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01Two languages for asking a charger for more power
USB PD vs Quick Charge comes down to who wrote the rules. USB Power Delivery comes from the USB Implementers Forum, the group behind USB itself, and every major phone maker supports it. Quick Charge is Qualcomm's proprietary method, built for phones with Snapdragon chips before PD was everywhere.
Both solve the same problem. Plain USB runs at 5 volts, which caps how much power fits through a cable. To charge faster, the phone and charger need to agree to raise the voltage, and that agreement needs a shared language. PD is one language. QC is another. If the phone and charger don't share one, they fall back to slow 5V charging and nothing breaks.
If the volts and watts part is fuzzy, start with watts vs amps on a phone charger. It takes two minutes and makes the rest of this page click.
02Side by side: PD and Quick Charge
| USB Power Delivery | Qualcomm Quick Charge | |
|---|---|---|
| Who controls it | USB-IF (open standard) | Qualcomm (licensed) |
| Usual port | USB-C | USB-A on older chargers; USB-C on newer |
| Voltage steps | 5, 9, 15, 20V; PPS adds fine steps; up to 48V for laptops | QC 2.0: 5, 9, 12V. QC 3.0: 3.6–20V in small steps |
| iPhone | Yes, iPhone 8 and later | No |
| Google Pixel | Yes, with PPS | No |
| Samsung Galaxy | Yes; PPS needed for Super Fast Charging | Not for the fast modes |
| Laptops and tablets | Yes, up to 240W | Rarely |
| Works with the other | Newer QC chargers speak PD | QC 4+ and QC 5 are PD-compatible |
One detail explains why the industry settled on PD. The USB-C specification doesn't allow chargers to raise voltage using their own private signaling. Older Quick Charge did exactly that, which is why Qualcomm made Quick Charge 4+ and 5 compatible with PD. Today, a modern "QC" USB-C charger is usually a PD charger with extra tricks.
03Which phones still benefit from Quick Charge
- Older Android phones with Snapdragon chips, especially ones that shipped with a USB-A charger. LG, Motorola, older Xiaomi, OnePlus and Sony models often fast-charge only on QC.
- Some Galaxy phones' older fast mode. Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charging (about 15W) predates PD support. Some QC chargers can trigger it; check the listing.
- USB-A gadgets: portable speakers, older power banks and dash cams that list QC 3.0 on their input.
- Car chargers: plenty of cars and older car chargers still use USB-A with QC. A combo PD + QC car charger covers both.
Everyone else should shop by PD. An iPhone on a QC-only USB-A charger charges at slow standard speed. A Galaxy S26 on a QC charger misses Super Fast Charging entirely, because that needs PD with PPS. Our Samsung fast charging fix guide explains the exact wording each speed shows on screen.
A multi-port charger with USB-C PD ports and a USB-A QC port lets an iPhone, a Galaxy and an older Android all fast-charge from one outlet. Just remember that ports share the total wattage when several are in use.
04Find the right charger for your phone
A USB-C PD charger, 20W or more
Any certified USB-C Power Delivery charger fast-charges an iPhone. Go 30W or higher if you also use a magnetic charger.
Shop USB-C chargersA USB-C PD charger with PPS
PPS is what switches on Samsung's Super Fast Charging and Pixel's top speed. Look for "PPS" on the listing, 25W minimum, 45W for Plus and Ultra Galaxy models.
Shop fast chargersA charger with a Quick Charge port
A QC 3.0 USB-A port fast-charges older Android phones and gadgets. A combo charger with PD ports too is the better long-term buy.
Shop chargers05Single-standard or combo charger
USB-C PD only
- Works with phones, tablets and laptops
- GaN models are small for the power
- No help for QC-only gadgets
PD + QC combo
- USB-C and USB-A ports
- Fast-charges older Android too
- Bigger, and power is split across ports
QC 3.0 USB-A only
- Cheap and simple
- No fast charging for iPhone or new Galaxy
- A dead end as gadgets move to USB-C
A multi-port GaN for PD, a combo with both PD and QC ports, and a QC 3.0 brick for older gear.
Whatever you pick, check that the cable can keep up. A USB-A to USB-C cable won't carry PD at all, since PD needs USB-C on both ends (or USB-C to Lightning for older iPhones). The cables collection lists the wattage each one is rated for.
Questions people ask
Is USB PD better than Quick Charge?
For any phone made in the last few years, yes. PD is the open standard Apple, Google and Samsung all use, and it scales up to laptops. Quick Charge mainly helps older Snapdragon Android phones, and its newest versions are PD-compatible anyway.
Can I use a Quick Charge charger on an iPhone?
Yes, it's safe, but the iPhone won't fast-charge on QC. It falls back to standard 5V speed. For fast charging, use a USB-C PD charger of 20W or more.
Does Samsung use Quick Charge?
Not for its fast modes. Super Fast Charging (25W) and Super Fast Charging 2.0 (45W) need a USB-C PD charger with PPS. Samsung's older Adaptive Fast Charging is around 15W and is separate from both.
Will a PD charger damage a phone that only supports Quick Charge?
No. If the phone doesn't ask for PD, the charger stays at safe 5V. You'll just get standard speed instead of fast charging.
What is Quick Charge 5?
Qualcomm's newest version, aimed at very fast charging on recent Snapdragon phones. It's designed to work with USB PD chargers, so a good PD charger covers most phones that list QC 5 support.