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Apple stopped putting a charger in the iPhone box back in 2020, so the plug you use is now your choice, not Apple’s. That is good news. The right iPhone charger fills your phone faster than the old white cube ever did, and the good ones top up your AirPods or iPad from the same plug.
Here is the part the wattage race gets wrong. An iPhone does not charge faster just because the number on the charger is bigger. Even the latest Pro Max pulls somewhere around the high 20s to low 30s of watts at its peak, and only for the early part of the charge. So the job is not to buy the most powerful plug. It is to buy the right one for how many devices you charge, and where.
We picked six, from a simple 20W plug to a 47W two-port charger that also tops up an iPad. Our verdicts combine hands-on testing by the SGK team with trusted independent lab data.
Short on time? For most iPhone owners the UGREEN Nexode 35W does the everyday job: it charges your iPhone at full speed and tops up a second device from a plug that still fits a pocket. The rest of this list is for more specific needs, the smallest possible plug, two ports for two devices, or enough power to share with an iPad.
At a glance
| Charger | Best for | Ports | Power | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple 20W USB-C | Brand-name benchmark | 1x USB-C | 20W | 🛒 Check latest price |
| UGREEN Nexode 35W | iPhone plus a second device | USB-C + USB-A | 35W | 🛒 Check latest price |
| Anker Nano 30W | Compact single-port | 1x USB-C | 30W | 🛒 Check latest price |
| Belkin Dual 40W | Two small devices at once | 2x USB-C | 40W | 🛒 Check latest price |
| Anker 523 47W | iPhone plus iPad | 2x USB-C | 47W | 🛒 Check latest price |
| Belkin 20W | Value single-port | 1x USB-C | 20W | 🛒 Check latest price |
No prices shown here. Tap any buy link to see the current price on Amazon. Stars are editorial and decorative; SGK does not put numeric scores on roundups.
What wattage does an iPhone charger actually need?
An iPhone charges over USB-C Power Delivery. Plug it into a 20W charger and it reaches its fast-charge ceiling, roughly 50% in about half an hour on a recent model. Move up to a 30W charger and the iPhone charges at almost exactly the same speed, because the phone sets the limit, not the plug. Apple’s own fast-charge guidance says a 20W or higher adapter is all the phone needs to fast charge.
So why buy more than 20W? Headroom and sharing. A 30W or 35W charger fills an iPad, a small MacBook or a second phone at a proper speed, and a two-port charger tops up your iPhone and your AirPods or Apple Watch at once. The extra watts are for your other devices, not for a faster iPhone.
“So if a 20W plug charges my iPhone just as fast as a 65W one, why would I ever pay for more?”
Alan’s answer: for everything that is not your iPhone. A 20W plug is perfect if the phone is all you charge. The moment you want one plug to also fill an iPad on the sofa, or your earbuds while the phone charges, a two-port charger earns its place. For the iPhone on its own, save your money.
The short version, for Darleene: for an iPhone by itself, 20W is enough. Buy more watts only if the same charger has to feed an iPad, a laptop or a second device.
The six iPhone chargers, ranked
Best brand-name benchmark
Who it’s for: anyone who wants the official Apple plug and nothing more.
The plug Apple would sell you, and the one every other pick has to beat. One USB-C port, 20W, and it reaches the iPhone’s fast-charge speed with nothing to set up. It does not fold flat and it only charges one device, so it is the baseline rather than the clever choice. If you want the genuine Apple part and nothing else, this is it.
Pros
- The genuine Apple part
- Reaches the iPhone’s full charge speed
Cons
- One USB-C port only
- Does not fold flat
- No faster than a cheaper 20W plug
Best for your iPhone plus a second device
Who it’s for: most iPhone owners, especially anyone still carrying an older USB-A cable.
One USB-C port and one USB-A port in a plug barely bigger than Apple’s single-port cube, thanks to GaN, a chip material that runs cooler so the charger can be smaller. It folds flat for a pocket or a wash bag. The USB-C port charges your iPhone at full speed, and the USB-A port tops up your AirPods, an Apple Watch or anything still on an older USB-A cable at the same time. Charge two things together and it shares the power, around 25W to the USB-C port and 7.5W to the USB-A, which is plenty for a phone plus a small accessory. This is our everyday pick for most iPhone owners, and it is the one charger here you can buy straight from the brand.
Pros
- USB-C for the iPhone and USB-A for a second device
- Folds flat and pocket-sized, thanks to GaN
- Charges two devices at once
- Buy-direct option from UGREEN
Con
- Power is shared when both ports are in use
Best compact single-port
Who it’s for: travellers who want the smallest plug that disappears into a bag.
Anker’s answer to the Apple cube, and a smarter one. The same single USB-C port, but 30W instead of 20W and a folding plug, so it disappears into a bag. The extra 10W does nothing for the iPhone itself, but it means the same tiny plug also fast-charges an iPad mini or a Switch. The travel plug to keep in the bag you never unpack.
Pros
- Tiny and folds flat
- The extra 30W also fast-charges a small tablet
- Full iPhone charge speed
Con
- One port only
Darleene: “This is the size that lives in my handbag. One small plug that folds flat, charges the phone on the way in and the tablet on the way home. I stopped carrying two.”
Best for two small devices at once
Who it’s for: a bedside or desk plug that charges two devices without slowing either.
Two USB-C ports and 40W total, from a name that has made Apple-friendly kit for years. Plug in two devices and it splits to 20W each, which is exactly the iPhone’s speed, so it charges two phones, or a phone and a watch, without slowing either. The plug does not fold, so it suits a bedside table or a desk more than a pocket.
Pros
- Two USB-C ports
- 20W to each keeps both at iPhone speed
- Trusted Belkin build
Cons
- Does not fold, so it suits a desk not a pocket
- 20W per port only, no headroom for a laptop
Best for iPhone plus iPad
Who it’s for: people who travel with more than a phone.
The pick for people who travel with more than a phone. Two USB-C ports and 47W total means it fast-charges your iPhone and pushes real power into an iPad or a small laptop at the same time, and it still folds flat. It is the most future-proof plug here without crossing into bulky laptop-charger territory.
Pros
- 47W shared between an iPhone and an iPad
- Still folds flat for travel
- The most future-proof plug here
Cons
- More plug than a phone-only owner needs
- Per-port power drops when both ports are used
Best value single-port
Who it’s for: anyone who wants the Apple job done for less outlay.
If the Apple plug feels like paying for the logo, this is the sensible swap. One USB-C port, the same 20W, USB-C PD 3.1 with PPS, from a brand with a long warranty and a solid reputation. It does the exact job the official plug does. Simple, trusted, done.
Pros
- Does the exact 20W job the Apple plug does
- PD 3.1 with PPS, plus a long Belkin warranty
Cons
- One port only
- Does not fold flat
How to choose an iPhone charger in ten seconds
Charge only your iPhone? A 20W plug, the Apple or the Belkin, is all you need.
Want one plug for your iPhone plus your AirPods, Watch or an older USB-A cable? The UGREEN Nexode 35W has a USB-C and a USB-A port and is our pick.
Travel with an iPad or a small laptop too? The Anker 523 47W covers all of it and still folds flat.
Want the smallest possible plug for a bag? The Anker Nano 30W.
Every one of these uses USB-C Power Delivery, which is the language your iPhone speaks, so you do not need an MFi-certified wall charger. A modern USB-C to USB-C cable and any of these plugs is all an iPhone 15 or 16 wants. New to a fully USB-C setup? Our best USB-C cable for iPhone guide pairs the right cable to these plugs, and the wider best GaN charger hub covers higher-power options.
The bottom line
For most people, one plug does the job: the UGREEN Nexode 35W charges your iPhone and a second device from a plug that still fits a pocket, and you can buy it direct from the brand. If you only ever charge the phone, save your money and buy a 20W plug, the Belkin is the value choice and the Apple is the official one. And if you travel with an iPad or a small laptop, the Anker 523 47W is the one that folds flat and covers all of it.
Frequently asked questions
What wattage charger does the iPhone use?
Is a 20W charger enough for an iPhone?
Which iPhone charger is best?
Do all iPhone chargers charge at the same speed?
Can I use a fast charger on my iPhone safely?
Does the iPhone come with a charger in the box?
Do I need an MFi charger for my iPhone?
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Tested by people who use this kit
SmartGadgetKit checks every spec against the manufacturer and independent sources, and tells you the trade-offs, not only the wins.
Alan
Network engineer, 9 years
Darleene
Everyday-use contributor
