Head to head
CTEK MXS 5.0 vs Battery Tender Plus (2027)
Head-to-head: CTEK MXS 5.0 versus Battery Tender Plus on charge programs, AGM support, speed, and storage duty.
CTEK MXS 5.0
An eight-step Swedish charger with AGM mode and automatic temperature compensation.
- Output: 5A program (US version 4.3A max)
- Voltage: 12V
Battery Tender Plus 1.25A
The original smart maintainer, with a four-step charge and a 10-year warranty.
- Output: 1.25A
- Voltage: 12V
Our recommendation
Choose the CTEK MXS 5.0 if your battery is AGM, if you want recovery features, or if one unit must both charge and maintain. Choose the Battery Tender Plus if the vehicle simply sits in storage and you want the most proven float maintainer with the longest warranty. They overlap less than their prices suggest.
Charge program depth
The CTEK runs an eight-step program with analysis and optional recond phases and charges at up to roughly four times the Battery Tender's current. The Plus runs a simpler four-step program at 1.25 amps, optimized entirely around reaching and holding float.
Battery chemistry
The MXS 5.0's dedicated AGM mode is the decisive difference for modern cars. The Plus charges AGM batteries adequately in many cases but applies a flooded-battery profile. Neither supports lithium.
Warranty and philosophy
Battery Tender backs the Plus for 10 years, the longest here, reflecting a maintain-forever philosophy. CTEK's shorter warranty comes with diagnostic honesty: it will tell you a battery is failing instead of floating it politely.
Choose CTEK MXS 5.0 if…
- Your vehicle has an AGM battery
- You want one unit that charges and maintains
- Recovery of a tired battery matters to you
Choose Battery Tender Plus 1.25A if…
- The vehicle lives in storage for months
- You value the 10-year warranty and proven float behavior
- Simplicity matters more than features
Questions, answered
Which charges faster?
The CTEK, by a wide margin: its multi-amp program versus the Plus's 1.25 amps. The Plus is a maintainer first.
Which is better for a classic car in storage?
Both excel. The Plus is the traditional choice with the longer warranty; the CTEK adds diagnostics if the battery's health is in question.
Can either charge a lithium battery?
No. For lithium, choose a NOCO GENIUS model with a dedicated lithium profile.