If you're shopping for a cordless chainsaw in Canada, Greenworks and Ryobi are the two brands you'll see most often. Both offer brushless 18" flagship chainsaws. Both compete at Canadian retail. Both have earned real homeowner followings. But the comparison between Greenworks' 80V 18" Brushless and Ryobi's 40V HP 18" (RY40580) comes out clearly in Greenworks' favour for most Canadian homeowners — more power, broader ecosystem, longer battery warranty, and no retailer lock-in. Here's the honest head-to-head with the data.
The Short Answer
Greenworks 80V wins for virtually every Canadian homeowner comparing flagship cordless chainsaws. Double the voltage (80V vs 40V) means genuinely more cutting power for real work. Longer battery warranty. Multi-tier ecosystem across four voltage platforms vs Ryobi's single 40V line. And no lock-in to a single retailer for parts and batteries.
Ryobi is worth considering only in narrow cases: you already own multiple Ryobi 40V tools you want to protect your investment in, or you shop exclusively at Home Depot and want in-store battery availability as your top priority. For buyers starting from scratch or comparing on capability, Greenworks wins.
Head-to-Head: The Flagship Comparison
| Spec | Greenworks 80V 18" Brushless | Ryobi 40V HP 18" (RY40580) |
|---|---|---|
| Voltage | 80V (Greenworks Pro) ✓ | 40V HP |
| Motor | Brushless | Brushless |
| Bar length | 18" | 18" |
| Chain | 3/8" pitch, .050" gauge (full chisel) | 3/8" low profile |
| Chain brake | Electronic | Mechanical |
| Start | Push-button | Push-button |
| Chain tensioning | Tool-less | Tool-less |
| Oiler | Automatic, translucent tank | Adjustable automatic |
| Platform multi-tier access | 24V, 40V, 60V, 80V — four tiers ✓ | 40V only |
| Ecosystem total | 300+ tools across all tiers ✓ | 75+ on 40V |
| Retailer availability | Multiple retailers + direct ✓ | Home Depot exclusive |
| Battery warranty | 4 years ✓ | 3 years |
| Tool warranty | 4 years | 5 years |
Why Greenworks Wins
1. 80V Delivers Genuinely More Cutting Power
This is the biggest and most honest difference. 80V is double Ryobi's 40V — and voltage directly translates to how much sustained torque the motor can deliver at the chain under load. For real cutting work (firewood bucking, storm cleanup on hardwood, extended cutting sessions), the 80V's power advantage is noticeable.
Ryobi markets their 40V HP ("High Performance") line as competitive with higher-voltage brands. For light homeowner tasks (pruning, small cleanup), the gap is less apparent. But when you're cutting dense hardwood or working through meaningful volumes of wood, 80V has the sustained power that 40V can't match. This is a physics advantage, not a marketing one.
Greenworks' 80V 18" also uses a .050" gauge chain — the standard gauge for serious cutting work — vs Ryobi's low-profile chain, which is engineered for lighter residential use.
2. Multi-Tier Platform Ecosystem
Ryobi is 40V only on their outdoor power equipment platform. If 40V doesn't fit a specific use case — say you need something lighter for pruning, or more power for a big job — you're stuck.
Greenworks offers four distinct battery platforms: 24V POWERALL (200+ tools including indoor power tools), 40V (75+ tools), 60V (75+ tools), and 80V (75+ tools). That's a total ecosystem of over 300 tools across voltage tiers, each engineered for its specific use case.
For a Canadian homeowner building out a complete cordless toolkit, that multi-tier flexibility matters: you can match the right tool size to each job (24V compact for pruning, 80V flagship for firewood work) instead of making every job fit the same voltage platform.
3. No Retailer Lock-In
Ryobi is Home Depot exclusive in Canada. If Home Depot runs out of batteries, raises prices, or you simply don't shop there, your options are limited.
Greenworks is sold through multiple Canadian retailers (Costco, Amazon, Greenworks Canada direct, and others). You have options on where to buy, where to find replacement parts, and where to shop for competitive pricing. For a long-term tool investment, retailer flexibility matters.
4. Longer Battery Warranty
Greenworks covers batteries for 4 years. Ryobi covers batteries for 3 years. In cordless outdoor tools, the battery is almost always the component that fails first — Greenworks' extra year of battery coverage is where warranty value actually lives for most buyers.
Ryobi does offer a longer 5-year tool warranty, which sounds good on paper. But a chainsaw's motor and body are built to outlast its batteries by a wide margin. The battery warranty is the one that matters in practice.
5. Electronic Chain Brake (Modern Technology)
Greenworks' 80V uses an electronic chain brake. Ryobi uses a mechanical chain brake. Both work for safety, but electronic systems have fewer moving parts to wear or fail, respond faster, and are the direction the industry is moving. For a tool you'll own for a decade or more, the modern mechanism is the better investment.
6. 80V PRO Platform Positioning
Greenworks' 80V line is explicitly positioned as their professional-grade platform ("80V PRO"), engineered to the standards professional landscapers and arborists expect. Ryobi 40V HP is positioned as their homeowner-flagship tier — strong, but not a pro-grade platform.
For buyers who want pro-grade engineering at homeowner pricing, Greenworks 80V PRO is in a different category than any 40V residential platform.
Who Should Buy Greenworks
Greenworks 80V 18" is the right choice for virtually every Canadian homeowner comparing cordless chainsaws:
- You want the highest sustained cutting power available in a residential cordless chainsaw
- You cut firewood, do storm cleanup, or work with hardwood regularly
- You want access to Greenworks' broader 300+ tool ecosystem across four voltage tiers
- You value the longer 4-year battery warranty
- You want retailer flexibility and not being locked into one chain
- You want pro-grade engineering on the 80V PRO platform
- You already own any Greenworks tools in any voltage tier
- You want modern electronic chain brake technology
- You're building a complete cordless household toolkit, not just one tool
The Edge Cases
If you only prune and clean up small branches (under 4"): You don't need an 18" flagship chainsaw. Greenworks' 24V 12" ($219.99 CAD) is lighter, cheaper, and ideal for compact pruning work — Ryobi doesn't have a true 24V equivalent at that price point.
If you need to cut firewood regularly: This is exactly where Greenworks 80V's power advantage over Ryobi 40V HP is most apparent. Dense hardwood firewood pushes any 40V motor; 80V handles it sustainably.
If you're a semi-pro or heavy weekly user: Greenworks 80V PRO is the right tier. Ryobi 40V HP is a homeowner platform; the 80V PRO is engineered for sustained heavier use.
If budget is extremely tight: Greenworks has lower-voltage options (24V 12" at $219.99, 40V 16" at $389.99) that come in well below any 18" flagship chainsaw price. Match the tool to the actual job rather than overbuying on either platform.
Honest Consideration: What Ryobi Does Well
Ryobi has built real brand equity on homeowner-accessible tools backed by Home Depot's distribution and return policy. For buyers already invested in the Ryobi 40V ecosystem, there's a battery investment to protect. The products work within their 40V capability tier.
The question isn't whether Ryobi makes functional chainsaws — they do. The question is whether 40V is enough power for serious cutting work, and whether Home Depot lock-in is a feature or a limitation for your shopping habits. For most Canadian homeowners who do real cutting work and want flexibility in where they buy tools and batteries, Greenworks' 80V platform is the stronger buy.
Final Take
For most Canadian homeowners choosing between Greenworks 80V and Ryobi 40V HP 18" chainsaws, the comparison is clear: Greenworks delivers more power (80V vs 40V), broader ecosystem (300+ tools across four voltage tiers vs 75+ on one platform), longer battery warranty (4 vs 3 years), and retailer flexibility that Ryobi's Home Depot exclusivity doesn't offer.
Ryobi is a legitimate alternative only for the narrow set of buyers already invested in the 40V platform or committed to Home Depot as their sole retailer. For everyone else — especially homeowners who do real cutting work or want to build a flexible cordless toolkit — Greenworks is the stronger buy, and the gap is widest at the top end of the capability spectrum where 80V's power advantage matters most.
Shop the Greenworks 80V 18" Brushless Chainsaw on Greenworks Canada →