Impact Driver vs Drill: Which One to Buy (2026)
Drills and drivers
An impact driver adds a hammering action that drives long screws a drill stalls on, but it has no clutch and cannot take round drill bits. If you do both jobs, the DEWALT DCK240C2 combo is the best buy for most homes.
Our picks
The best impact driver for most home jobs is the one in the DEWALT DCK240C2 combo kit, bought together with the drill rather than on its own. The drill makes clean holes and drives small screws with its clutch, and the impact driver takes over for the long screws and lag bolts that stall a drill. If you only ever drill, buy the drill instead and skip the driver.
The two tools show up most in our impact driver guide and our cordless drill guide, and the DEWALT drill and impact guide covers the one-brand picks. More shop gear lives on the drill and driver guides page.
What is the difference between an impact driver and a drill?
An impact driver adds a hammering action that drives long screws a drill stalls on, and it uses a 1/4-inch hex chuck instead of a round chuck. A drill turns a bit at a steady speed for holes and controlled driving. That difference decides which tool does which job.
Why does an impact driver drive long screws a drill stalls on?
Once a screw starts to resist, an impact driver delivers rapid rotational hits, so the screw keeps turning where a drill would stall. That is why a 3-inch deck screw that smokes a drill motor spins home in seconds with an impact driver, and why the driver is the tool for decks and framing.
Why can an impact driver not replace a drill?
Two reasons. It has no clutch, so it keeps driving until the screw seats or the head strips, which is the wrong behavior for cabinet hardware and small screws. It also cannot hold a round drill bit, so it cannot make a clean hole. A drill's clutch slips once the screw is set, and its chuck takes any bit.
Should you buy a drill, an impact driver, or both?
If you do more than hang pictures, buy both. The drill makes the holes and drives small screws gently, and the impact driver does the heavy fastening. A combo kit usually costs less than buying the driver with a separate battery and charger.
What does a combo actually cost per tool?
Split the live price by the number of tools and the value is easy to see. The DEWALT combo works out to about $74.50 per tool, and the brushless Robustrue combo to about $45.00 per tool with the battery and charger included. A bare driver alone can cost close to the whole DEWALT kit once you add a battery.
Cost per tool is the fairest comparison. The DEWALT kit costs more because the platform, the second battery, and the resale value are the point, not because it drives screws twice as well. The Robustrue lands lowest per tool because it bundles everything for a first kit.
Top pick: DEWALT DCK240C2 combo kit
The DEWALT DCK240C2 is the best all-round buy for a home because it lands ready to work. The kit pairs an impact driver and a drill/driver with two batteries, a charger, and a contractor bag, so you are not buying a battery and charger on top of the tool.
Why the combo beats buying the driver alone
The impact driver is the part most people come for. It is compact at 5.55 inches and about 2.8 pounds, so it fits between studs and inside cabinets, and the 1/4-inch hex chuck takes one-handed bit changes. Bought as a bare tool, the driver plus a battery and charger costs close to the whole kit, which is why the combo is the better first buy.
What the 1.3Ah batteries mean on a deck job
The driver makes 1,400 inch-pounds of torque, enough for deck screws, lag bolts, and furniture hardware. The drill adds a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck and a two-speed gearbox for holes. Both tools share the same battery, so one platform covers drilling and driving. The included 1.3Ah packs are small, and a big job will drain them quickly. A 2.0Ah or 4.0Ah pack fixes that, and both fit the same tools and charger.
Who it is for: Homeowners building a first cordless kit, and anyone who needs both a drill and an impact driver without buying them separately.
Skip if: You already own 20V MAX batteries, or you need a hammer drill for masonry.
Shop: DEWALT DCK240C2 on Amazon
Best value combo: Robustrue 21V brushless kit
The Robustrue 21V brushless kit is the best value combo because it gives you the driver and the drill for about half the DEWALT price. The brushless motor is rated at 230 Nm, roughly 2,035 inch-pounds, and the kit ships with a 2.0Ah battery, a charger, and a 20-piece bit set.
Is a brushless budget combo good enough for a home?
For furniture, shelves, curtain rods, and light deck work, yes. Brushless motors run cooler and last longer than brushed ones, and the 2.0Ah battery is a step up from the 1.3Ah packs in the DEWALT kit. At about $0.044 per inch-pound of torque, it is the cheapest way into a two-tool kit. The area where it trails DEWALT is long-term support: the platform, the spare parts, and the battery lineup are not as deep.
Who it is for: First-time buyers who want a brushless combo and a full bit set for under $100, and anyone who wants a second kit for a cabin or a truck.
Skip if: You want a proven platform you can add bare tools to for years, which points to the DEWALT kit instead.
Shop: Robustrue 21V brushless combo on Amazon
Best drill only: DEWALT DCD771C2
The DEWALT DCD771C2 is the best drill if you never drive anything heavier than a 2-inch screw. It is a 20V MAX drill/driver with a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck and a two-speed gearbox, and it ships with two 1.3Ah batteries, a charger, and a contractor bag.
When a drill alone is the right buy
If your jobs are pilot holes, shelf brackets, and flat-pack hardware, the driver adds cost you will not use. This drill drives those screws with its clutch, and the 1/2-inch chuck takes spade bits and hole saws the driver cannot hold. It is also the quieter, more controllable tool for finish work where you want the screw to stop at a set depth.
Who it is for: Renters and homeowners who mostly drill holes and drive small screws and want a proven platform with two batteries.
Skip if: You build decks, drive lag bolts, or want one tool that speeds through long fastening jobs.
Shop: DEWALT DCD771C2 on Amazon
Best impact driver only: DEWALT DCF845B
The DEWALT DCF845B XR is the best impact driver if you already own DEWALT 20V MAX batteries and drive a lot of screws. It is a brushless driver rated at 1,825 inch-pounds and 3,400 rpm with a three-speed selector, and at about $0.065 per inch-pound it is the best torque value of the four picks here.
What a three-speed driver adds
The extra control shows up on small hardware. The low setting drives cabinet screws without stripping the heads, and the higher settings handle long structural screws. That range is what separates a premium driver from a basic one for a home shop that does a little of everything.
Who it is for: Anyone already on the DEWALT 20V MAX platform who wants the driver alone and does not need a second drill.
Skip if: You do not own 20V MAX batteries, or you need a drill for holes in the same purchase.
Shop: DEWALT DCF845B on Amazon
Can you drill holes with an impact driver?
You can, with hex-shank drill bits, but the holes come out worse. The impacting action is not precise, so the bit wanders and can round out the hole. Use the drill for holes and keep the impact driver for screws and bolts.
Which bits do you need for each tool?
Buy impact-rated driver bits in Phillips, square, and Torx, plus hex-shank drill bits if you plan to drill with the driver. Impact-rated bits are hardened for the hammering action, and standard bits snap under it. The drill takes normal round-shank bits, including spade bits and hole saws.
Why do hex-shank drill bits feel less steady?
Hex-shank bits are not as straight as one-piece round-shank bits, so they can wobble in the chuck and drill a slightly oversized hole. That is one more reason the drill is the tool for anything that needs a clean hole, and the driver is the tool for fastening.
Who should skip these tools
Skip an impact driver if you only hang pictures and assemble flat-pack furniture. A drill/driver with a clutch does those jobs gently, and the driver is more tool than you need.
Skip the drill if you build decks, fences, or anything that eats hundreds of screws in a session. The driver is the tool that keeps those screws moving and saves your wrist.
Skip the budget combo if you want a platform you can grow with for years. The bigger brand has the deeper lineup of bare tools and batteries, and the cheaper kit is a starter rather than a long-term platform.
Bottom line: An impact driver drives long screws a drill stalls on, but it has no clutch and cannot chuck round drill bits, so a drill is still worth owning. The best buy for most homes is the DEWALT DCK240C2 for both tools in one kit, with the Robustrue 21V brushless combo as the value choice and the DEWALT DCD771C2 as the drill for people who only drill. More shop guides live on the Workshoppicks blog and the drill and driver guides page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an impact driver better than a drill?
Neither tool is better. They do different jobs. An impact driver drives long screws and lag bolts that stall a drill, and a drill makes clean holes and drives small screws gently with its clutch. Most home shops want one of each, which is why a combo kit is the usual first purchase.
Can I use an impact driver to drill holes?
Only with hex-shank drill bits, and the holes come out worse. The impacting action is not precise, so the bit wanders and can round out the hole. Use the drill for holes and save the impact driver for screws and bolts.
Why does my impact driver strip small screws?
An impact driver has no clutch, so it keeps driving until the screw seats or the head strips. A drill's adjustable clutch slips once the screw is set, which is why it is the better tool for cabinet hardware and small screws.
Do I really need both a drill and an impact driver?
If you build decks, hang shelves, or assemble furniture, yes. The drill handles holes and light driving, and the impact driver does the heavy fastening. If you only hang pictures and build flat-pack furniture, a drill alone is enough.
What does a drill and impact driver combo cost?
The DEWALT DCK240C2 runs about $149 for both tools with two batteries, a charger, and a bag, which is about $74.50 per tool. The brushless Robustrue combo is about $89.99, or about $45 per tool with batteries included.
Can an impact driver take regular drill bits?
No. An impact driver uses a 1/4-inch quick-change hex chuck, so it will not hold a round-shank drill bit. You need driver bits and hex-shank drill bits made for it, and those are the bits that survive the impacting action.
Is 1,400 inch-pounds of torque enough?
For home work, yes. Deck screws, lag bolts, and furniture hardware need well under that, and a driver you can hold and control matters more than the peak number. The DEWALT driver in the DCK240C2 handles all three without trouble.
What is the difference between an impact driver and an impact wrench?
An impact driver uses a 1/4-inch hex chuck and drives screws and bolts up to a point. An impact wrench uses a 1/2-inch square drive and far more torque for lug nuts and heavy automotive bolts, which an impact driver cannot break free.