Jackery Explorer 500 vs Growatt VITA 550
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
Growatt VITA 550 costs $100 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Growatt VITA 550 holds 4% more energy (538Wh vs 518Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Growatt VITA 550 has 200W more surge headroom (1200W vs 1000W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Jackery Explorer 500 is 4.3 lb lighter (13.3 lb vs 17.6 lb).
- Growatt VITA 550 uses LiFePO4 while the other uses NMC — roughly double the usable cycle life.
- Growatt VITA 550 is rated for 3,000 cycles vs 500 — meaningful if you cycle it daily.
We'd skip the Jackery Explorer 500 in this matchup. It costs $100 more than the Growatt VITA 550 while matching or trailing it on capacity, surge and cycle life — there's no spec here that justifies the premium.
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
A tidy half-kWh unit with fast charging and a 1,200W surge that lets it start small appliances a 600W rating wouldn't suggest.
Best for: Campers who want fast charging and a bit of surge headroom at half a kWh.
Where it falls short:
- 538Wh is weekend-scale
- 3-year warranty
| Spec | Jackery Explorer 500 | Growatt VITA 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499 | $399 |
| Capacity | 518 Wh | 538 Wh |
| Continuous output | 500 W | 600 W |
| Surge output | 1000 W | 1200 W |
| Battery | NMC | LiFePO4 |
| Rated cycles | 500 | 3,000 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 13.3 lb | 17.6 lb |
| Max solar | 100 W | 300 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 7h 30m | 1h |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Jackery Explorer 500 | Growatt VITA 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7.3 hrs | 7.6 hrs |
| Mini fridge | 14.0 hrs | 14.5 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 5.5 hrs | 5.7 hrs |
| CPAP machine | 11.0 hrs | 11.4 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |