Chainsaws come in many different models from many different manufactures with vast differences in prices. Consumer and commercial chainsaws are very different grades of equipment with major differences in regards to building quality and power. Quality and power come at a price.
Chainsaws range in price from around $130 for entry-level homeowner units designed for light-duty work to over $2000 for high-end professional units designed for heavy-duty applications.
We will be breaking down chainsaws into 3 major classes of equipment. The classes are Homeowner (Light-Duty), Farm-Ranch (Medium-Duty), and Professional (Heavy-Duty).
Homeowner Chainsaw Prices (Light Duty)
Homeowner chainsaws are designed to perform light-duty work around a house. This type of work typically includes cutting up fallen branches, trimming low-hanging tree limbs, or cleaning up after a storm. These types of tasks are not performed very often and do not require large amounts of time to complete.
Homeowner chainsaws are equipped with smaller engines between 30cc and 38cc. They are also usually outfitted with many of the features of their larger chainsaw cousins like anti-vibration and anti-kickback systems, in scaled-back versions. That being said these smaller chainsaws are quite capable of doing the tasks they were designed to do.
Farm and Ranch Chainsaw Prices (Medium Duty)
Farm and Ranch chainsaws are designed to perform medium-duty tasks around farms, ranches, or homes. Medium-duty work consists of felling small to medium trees, cleaning up fallen small to medium-sized branches, and cutting up cords of firewood. These types of tasks are performed on a regular basis and do require more time than what is required in the light-duty homeowner category.
Farm and Ranch chainsaws are equipped with medium size engines ranging between 50cc to 65cc. These chainsaws are typically outfitted with all the features of their lighter-duty siblings and much more. Features present in the level of chainsaw are usually of higher quality and include all items for common use such as side-mounted chain tensioners, compression release valves, and bumper spikes.
Professional Chainsaw Prices (Heavy Duty)
Professional chainsaws are designed to perform heavy-duty tasks in all settings. Heavy-duty work consists of things like felling large trees, cleaning up large downed trees, cutting up large branches, and cutting large amounts of firewood. There is also in-tree arborist tree trimming, a specialty use, which is extremely dangerous and should only ever be done by professionals with years and years of experience.
Professional chainsaws are equipped with both large and small engines that range in size from 23cc to 122cc. Keep in mind that professional chainsaws are precision pieces of equipment that are honed to extract the most possible power and RPMs within a given engine size. These saws can not be compared to the light-duty homeowner and medium-duty farm saws in a like-for-like comparison in regards to engine cc size.
Professional chainsaws are designed to runs hours per day under load. These saws, if maintained properly can handle long work hours for years and years.
| Class | Work Load | Engine Size Range | Feature level | Price Range |
| Home Owner | Light-Duty | 30cc to 38cc / cm3 | Minimal – Common Use | $130 to $299 |
| Farm/Ranch | Medium-Duty | 50cc to 65cc / cm3 | Maximum – Common Use | $300 to $599 |
| Professional | Heavy-Duty | 23cc to 122cc / cm3 | Maximum – Specialty Use | $600 to $2000 |
What is the best chainsaw for home use?
When selecting a chainsaw for home use you will want to get the most value for your dollar in regards to engine size, weight, features, and most importantly price. All 4 of these items make a world of difference in your cutting experience and directly weighed in on our selection.
The best chainsaw for home use is the Husquvarna 120 Mark II w/ 16″ Guide Bar. The Husquvarna 120 is a very capable chainsaw that has features seen in more costly chainsaws. The power to weight ratio is great too for this unit which packs an impressive 38.2 cc engine with a dry weight of only 10.7 lbs.
At the time of this writing, the Husquvarna 120 Mark II w/ 16″ Guide Bar is priced at $229.99 and can be viewed on Amazon here.
How much does a professional chainsaw cost?
Professional chainsaws are designed to go long hours under heavy workloads in many different applications. Professional workloads require these chainsaws to be made with premium materials, have powerful engines, and be full of useful features that can make work as quick and efficient as possible. These characteristics come at a cost and can be eye-watering in some cases.
Professional Chainsaws range in price from $600 to $2000 depending on engine displacement, guide bar length, features, and specialty of use. The larger the engine, the longer the guide bar, and the more specialized the chainsaw the higher the price.
What is the best chainsaw on the market for money?
Farm and Ranch (Medium-Duty) chainsaws bring the perfect mix of power, guide bar length, durability, and affordable prices that make them great value for the money.
The best chainsaw on the market for the money is the Husquvarna 460 Rancher due to its 60.3 cc engine, 24-inch guide bar, and quality features. The Husquvarna 460 has the power, and bar length to get thru large tree branches and trees with ease.
At the time of this writing, the starting price of the Husquvarna 460 Rancher with 24″ Guide Bar is $579.99 and can be view on Amazon here.
How much is a cheap chainsaw?
There is also a class of chainsaws on the market that is very budget-friendly. This level of chainsaw is designed for the price-sensitive homeowner that intends to do minimal work on an occasional basis.
Cheap chainsaws cost in the vicinity of $130 from major brands. You can find prices below $130 if you are willing to consider clone chainsaws of major brands.
In my opinion, even when looking for a cheap chainsaw, it’s best to stay away from clone saws and to go with a well-known name brand chainsaw. Clone saws tend to cut corners to save on price and can have safety features left off or may not work even if they are present.
The best cheap chainsaw that we found is the Poulan PL3816, 16 in. 33cc Gas Chainsaw. This little chainsaw offers and powerful engine, adequate guide bar, and working safety features and can be viewed on Amazon here.
Wrapping up
Chainsaw prices have a wide range depending on the class of chainsaw. Homeowner chainsaws are priced the lowest with Professional chainsaws being the most expensive.
It’s always a good idea to look at your intended use of a chainsaw and what features you’re looking for in making your chainsaw selection. For example, you would not want to pay $600 for a farm and ranch (medium-duty) chainsaw if you only intend to use the saw occasionally to cut up small branches. This would be a waste of money and this amount of work could be done with a much cheaper alternative chainsaw like the chainsaw listed above.
In the end, it’s all up to you on how much you want to spend on your chainsaw.