To find the best power bank out there, I tested around 50 portable chargers and batteries from big brands — Anker, Belkin, UGreen, Mophie — as well as some smaller players like Lion Energy, Nimble and Satechi.
What is a power bank?
Power banks. Portable power stations. Chargers that can go where you go—without the need to plug into a power outlet. This is why we're all here. I've tried more than a dozen of the things to help point you in the right direction of how to navigate this complicated space of power banks.
Why should you buy a portable power bank?
Whether you need to charge your phone, tablet, or laptop, these portable power banks will help keep you connected wherever your travels take you.
How do I choose a portable power bank?
Connection types vary across all portable power banks, cell phones, computers, headphones, tablets, and electronics brands. So, make sure to choose a power bank with ports that are compatible with the devices you need charged most often.
Which power bank should I buy?
The Nimble Champ is our top recommendation for most folks, but we have all sorts of alternatives here. Read our Best MagSafe Power Banks guide for Apple-specific portable chargers, and our Best Portable Power Stations guide if you need more power. Updated June 2025: We've added power banks from Redmagic and Statik, and added a new FAQ.
Do you need a portable battery or power bank?
Watching your phone or tablet steadily run out of power when you're nowhere near an outlet is stressful. But there's an easy solution: a portable battery or power bank. They are available in many sizes and capacities and can include handy features like fast charging and multiple ports.
Can a power bank charge a laptop?
Power banks that can charge a laptop are a category unto themselves. I recently put together a guide to those high-capacity portable chargers and Lion Energy's Eclipse Mag made the cut as the best option for traveling with your laptop — but it's also great for smaller devices.