Best Power Banks for iPhone and Samsung 2026

The gate agent, the 8% battery and the boarding pass I could not open

Porto, gate 24, final call, and my phone at 8% with the boarding pass living inside an airline app that wanted to reload. I had a power bank in the bag. I also had, in that same bag, a cable that fit the bank but not the phone, which is the travel-gear equivalent of bringing a fork to a soup course. The pass loaded on the third try at 4%. The lesson stuck harder than any spec sheet: the right power bank is not the one with the biggest number on the side, it is the one you can actually use one-handed in a queue.

That is why this list is split by phone rather than by capacity. An iPhone and a Galaxy S25 want genuinely different hardware. The iPhone wants magnets, because a Qi2 bank that clings to the back of the phone gets used at a gate and a 20,000mAh brick in a backpack does not. The Galaxy wants a specific protocol, because Samsung’s 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0 only shows up when the charger speaks PPS, and a generic 65W bank will quietly feed it around 24W while you wonder why nothing is happening.

If you just want the general roundup with every form factor, that lives in our best travel power banks guide. This page is the device-specific version: what an iPhone actually pulls, what a Galaxy actually needs, and which seven banks are worth putting in a carry-on.

Best power banks for iPhone and Samsung at a glance

What your phone actually pulls (and why 65W banks are marketing)

Start here, because it changes what you buy. The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus support up to 20W wired USB-C charging. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max go up to 27W. The standard iPhone 17 peaks at around 27W according to ChargerLAB and MacRumors testing. Apple’s own tested reference pairing is a USB-C Charge Cable with either the 20W USB-C Power Adapter (Model A2305) or, for MagSafe charging, the 30W adapter (Model A2164). So a bank advertising 65W or 100W is not charging your iPhone any faster than a good 30W one does. The extra watts buy you a second device on the other port, or a laptop, and nothing else.

Samsung is the opposite story, and the trap is subtler. The Galaxy S25 Ultra supports 45W Super Fast Charging 2.0, and unlike the Galaxy S24 (which needed its bundled 3A cable to reach only 25W) it hits the full 45W with a standard USB-C cable. But the number on the bank is not the number you get: a PPS-compatible charger delivers around 43W to a Galaxy phone, while a PD-only charger caps out near 24W regardless of its wattage rating. That is why “45W with PPS” is the spec to look for, not “high wattage”.

On the wireless side, Qi2 supports 15W through its Magnetic Power Profile, an alignment-ring magnet array that mimics MagSafe’s snap-on feel and speed without being Apple’s proprietary system. MagSafe-equipped iPhones (iPhone 12 and later) snap onto Qi2-certified banks mechanically, and Qi2 stays backward-compatible with original Qi, so older gear falls back to slower standard charging instead of refusing to charge. Newer Qi2.2 hardware pushes wireless output to 25W, above the original 15W ceiling, which is worth knowing if you are buying to keep for three years.

Best MagSafe-style power banks for iPhone

Anker MagGo Power Bank (Slim), 10,000mAh Qi2 15W Magnetic

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This is the one I would hand an iPhone owner who asked once. 10,000mAh, Qi2-certified 15W magnetic output, and a 0.58 in thick body (2.78 x 4.09 in footprint) built to ride on the back of the phone rather than in a bag. That last part is the whole argument: a magnetic bank gets used while you walk to the gate, and a brick with a cable gets used only when you are sitting down. Around $45.

The catch is that wireless charging is less efficient than a cable, so 10,000mAh delivers noticeably fewer full charges magnetically than the same capacity would over USB-C. Treat it as roughly a day of heavy use rather than a weekend of independence, and carry a cable for the times you want speed.

Anker Nano Magnetic Power Bank, 5,000mAh Qi2 15W

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The minimalist option, and the one that actually leaves the house. 5,000mAh at 15W Qi2, in a 0.3 in thin body, marketed for the iPhone 17 and 16 series. That capacity is roughly one full iPhone charge, which is the honest framing: this is an insurance policy against a dead phone at dinner, not a multi-day power supply. Around $35.

If you already know you burn through two batteries a day, skip it and take the 10,000mAh MagGo. If your problem is that you keep leaving the bigger bank in the hotel because it is annoying to carry, this solves the real issue.

Anker MagGo Power Bank, 10,000mAh Qi2 with Display and Stand

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Same 15W Qi2 charging as the slim model, with two additions that matter more in a hotel room than they sound on paper: a fold-out kickstand and a digital charge display. The stand props an iPhone up hands-free while it charges magnetically, which turns a nightstand into a clock, a tray table into a screen, and a video call into something you do not have to hold. The display ends the guessing about how much is left. Around $50.

The trade-off is thickness and weight against the slim version, for the same capacity and the same speed. Buy it if you spend evenings in hotel rooms; buy the slim one if you spend days in cities.

Best power banks for Samsung Galaxy (and for carrying both phones)

Anker Zolo Power Bank (2025), 20,000mAh 45W with Built-in Cable

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If one bank has to serve a Galaxy and an iPhone, this is it. 20,000mAh (around 74Wh, comfortably TSA-legal), 45W max USB-C output, plus a USB-A port and a built-in USB-C cable. Anker markets the 45W explicitly for Galaxy phones on Super Fast Charging 2.0, and the same port charges an iPhone 17 or 16 at its full USB-C PD speed. Around $45.

The built-in cable is the underrated feature and the reason it leads this section. My Porto gate incident was a cable problem, not a battery problem, and a bank with the cable permanently attached cannot be defeated by packing in a hurry. The catch is that built-in cables are the part that wears out first, so treat the separate USB-C port as the long-term insurance.

UGREEN Nexode 20,000mAh 45W Power Bank

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The same idea from a different brand, usually a little cheaper. 20,000mAh (around 74Wh), 45W ceiling, three ports (two USB-C plus one USB-A) and a built-in USB-C cable. The 45W matters for Samsung Super Fast Charging 2.0 and leaves plenty of headroom over the roughly 27W an iPhone 16 Pro or iPhone 17 will draw. Around $40.

Three ports is the practical difference: a Galaxy at 45W, an iPhone alongside it, and a pair of earbuds on the USB-A, without anyone waiting their turn. If you travel as a couple with mixed phones, this is the sane pick.

INIU 20,000mAh 45W PD Power Bank

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The budget entry, and the one to grab when you want 45W and nothing else. 20,000mAh, 45W PD output, built-in USB-C cable, sold as flight-safe, and listed by the seller for both the iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S-series. Around $35.

There is no display, no stand and no magnets. What you get is the charging spec that actually changes your day for the lowest price of the three. If you are equipping a family and buying two or three of these, that difference adds up faster than any feature you would miss.

One bank for a phone, a tablet and a laptop

Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K), 140W 24,000mAh

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For the trip where the laptop comes too. 24,000mAh (around 88.8Wh, still under the 100Wh no-approval threshold), 140W USB-C PD 3.1, three ports (two USB-C and one USB-A), with a smart display. That is enough to fast-charge a Galaxy S24 or S25 at its full 45W from a PPS-capable port, top up a MacBook, and keep an iPhone alive at the same time. Around $130.

Now the honest part: it weighs about 22 oz (623g) and measures roughly 6.1 x 2.1 x 1.9 in, about the size of a 12oz soda can. That is real weight in a personal item, and it is the wrong buy for a weekend with one phone. It is the right buy for a two-week work trip where the alternative is packing a laptop charger, a phone charger and a separate bank. If you would rather solve that with wall power, our best GaN wall chargers for travel guide covers the lighter route.

The rule that decides what you can fly with

This is the part people discover at security, so learn it now. A lithium-ion power bank rated 100Wh or less needs no airline approval, and it may only travel in carry-on baggage, never checked. Between 100Wh and 160Wh you need the airline’s approval and you are limited to two spare batteries per passenger. Anything over 160Wh is banned outright from passenger aircraft, in the hold or the cabin.

Converting is easy: at the standard 3.7V nominal cell voltage, 20,000mAh works out to roughly 74Wh and 24,000mAh to roughly 88.8Wh, so every pick on this page clears the no-approval threshold. And the rule that catches the most people is the simplest one: spare lithium batteries, power banks included, are prohibited in checked luggage regardless of capacity. If you check your bag with the bank inside, expect it to be pulled.

How I picked

I weighted the protocol over the headline wattage (PPS for Samsung, Qi2 certification for iPhone), then form factor, because a bank you leave in the room charges nothing. Built-in cables scored well for the same reason. Capacity had to land under 100Wh so nothing here needs an airline conversation. And I stuck to models whose listings state the charging spec plainly rather than burying it, since “fast charging” without a protocol name is how a Galaxy ends up at 24W.

Prices move, so treat every figure here as a ballpark and tap a card for today’s number. If you want the broader Anker lineup, including wall chargers and cables, see our best Anker chargers for travel roundup, and the travel gear hub for the rest of what earns its space in a carry-on.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best travel power bank for an iPhone?

For most iPhone travelers it is the Anker MagGo Power Bank (Slim), a 10,000mAh Qi2-certified pack that charges magnetically at 15W and measures only 0.58 in thick, so it rides on the back of the phone. If you want less weight, the 5,000mAh Anker Nano Magnetic is 0.3 in thin and good for roughly one full charge. If you want faster wired charging, a 45W USB-C bank like the Anker Zolo covers the iPhone 17 and 16 Pro, which peak around 27W.

Do I need a 45W power bank for a Samsung Galaxy?

You do if you want Super Fast Charging 2.0 speeds. The Galaxy S25 Ultra supports 45W and, unlike the Galaxy S24 that needed its bundled 3A cable, reaches the full 45W with a standard USB-C cable. The catch is that the protocol matters more than the wattage number: PPS-compatible chargers deliver around 43W to a Galaxy, while generic PD-only chargers cap out near 24W no matter what their label claims.

What size power bank can you take on a plane?

Anything rated 100Wh or less needs no airline approval and must travel in carry-on baggage, never checked. A 20,000mAh bank is roughly 74Wh and a 24,000mAh bank is roughly 88.8Wh, so both are under the threshold. Between 100Wh and 160Wh you need airline approval and are limited to two spare batteries, and anything over 160Wh is banned from passenger aircraft entirely.

Is Qi2 the same as MagSafe?

Not the same, but compatible in practice. Qi2 uses an alignment-ring magnet array that mimics MagSafe’s snap-on feel and matches its 15W ceiling, without being Apple’s proprietary system, so MagSafe-equipped iPhones (iPhone 12 and later) attach to Qi2-certified banks normally. Qi2 is also backward-compatible with original Qi, so older devices fall back to slower standard Qi charging instead of failing. Newer Qi2.2 hardware pushes wireless output up to 25W.

How many watts does an iPhone actually charge at?

Less than most power bank listings imply. The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus support up to 20W wired over USB-C, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max up to 27W, and the standard iPhone 17 peaks around 27W in ChargerLAB and MacRumors testing. Apple’s own tested reference setup pairs a USB-C Charge Cable with either the 20W adapter (Model A2305) or, for MagSafe, the 30W adapter (Model A2164). A 45W bank is not wasted, it just means headroom for a second device.

The bottom line

Carrying an iPhone? Buy the Anker MagGo Slim at around $45 and accept that magnets beat capacity, or the Nano Magnetic at around $35 if weight is the thing stopping you. Carrying a Galaxy? Get 45W with PPS: the Anker Zolo at around $45, the UGREEN Nexode at around $40, or the INIU at around $35. Carrying both phones and a laptop? The Anker 737 at around $130 replaces three chargers and still clears the 100Wh limit. Whatever you pick, keep it in your carry-on, and tap any card above for today’s price.