Circular Saws: What Your Budget Buys
Last reviewed October 31, 2026. Prices were listed by the retailer as of Oct 30, 2026 and can change. Confirm the current price and availability on the retailer's page before you buy.
Start with the money, because price spreads wide in this group. The catalog lists 55 circular saws between $203.28 and $1,409, and the median sits at $319. Move up to the middle of the range and you mostly find cordless saws, 46 of the 55 models. Past that, the extra cost typically goes toward bigger battery packs, multi-battery kits and heavier-duty platforms. What changes between tiers is mainly power source and what comes in the box, not the basic job of cutting a straight line.
Four specifications drive most of the decision. Blade diameter is the first: every pick here is listed at 7-1/4 in., the size most people mean when they say circular saw, and the diameter sets the blade you buy and, in general, how deep a cut can go. Corded versus cordless is the second. A corded saw draws steady power from an outlet and needs no battery, while a cordless one trades the cord for freedom to move around a deck or roof.
The third is the motor. A brushless motor is a design that uses electronics instead of carbon brushes to run; 91% of the models in this catalog state brushless. The fourth is the battery platform, meaning the family of batteries and chargers a brand shares across its tools. If you already own batteries from M18, XGT 40V, LXT 18V or 20V MAX, choosing a saw on the same platform lets you reuse them. Also watch whether a listing is a bare tool or a kit: only 27% of listings state kit contents.
Our picks from the catalog
These picks come from what the listings state: prices, specifications and kit contents. Each says which listed facts it is based on.
DeWalt FLEXVOLT 60V MAX Cordless Brushless 7-1/4 in. Wormdrive Style Circular Saw (Tool Only)
$329 to $528 · · Voltage: 60 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: FLEXVOLT 60V MAX · Size / capacity: 7-1/4 in. · Battery capacity: 6 Ah
The DeWalt DCS577B is chosen because it lists the most specifications and kit items for its price while sitting inside the middle half of prices in this group, $329 to $528. It is a 60 V FLEXVOLT 60V MAX brushless 7-1/4 in. wormdrive style saw, with a 6 Ah battery listed. Keep in mind the title says Tool Only, yet the listing states 1 battery, charger and a case or bag, so check what ships before ordering.
Makita 15 Amp 7-1/4 in. Corded Electric Brake Circular Saw with (2) built-in LED lights and 24T Blade
$203.28 · Size / capacity: 7-1/4 in. · Motor current: 15 A
The Makita 5007FA is the lowest price, $203.28, among the 54 models whose listings state at least two specifications. It is a corded 7-1/4 in.
DeWalt FLEX VOLT 60V MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless Brushless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw with Brake with 9.0 Ah Battery Pack and Charger
$299 to $897 · Kit · Voltage: 60 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: 20V MAX · Size / capacity: 7-1/4 in. · Battery capacity: 9 Ah
The DeWalt DCS578BWDCB609C is picked for heavy use because it has the highest listed battery energy in this group, 60 V with a 9 Ah battery. It is a brushless 7-1/4 in. saw with a stated max speed of 5,800 RPM, priced at $299 to $897 across listings. Keep in mind the listing names the 20V MAX platform while the title says FLEX VOLT 60V MAX, and the in-the-box line states a charger only. Confirm battery details before buying.
Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18V Lith-Ion Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw Kit w/ One FORGE 12. 0Ah Battery, Charger, & One 6. 0Ah Battery
$689.00 · Kit · Voltage: 18 V · Brushless motor: Yes (stated in the listing) · Battery platform: M18 · Size / capacity: 7-1/4 in. · Battery capacity: 12 Ah
The Milwaukee 2834-21HD-48-1 is the best kit because it has the most complete contents stated: 2 batteries and a charger. It is an M18 FUEL brushless 18 V 7-1/4 in. saw with a stated max speed of 6,000 RPM, priced at $689.00. Keep in mind that it costs well above the $319 median, so it pays off mainly if you want two batteries and use the M18 platform.
How to choose
Blade diameter
Blade diameter decides which blades fit and, in general, how deep the saw can cut. Every pick in this guide lists 7-1/4 in., a common size for lumber and sheet goods. If a listing does not state diameter, confirm it before buying, because a different size means different replacement blades.
Corded or cordless
Corded saws plug in and run without a battery, which is why the lowest-priced pick here is corded. Cordless saws give you mobility, and 46 of the 55 listed models are cordless. Decide where you will cut: near an outlet all day, or moving between spots where a cord gets in the way.
Brushless motor
A brushless motor replaces carbon brushes with electronic control. In general terms that means fewer wearing parts inside the motor. The listings for three of the four picks state brushless.
Battery platform
A platform is a brand's shared battery family. Batteries from the same platform fit that brand's other tools, so an existing collection can lower the cost of a bare tool. The catalog lists M18 (12 models), XGT 40V (8), LXT 18V (6) and 20V MAX (5). Match the platform to what you already own.
Bare tool versus kit
A bare tool is the saw alone, with no battery or charger. A kit lists extras such as batteries and a charger, and costs more. In this catalog 21 models are kits, 20 are bare tools and 14 do not state a configuration. Read the in-the-box line, not just the title.
Battery capacity and voltage
Voltage and amp-hours describe a battery's electrical size; multiplying them gives a rough sense of stored energy. Higher numbers generally mean a larger, heavier pack. The picks list 6 Ah, 9 Ah and 12 Ah packs. Bigger is not automatically better for you, since weight on a long cut also matters.
Skip it if...
- Skip the Makita 5007FA if you will be cutting where there is no outlet nearby, since it is a corded saw.
- Skip a bare tool if you own no batteries for that platform, because the saw alone will not run.
- Skip the highest-priced tier, which reaches $1,409, unless you need larger batteries or a particular platform, as the job here is straight cuts in lumber and sheet goods.
- Skip the DCS578BWDCB609C if the platform detail matters to you, because its title and its platform field name different systems.
Buying checklist
- Confirm blade diameter is 7-1/4 in. or the size you want
- Decide corded or cordless based on outlet access
- Check the listing states a brushless motor
- Match the battery platform to batteries you already own
- Read the in-the-box line for batteries and charger
- Note whether the saw is a bare tool or a kit
- Compare the price against the $319 median
Frequently asked questions
How many circular saws are listed and what do they cost?
The catalog lists 55 circular saw models. Prices run from $203.28 at the low end to $1,409 at the high end, with a median of $319. Of those, 46 are cordless. Brands include Makita (20 models), Milwaukee (16), DeWalt (6), Hilti (6), Ridgid (3) and Ryobi (2).
What is a battery platform?
A battery platform is a brand's shared family of batteries and chargers that fit multiple tools. The catalog lists M18 with 12 models, XGT 40V with 8, LXT 18V with 6 and 20V MAX with 5. If you already own batteries on a platform, a bare tool on the same platform can fit them.
What does bare tool mean in a listing?
A bare tool is listed as the saw only, without a battery or charger. In this catalog, 20 models are bare tools, 21 are kits and 14 do not state a configuration. A kit lists extras such as batteries and a charger. Always read the in-the-box line, since titles can be ambiguous.
What is a brushless motor?
A brushless motor uses electronic control instead of carbon brushes to run. In the catalog, 91% of models state brushless. Three of the four picks here state it in their listings.
Which pick comes with the most in the box?
The Milwaukee 2834-21HD-48-1 has the most complete contents stated, listing 2 batteries and a charger at $689.00. The DeWalt DCS577B states 1 battery, charger and a case or bag despite its Tool Only title. The Makita 5007FA lists no in-the-box contents, so check the listing before assuming anything is included.