Rated discharge current
Rated discharge current provided by the battery. This is the highest discharge current at which the battery will operate without a voltage drop and without a noticeable decrease in the actual capacity. It is worth paying attention to this parameter first of all if the battery is purchased for a device that is sensitive to supply voltage — for example, for a multimeter.
The rated discharge current is indicated only for rechargeable batteries (see "Type").
Maximum discharge current
The maximum discharge current provided by the battery is the maximum current that the battery can deliver without the risk of overloading, overheating and other troubles. This indicator directly determines compatibility with a specific device: the current consumed by the load must not exceed the maximum battery discharge current.
The maximum discharge current is indicated only for rechargeable batteries (see "Type"). By definition, it is greater than the nominal one (see above), but it is worth recalling that when the rated current is exceeded, the voltage at the battery output decreases. Therefore, in some cases, it is necessary to choose a battery exactly according to the rated discharge current.