MagSafe vs Qi2: what is the difference, and which one fits your phone?
Both are magnetic wireless charging at roughly the same power. The difference is who makes it, which phones it works with, and the price. The straight answer is here.
Walk into the wireless charging aisle and two words keep coming up: MagSafe and Qi2. People assume they are two completely different things. In reality they are very close cousins. Here is the short version.
MagSafe: Apple's system
MagSafe is a ring of magnets inside the iPhone (iPhone 12 onwards) combined with wireless charging. The magnets snap the charger into exactly the right spot every time, so there is no "I put it slightly off-centre and it didn't charge". Power is 15W on most models, and the newest iPhones reach 25W with the latest MagSafe charger and a 30W adapter.
Qi2: the same idea as an open standard
Qi2 (pronounced "chee two") is the industry-wide wireless charging standard, and its second version borrowed the magnet idea directly from Apple, who helped develop it. The result: a Qi2 charger snaps onto an iPhone magnetically and charges it at 15W, just like MagSafe, usually for less money. A newer version called Qi2 25W pushes that to 25W on phones that support it.
The real differences in one table
| MagSafe | Qi2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who is behind it | Apple | Open standard (WPC) |
| Works with iPhone? | Yes, iPhone 12 and later | Yes, iPhone 12 and later |
| Works with Android? | No (plain charging only, no magnets) | Yes, on phones that support it or with a magnetic case |
| Power | 15W, up to 25W on the newest | 15W, up to 25W with Qi2 25W |
| Typical price | Higher | Lower |
Have an iPhone?
Buy whichever fits your budget. A Qi2 charger from a known brand gives you the same day-to-day experience as MagSafe. The only difference you will notice: if you have an iPhone 16 or newer and want the full 25W, make sure the charger says MagSafe or Qi2 25W, not plain Qi2.
Have an Android?
This is where you need to pay attention. Most Android phones, Samsung included, have no magnets built in. They charge wirelessly, but the charger won't snap on. The fix is easy: a magnetic case (labelled "MagSafe compatible" or "Qi2 Ready"), after which any magnetic charger or power bank works. A few newer phones, like the Google Pixel 10, ship with the magnets built in.
What about plain pads without magnets?
They still exist and still work, but don't expect speed: an iPhone on a basic Qi pad takes just 7.5W. If you are buying today, get something magnetic and be done with it.
One last tip
Every wireless charger needs a decent wall adapter behind it. A 15W magnetic charger on an old 5W cube charges slowly and runs warm. Pair it with a 20W or 30W adapter. Details are in our guide on how many watts your charger needs.
Magnetic chargers and power banks are in our chargers section.