Impact driver vs cordless screwdriver

What counts as a cordless screwdriver

A cordless screwdriver is usually a compact tool with a built in battery or a small 3.6 V to 12 V pack, a 6.35 mm hex bit holder and a clutch with a handful of settings. Examples include pistol or inline pocket drivers such as the Bosch IXO style. They are light, quiet and cannot overdrive a small screw easily.

An impact driver uses a hammer and anvil inside to add rotational blows once the screw resists. On 18 V tools, listed peak torque is often around 150 to 230 Nm, many times more than a screwdriver. See what is an impact driver used for.

Flat-pack, hinges and electrics

Flat-pack furniture uses small screws and cam bolts in chipboard that strip easily. A screwdriver with a clutch, or a drill driver set low, stops before damage is done. An impact driver will spin a cam lock or crush chipboard in a fraction of a second, so use it only with great care, or not at all.

Electricians and kitchen fitters often carry a 12 V screwdriver or drill driver for hinges, faceplates and fittings because it is light and precise.

Long screws, decking and timber frames

Driving 100 mm screws into joists, building a deck or fixing fence rails is impact driver work. The impacts stop the tool twisting your wrist, and screws go in quickly without a pilot hole in softwood. A small screwdriver would stall, and a combi drill would work but tire you faster.

Use impact rated bits; see impact driver bits explained.

See impact driver kits →

Where a combi drill fits

A combi drill has a clutch for controlled screwdriving and also drills holes, including in masonry. For most homes it is the first cordless tool to buy, and it covers flat-pack and general screws if you set the clutch low. See combi drill vs impact driver.

A small screwdriver then becomes a handy extra for quick jobs, and an impact driver an upgrade for building projects.

Which should you buy?

Buy a cordless screwdriver if you mostly assemble furniture and do small fixings, or want something light to keep in a kitchen drawer. Buy an impact driver if you are building decks, sheds, stud walls or doing lots of timber work. If you can only have one tool, a light 18 V or 12 V combi drill is the most versatile choice; see our home use drill guide.

A twin pack of drill and impact driver is often the best value way to get both; see combi drill and impact driver sets.

Size, weight and noise

A pocket screwdriver weighs a few hundred grams and fits in a drawer. A compact 18 V impact driver with a 2 Ah pack is far heavier but still small, often shorter than a drill. The big practical difference is noise: impact drivers are very loud once the impacts start, so wear hearing protection for long sessions and think about neighbours late in the day.

A screwdriver is quiet enough to use in a flat in the evening. If your projects are mostly indoors and small, that matters more than raw torque.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use an impact driver as a screwdriver? Yes for larger screws, but it has no clutch, so small screws and soft materials are easy to damage.

Can I use a cordless drill as a screwdriver? Yes. Set the clutch to a low number and use the low gear for control.

Is an impact driver good for flat-pack? Not really. It can strip cam locks and chipboard. A screwdriver or drill with a clutch is safer.

Do impact drivers need special bits? Yes, use impact rated bits. Standard bits can snap under the impacts.