13 best power banks you can buy in 2023

About the size of a Mars bar, the recently revamped 321 is one of the smallest power banks in Anker’s range and our pick for the best power bank under £30. It’s a pocketable charger that has enough capacity to fully recharge older phones like the iPhone 7 Plus or Samsung Galaxy S7 but may not always deliver a full charge for newer models or tablets. Still, we love the compact size and think it’s great for top-ups. At 5,200mAh, it’s a relatively small battery, but it’s perfect if you’re after something basic and super-lightweight, and the 12W maximum speed is solid.

• Dimensions: 9.7 x 4.58 x 2.2 cm
• Weight: 128.5g
• Capacity: 5200mAh
• Ports: USB-C (input and output) and USB-A (output)

Only about as big as a little wallet and as heavy as a large bag of Doritos, this Anker is one of the smallest and most affordable power banks around. It's a pocketable charger that has a larger capacity than you'd expect for its size, but it's just worth noting that it only charges via one USB-A port (and recharges via the rather outdated Micro-USB). That means it can only fuel up one device at a time and won't do it in much of a hurry when compared to rivals with USB-C on our list.

• Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 2.2 cm
• Weight: 180g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: Micro-USB (input) and USB-A (output)

This has remained one of our top picks since we originally tried it last year, and it’s still a top contender for the one we’d toss in the bag when heading out of the house. The Redux model is a compact power bank for minimalists (with just two simple ports, a grippy exterior and a button housing four LED indicators) but it’s no slouch when it comes to capacity or speed, with enough juice for two charges of an iPhone XR and the ability to deliver fast charges to a Nintendo Switch. On test, it got our iPhone XR halfway charged in a speedy 25 minutes too. Overall, an ideal power bank to stash in a backpack, if a little too heavy for most pockets.

• Dimensions: 10.6 x 5.2 x 2.5 cm
• Weight: 192.78g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A and USB-C (input and output)

You can only bring batteries up to a certain size on planes, and rules will depend on the airline you're flying with and the countries involved in your journey. Generally, though, the maximum permitted capacity is just above 20,000mAh, so we’d pick an option like this Belkin to be safe. Power banks of this size tend to be on the expensive side, so we reckon this is good value for money at under £30. With this model, you’ll have enough ports to charge three devices at once, and enough juice to charge up an iPhone 12 to full power about four times.

• Dimensions: 16 x 8.13 x 2.29 cm
• Weight: 490g
• Capacity: 20,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A x2 and USB-C (input and output)

The slimmest charger we have tried at this capacity, the PowerCore Slim 10000 charged up our phone twice before needing to be recharged itself. On test, it brought the juice back up to 100% quickly thanks to the USB-C port and cable, taking just under an hour from a totally flat battery. We liked the sleek, black design and the carry pouch is a great bonus to stop lint and gumph from getting into the charging sockets if you chuck it in your bag.

• Dimensions: 14.95 x 6.85 x 1.45 cm
• Weight: 212.63g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A and USB-C (input and output)

If you like the sound of the combination of convenient magnetic charging and fast PD speeds but aren’t fussed about the kickstand, this is well worth considering at a lower cost than the Anker 633. It’s a bit chunkier, but it packs in a lot of versatility at a sub-£40 price. Not only does it have a strong magnetic connection for a convenient 7.5W trickle charge, it can also deliver PD speeds when using a USB-C cable, getting our iPhone 13 mini back to 50% in 26 minutes. We like how this functions as a plugged-in wireless pad with pass-through charging too – when it’s time to leave the house, just unplug and you’ll have a full portable charger ready to go.

• Dimensions: 10.2 x 2.5 x 16.9 cm
• Weight: 300g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A and USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

If you've got an iPhone 12 or 13 model and only need a little top-up to get you through the day, this Anker is a great option to take everywhere. Like the other magnetic accessories on this list, it just snaps to the back of your iPhone with strong magnets to refuel it. With 7.5W speeds and 5,000mAh capacity, it's not winning awards for charging speed or size, but it does have a handy kickstand that makes it a smart and convenient two-in-one accessory.

• Dimensions: 10.5 x 6.6 x 1.3 cm
• Weight: 141.75g
• Capacity: 5,000mAh
• Ports: USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

While this isn’t the only MagSafe charger on our list with a stand, we like the options from ESR (both the stabiliser on this and the HaloLock mini) more than others for a few key reasons – the kickstand here feels sturdy and solid, much more so than the ones you get with the Anker models, and it’s more flexible to view your phone from multiple different angles. The weight of the power bank means it stays put on the tabletop once you set it up to charge while viewing a few TikToks or Instagram stories too. Halfway through an Avatar rewatch on Disney+ and need to continue the movie from your phone? This works just as well in the horizontal orientation as it does in the vertical position. We like how you can also turn the charging off with a long press of the button, so you can just use it as a stand for those times you want to preserve the juice of the power bank. We tested the HaloLock out on both our iPhone 14 Pro and the Google Pixel 7 (with the help of these fantastic MagSafe-enabled cases for the latest Pixels) and can report that it works well with either handset. How about the actual charging performance? It’s good for a slow trickle charge when used wirelessly, and got our Pixel 7 back to half full in a speedy 33 minutes when we used it with a USB-C cable (it delivers a fast 20W output).

• Dimensions: 10.39 x 6.91 x 2.01 cm
• Weight: 223.11g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

The retractable stand and decent 10,000mAh capacity make this a great pick for use on a long trip or commute so you can use your phone hands-free while watching the latest episodes of Andor and Gangs of London. It’s also great if you need to refuel your phone on your lunch break while playing some of the latest releases on Apple Arcade. While it doesn’t technically support the fastest charging speeds, we still got our iPhone XR battery back to 50% in 32 minutes via the USB-C port. Game controller running low too? This can charge a second device simultaneously with the extra USB-A port.

• Dimensions: 15.8 x 4 x 10.2 cm
• Weight: 340g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A and USB-C (input and output)

We like this ESR model as a sleek, slim and portable handheld option to rival the magnetic Anker and Mophie models (albeit a little heavier) – it’s quick to recharge and can output a respectable 12W from its USB-C port, but we know you’ll be considering this for the complete wire-free experience. We used it to snap onto our iPhone 14 Pro and found it impressive and convenient (with a great magnetic hold). We love the angled edges on the back, found that the button is exactly where you expect it to be, and like how the sturdy kickstand moves to multiple angles, making it more versatile than the Anker stands. If you’re looking at a power bank with a stand, go with this one. The tension is just right, making it feel more secure than the others we’ve tried, and it’s possible to switch off the charging and just use it as a stand too (ideal if you want to conserve the battery but still use the stabiliser to watch a few TikToks).

• Dimensions: 9.91 x 6.4 x 1.65 cm
• Weight: 173g
• Capacity: 5,000mAh
• Ports: USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

Anker's slim wireless power bank has a good mid-range capacity and can charge any Qi-certified devices after you place them on the pad and press the button. It also has a versatile USB-A port and fast charging at a speed of 18W through the USB-C port. This has been a trusted companion for several trips over the last year or so, and we think it’s also a good option for a day out as it can charge three devices at once. With its added versatility, we think this is the best power bank under £50 for most people, especially if you don’t own an iPhone and won’t use the magnetic features included in the MagSafe models on this list.

• Dimensions: 14.9 x 6.8 x 1.9 cm
• Weight: 240.98g
• Capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A, USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

If you want a pocket-sized charger that you can magnetically attach to save your battery, this is the one to go for. The capacity is low, but it's the lightest model on our list and the slimmest of these snap-on ones that we’ve seen. We found it reliable for backup power in an emergency, especially because it’s small enough to go in a pocket. While we'd recommend it most for iPhone users with a handset newer than the iPhone 12, it does come with a "snap adapter" that adds magnetic compatibility to phones without it – we tried this with the non-MagSafe iPhone XR and it works well, although you'll want to hide the unsightly magnet array under a thin case. You can also get cases that work with MagSafe, like these Mous cases for the Pixel 7 that add magnetic functionality.

• Dimensions: 6.7 x 11.2 x 1.24 cm
• Weight: 90.7g
• Capacity: 5,000mAh
• Ports: USB-C (input and output) and wireless charging

If you want plenty of juice and fast charging that’s missing from the 20,000mAh Belkin, we’d recommend going with this Anker model. You get one extra USB-C port and faster output speeds too. The size is enough for five recharges of an iPhone 12 and it’s also a little bit smaller and lighter than comparable high-capacity models. We think it’s an ideal pick for longer travels, as it’s not so large that you’d be stopped from bringing it on a plane.

• Dimensions: 15.8 x 7.42 x 1.93 cm
• Weight: 348.7g
• Capacity: 20,000mAh
• Ports: USB-A and USB-C x2 (input and output)