Jackery Explorer 500 vs Jackery Explorer 240
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 240 costs $300 less. Whether that gap is worth closing depends on what you need to run.
- Jackery Explorer 500 holds 116% more energy (518Wh vs 240Wh), so it runs the same load proportionally longer.
- Jackery Explorer 500 has 600W more surge headroom (1000W vs 400W) — that decides whether a fridge, pump or AC compressor will actually start.
- Jackery Explorer 240 is 6.7 lb lighter (6.6 lb vs 13.3 lb).
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 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 very old, very small unit still sold on price alone. The LiFePO4 Explorer 240 v2 beats it on cycles and charging for similar money.
Best for: Only if it’s markedly cheaper than the 240 v2.
Where it falls short:
- ~500 Li-ion cycles
- 200W output, no USB-C PD
| Spec | Jackery Explorer 500 | Jackery Explorer 240 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $499 | $199 |
| Capacity | 518 Wh | 240 Wh |
| Continuous output | 500 W | 200 W |
| Surge output | 1000 W | 400 W |
| Battery | NMC | NMC |
| Rated cycles | 500 | 500 |
| Weight (lighter wins) | 13.3 lb | 6.6 lb |
| Max solar | 100 W | 65 W |
| Recharge time (faster wins) | 7h 30m | 5h |
Runtime head-to-head
| Appliance | Jackery Explorer 500 | Jackery Explorer 240 |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 7.3 hrs | ❌ |
| Mini fridge | 14.0 hrs | 6.5 hrs |
| Chest freezer | 5.5 hrs | ❌ |
| CPAP machine | 11.0 hrs | 5.1 hrs |
| Sump pump | ❌ | ❌ |