EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus vs Jackery Explorer 500
Side-by-side on the specs that decide it — surge, capacity, runtime and price.
Both models' specs verified against manufacturer listings · Last updated
The short answer
Jackery Explorer 500 costs $1500 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus holds 493% more energy (3072Wh vs 518Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus has 6200W more surge headroom (7200W vs 1000W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Jackery Explorer 500 is 72.2 lb lighter (13.3 lb vs 85.5 lb).
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus uses LiFePO4 while the other uses NMC — roughly double the usable cycle life.
- EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 500 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
If you plan to cycle the battery daily, think twice about the Jackery Explorer 500. Its NMC cells are rated for 500 cycles against the LiFePO4 rival's longer life — over years of regular use that's the more expensive unit, whatever the sticker says.
The Ultra's solar problem solved: same everything, but 1600W of PV input instead of 800W. That doubles your off-grid refill speed for $200.
Best for: Off-grid cabins and van builds that actually recharge from panels.
Where it falls short:
- $1999 approaches DELTA Pro 3 pricing
- 85.5 lb
A long-running compact that's now firmly dated: one AC outlet, no USB-C, Li-ion cells and a very slow recharge. Only its ubiquity keeps it around.
Best for: Light, occasional device charging when found cheap.
Where it falls short:
- ~500 cycles
- One AC outlet, no USB-C
- 7.5-hour recharge
| Spec | EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1999 | $499 |
| Capacity | 3072 Wh | 518 Wh |
| Continuous output | 3600 W | 500 W |
| Surge output | 7200 W | 1000 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | NMC |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 85.5 lb | 13.3 lb |
| Max solar | 1600 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h 30m | 7h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | EcoFlow DELTA 3 Ultra Plus | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 43.5 hrs | 7.3 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 82.9 hrs | 14.0 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 32.6 hrs | 5.5 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 65.3 hrs | 11.0 hrs |
| Sump pump | 3.3 hrs | ❌ |