Finding yourself in need of a new car battery can be frustrating, so knowing ahead of time where to shop for the best price can be a big help.
In this article, I’ll take a close look at a few of the best places to buy car batteries. You’ll find prices and information for Advance Auto Parts, Costco and NAPA among others. I visited each of the stores’ websites to see current prices on car batteries, the length of warranties and whether the installation is included in the purchase price.
This article was updated in January 2024 and I review it every six months. Detailed notes on all updates can be found here.
When it comes to deciding where to buy a car battery, there are a few things to keep in mind: Make sure that you’re shopping for the right size battery, be sure to compare prices, familiarize yourself with the warranty and see if the installation is included. You should also take the time to check the ratings and reliability on Consumer Reports (subscription required) of a certain brand or battery model before buying.
If you do all those things, you’ll likely find the best deals on car batteries at a store near you instead of at online retailers. On top of great prices, you’ll also typically find longer warranties (compared to online stores) and free installation.
Below, you’ll find more detailed information on these retailers including where to find the best price.
To see where I could get the best overall deal, I compared the prices, warranties and installation fees for similar lead-acid 24/24F car batteries. This size battery fits several Acura, Honda, Infiniti, Lexus, Nissan and Toyota models including the car I drive.
Here’s what I found in January 2024.
BrandPriceWarrantyInstallation CostcoInterstate$119.993 yearsNone WalmartEverStart$139.843 yearsFree Sam's ClubDuracell$139.883 yearsFree NAPANAPA$207.992 yearsFree Advance Auto PartsDieHard$211.993 yearsFree AutoZoneDuralast$211.992 yearsFreeWarranties may vary based on the original date of purchase.
As you can see, you’ll have access to low prices, reliable warranties and free installation at stores you can visit in person.
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I found the lowest overall price at Costco. However, Costco doesn’t offer installation, which means I’d either have to install it myself or pay to have it installed somewhere else. But Walmart will install a car battery, no matter where you buy it for $15.
Walmart offered the second-lowest price including free installation and a great warranty. Plus, you can use your Capitol One Walmart Rewards® Card to get 5% cash back by ordering the car battery online.
Sam’s Club offered the next-best deal, followed by NAPA, Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone.
You can also find a wide variety of car batteries at Amazon for reasonable prices, but you won’t get the best deal. The warranties vary by battery, and in many cases, they aren’t valid because you’re buying through Amazon instead of a dealer certified by the manufacturer. And of course, installation is not included.
For the best overall deal, be sure to check out these top six places to buy a car battery.
If you’re a Costco member, you won’t be surprised to hear that this is where you’ll find some of the lowest prices on quality car batteries. Costco carries only Interstate Batteries, which are highly rated in several sizes and models by Consumer Reports (subscription required).
While you can’t order a car battery online from Costco, you can use the store’s online battery finder to see which batteries will fit your car and how much they cost. From there, you can visit your nearest Costco to make your purchase.
Costco offers a 36-month limited warranty on most batteries, but unfortunately, you won’t be able to get your battery installed here. Again, keep in mind that Walmart offers installation for batteries bought elsewhere for only $15. That still means you’ll most likely be saving big with this purchase compared to the prices at stores with free installation.
Based on my research, Walmart offered some of the lowest prices in addition to great warranties and free installation if you buy your battery from the same location. Be sure to make your purchase online and use your Walmart rewards card for an additional 5% cash back.
You’ll mostly see EverStart car batteries at Walmart. That brand has several models that get high ratings from Consumer Reports. EverStart Value automotive batteries are available from $69.74 and up.
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To get started, visit the website and enter your car make, model and year. This will filter your results by batteries that will fit. From there, you can browse the selection and order the battery online to be picked up in-store nearby.
Sam’s Club is a great place to find car batteries at a good price, but of course, you have to be a member. The warehouse carries Duracell brand batteries, which Consumer Reports labeled “CR Recommended” options in several categories.
Sam’s Club locations with Tire & Battery centers offer free car battery installation. Batteries are also covered by a free replacement warranty for three years from the date that you buy them.
While the car batteries are available only in-store, you can still browse the available selection online. This is a great way to compare prices, read reviews and check availability.
While it may not seem like it at first glance, you can get some of the lowest prices available on car batteries from Advance Auto Parts.
When you visit the website, you can typically find a sale or promotion to help you lower the cost of your car battery. For example, in the past, I’ve seen a 20% discount on your first purchase for entering your email address. Even if you’re not a first-time Advance Auto Parts shopper, you can usually find an active promo code on the website. Finally, be sure to return the battery later to collect your $22 refundable core charge (don’t forget to save that paperwork!).
You’ll find DieHard, Optima and AutoCraft batteries among the brands at Advance Auto Parts. Warranties vary by product, but in general, expect to see a 2-3 year free replacement guarantee for most batteries Advance sells. Advance Auto Parts also offers installation and testing at no additional charge.
While AutoZone offers average prices for highly-ranked battery brands like Duralast, ACDelco and Optima, you can find great prices on value batteries such as Econocraft and Valucraft.
Generally, AutoZone’s car battery warranties range from one-and-a-half to three years, but for the value brand batteries, expect to see warranties as short as three months.
If you purchase your car battery from AutoZone, installation is free. You can order a battery online to pick up nearby or shop for a battery in-store. You can also have the battery shipped to you.
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When you visit NAPA’s website, you’ll find four different batteries including Proformer, The Legend, AAA and The Legend Premium. These batteries range from the most budget-friendly to the highest performance, respectively.
NAPA batteries are highly rated by Consumer Reports. In fact, the NAPA Legend Premium 8424F is the second-highest-rated car battery in the group 24 & 24F category.
According to NAPA’s limited warranty policy, you can expect to see a warranty ranging from 3 to 36 months on automotive batteries. Installation is free when you buy the car battery from NAPA.
If you’re a Costco or Sam’s Club member, you’ll likely find the best deals on car batteries at your favorite warehouse store. If not, Walmart is a great place to shop for car batteries. All three retailers offer three-year warranties, and the latter two offer free installation.
Additionally, you can find some of the lowest total prices on car batteries at Advance Auto Parts if you use promo codes. Also, remember to collect your $22 refundable core charge.
Finally, be sure to check AutoZone and NAPA for other competitive prices and free installation. If you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, feel free to check out the wide variety available on Amazon. Just be mindful of warranty information and have a plan for installation.
No matter where you decide to make your final purchase, be sure to comparison shop so that you know you’re getting the best, most current deal.
Article UpdatesUnlike starter batteries, which provide a burst of initial energy and maintain a sustained level of charge (your car battery is a perfect example), deep cycle batteries are intended to discharge most of their capacity. If you plan on powering an application for an extended period of time, the quality of your deep cycle battery matters.
In recent years, lithium-ion technology has become a popular deep cycle battery choice for marine watercraft, RVs, lighting, and other applications. Its lightweight profile, quick charging speed, and long battery life make it the logical choice.
Consider the following factors of lithium-ion when choosing a deep cycle battery.
Weight and size are important considerations if you intend to use your deep cycle battery on a watercraft or RV, where you’ll need to run several different electronic applications for extended periods of time.
A lithium-ion deep cycle battery is lightweight and energy-dense compared to its lead-acid counterpart. A lighter, smaller battery gives you more flexibility when considering your application’s total weight and balance.
But don’t be deceived: Although lithium-ion is smaller and lighter, its high energy efficiency means it performs better than lead-acid (and in all instances, better) at a fraction of the size.
A lithium-ion deep cycle battery charges faster than a lead-acid battery. For applications where charge time is critical for use – think all-terrain vehicles (ATV), marine power, and other recreational applications – it’s important to be able to charge and get going as quickly as possible. Lithium allows you to recharge two to three times faster than lead-acid.
Lithium batteries also charge to full in one session, making the charging process easy. Lead-acid batteries must be charged over multiple sessions to reach full capacity, requiring active maintenance.
Perhaps the greatest advantage of the lithium-ion deep cycle battery is its long, low-maintenance life span. A quality lithium-ion battery doesn’t need to be refilled with water and typically lasts owners up to 10 years, several times the life span of the average lead-acid battery.
Lithium-ion batteries also don't lose trivial amounts of energy to self-discharge when they’re put in storage. If you want to throw the battery in storage for the winter and bring it out again when it’s time to hit the waves or the slopes, you won’t need to waste time nursing it back to health.
More importantly, if you need a backup battery to power an emergency generator, lithium-ion is the reliable choice. With lead-acid alternatives, you risk the possibility of a drained backup battery in times of need.
To ensure quality performance and optimal life span, it’s important that the lithium deep cycle battery you choose is right-sized for your application. Don’t pull the trigger on a new battery until you consult an expert capable of assessing your application’s specifications and recommending the best, most cost-effective option.