What is the difference between a spade and a shovel?

A spade has a flat, relatively straight-edged blade set roughly in line with the handle, designed to slice cleanly into soil, cut roots and edges, and dig neat straight-sided holes. A shovel has a broader, curved and usually pointed blade angled forward like a scoop, designed to lift and throw loose material such as soil, gravel or mulch. In short, a spade is a cutting and digging tool; a shovel is a lifting and moving tool. Many gardeners own both because they do different jobs.

Do you dig with a spade or a shovel?

For precise digging in soil you dig with a spade, because its flat, sharp blade slices straight down and cuts clean-sided holes ideal for planting, transplanting and edging. For moving already-loosened soil or scooping loose material like gravel and compost, a shovel is faster because its curved scoop holds and throws more per lift. A common approach is to break and cut the ground with a spade, then shift the loosened material with a shovel. Each tool digs, just in a different way.

Is a spade or a shovel better for planting?

A spade, generally. Planting a shrub or tree calls for a hole with fairly straight sides and a flat bottom so the roots sit correctly, and the spade's flat blade cuts exactly that shape while also slicing through any roots in the way. A pointed shovel tends to make a cone-shaped hole and is more awkward for clean edges. For digging planting holes, dividing perennials and lifting plants, the spade is the more precise tool, which is why it is a gardener's mainstay.

Can you use a shovel instead of a spade?

You can for rough work, but not as well for precise digging. A shovel will break ground and dig a hole, but its curved, pointed blade makes cutting straight edges, slicing roots and creating flat-bottomed planting holes harder. Conversely a spade can scoop a little but holds far less than a shovel and tires you out moving big volumes. Using the wrong one works in a pinch; using the right one makes the job faster and easier, which is why keeping both covers most garden and yard tasks.

What is a border spade used for?

A border spade is a smaller, lighter version of a digging spade with a narrower blade, made for working in tight spaces such as flower beds and borders where a full-size spade is too big and heavy. It is ideal for planting among established plants, dividing perennials, and light digging where control matters more than raw capacity. Gardeners with smaller beds, or anyone who wants a lighter tool that is easier to handle, often prefer a border spade for everyday work.

Spade vs Shovel for Digging: Which One Do You Need?

Written & researched by Elena Marsh Gardening & Landscaping Editor

Updated October 2026

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A spade has a flat, sharp-edged blade in line with the handle for slicing into soil, cutting roots and edges, and digging clean straight-sided holes. A shovel has a curved, pointed scoop angled forward for lifting and throwing loose material like soil, gravel and mulch. Choose a spade for planting, transplanting, edging and precise digging. Choose a shovel for moving loosened soil or scooping loose piles. Most gardeners keep both, because they do genuinely different jobs.

What's the difference?

The blades tell the whole story. A spade blade is flat and roughly straight-edged, set nearly in line with the shaft, so it drives straight down and slices — through soil, through roots, along a bed edge. A shovel blade is broader, dished into a scoop, and angled forward from the handle, so it lifts and carries loose material and throws it where you want. One tool is built to cut and dig with precision; the other is built to move volume. That is why swapping one for the other works badly, and why the pair covers most digging and hauling.

Three-quarter view of a person's hands using a hand trowel to work compost into a garden bed, in soft overcast light

Spade vs shovel at a glance

	Spade	Shovel
Blade shape	Flat, straight edge	Curved scoop, usually pointed
Blade angle	In line with handle	Angled forward
Main job	Cutting, digging, edging	Lifting, scooping, moving
Hole shape	Straight-sided, flat-bottomed	Cone-shaped
Slicing roots / edges	Excellent	Poor
Moving loose material	Limited capacity	High capacity
Best for	Planting, transplanting, edging beds	Moving soil, gravel, compost, mulch

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Which is better for planting and digging holes?

The spade. Setting a shrub, tree or perennial calls for a hole with fairly straight sides and a flat bottom so the roots sit properly, and the spade's flat, sharp blade cuts that shape while slicing cleanly through any roots in the way. It also lets you lift plants and divide clumps with control. A pointed shovel tends to carve a cone-shaped hole and fights you on clean edges. For anyone whose main task is planting, transplanting and tidy edging, the spade is the precision tool that makes the job easier and the results better. See our best garden spades roundup for the models owners rate highest.

Which is better for moving material?

The shovel, easily. Once soil is loosened, or when you are shifting gravel, compost, mulch or snow, the shovel's curved scoop holds far more per lift and throws it where you want with less effort. A spade can scoop a little, but its flat blade spills loose material and tires you out over any real volume. The efficient workflow on tougher ground is to cut and break it with a spade, then move the loosened material with a shovel — each tool doing the part it was designed for. If your job is mostly hauling, the shovel is the one to reach for.

Overhead view of a person's hands using a hand trowel to work compost into a garden bed, in soft overcast light

Which should you buy?

Buy a spade if your work is mostly gardening — planting, transplanting, dividing and edging beds — because its clean, precise cuts are what those jobs demand. Buy a shovel if you mostly move loose material like soil, gravel, mulch or compost. If you do a bit of everything, own both: they are inexpensive, last for decades with basic care, and together they cover nearly every digging and hauling task. For tight beds, consider a lighter border spade over a full digging spade. Our picks come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus rather than first-hand testing — see how we rank.

Where to go next

Compare specific models in our best garden spades roundup, and see the best garden tool sets if you are kitting out from scratch. Related reading: how to sharpen garden tools and how to store garden tools. More comparisons: border spade vs digging spade. All under the garden hand tools hub.