This is the most common question we get, and the honest answer is that most people buy the larger capacity and then regret carrying it. Here is the comparison that actually decides it.
How many charges do you really get?
Because of voltage conversion, roughly 60-70% of rated capacity reaches your phone. On a typical 5,000mAh phone battery:
- 10,000mAh delivers about 6,000-7,000mAh usable, so one full charge plus a useful top-up.
- 20,000mAh delivers about 12,000-14,000mAh usable, so two full charges and a bit more.
Not four charges from 20,000mAh, and not two clean charges from 10,000mAh. Any listing claiming otherwise is ignoring conversion loss.
Weight is the deciding factor for most people
A 10,000mAh power bank is roughly 200g. A 20,000mAh is roughly 400g. That is the difference between something that lives in your bag permanently and something you leave at home on ordinary days. If you find yourself thinking "I probably will not need it today", you have bought the wrong size.
Refill time
A 20,000mAh bank takes about twice as long to recharge itself. With a good fast-charge input this is manageable overnight, but if you are topping up during the day, the smaller unit is back in service much sooner.
Flights: both are allowed, with conditions
Indian aviation rules follow the international standard of 100Wh for power banks in cabin baggage without airline approval. To convert mAh to Wh: multiply mAh by 3.7 (the cell voltage) and divide by 1,000.
- 10,000mAh = 37Wh — well within the limit
- 20,000mAh = 74Wh — still within the limit
Both are fine to fly with. The rule that catches people out is different: power banks must travel in cabin baggage, never in checked luggage. Airlines will make you remove them at the gate, and if the bag is already checked, it gets offloaded. Rules do change, so check your airline before flying.
So which one?
Buy 10,000mAh if you carry it daily, you charge one phone, you want it in a jacket pocket, or you already charge overnight and just need insurance for a long day. The PowerVolt 101 Blade and 201 Link both sit here, the Link with a built-in cable.
Buy 20,000mAh if you travel, you charge two devices, you are out for full days without a socket, or you are shooting video on a phone — which drains a battery faster than almost anything else. The PowerVolt 102 Max is the one to look at.
The specification neither size fixes
Whichever capacity you pick, output wattage decides how fast it charges. Below 18W you are looking at slow charging regardless of capacity. 22.5W is the number to look for in this segment.
See the full range in the power bank collection, or browse chargers and power for wall chargers to match.