Why one battery has six different names
Because nobody agreed on a naming system. The IEC has one, ANSI has another, and Duracell, Energizer, Maxell, Renata and Varta all layered their own codes on top. The result is that a single 11.6 x 5.4mm alkaline button cell is sold as LR44, AG13, A76, LR1154, G13-A, L1154 and V13GA. Same cell. Seven names.
The IEC code is the one worth learning, because it is descriptive rather than arbitrary. In LR44: the first letter is chemistry (L for alkaline, S for silver-oxide, C for lithium), R means round, and the number encodes the size. So an SR44 is the silver-oxide version of exactly the same physical cell - which is why it drops in and works better.
What counts as an equivalent
A true equivalent matches on three things: physical size, voltage, and chemistry family. Miss any one and it is not a swap.
- Size is the obvious one, and the one people check. A cell that rattles will lose contact intermittently, which is worse than one that plainly does not fit.
- Voltage is the one that breaks devices. A 3V lithium coin cell in a 1.5V alkaline slot is double the design voltage.
- Chemistry is the one that decides how well it works. Alkaline and silver-oxide are both 1.5V-ish and the same size, but silver-oxide holds its voltage flat while alkaline sags. In a light meter, that difference is the whole point.
The mix-ups that cost people money
14500 is not an AA
It is AA-shaped, it slides into any AA device, and it is 3.7V against an AA's 1.5V. It will usually destroy the device. Same story with 10440 and AAA, and 16340 in a two-cell CR123A light. If a cylindrical cell is the right size but quotes 3.7V, it is a lithium cell wearing a familiar shape.
LR44 and LR1130 are the same diameter
Both 11.6mm across, but LR44 is 5.4mm tall and LR1130 is 3.1mm. An LR44 will not go into an LR1130 device, and an LR1130 will rattle in an LR44 one. This is the most common button-cell error there is.
Stacking two CR2016 makes 6V, not 3V
Two CR2016 are the same height as one CR2032, so people stack them. Height is not the issue - series cells add voltage, so you get 6V into a 3V device. Some devices are genuinely designed around that stack; most are not.
Where this data comes from
These mappings are aggregated from manufacturer cross-reference sheets - Energizer, Maxell, Renata and Duracell all publish one - alongside IEC designations and long-settled community consensus. We do not test cells ourselves. Where a swap is technically possible but a bad idea, we say that rather than listing it as an equivalent, because a reference table that is merely technically correct will get someone's key fob killed.
Found a row that looks wrong? Tell us - a wrong entry in a reference table is worse than a missing one, and we would rather fix it.
Common questions
What is a battery equivalent?
A battery equivalent is a different code for a cell with the same physical size, voltage and chemistry, so it drops straight in. Most equivalents exist because manufacturers each invented their own naming: LR44, AG13, A76 and LR1154 are the same battery under four different naming systems. A cell with the same size but a different voltage or chemistry is not an equivalent, even though it fits.
Is LR44 the same as CR2032?
No. LR44 is a 1.5V alkaline button cell measuring 11.6 x 5.4mm. CR2032 is a 3V lithium coin cell measuring 20 x 3.2mm. Different size, different voltage, different chemistry. They are not interchangeable, and a CR2032 at double the voltage can damage a device expecting an LR44.
What is the difference between LR44 and SR44?
Same size and fit, different chemistry. LR44 is alkaline at 1.5V and its voltage falls steadily as it drains. SR44 (also sold as 357 or 303) is silver-oxide and holds a flat 1.55V for almost its entire life before dropping off sharply. SR44 costs more but is the right choice in light meters, calipers and anything else that depends on a stable voltage. SR44 drops into any LR44 device.
Can I use a CR2025 instead of a CR2032?
They are the same 20mm diameter, but a CR2032 is 3.2mm thick against the CR2025 at 2.5mm, and holds around 30% more energy. A 2025 in a 2032 holder is often loose enough to lose contact intermittently, which is a real failure mode in something like a car key or an alarm. Physically people do swap them; we would not call it a safe swap, and in a device that matters you should use the specified cell.
What is the rechargeable version of my battery?
It depends on the cell. AA and AAA have direct NiMH rechargeable equivalents (HR6 and HR03) at 1.2V rather than 1.5V, which nearly all devices accept. CR123A has a rechargeable 16340, but at 3.7V instead of 3.0V - check your device tolerates it. Coin cells like CR2032 have LIR equivalents at 3.6V, which is enough of a jump that many devices will not accept them. Most alkaline button cells have no rechargeable equivalent at all.
Are 14500 and AA batteries the same?
No, and this one damages equipment regularly. A 14500 is exactly AA-shaped and slides into any AA device, but it is a 3.7V lithium cell - more than double an AA at 1.5V. Putting a 14500 into a device designed for AA will usually destroy it, and can be dangerous. If a cell is AA-sized and says 3.7V, it is not an AA. The same trap exists for AAA and 10440.
If your cell has a rechargeable equivalent, the charger finder will match a charger to it, and the comparison tool ranks the AA and AAA options.