list price if it's significant, but also mention if there are regular sales/discounts so you can make the most informed decision.
Are there magnetic power banks for Android phones?
Yes, but it's a little complicated, as we noted above. If a phone is certified for MagSafe (newer iPhones), Pixelsnap (Pixel 10 phones) or Qi2, you can simply snap on any power bank that's also marked as such, and it should work across brands. But the only Android phones that are currently Qi2-compatible are those Pixel phones and the more obscure HMD Skyline. What many Android phones offer instead is generic wireless charging, meaning Qi and Qi2 chargers will charge the phones, but not adhere magnetically. In some cases, a Qi2-friendly case will bridge that gap. That's why you'll see phones like the recent Samsung Z Fold 7, which tout themselves as "Qi2-ready."
How long does a power bank last?
Most lithium-ion power banks last anywhere from 300 to 1,000 charge cycles, or about 2–4 years with regular use. Solid-state models, like the Kuxui S2 reviewed above, can last even longer.
Can a power bank charge a laptop?
Yes, but only if it supports USB-C PD (Power Delivery) and produces enough wattage — generally 60 watts or higher. Check your laptop's power requirements and try to find a power bank that meets or at least gets close to them. (If the laptop requires, say, 100 watts and a power bank can produce only 80W, that's okay — it'll still charge, just more slowly.)
Can I use a power bank on an airplane?
Yes, but most national regulators and airlines impose limits on capacity: 100 watt-hours, which is equivalent to about 27,000 mAh. And you should always pack your power bank in your carry-on, not your checked bag.
What is fast-charging, and do I need it?
Fast charging means delivering more watts to your device (example: 18W+ for phones, 60W+ for laptops). It's a huge time-saver, especially when you're on the go, but make sure your device supports the technology as well. If it's older, it might not. For phones, look for Qi2 25W on both the charger and handset side.