Guide
Power bank vs portable power station: which do you need?
Short answer: In the power bank vs power station choice, most households need a power bank first. ("Battery bank" means the same thing as a power bank.) Ready.gov calls your smartphone a vital tool for getting emergency alerts and warnings, and says to keep it powered up in an emergency. If your phone's battery runs out, it can't get those alerts. A power bank keeps your phone and a radio going and fits in a bag. Add a power station only when you have a specific job for it, like a laptop you need for work or a router to keep running. See power banks and stations in the Shop →
Power bank vs power station: the difference
| Feature | Power bank | Portable power station |
|---|---|---|
| What it runs | Phones, earbuds, small radios, a headlamp, some laptops over USB-C | Laptops, a router, lights, a small fan, other devices with a regular plug |
| Outlets | USB ports | USB ports plus regular AC outlets |
| Size | Pocket or bag | Lunchbox to small-suitcase size; larger models are heavy, so check the weight before you buy |
| Typical capacity | Under 100 watt-hours | Several hundred to a few thousand watt-hours |
| Who needs one | Nearly everyone | People with remote work or a specific device to keep running, like a router |
How to read capacity
Look for watt-hours (Wh). That's the number that tells you how much energy the battery stores. Many power banks list milliamp-hours (mAh) instead. For a rough watt-hour figure, multiply the mAh by 3.7 and divide by 1,000. It's an approximation, not the maker's rating.
You won't get the full label amount out of any battery, because some energy is lost as heat while charging your devices. Plan on noticeably less than the number on the box.
How to choose a power bank
- Size it by what you charge. A phone needs far less than a laptop. Use the watt-hour math above to compare power banks by Wh, not by the biggest number on the box.
- Match the laptop's charger. If you want to charge a laptop, check the watts printed on its own charger, and pick a power bank whose USB-C output is listed at that wattage or higher.
- Match the cables you own. Check that its ports fit the cables you already carry. If you want to charge the power bank and your phone at the same time, look for "pass-through charging" on the maker's spec page.
- Flying? Check the watt-hours against the FAA limits in flying with a power bank.
- Buy from a brand that shows its work. Pick a power bank from a maker that lists its watt-hours and a safety certification, such as UL or ETL, on its own product page. A listing that only shows a huge mAh number doesn't tell you enough.
For a whole apartment's worth of devices, see backup power for an apartment.
Estimate how long a power station will run something
Find the device's power draw in watts. It's usually on the label, the power brick, or the manual. Then divide the station's watt-hours by that number, and knock some off for losses.
Example numbers, not a specific product: a 1,000 Wh station running a 50-watt device gives about 20 hours before losses, so plan on less.
Neither one is a generator, and that's good
Battery power banks and power stations don't burn fuel, so unlike a fuel generator they don't give off carbon monoxide. Use, charge and store them as the maker's manual says. Fuel generators are different. CDC says to never use one inside your home or garage, even with doors and windows open, and to run it only outside, more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents. That rules them out for most apartments.
Which one for an apartment?
For most renters it's a power bank for every phone, plus a power station only if you have a router or work laptop to keep running. For sizing and the carbon monoxide alarm to pair with it, see Backup power for an apartment, without a generator.
Where a UPS fits
A battery backup (UPS) is built to keep a modem and router or a computer on for a short time when the power cuts out. It isn't a power station, and it isn't meant to run things for hours.
Keep it ready
- Charge power banks when you charge your phone, and top off a power station as its manual says.
- Store them at room temperature, away from heaters and direct sun.
- Try a power station once with the devices you actually plan to run, before you need it.
- Keep a NOAA weather radio charged too; see our NOAA weather radio guide.
- Flying? See flying with a power bank.
To do this math for your own home, use the load list and runtime worksheets in our free planning guide (PDF). The power bank line is on our checklists too.
Flying with a power bank
Carry-on only. The FAA says: "Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries, including power banks and cell phone battery charging cases, must be carried in carry-on baggage only." TSA says: "Portable chargers or power banks containing a lithium ion battery must be packed in carry-on bags."
If your bag gets checked at the gate, take the power bank out. The FAA says: "When a carry-on bag is checked at the gate or at planeside, all spare lithium batteries and power banks must be removed from the bag and kept with the passenger in the aircraft cabin."
Size limits. The FAA says: "Lithium ion (rechargeable) batteries are limited to a rating of 100 watt hours (Wh) per battery." It adds: "With airline approval, passengers may also carry up to two spare larger lithium ion batteries (exceeding 101–160 Wh)." To find your power bank's watt-hours, check the label or the maker's page, or estimate it from mAh as shown in how to read capacity.
Your airline may be stricter. The FAA says: "Many airlines, both domestic and international, may have stricter quantity and Wh limits to include how many power banks/portable chargers each passenger is allowed to travel with, regardless of Wh capacity. Please check with your air carrier for its specific restrictions before traveling."
There's no "TSA approved" power bank. The rules are about the battery's size and where you pack it, not a product approval. TSA says: "The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint."
Buy, Borrow, or Skip
- Buy: a power bank for every adult who relies on a phone.
- Borrow: a friend's power station for a test run before you spend on one.
- Skip: fuel generators in apartments, and "whole-home" backup systems if you rent.
If you rely on a medical device
If you rely on a CPAP or other medical device, Ready.gov says to talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for it. Also ask the device maker how much power it draws. If you rely on electric-powered medical equipment, NYC Emergency Management says to register with your utility so it can contact you in an emergency.
Related
What to buy
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Sources
- Ready.gov (FEMA): Get Tech Ready. Smartphones are a vital tool for emergency alerts; keep a back-up power source on hand.
- Ready.gov (FEMA): Power Outages. Talk to your medical provider about a power outage plan for medical devices.
- CDC: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics. Never use a generator indoors; run it outside, more than 20 feet from windows, doors, and vents.
- NYC Emergency Management: Utility Disruptions. Register electric-powered medical equipment with your utility.
- FAA PackSafe: Lithium Batteries. Spare batteries and power banks in carry-on only; remove them from gate-checked bags; 100 Wh limit, 101–160 Wh with airline approval; airlines may be stricter.
- TSA: Power Banks. Power banks must be packed in carry-on bags; the TSA officer decides at the checkpoint.
Last reviewed: October 29, 2026