Finding the cheapest place to buy batteries isn’t always a cakewalk. It’s easy to overpay for batteries without comparing the costs of different brands and pack sizes. And sometimes calculating prices can get so confusing, you’ll pay any amount just to avoid the math.
I’m going to show you how to get the cheapest batteries the easy way. And by “cheap,” I mean rock-bottom prices, not low quality.
Batteries come in all different forms, like rechargeable batteries or lithium batteries (which tend to last longer but cost more). For the sake of this post, I’m focusing on the most common type: single-use alkaline batteries.
I’ll show you how to get the best battery coupons and where to shop for the absolute lowest prices, plus which brands tend to be the cheapest on the reg.
Download the free The Krazy Coupon Lady app so I can show you more money-saving tips and discounts.
Shop the most-popular batteries now on Amazon.
BEST DEAL ON AAA:
$0.21 per battery
BEST DEAL ON AA:
$0.29 per battery
BEST DEAL ON RECHARGEABLE:
$0.63 per battery
BEST DEAL ON LITHIUM:
$0.54 per battery
If you’re mathematically challenged like me, don’t panic. I put math to bed a long time ago and swore off of it forever. But when it comes to saving money, I’ll gladly whip out my calculator to avoid overpaying for anything. And you should, too.
To calculate the cost per battery, take the total price of the pack and divide it by the number of batteries included. For example, if a 24-pack of AA batteries costs $18.99, the cost per battery is $0.79 ($18.99 / 24).
Based on the absolute best deals I’ve seen, these are the costs per battery you should aim for when you buy AAA, AA, C, or D batteries.
Quick disclaimer here — these prices won’t be available all the time. I based these numbers on the lowest of the low prices I’ve seen from various sales, coupons, and other limited-time deals. So it IS possible to hit these goal prices, but probably not every day. Use these as a standard of comparison when you shop, but don’t stress if you’re spending a little bit more. Just try to get as close as you can.
TIP: We found the best rechargeable batteries range from $1.60 – $7.50 per AA battery.
Most of the time, store-brand batteries are your cheapest option, but not all of them will get you a great deal. Most store-brand batteries have a much lower cost per battery than Duracell and Energizer. But on the other hand, you’ll pay about $0.10 more per battery for the Walgreens brand than you will with Energizer Max.
Overall, Home Depot, Target, Walmart, and Amazon have the most affordable store-brand batteries, even at regular prices.
Amazon Basics has the lowest regular price for AAA batteries as it is, and when you factor in sale prices with up to 15% off Subscribe & Save orders, the deal is a no-brainer. You’ll end up paying as low as $0.07 per AAA battery, which is WAY lower than the goal price I stated earlier ($0.11 per AAA battery). Even if you don’t use the Subscribe & Save discount, you’ll still pay just $0.09 per battery with a really good sale.
Amazon Basics batteries go on sale often, so all you have to do is keep an eye out. Remember, you’re aiming to pay $0.11 per AAA battery, but the ultimate goal is to save as much as possible.
Here’s an example of what an unbeatable deal on AAA batteries looks like:
At regular prices, Home Depot’s HDX AA batteries are cheaper than any others I’ve seen. You’ll pay just $0.25 per battery for their AA and AAA batteries. (Remember, $0.25 was our goal price for AA batteries.) Who needs a coupon when you’re already getting this great of a deal?
Target’s Up & Up C and D batteries are regularly priced at $0.62 per battery, which is much lower than C and D battery prices anywhere else. Plus, you’ll save an extra 5% with your Target RedCard. It’s also worth looking for Target Circle offers on Up & Up batteries to see if you can score extra savings on your purchase.
When it comes to bigger brands like Duracell, you’ll have to accept a higher cost per battery than you would for lesser-known or store-brand batteries. But if you’re truly loyal to Duracell, there are plenty of ways to save. Duracell batteries are widely available at most retailers, so Duracell coupons and store-specific offers are easy to find.
Costco has the lowest regular prices for Duracell Coppertop AA and AAA batteries (both cost $0.52 per battery) and Duracell Coppertop D batteries ($1.21 per battery). They’ll also run promos for $2 – $3 off Duracell Coppertop packs, bringing your cost per battery down even more.
Amazon has the lowest regular price for Duracell Coppertop C batteries ($1.28 per battery), but you won’t have to wait long for a sale. Plus, with the Subscribe & Save discount, you’ll save an extra 5% or 15%. Even better, Amazon throws out coupons for dollars off your Duracell purchase with Subscribe & Save orders. When you combine these three offers, you’ll pay as low as $0.37 per battery.
Duracell Optimum batteries are even more expensive than their Coppertop counterpart, but you can buy them at Home Depot for just $0.94 per battery. So without a sale or coupon, Home Depot is the way to go.
But with an Amazon sale on Duracell Optimum batteries combined with up to 15% off Subscribe & Save orders, you’ll pay as low as $0.56 per AA battery and $0.37 per AAA battery.
Sam’s Club has the lowest regular price for Energizer Max C and D batteries ($1.28 per battery). But you can also save on Energizer Max AAs and AAAs with Sam’s Club Instant Savings:
Amazon has a sale or coupon (or both) for Energizer batteries at least once a month.
Related: We have you covered with Energizer coupons if you need ’em!
Yes, store-brand batteries regularly have low prices, but you’d miss out if you didn’t at least try to mix in extra savings. Because the key to getting the best battery prices is to wait for a sale and stack it with a battery coupon or store offer, knowing what to look for makes all the difference.
Batteries go on sale literally all the time, but you’ll have better luck at some stores versus others. Between coupons, price drops, and loyalty discounts, there’s almost always a way to save more on your purchase. Here’s how to save at each of the major stores:
Batteries at Amazon:
Amazon gives you tons of opportunities to save, so it’s worth checking for deals there first. They have regular sales on Amazon Basics, Energizer, Duracell, and sometimes Rayovac batteries. In most cases, you’ll score an extra 5% off if you add the batteries to your Amazon Subscribe & Save order and 15% off if you have five or more items on Subscribe & Save. But the absolute best offer is when there’s an Amazon coupon available during a sale. I’ve seen coupons like $2.10 off Duracell batteries or 40% off Energizer batteries with Subscribe & Save.
TIP: Text AMAZON to 57299 and be the first to know about the hottest Amazon deals each day.
Batteries at Sam’s Club & Costco:
Sam’s Club and Costco run weeklong or monthlong promos for dollars off battery packs. The most recent offers I saw were for $3 Instant Savings on all batteries from Sam’s Club and $3 off Duracell Coppertop AAA or AA batteries from Costco.
Batteries at Target:
The best way to score battery savings at Target is to stack a Target Circle offer, a manufacturer coupon, and your Target RedCard savings (5%) on a single purchase. These are the two most recent Target deals I’ve seen on batteries:
Manufacturer coupons are great because you can use them at any store, and they usually offer discounts on the most widely available battery packs (like Energizer and Duracell). Check out our full list of coupons for batteries, most of which can be used at any store.
Expect coupon values to save you $1.00-$1.50 off a package of name-brand batteries.
Related: Looking for coupons online? Use these top tips for finding and printing the best free printable coupons.
If you’re in a hurry and can’t hunt for bigger savings, these five battery brands are the cheapest at their regular prices:
I only found one independently owned brand with prices that compete with the store brands, and that’s ACDelco.
You can buy ACDelco batteries at Home Depot, Lowe’s, Walmart, and Amazon. Their AA batteries tend to be the cheapest at Home Depot ($0.27 per AA battery). But if you’re looking for ACDelco AAAs, buy them on Amazon ($0.25 per battery).
Just when you thought Amazon couldn’t get any better, it does. If you’ve been buying batteries on Amazon without really knowing whether you’re getting a good deal, you can rest easy. Amazon has low regular prices on their Amazon Basics batteries. But they go on sale literally all the time, so you have plenty of chances to get an even better deal.
Plus, Amazon’s Subscribe & Save discount will save you an extra 5% or 15% on your battery purchases, and you’ll often find an Amazon coupon for extra savings on Subscribe & Save orders.
Beyond that, Amazon frequently drops prices on other types of batteries, like Energizer, Duracell, and Rayovac. If you wait for these sales, you’ll pay far below the average cost per battery for these brands.
Let me show you what I mean:
Amazon also has the lowest regular prices for the following batteries:
So yeah. When it comes to saving on batteries, Amazon is all around a great option. But you should still do the math to make sure you’re getting a good deal. As I said, waiting for a sale can pay off big time, so keep your smarts on every time you shop.
TIP: There’s a way to make sure you never miss a great Amazon deal on batteries. Head to CamelCamelCamel.com, paste the Amazon URL for your go-to battery packs in the search bar, then enter your email address to set up price alerts.
Walgreens and CVS have some of the highest battery prices out there, which leads me to this next rule: a drugstore is never the cheapest place to buy batteries. Their store-brand batteries are two to three times more expensive than other store-brand batteries. Even when you stack multiple savings elements on your battery purchase, you’ll still end up paying more than you would at other retailers. Here’s an example:
So even with the Walgreens offer AND a MFR coupon on your Energizer Max AA battery purchase from Walgreens, you’ll still pay more than three times as much per battery compared to Home Depot’s prices.
CVS battery prices are slightly lower than Walgreens but not nearly as low as Amazon Basics or Home Depot’s HDX batteries.
Hey guys- I'm going to have a new project this weekend, and at this point I just want to get it running and driving for as cheap as possible (don't we all?). I know it needs a battery, and dropping $100 or so on a battery is hard for me to justify on a $300 car. The local Pick-n-Pull sells some used batteries, but they are around $34 once you add in the core (the car has no battery, so I don't have a core to turn in). Anybody know a good place to get a battery for somewhere in between these prices? The cheap Autozone & Advance batteries are in the $85 range, which is better, but I figured the GRMers would know some magical secret to getting a brand new one for next to nothing.
Thanks in advance!