Third-party batteries can be perfectly usable, but quality varies more than with the official brand. Based on the shared experience here, the safest approach is to avoid the absolute cheapest options and choose a well-reviewed brand with plenty of real user feedback.

The main concern isn’t just shorter life or inaccurate charge reporting—it’s the risk of poor build quality. A bad battery that leaks, swells, overheats, or damages the camera can cost far more than the money saved. So if you go aftermarket, buy cautiously.

If you want the lowest risk and most predictable compatibility, the official Canon battery is the safer choice. If you want to save money, a reputable third-party battery is often a reasonable compromise.

A practical alternative is to keep your original battery and use USB charging or a USB power bank when possible, since that can extend shooting time without relying entirely on extra batteries.

In short: third-party batteries are not automatically unreliable, but buy reputable ones and avoid suspiciously cheap options.