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Cutting & Trimming · cost guide

Pole Saw Cost: What You'll Pay by Type in 2026

A pole saw costs $40 to $400. Manual runs $40 to $100, cordless $100 to $300, gas $150 to $400. Here's the real cost by type and reach for pruning high branches.

By The YardBuff Team

What a pole saw costs

Pricing as of July 2026, per Home Depot and Lowe's listings, July 2026.

Prices vary by brand, model, and region. Confirm the current price with the retailer before you buy.

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A telescoping pole saw for reaching high branches
A telescoping pole saw. Reach and cutting power, not the brand, set what you pay., Photo: StromBer via Wikimedia. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Cost by type

Pole saw price by class. Typical retail range, July 2026.
TypeTypical priceBest for
Manual (pole pruner/saw)$40–$100Occasional small branches; no power, just a blade on a pole.
Corded / cordless electric$100–$300The homeowner default; light chainsaw on a reach pole.
Gas$150–$400Thicker limbs and longer reach; more power, more weight.

A pole saw costs $40 to $400. A manual pole pruner runs $40 to $100, a powered electric pole saw $100 to $300, and a gas model $150 to $400. For most homeowners trimming branches they can’t reach from the ground, a cordless pole saw around $150 to $200 does the job.

A pole saw is a small chainsaw on the end of an extension pole, letting you cut limbs 8 to 12 feet up without a ladder. Reach and cutting power set the price.

An arborist pruning tree branches from the ground
Pruning limbs from the ground. A pole saw's whole point is reaching branches 8 to 12 feet up without a ladder. Photo: Gamma Man via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.

Which type fits the job

A manual pole pruner is just a saw blade and often a lopper on a pole. It’s cheap and quiet, fine for the occasional small branch, but slow and tiring on anything thick. A powered electric pole saw ($100 to $300) puts a real cutting chain on the pole, and a cordless one lets you move around the yard freely; this is the right tool for most homeowners keeping trees pruned. Gas pole saws ($150 to $400) add power and reach for thicker limbs and bigger properties, at the cost of weight and noise held overhead.

A manual pole pruner used to cut twigs from a branch
A manual pole pruner: a blade, and often a lopper, on a pole. Cheap and quiet, but slow on anything thick. Photo: USDA Forest Service via Flickr. Public domain.

What to keep in mind

Overhead cutting is tiring, so weight matters as much as price; a lighter cordless saw is easier to control at full extension than a heavy gas unit.

A manual pole saw with a curved blade, lopper, and rope pull
A manual pole pruner with a curved saw and a rope-operated lopper. Weight held overhead matters as much as the sticker price. Photo: StromBer via Wikimedia. CC BY-SA 3.0.

Keep the chain sharp and oiled like any chainsaw. And know the limit: a pole saw is for branches you can reach safely from the ground. Anything near power lines or requiring a ladder-and-chainsaw reach is a job for a pro, and that’s a safety call, not a budget one.

Tree pruning work being done on a residential street
Know the limit: anything near power lines or needing a ladder is a job for a pro. That's a safety call, not a budget one. Photo: Gamma Man via Flickr. CC BY 2.0.

Where to buy

As an Amazon Associate, YardBuff earns from qualifying purchases. Prices and availability are set by Amazon at the time you click.