CR2025 vs CR2016
Two 20 mm 3 V lithium coin cells separated by 0.9 mm of thickness: 2.5 mm against 1.6 mm, and about 70% more capacity.
Last reviewed
Same width and same 3 volts. The CR2025 is about a millimetre thicker and lasts roughly 70% longer. Use whichever your device specifies — a CR2016 in a CR2025 slot has a real chance of losing contact, and a CR2025 will not fit where the space is cut for a CR2016.
- Verdict:
- CR2025 where it fits, CR2016 only where it must
- Interchangeable:
- sometimes — check the fit
Side-by-side specifications
| Specification | CR2025 | CR2016 |
|---|---|---|
| Chemistry | Lithium | Lithium |
| Type | Coin Cell | Coin Cell |
| Nominal voltage | 3 V | 3 V |
| Diameter | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Height | 2.5 mm | 1.6 mm |
| Typical capacity | 150–170 mAh | 85–100 mAh |
| Rechargeable | No | No |
| Also sold as | DL2025, BR2025 | DL2016, BR2016 |
Size comparison
Both are 20 mm across, so only thickness separates them: CR2016 at 1.6 mm against CR2025 at 2.5 mm.
Thickness
2.5 mm against 1.6 mm. Under a millimetre apart, which is exactly why they get confused at the till — the codes, not the cells, are what tell them apart.
Runtime
150–170 mAh against 85–100 mAh. The CR2025 runs roughly 70% longer in the same device.
Reading the code
The last two digits are the thickness in tenths of a millimetre: 2025 is 2.5 mm, 2016 is 1.6 mm. The first two are the diameter, 20 mm for both.
The pair most often confused
These two sit next to each other on the rack, differ by 0.9 mm, and both read as a plain silver disc. Of all the coin cell mix-ups this is the one that happens most, usually because the buyer remembered the first two digits and guessed the rest.
What the extra 0.9 mm buys
Around 70% more capacity, from 85–100 mAh to 150–170. In a device woken a few times a day — a car key, a bathroom scale — that is the difference between changing the cell annually and changing it every eighteen months or so.
Neither is a safe guess
A CR2016 in a CR2025 holder may lose contact; a CR2025 will not fit a compartment machined for a CR2016. There is no default that works both ways, which is why the code on the old cell is worth reading before you leave the house.
Can I use a CR2016 instead of a CR2025?
It depends which way round. Both cells are 20 mm across, so the only difference is thickness. The thinner CR2016 will usually drop into a holder built for the CR2025, but it can sit low and lose contact with the sprung terminal. The reverse does not work: a 2.5 mm CR2025 will not fit a compartment cut for a 1.6 mm CR2016, and forcing it risks bending the contact or the cover.
Check before you swap. Batteries with similar dimensions are not always interchangeable. Always verify voltage, chemistry and the requirements printed in your device manual before fitting a replacement.
CR2025 vs CR2016: common questions
Is the CR2016 a direct replacement for the CR2025?
Same width and same 3 volts. The CR2025 is about a millimetre thicker and lasts roughly 70% longer. Use whichever your device specifies — a CR2016 in a CR2025 slot has a real chance of losing contact, and a CR2025 will not fit where the space is cut for a CR2016.
What is the difference between the CR2025 and the CR2016?
Two 20 mm 3 V lithium coin cells separated by 0.9 mm of thickness: 2.5 mm against 1.6 mm, and about 70% more capacity. In short: cR2025 where it fits, CR2016 only where it must.
Are the CR2025 and the CR2016 the same size?
No. The CR2025 is 20 × 2.5 mm and the CR2016 is 20 × 1.6 mm.
Which lasts longer, the CR2025 or the CR2016?
The CR2025. It is rated at 150–170 mAh against 85–100 mAh for the CR2016 — roughly 1.7× the capacity, though real runtime depends on how much current your device draws.
Background reading
The wider questions behind these two codes.