Goal Zero Yeti 700 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 $300 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Goal Zero Yeti 700 holds 31% more energy (677Wh vs 518Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Jackery Explorer 500 is 7.0 lb lighter (13.3 lb vs 20.3 lb).
- Goal Zero Yeti 700 uses LiFePO4 while the other uses NMC — roughly double the usable cycle life.
- Goal Zero Yeti 700 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 largest of the rugged compacts. Still not an appliance unit — 600W of output caps what it can drive — but a durable mid-size companion.
Best for: Rugged off-grid use where durability outranks running heavy loads.
Where it falls short:
- 600W output rules out compressors and heaters
- 20.3 lb is heavy for 677Wh
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 | Goal Zero Yeti 700 | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $799 | $499 |
| Capacity | 677 Wh | 518 Wh |
| Continuous output | 600 W | 500 W |
| Surge output | 1000 W | 1000 W |
| Battery | LiFePO4 | NMC |
| Rated cycles | 4,000 | 500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 20.3 lb | 13.3 lb |
| Max solar | 300 W | 100 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 2h | 7h 30m |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Goal Zero Yeti 700 | Jackery Explorer 500 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 9.6 hrs | 7.3 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 18.3 hrs | 14.0 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 7.2 hrs | 5.5 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 14.4 hrs | 11.0 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |