The best power banks in 2024, as tested by our experts
Don’t get stuck without a charger – we’ve tested and selected the best power banks for keeping your devices juiced up on the go
With devices constantly getting bigger and more power-hungry, the best power banks are quickly becoming a necessary accessory for long trips out of the house. Whether you’re commuting to work or travelling abroad, having a decent power bank tucked away in your bag amounts to peace of mind that you’re not going to get caught short with no charger in sight.
Our team of experts have tested countless power banks over the years, and have compiled here the very best of them. If you want to get straight to the products, you’ll find a quick look at our top picks just below, with more detail in the mini-reviews a little further down.
For those who are unsure of what to look out for when shopping for a power bank, our buying guide runs through the top criteria to bear in mind.
Best power banks: At a glance
| Best for most people | Anker A1259 Nano (~£27) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best budget power bank | Ugreen Nexode PB560 (~£30) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best high-capacity power bank | Juice Eco Max+ (~£35) | Check price at Argos |
| Best wireless power bank | Anker MagGo 10K (~£66) | Check price at Amazon |
| Best for laptops and tablets | Anker Prime 27.650mAh (~£130) | Check price at Amazon |
How we test power banks
We connect power banks through a USB power meter to a range of devices, including Android and iOS smartphones and an Acer Chromebook, to check how much power they output from each of their USB-A and USB-C ports.
We also check their wireless charging capabilities and measure the rate at which they charge from a 65W USB-C charger. Finally, we run a quick charge test to find out how much they can recharge our test smartphone in a 15-minute period.
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The best power banks you can buy in 2024
1. Anker A1259 Nano: Best power bank for most people
Price when reviewed: £27 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… features and performance
- Not so great for… size and weight
The A1259 Nano has some great features that earn its slightly higher price. First, what looks like a carrying loop on one corner turns out to be a captive USB-C charging cable, so you’re always covered for a swift top-up. What’s more, it promises a higher output than most compact power banks, with 22.5W over the single USB Type-A port and 30W over USB Type-C. The input also works at 30W if used with a fast charger, though you can’t charge using the captive cable while the power bank itself is charging. It will, however, charge two devices simultaneously, albeit at a maximum 24W total output.
In testing, the A1259 Nano lived up to its billing, charging my test phone at 20.5W over USB Type-A and 20.3W over USB Type-C, then charging my laptop at 28.5W; a real achievement for a compact charger. I also like the informative display that sits just underneath the faux-metallic top panel. It shows you the current charge percentage, along with how much time it has left before it runs dry.
Key specs – Capacity: 10,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-A (22.5W), USB-C (30W); Dimensions (WDH): 52 x 104 x 26mm; Weight: 215g
- Great for… wireless charging on the cheap, overall value
- Not so great for… super-fast charging over USB-C
Ugreen’s 5,000mAh power bank packs a lot into a compact size and budget price point. The capacity should see it recharge all but the largest and most power-hungry phones, and you have a choice of an 18.5W USB-C port and a 7.5W Qi wireless pad to get the charging done with. The latter even supports magnetic charging for iPhones. At just 148g, you’ll barely feel it in your bag, and you can still use the Qi pad to charge your phone while you’re charging the power bank.
In tests, the output wasn’t quite as high as the specs promise; I couldn’t find a phone that would charge at above 14.6W, while my test laptop charged at 15W. Still, that’s high enough for a recharge on the commute home, and I had no problems charging a Google Pixel 7 wirelessly. While it’s not the best wireless power bank out there, the PB560 is hard to beat on value.
Key specs – Capacity: 5,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (18.5W), Qi wireless (7.5W); Dimensions (WDH): 68 x 106 x 13mm; Weight: 148g
3. Juice Eco Max+: Best high-capacity power bank
Price when reviewed: £35 | Check price at Argos
- Great for… massive capacity for multiple gadgets
- Not so great for… underwhelming charging speeds
It’s one of the bigger power banks out there, but the new Juice Eco Max+ makes the size and weight worth your while with a whopping 24,000mAh capacity – 4,000mAh more than the old Juice Max. It features two USB Type-A ports and a USB Type-C port that doubles as an input, and while none of these gives you super-fast charging speeds, 12 to 15W should be enough to keep your gadgets charged over a weekend camping trip or a long commute.
My tests confirmed Juice’s stated charging speeds, with output measured at 11.17W on USB Type-A and a maximum 15.09W over USB Type-C. It won’t handle a laptop but it’s a great option for Nintendo Switch users or anyone travelling with a tablet and a smartphone, as you can charge up to three devices simultaneously from just the one unit. The rounded corners and soft plastic shell make it an easy fit for a bag or backpack, and it’s comparatively cheap as well.
Key specs – Capacity: 24,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: 2x USB-A (12W), USB-C (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 68 x 140 x 28mm; Weight: 406g
4. Anker MagGo 10K: Best wireless power bank
Price when reviewed: £66 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… high charging speeds and a handy kickstand
- Not so great for… anyone on a tight budget
It’s more expensive than the MagGo 6.6K and lacks the ingenious hinged design, but the bigger MagGo 10K is the better power bank in many ways. Its larger 10,000mAh capacity gives you enough juice to charge an iPhone 15 twice and still have some left over, while I found its 20W USB-C port delivered 18.9W in actual use. And you’ve still got a 15W Qi2 charging pad if you don’t want to be bothered with a cable.
A clever little kickstand at the back means you can still charge wirelessly with your phone locked in a vertical position, or even held horizontally if you want to catch up on your Netflix watch list on the move. I also like the handy built-in screen on the right-hand side, which lets you know exactly how much charge you have left and how long it’s expected to last. If you’re looking for the best wireless power bank, this is as good as it gets.
Read our full Anker MagGo 10K review
Key specs – Capacity: 10,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (20W), Qi2 wireless (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 69 x 108 x 20mm; Weight: 250g
5. Ugreen Nexode PB561: Best-value power bank
Price when reviewed: £26 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… fast wired and wireless charging
- Not so great for… anything that needs a USB Type-A connection
Compared to the cheaper Nexode PB560 above, the Nexode PB561 has a couple of significant upgrades beyond just its larger 10,000mAh capacity. First, the USB-C output is now rated at 20W, while the Qi wireless pad supports the Qi2 standard for faster 15W wireless charging. With its relatively light 226g weight, it’s also easy to lug around – even slipping into a pocket alongside an average smartphone.
There’s still no USB Type-A output here, but the Type-C output charged my phone at 19.32W and my laptop at 19.52W, so there’s definitely scope for rapid charging. It also charged my iPhone 13 mini wirelessly at maximum speed. There’s enough capacity to charge most current smartphones twice, and it will happily charge your iPhone or Android phone wirelessly while it’s plugged into your mains charger. Unless you need more capacity, you won’t find a better-value charger.
Key specs – Capacity: 10,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (20W), Qi2 wireless (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 68 x 106 x 20mm; Weight: 226g
6. Anker MagGo 6.6K: Best-value iPhone power bank
Price when reviewed: £40 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… wireless charging and use as a stand
- Not so great for… Android devices or wired charging
You’ll struggle to find a portable power bank that does more than the Anker MagGo 6.6K. Not only does it include USB Type C charging and Qi2 wireless charging through a MagSafe-compatible pad, but the whole top section also pivots upwards so you can use it as a charging stand.
Your iPhone can sit and charge vertically, or the pad will hold it horizontally if you’d like to use it as a bedside clock or a video screen while you’re on the commute home from work. It will also charge Qi-compatible Android devices, though you won’t be able to rely on the magnet to secure your phone, so this one is better suited to iPhone users.
Read our full Anker MagGo 6.6K review
Key specs – Capacity: 6,600mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (20W), Qi2 wireless (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 62 x 109 x 25mm; Weight: 259g
7. Juice Eco 4 Charge: Best budget USB-A and USB-C power bank
Price when reviewed: £25 | Check price at Argos
- Great for… keeping power-hungry phones going
- Not so great for… rapid charging speeds
The new Juice Eco 4 Charge takes over from the old 3 Charge model in our line-up. It’s barely any larger and actually slimmer, with the weight still 193g, yet its larger 12,000mAh capacity gives you a little more headroom if you’re charging some of today’s big-battery phones. Even with 5,000mAh-plus monsters such as the Google Pixel 8 Pro you should be good for a couple of charges.
Don’t expect too much in terms of bells and whistles, but you do get two USB-A ports that can charge at 12W and a single USB-C port capable of 15W output. In my tests, I got just 11.17W from the Type-A ports and 14.3W with the Type-C, though only with my laptop – my test phones maxed out at 10.96W. You can actually charge three devices simultaneously, but with a 15W maximum total output charging speeds will take a hit. Still, for a simple and affordable charger to keep you going on a weekend away, this is an excellent choice.
Key specs – Capacity: 12,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: 2x USB-A (12W), USB-C (15W); Dimensions (WDH): 62 x 91 x 22mm; Weight: 193g
8. Juice Eco 2 Charge MagTec: Best budget power bank for iPhones
Price when reviewed: £25 | Check price at Juice
- Great for… convenient wireless charging
- Not so great for… speedy charging over USB-C
This Juice wireless power bank is tiny. It measures just 62 x 91mm and is only 19mm thin, while the 121g weight makes it the lightest power bank in recent tests. Despite this, it crams in two USB-C ports – one 20W input and one 20W input/output – and a 7.5W Qi pad for wireless charging, with a magnet to clamp tightly to MagSafe iPhones. Even on an iPhone 13 mini it’s barely visible while the phone’s in use, and it’s great for a quick recharge in places where you wouldn’t normally pull out a wired power bank.
The 5,000mAh capacity isn’t huge, but it’s enough to get most modern smartphones from zero back up to full, and you can charge two devices at once: one wirelessly, one via USB-C. Just bear in mind that it’s not the fastest charger. With or without the Qi pad occupied, the fastest charge I could get on a phone was 11.35W. Still, what you lose in performance you gain in sheer convenience and value.
Key specs – Capacity: 5,000mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-C (20W), Qi (7.5W); Dimensions (WDH): 62 x 91 x 19mm; Weight: 121g
9. Anker Prime 27,650mAh: Best power bank for laptops and tablets
Price when reviewed: £130 | Check price at Amazon
- Great for… fast charging of demanding gadgets
- Not so great for… everyday portability and affordability
The Anker Prime is a powerhouse of a power bank. The 27,650mAh capacity is big enough to cover a wide range of tablets, laptops and gaming handhelds, and you’ve got a generous array of ports to juice multiple devices at once. Output naturally dips with dual-port charging to match the 250W total output – try charging three devices at once, for instance, and you’re looking at 140W, 92W and 18W maximum.
I had no issues charging a 65W laptop, 25W tablet and 65W smartphone simultaneously, though I couldn’t persuade the latter to charge at more than 20.2W, even on its own. A 1.5in display beneath the top panel lets you see the incoming and outgoing charge and levels of output, and even with two 65W devices plugged into it I was able to fully recharge the Prime 27,650mAh in just 52 minutes.
This is an expensive power bank, and you’ll need to find an extra £46 to get the optional 100W wireless fast charging base, but if you want an advanced mobile charger that has all your devices covered, the Prime 27,650mAh is in a class of its own.
Key specs – Capacity: 27,650mAh; Input: USB-C; Outputs: USB-A (65W), 2 x USB-C (140W); Dimensions (WDH): 50 x 156 x 55mm; Weight: 630g
10. EcoFlow River 2 Max: Best high-capacity power bank
Price when reviewed: £449 | Check price at EcoFlow
- Great for… huge capacity and plentiful connectivity options
- Not so great for… very expensive and heavy
The EcoFlow River 2 Max is a superb option if you require a mighty power bank with the capacity to charge multiple devices for a number of days, or if you’re seeking a reliable backup power supply in case of blackouts. The price point is high, but it’s got the hardware and performance to back it up.
For starters, the 512Wh capacity is massive. There’s also an abundance of connectivity options, including three USB-A ports, capable of outputting up to a total of 24W, one USB-C port and two three-pin mains outlets. It charges exceptionally quickly – during testing, it went from 0 to 100% in about an hour using mains AC – plus it can also be charged via USB-C and solar. It’s built to last, too, with a battery pack that should provide many years of effective use.
As you would expect, it’s heavy (6kg) and fairly large, but it retains a sense of portability thanks to a neat handle situated at the rear, meaning it’s not too taxing to move it between a car boot and a campsite, for example.
Read our full EcoFlow River 2 Max review
Key specs – Capacity: 512Wh; Inputs: Solar (220W), USB-C (100W), AC (660W), car (100W); Outputs: USB-C (100W), USB-A (12W), DC5521 (36W), DC (126W), AC (500W); Dimensions (WDH): 269 x 259 x 196mm; Weight: 6kg
How to choose the best power bank or charger for you
What kind of power bank should I buy?
Basically, you’re trying to balance four factors: size, speed, capacity and price. The rules are simple enough: the less you spend, the lower the capacity and the slower the power bank will charge.
Cheap power banks
The cheapest and smallest power banks will have a capacity of between 2,500mAh and 10,000mAh. These days we’d avoid anything below 5,000mAh, as it won’t have enough charge to refuel most recent smartphones. At the upper end of this range, though, you’ll have sufficient capacity to recharge your phone or give a tablet a decent boost – and you can find one the size of a smartphone or a Mars Bar for around £12 to £18.
Mid-range power banks
Spend £18 to £30 and you’re looking at power banks with a 10,000-20,000mAh capacity and better connectivity, with USB-C connections now pretty much standard. You may get an increase in size and weight to match; 20,000mAh batteries can be roughly the size of a big-screen smartphone, but they’re also a good 50% heavier. However, you’ll also have much faster charging, with Quick Charge 4 and USB PD.
Expensive power banks
Splash out more than £30 and you can bag an even bigger power bank, with capacities starting out at 20,000mAh and going all the way up to 26,800mAh or more. USB-C with Quick Charge 4 and USB-PD will be a given, making up for the fact that you’re carrying a heavier brick of a charger. The advantage is that you’ll be able to top up multiple devices, often simultaneously, and you’ll have enough charge to keep them going for a whole weekend or even longer.
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What else should I look out for?
Most power banks now use a USB-C port to recharge, although some models will have a micro-USB port as well to ensure compatibility with older chargers. Don’t worry if you don’t have the required cable, as one will usually be provided in the box.
One advantage of this shift to USB-C is that power banks now support USB PD for faster charging. This means your power bank will often recharge faster when connected to a suitable fast charger, at anywhere from 20W to 60W. At those speeds, even a high-capacity charger can recharge fully in three to four hours.
As for charging your devices, you’ll usually have a choice of USB-A and USB-C ports, with the latter supporting the fastest USB PD charging standards. All power banks and smartphones support the USB BC 1.2 standard, which can deliver up to 7.5W over USB-A or 15W over USB-C. Most also support the USB Power Delivery (PD) 3 standard, which increases the maximum voltage and current to deliver up to 100W of power – enough to charge a lightweight laptop at a decent speed. Not all USB PD power banks can push out that much juice; you’ll often find them limited to 15W, 27W, 45W or the maximum 100W, but even 27W will cover you for fast charging on a wide range of smartphones and tablets.
We’re now also seeing the first power banks supporting the USB PD 3.1 spec, meaning they can deliver over 100W with compatible devices and cables. Right now, these don’t go over 28V at 5A for a maximum of 140W, but we may see power banks with 180W or 240W outputs in the future. That’s overkill for smartphones, but a potential game-changer for power-hungry laptops and tablets.
Beyond that, there are Qualcomm’s Quick Charge standards. The most common is Quick Charge 4, which pushes out a maximum 21V and 4.6A for 100W of output. It’s also compatible with USB PD, which is lucky, as Quick Charge 4 hasn’t had as much love from power bank manufacturers as the old Quick Charge 3 standard, with most standardising around USB PD. The same applies to the new Quick Charge 5, even though the latter can charge compatible phones to 50% within five minutes when using the right charger. It’s not hard to see why: USB PD is supported by Apple and Google’s recent devices and still delivers fast charging on Quick Charge 4 and Quick Charge 5 phones. More importantly, it’s an open standard without any licensing costs.
Is it worth paying extra for a fast-charging power bank?
Yes. There’s very little difference in terms of price these days, and even if your existing phone doesn’t support Quick Charge 4 or USB PD, there’s a good chance that your next one will. In fact, there’s an argument that the smartest thing to do is standardise around USB PD and ensure that your power banks, chargers, smartphones and tablets can all run under the same charging ecosystem, giving you fast charging whenever you need it.
What about charging wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones and other accessories?
Smaller accessories such as wireless earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, fitness trackers and smartwatches can cause problems for power banks because they’re designed to charge using a low-wattage trickle-charge, rather than the 10W to 25W used to fast-charge your typical smartphone. Either there’s a risk of damaging the accessory or its charging case, or the smarter power banks can even shut down due to the low demand. However, some power banks now include a trickle charge mode designed specifically to charge these devices safely. If you’re planning a long weekend (or longer) away where you’ll need a recharge, this is one feature worth looking out for.
What about wireless charging?
If you care more about convenience than speed, wireless charging is very much the way to go – and a growing number of power banks support it. Just place your smartphone on the integrated wireless pad, and you can recharge without connecting any cables. There will be a hit on charging speeds, so you’ll be limited to 7.5W or 10W, but that’s not a big issue if you don’t need to recharge in a flash. As a bonus, we’re now seeing Magsafe-friendly chargers that will clamp onto an iPhone or a ring inside an iPhone case, meaning you can recharge your iPhone even while you’re using it.
