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Best-of · Matched to Apple bricks
The best Apple charger alternatives of 2026.
Apple sells eight current adapters and none of them are labelled by device. Each pick below is paired with a specific Apple brick and matched on the profile that brick actually delivers — same watts, same rails, usually more ports.
How we ranked these
The five criteria used site-wide are delivered watts, protocol correctness, safety certification, size and price per watt, and track record. The pairing method adds a constraint that comes first: an alternative only qualifies if it publishes the same or higher rail than the Apple brick it replaces.
Below 70W, third-party GaN beats Apple on size, port count and price per watt with no functional loss — Apple's sub-70W bricks are ordinary PD units. At 140W the calculus changes: an alternative must explicitly list the 28V rail to be a genuine substitute rather than a 100W unit with a 140W combined total. Where an alternative loses something (MagSafe 3, or Apple's warranty), the pick says so.
The picks, paired to Apple bricks
- 20W→
Replaces the Apple 20W: Anker Nano 30W
10W more than the brick it replaces, smaller, with folding prongs Apple's US model lacks.
- Output
- 30W
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- Replaces
- Apple 20W USB-C
- Gains
- Size, folding plug
- 35W→
Replaces the Apple 35W dual: Anker 735 Nano II 65W
Two USB-C ports like Apple's dual brick, but a 65W budget instead of 35W shared, plus USB-A.
- Output
- 65W total
- Ports
- 2× USB-C, 1× USB-A
- Replaces
- Apple 35W Dual
- Gains
- 30W more shared budget
- 70W→
Replaces the Apple 70W: UGREEN Nexode 65W 3-port
Within 5W of Apple's MacBook Air brick, with three ports instead of one.
- Output
- 65W total
- Ports
- 2× USB-C, 1× USB-A
- Replaces
- Apple 70W USB-C
- Trade-off
- 5W below Apple's rate
- 96W→
Replaces the Apple 96W: UGREEN Nexode 100W 4-port
4W above Apple's 96W on a single port, plus three more ports for the desk.
- Output
- 100W total
- Ports
- 3× USB-C, 1× USB-A
- Replaces
- Apple 96W USB-C
- Gains
- 3 extra ports
- 140W→
Replaces the Apple 140W: Anker Prime 140W
Publishes the 28V PD 3.1 rail Apple's brick uses, and adds two ports.
- Output
- 140W total
- Ports
- 2× USB-C, 1× USB-A
- Replaces
- Apple 140W USB-C
- Requires
- 240W EPR cable
- 20W→
Budget stand-in for the Apple 20W: Amazon Basics 20W
Identical output, UL listed, and the cheapest honest way to replace a lost iPhone brick.
- Output
- 20W
- Ports
- 1× USB-C
- Certified
- UL listed
- Replaces
- Apple 20W USB-C
The pairings compared
| Apple brick | Apple output | Matched alternative | Alternative watts / ports | Protocol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple 20W USB-C | 20W, 1 port | Anker Nano 30W | 30W, 1× C | PD 3.0 |
| Apple 70W USB-C | 70W, 1 port | UGREEN Nexode 65W | 65W, 2× C + 1× A | PD 3.0, PPS |
| Apple 96W USB-C | 96W, 1 port | UGREEN Nexode 100W | 100W, 3× C + 1× A | PD 3.0, PPS |
| Apple 140W USB-C | 140W, 1 port, 28V | Anker Prime 140W | 140W, 2× C + 1× A | PD 3.1, 28V |
Two caveats. Apple's 70W brick genuinely delivers 70W to one port; the 65W alternative is 5W short, which changes a MacBook Air's fast-charge time slightly and nothing else. And every multi-port alternative shares its budget, so the single-port figures assume nothing else is plugged in.
Related pages
Whether to buy first-party at all is worked through in official vs third-party chargers. For the machine-by-machine view, best MacBook chargers and best iPhone chargers start from the device.
Related lists: best 140W chargers for the top of the range, best 65W chargers for the MacBook Air class, and the index at best-of lists.
FAQ
Will a third-party charger void my Apple warranty?
No. Using a certified USB-C Power Delivery charger is normal use. Damage from a defective uncertified adapter is a different matter, which is why certification is a gate here.
Is a 65W charger really a substitute for Apple's 70W?
For a MacBook Air, yes — it charges fully and only the fast-charge window is marginally longer. For a MacBook Pro 14 inch, step up to 100W.
Do third-party chargers work with MagSafe 3?
Yes, through Apple's MagSafe 3 cable, which is USB-C on the charger end. The charger needs only the wattage; the cable carries the connector.
Which Apple brick is hardest to replace?
The 140W. It is the only Apple adapter using PD 3.1 at 28V, and many third-party units advertising 140W reach it only as a combined total across ports.