Goal Zero Yeti 500 vs Jackery Explorer 100 Plus
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 100 Plus costs $550 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Goal Zero Yeti 500 holds 404% more energy (499Wh vs 99Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Goal Zero Yeti 500 has 744W more surge headroom (1000W vs 256W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Jackery Explorer 100 Plus is 10.8 lb lighter (2.13 lb vs 12.9 lb).
- Goal Zero Yeti 500 is rated for 4,000 cycles vs 2,000 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
Neither of these will start a sump pump or well pump — both surge below the ~3,400W those motors need. If home backup with pumps is your use case, look at higher-surge models instead of either of these.
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
At 2.1 lb this is a laptop battery with an AC outlet. Genuinely pocketable, genuinely limited.
Best for: Air travelers and photographers topping up cameras and laptops.
Where it falls short:
- 128W output runs almost nothing with a motor or heater
- 99Wh is roughly one laptop charge
| Spec | Goal Zero Yeti 500 | Jackery Explorer 100 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $699 | $149 |
| Capacity | 499 Wh | 99 Wh |
| Continuous output | 500 W | 128 W |
| Surge output | 1000 W | 256 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 2,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 12.9 lb | 2.13 lb |
| Max solar | 120 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 1h 25m | 1h 48m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Goal Zero Yeti 500 | Jackery Explorer 100 Plus |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7.1 hrs | ❌ |
| Mini fridge | 13.5 hrs | ❌ |
| Chest freezer | 5.3 hrs | ❌ |
| CPAP machine | 10.6 hrs | 2.1 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |