Goal Zero Yeti 500 vs Goal Zero Yeti 1000
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
Goal Zero Yeti 500 costs $500 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Goal Zero Yeti 1000 holds 98% more energy (988Wh vs 499Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Goal Zero Yeti 1000 has 2600W more surge headroom (3600W vs 1000W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Goal Zero Yeti 500 is 22.4 lb lighter (12.9 lb vs 35.3 lb).
Goal Zero Yeti 500
A rugged, water-resistant unit for people who'll actually beat it up. You pay a premium over similar-capacity rivals for that durability.
Best for: Overlanders and job sites where the unit will get wet, dusty and knocked around.
Where it falls short:
- $699 for 499Wh is expensive per watt-hour
- Only a 2-year warranty vs 5 years from most rivals
- 120W solar input is very low
Goal Zero Yeti 1000
The 6th-gen Yeti 1000 finally brings a real 2,000W inverter to Goal Zero's mid-size. Now it competes on output, not just toughness.
Best for: Buyers who want Goal Zero's ruggedness with real appliance-starting output.
Where it falls short:
- 35.3 lb for under 1kWh is heavy
- Premium price against lighter rivals
| Spec | Goal Zero Yeti 500 | Goal Zero Yeti 1000 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | $1199 |
| Capacity | 499 Wh | 988 Wh |
| Continuous output | 500 W | 2000 W |
| Surge output | 1000 W | 3600 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 12.9 lb | 35.3 lb |
| Max solar | 120 W | 600 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h 25m | 1h 12m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Goal Zero Yeti 500 | Goal Zero Yeti 1000 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7.1 hrs | 14.0 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 13.5 hrs | 26.7 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 5.3 hrs | 10.5 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 10.6 hrs | 21.0 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | 1.0 hrs |