Whether you’re a glued-to-your-screen smartphone owner who can never make it through a day on a full charge, or you just need an occasional battery boost, USB power banks are a panacea for low-battery anxiety.
After putting in hundreds of hours of research and testing, we’ve found that the Belkin BoostCharge Plus 10K is the best power bank to charge a phone, tablet, or another small, handheld device.
It’s an all-around great portable charger that can offer you peace of mind whenever wall outlets are out of reach.
Everything we recommend
Top pick
The best power bank for phones, tablets, and more
Belkin BoostCharge Plus 10K
This power bank is small and light, and its rounded edges make it easy to slip into a pocket. It comes in only one color, but it has two built-in cables and enough capacity to charge most smartphones up to three times.
Best for…
Best for a small boost of power
TravelCard Plus
This power bank is one of the smallest and lightest we’ve tested. It has a powerful USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C and Lightning cables, and a 3,000 mAh rated capacity. But it recharges slower than our other picks.
Budget pick
Plenty of power, but no built-in cables
Scosche GoBat 10K
This power bank has a USB-C PD port to charge devices at top speed, as well as a USB-A port for older devices. It’s not as slim as we’d like, but it’s lightweight and can charge most phones three times.
What we look for
- Powerful outputWe searched for power banks with enough wattage to ensure the fastest possible charging and recharging speeds.
- 8 ounces or lessWe sought out power banks weighing 8 ounces (half a pound) or less, making them easy to carry around in a wallet, pocket, or bag.
- High capacity ratingWe preferred power banks rated for at least 2,000 mAh and up to 10,000 mAh capacity, which tells you roughly how much battery life they hold.
- One-year warrantyWe chose power banks with a warranty of at least one year, giving you plenty of time to use it and ensure it’s not a dud.
Top pick
The best power bank for phones, tablets, and more
Belkin BoostCharge Plus 10K
This power bank is small and light, and its rounded edges make it easy to slip into a pocket. It comes in only one color, but it has two built-in cables and enough capacity to charge most smartphones up to three times.
The Belkin BoostCharge Plus 10K weighs about half a pound, and its rounded edges make it easy to hold or slip into a pocket.
Its USB-C Power Delivery (PD) port can charge most handheld devices and recharge itself at top speed (with the right USB-C cable and wall charger), and it can pass power to another device while being recharged from a wall outlet.
It only comes in one color, but it has enough capacity to fully charge most smartphones up to three times, as well as built-in USB-C and Lightning cables that are easy to slide in and out of their holsters.
Key specs
- Rated capacity: 10,000 mAh (36 Wh)
- Weight: 8.4 ounces
- Tested input: 19 watts (USB-C PD port or built-in USB-C cable)
- Tested output: 18 watts (USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C cable, or built-in Lightning cable)
Best for…
Best for a small boost of power
TravelCard Plus
This power bank is one of the smallest and lightest we’ve tested. It has a powerful USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C and Lightning cables, and a 3,000 mAh rated capacity. But it recharges slower than our other picks.
The TravelCard Plus has less than a third of the Belkin’s capacity, but it’s much lighter and slimmer.
Its USB-C PD port, built-in USB-C cable, and built-in Lightning cable can fast-charge most smartphones or other handheld devices (though it recharges more slowly than our other picks).
It’s just as sleek-looking and sturdy as our top pick, and it comes in a wider variety of colors.
Key specs
- Rated capacity: 3,000 mAh (15 Wh)
- Weight: 2.7 ounces
- Tested input: 7 watts (USB-C PD port or built-in USB-C cable)
- Tested output: 15 watts (built-in USB-C cable) or 10 watts (built-in Lightning cable)
Budget pick
Plenty of power, but no built-in cables
Scosche GoBat 10K
This power bank has a USB-C PD port to charge devices at top speed, as well as a USB-A port for older devices. It’s not as slim as we’d like, but it’s lightweight and can charge most phones three times.
If money is tight, and you can live without the convenience of built-in cables, go for the Scosche GoBat 10K.
It’s on a par with the Belkin in terms of its power, capacity, build quality, and ease of use.
It has a fast-charging USB-C PD port (input and output) and a USB-A port (output only), and unlike our other picks it comes with a USB-C charging cable.
While it has a slightly chunky shape, which makes it a bit cumbersome to stow in small spaces, it weighs less than half a pound. Plus, as of this writing, it costs a few bucks less than our other picks.
Key specs
- Rated capacity: 10,000 mAh (36 Wh)
- Weight: 6.4 ounces
- Tested input: 25 watts (USB-C PD port)
- Tested output: 20 watts (USB-C PD port) or 17 watts (USB-A port)
Get today’s recommendation
Expert advice. Very good deals. The absolute best (and worst) things we’ve tested lately. Sent to your inbox daily.
Email Address
Looking for something else?
- The Best USB Phone Charger
- The Best Portable Solar Battery Charger
- Work Trips Can Be a Struggle. Keeping Your Laptop Charged While Traveling Shouldn’t Be.
- How to Choose Backup Home Power Options for Any Outage
Read more from Electronics
Looking for something else?
- The Best USB Phone Charger
- The Best Portable Solar Battery Charger
- Work Trips Can Be a Struggle. Keeping Your Laptop Charged While Traveling Shouldn’t Be.
- How to Choose Backup Home Power Options for Any Outage
Read more from Electronics
The research
Why you should trust us
I’m a writer at Wirecutter focused on charging and powering. I’ve been a science journalist for over a decade, covering a wide variety of topics from particle physics to meteorology. Since joining Wirecutter in 2017, I’ve reported on EV chargers, surge protectors, wireless power banks, and more.
For this guide:
- I spent hundreds of hours researching and testing dozens of USB power banks.
- I reviewed guidance from the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) on compliance standards for USB charging.
- I interviewed Isidor Buchmann, CEO of Cadex Electronics, for background on how batteries work and how to extend their lifespans.
- Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I’m never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards.
Who this is for
Most people can find use for a USB power bank (also called an external battery pack, backup battery, or portable charger) to keep phones and other devices charged while on the go. Rather than tracking down a wall outlet, owning a USB power bank allows you to enjoy a conveniently portable (albeit limited) power supply.
The question is, which one best fits into your habits? Some might need only a small battery to give their phone a boost at the end of the day, while those who travel a lot may be looking to power multiple devices over the course of several days.
A wallet-sized power bank is great to keep on hand for those unexpected (yet critical) moments when your phone is dying and no outlets are nearby. But if you want something for weekend trips or a regular commute, the picks in this guide offer one or more full charges for most smartphones but can still fit easily in laptop bags, totes, purses, or even large pockets.
These power banks are robust yet portable, allowing you to charge small devices such as wireless headphones, computer mice, keyboards, vaporizers, digital cameras, and more. They are also helpful if you need a bit of backup power during a power outage or other emergency.
Strategically placing a few of these around the house isn’t a bad idea, either. You can keep one in your foyer to grab as you’re running out the door, or one near the couch for when you’re curled up cozily under a blanket and really, really don’t want to get up to plug in your phone.
For laptops and other large devices that charge via USB-C or AC, we have separate guides for power banks with much higher capacity ratings than the chargers we recommend here. For Qi-compatible devices, we also have a separate guide to the best wireless portable chargers and power banks.