Apple's spec sheets for the iPad and the iPad Air list a "USB-C Charge Cable (1 metre)" in the box and no power adapter, so the plug is yours to buy. For the iPad Pro (M5), Apple's support page says "a USB-C compliant, 60 W or higher power adapter" can fast charge it. For other iPads, more watts help only up to what the tablet itself will draw, so the choice comes down to ports and build.
Top picks
1. UGREEN Nexode 35W USB C Charger (Dual Port GaN) - Best Overall
SPP Score: 8.8 / 10 - 35W with a second port. Our all-round pick for most iPads.
Capability 7.6/10 - Versatility 8.9/10 - Build 9.4/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 9.4/10
Fit for this guide: 35W on the USB-C port, a USB-A port for a phone and a foldable plug make it the everyday iPad charger.
Every pick here is scored out of 10: four marks rate the product and are the same in every guide, and the fifth rates its fit for this guide - how we test and score.
UGREEN's own page gives the USB-C port 35W on its own and adds a USB-A, so an iPad and a phone charge from one plug. With both in use the iPad keeps most of the power and the phone gets a slow top-up. The plug folds flat and the core is GaN, so it packs into a bag.
Pros
- ✓ 35W from the USB-C port when it charges alone
- ✓ A second, USB-A port, so an iPad and a phone share one plug
- ✓ Foldable plug and a GaN core that pack down for travel
Cons
- ✗ The spare port is USB-A, so a USB-C phone needs a USB-A lead to use it
- ✗ With both ports in use the USB-C falls to 25W and the USB-A gives 7.5W
Who it's for: Owners of a standard iPad, an iPad Air or an iPad mini.
Who it's not for: Anyone who needs two USB-C devices charging from one plug.
2. UGREEN 20W USB C Charger (PD) - Best Budget
SPP Score: 8.1 / 10 - 20W single port. Our value pick.
Capability 7.1/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.9/10 - Value 8.5/10 - Fit 8.5/10
Fit for this guide: One 20W USB-C port with Power Delivery covers a standard iPad or mini, with no second port to share.
UGREEN lists a single USB-C port at 20W with Power Delivery: one iPad, kept by the sofa, charging from one socket.
Pros
- ✓ 20W with Power Delivery from a single USB-C port
Cons
- ✗ One port only, so nothing else charges beside the iPad
- ✗ The lowest output of the three picks
Who it's for: Anyone charging a single standard iPad or mini who wants the plug and nothing more.
Who it's not for: Anyone who wants a second device charging at the same time.
3. Anker 735 GaNPrime 65W Charger (3-Port) - Best Premium
SPP Score: 8.5 / 10 - 65W three-port with PPS. Our pick for an iPad Pro or a laptop too.
Capability 8.5/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 9.4/10 - Value 8.5/10 - Fit 8.5/10
Fit for this guide: The only pick here that meets Apple's stated 60W or higher for a fast-charging iPad Pro, and it runs a laptop too.
Buy this one if the iPad is a Pro. Anker's page lists two USB-C ports and a USB-A with "65W Max Total Output", and its listing title names the MacBook Air and the Dell XPS 13 among the machines it charges. PPS is on the listing too. If you're choosing across the whole 65W class rather than for an iPad, our 65W GaN charger guide goes wider, and a Surface Pro has its own Surface Pro charger guide.
Pros
- ✓ Apple says a 60W-plus adapter takes an iPad Pro (M5) to 50 per cent in around 30 minutes
- ✓ Three ports on one socket, so the iPad, a laptop and a phone charge together
Cons
- ✗ Anker marks the UK version "Not foldable", so it is less of a travel charger
- ✗ 65W is the total across all three ports, so a laptop charging beside the iPad takes a share of it
Who it's for: iPad Pro owners who want Apple's fast charge.
Who it's not for: Owners of a standard iPad or mini who only ever charge the tablet, where two of the three ports sit idle.
Quick verdict
For most iPad owners the UGREEN Nexode 35W USB C Charger (Dual Port GaN) is the one to buy, for its second port and folding plug. The UGREEN 20W USB C Charger (PD) is the plain one-port plug for a single iPad. For an iPad Pro, or an iPad and a laptop on one socket, get the Anker 735 GaNPrime 65W Charger (3-Port).
How we chose
We read each plug's output and ports from the maker's own page or listing, then ranked on what actually differs between them: output against the 60W Apple gives for the iPad Pro (M5), the number of ports, and how each plug is built. Placement here is never paid for. What a given listing ships in its box is one thing we can't check for you, so read that before you buy.
FAQ
Q: What wattage charger does a standard iPad need? A: Its spec sheet doesn't name one. Apple says only "Charging via power adapter or USB-C to computer system", so any USB-C Power Delivery plug will charge it, and so will a laptop's USB-C port when you're away from a socket.
Q: Can one charger do my iPad and my iPhone? A: Yes, the two- and three-port picks here charge both at once. If the iPhone is the main thing you're charging, our iPhone charger guide picks for that instead.
Q: Will a 65W charger harm my iPad? A: No. The iPad and the charger agree the power between them over USB-C Power Delivery, and the tablet never draws more than it is built to take, so a 65W plug is as safe as a 20W one.
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