Jump Starters
The best jump starter power banks
Every pack has a USB port. Only a few have the capacity and the output to be worth carrying as a power bank too.
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How we assessed these: picks are selected from manufacturer specifications, current retailer listings and published owner feedback — not from hands-on testing of every unit. Where a manufacturer does not publish a figure, it is left out rather than estimated.
Short answer
Judge a dual-purpose pack on two numbers: watt-hours, which is how much device charging it can actually do, and whether it has USB-C Power Delivery, which decides if it charges a laptop or only a phone. The NOCO GBX155 at 99 Wh with 20 V / 3 A PD is the most capable one that still clears the airline carry-on limit.
“Jump starter power bank” is a real product category and also a marketing phrase attached to every pack with a USB socket. The distinction that matters is capacity: a 24 Wh pack has a few phone charges in it, and a 99 Wh pack is a genuine day's power for devices.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up. Scoring criteria are published in full on our methodology page.
| # | Product | Best for | Our read | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NOCO Boost X GBX155 Best dual-purpose overall | Doubling as a serious power bank | 99 Wh and USB-C PD both ways, and it still flies | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 2 |  NOCO Boost X GBX45 Best compact dual-purpose | Travel and carry-on use | 31 Wh, 2.16 lb, one cable for everything | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 3 |  NOCO Boost HD GB70 Best if starting comes first | Diesel pickups and big V8s | 56 Wh and a 12 V output, USB-A only | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
| 4 |  NOCO Boost Plus GB40 Enough for phone top-ups | Most cars and small SUVs | 24 Wh — a few charges, not a day's power | Check price on Amazon #ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one |
Watt-hours is the number, not mAh
Watt-hours measure energy and are directly comparable across packs. mAh without a stated voltage is not a capacity at all — the same mAh figure means wildly different things at 3.7 V and 12 V. The conversion is here, and it is worth doing before you buy anything advertised only in mAh.
| Pack | Capacity | USB-C Power Delivery | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOCO GB40 | 24 Wh | No — USB-A output | 2.45 lb |
| NOCO GBX45 | 31 Wh | Yes, up to 20 V / 3 A | 2.16 lb |
| NOCO GB70 | 56 Wh | No — USB-A output | 4.18 lb |
| NOCO GBX155 | 99 Wh | Yes, up to 20 V / 3 A | 5.82 lb |
All figures from NOCO's published specification pages. The PD column is the one that decides whether the pack charges a laptop or only a phone.
The 100 watt-hour line
This is where a dual-purpose pack gets interesting. The FAA permits lithium-ion batteries rated up to 100 Wh in carry-on baggage with no airline approval; 101-160 Wh needs permission and is capped at two. Spare batteries and power banks are never allowed in checked baggage.
The GBX155's 99 Wh is not a coincidence — it is the most capacity you can carry aboard without asking anyone. If you travel, that single number is the difference between a pack you take and a pack you leave at home. Flying with a jump starter sets out the thresholds in the regulator's own words.
The honest limit of the idea
A jump pack is a poor value power bank on its own terms. The cranking hardware — high-discharge cells, heavy internal conductors, clamps — is most of the cost, and none of it helps charge a phone. A dedicated power bank of the same watt-hours is smaller, lighter and cheaper.
The case for dual purpose is that it is one thing to carry instead of two, and that the pack is aboard anyway. If that is your reasoning, buy on watt-hours and PD. If you mainly want device power, buy a power bank and size the jump pack separately for your engine.
The picks
1. Best dual-purpose overall
NOCO Boost X GBX155
NOCO · Best for doubling as a serious power bank
99 watt-hours with USB-C Power Delivery in and out — the largest pack in the range that still clears the 100 Wh carry-on limit, and the one that genuinely works as a power bank.
Published specifications
What works
- 99 Wh is deliberately just under the 100 Wh airline threshold — the most capacity you can carry on without asking anyone
- USB-C Power Delivery at up to 20 V / 3 A charges laptops, not just phones
- 4,250 peak amps with an 8.0 L diesel rating covers almost any light vehicle
- 500-lumen light, which is a genuinely usable work light
What does not
- 5.82 lb — heavier than most people expect from something sold partly as a power bank
- Priced as a premium jump starter, so it is an expensive way to buy 99 Wh of USB power alone
- A dedicated power bank of the same capacity is smaller, lighter and cheaper
Skip it if
Skip it if you mainly want to charge devices. A purpose-built power bank does that better for less, and this pack's premium is in the cranking hardware you would not be using.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost X GBX155.
2. Best compact dual-purpose
NOCO Boost X GBX45
NOCO · Best for travel and carry-on use
The travel pick: 1,250 peak amps at 2.16 lb with USB-C Power Delivery in and out, so it recharges from the same brick as your laptop.
Published specifications
- Peak amps
- 1,250 A source
- Internal battery
- 31 Wh lithium-ion source
- Gas engine rating
- Up to 6.5 liters source
- Diesel engine rating
- Up to 4.0 liters source
- Weight
- 2.16 lb (0.98 kg) source
- USB-C output
- Up to 20 V / 3 A Power Delivery source
- Water resistance
- IP65 with ports closed source
- Warranty
- 1-year hassle-free source
What works
- Lightest pack in the range at 2.16 lb, and 31 Wh means no airline paperwork
- USB-C Power Delivery both directions — one cable covers the pack, phone and laptop
- More gas headroom than the GB40 (6.5 L against 6.0 L) in a lighter body
What does not
- The IP65 rating only holds with the port covers closed — worth remembering in the rain
- The 4.0 L diesel ceiling is not enough for a full-size diesel pickup
Skip it if
Not the right pack for a diesel truck, and not the cheapest way to cover a small commuter — its premium buys packability, not amps.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost X GBX45.
3. Best if starting comes first
NOCO Boost HD GB70
NOCO · Best for diesel pickups and big v8s
The one to buy if you drive a diesel: 2,000 peak amps, a 6.0-liter diesel rating and 56 watt-hours, which is the smallest pack with real margin on a cold diesel.
Published specifications
What works
- The 6.0 L diesel rating covers the common 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels with margin
- 56 Wh is still comfortably under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so it flies as hand luggage
- 12 V 15 A accessory output, and a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable roadside
- 12 V / 3 A fast charge brings it back in about three hours
What does not
- 4.18 lb — noticeably heavier than the compact packs, and it wants a dedicated spot
- Overkill for a commuter four-cylinder; you are paying for headroom you will not use
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you only ever start a four-cylinder commuter. Buy diesel headroom when you have a diesel.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost HD GB70.
4. Enough for phone top-ups
NOCO Boost Plus GB40
NOCO · Best for most cars and small suvs
The default answer for a four- or six-cylinder car: 1,000 peak amps, 24 watt-hours, and light enough that it actually stays in the trunk.
Published specifications
What works
- 24 Wh sits far under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so flying with it needs no airline approval
- 2.45 lb and pocketable — the size that decides whether a tool is still in the trunk six months later
- IP65 enclosure, so a wet shoulder in the rain is not a problem
- Reverse-polarity protection means a backwards clamp does not spark
What does not
- 1,000 peak amps runs out of headroom above a 6.0 L gas engine
- The 3.0 L diesel ceiling rules out most modern diesel pickups
- 24 Wh is a small reserve — it is a jump starter, not a power bank substitute
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you drive a diesel pickup or a big V8. You would be at the edge of its rating on a cold morning, which is exactly when you want margin.
#ad Affiliate link · We show no price here; Amazon shows the current one
Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost Plus GB40.
Key takeaways
- Compare watt-hours; mAh without a voltage is not a capacity.
- USB-C Power Delivery is what separates laptop charging from phone charging.
- 99 Wh is the most you can carry on a plane without airline approval.
- Power stations are a different product and generally cannot fly.
- A dedicated power bank is better value per watt-hour — buy dual-purpose for the convenience.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
Common questions
- Can a jump starter work as a power bank?
- Yes, and how well depends entirely on capacity and output. A 24 Wh pack is a few phone top-ups; a 99 Wh pack with USB-C Power Delivery will charge a laptop. Check watt-hours and whether the pack has PD rather than assuming a USB socket means useful device power.
- What is the biggest jump starter power bank I can take on a plane?
- One rated at or under 100 watt-hours, which travels in carry-on baggage with no airline approval. The NOCO GBX155 is 99 Wh, deliberately just under the line. Between 101 and 160 Wh you need the airline's permission and may carry at most two.
- Is a jump starter or a power bank better value for charging devices?
- A dedicated power bank, clearly — it is smaller, lighter and cheaper per watt-hour, because a jump pack spends most of its cost on cranking hardware that does nothing for a phone. Buy dual-purpose for the convenience of carrying one item, not for the economics.
More in Jump Starters
A jump pack is the one trunk tool that turns a tow truck into a five-minute inconvenience. This is how to size one, and which ones are worth the space.
Read next
Guide
mAh vs Watt-Hours
The conversion, worked through, plus why watt-hours is the only capacity figure that matters if the pack is ever going on a plane.
Head to head
Jump Starter vs Power Station
Why a 500 Wh power station with a jump-start port is not a substitute for a jump pack, and what the watt-hour gap means at an airport.
Guide
Flying With a Jump Starter
The FAA and TSA thresholds quoted from source, where every mainstream pack sits against them, and the rules airlines add on top.
Review
NOCO GBX45 Review
1,250 peak amps, 31 Wh, 2.16 lb, USB-C Power Delivery both directions. The pack to pack.
Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.