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An impact driver drives screws and small fasteners through a 1/4-inch hex collet with moderate, controllable torque; an impact wrench turns bolts and nuts through a square drive with several times the force. Choose the impact driver for woodwork, decking and general fastening, and the impact wrench for automotive lug nuts, rusted bolts and heavy bolted assemblies. Both use hammering impacts for power, but the driver is a fastening generalist and the wrench is a high-torque bolt specialist — they are not interchangeable for serious work.
What's the difference?
The core difference is the business end and the torque behind it. An impact driver holds 1/4-inch hex-shank bits in a spring-loaded quick-release collet and delivers roughly 1,500–2,000 in-lbs of fastening torque — plenty for screws and small lag bolts. An impact wrench uses a square anvil (commonly 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch) that takes impact sockets, and mid-size cordless models produce anywhere from 250 to over 1,000 ft-lbs. Because 1 ft-lb equals 12 in-lbs, even a compact impact wrench outmuscles a driver by a wide margin. Both tools spin freely until they meet resistance, then engage a hammer-and-anvil to add rotational blows; the wrench just does it with a much heavier mechanism.
Impact driver vs impact wrench at a glance
| Impact driver | Impact wrench | |
|---|---|---|
| Drive | 1/4" hex collet (bits) | 3/8" or 1/2" square (sockets) |
| Typical torque | ~1,500–2,000 in-lbs | ~250–1,000+ ft-lbs |
| Best for | Screws, deck screws, lag bolts | Lug nuts, bolts, rusted hardware |
| Control | Higher, easier to feather | Lower; built for raw torque |
| Size / weight | Compact, light (~2–3 lbs) | Heavier (~3–5 lbs) |
| Typical price | ~$100–200 (tool only) | ~$150–350 (tool only) |
| Main use | Woodwork, DIY, construction | Automotive, mechanical, heavy bolts |
Prices above are ballpark cordless bare-tool figures as of 2026 and vary by brand and battery platform.
Which is better for your work?
For building, remodeling and general DIY — decks, fences, cabinets, furniture, framing — the impact driver is the right tool, because nearly all of that work uses screws and small lags that fit its hex bits. For anything with bolts and nuts under real load — changing wheels, suspension and brake jobs, mower blades, trailer hardware, machinery — the impact wrench wins, because it breaks fasteners free that a driver simply can't turn. If you find yourself reaching for an adapter to spin sockets on your impact driver more than occasionally, that's the signal you actually need a wrench.
Can you use one instead of the other?
In a pinch, yes, with caveats. An impact driver plus a 1/4-inch-hex socket adapter handles light nuts and bolts, but it will stall on tight lug nuts and can spin or snap the adapter under load. An impact wrench can drive big lag screws with a hex-shank socket adapter, but it has too much torque and too little finesse for regular wood screws, so it strips heads and splits stock. The tools overlap at the edges; for the core of each other's job they are poor substitutes.
Which should you buy?
Most homeowners should start with the impact driver — it's the everyday workshop tool and pairs naturally with a drill. Buy the impact wrench when your projects turn mechanical: automotive maintenance, rusted outdoor bolts, or a lot of bolted assembly. If you do both regularly, owning each is worth it, and buying within one battery platform keeps costs down.
Where to go next
Shopping for a driver? Our picks for the best impact drivers and the best cordless drills rank current models on the ratings and complaints owners report. If you're weighing a driver against a plain drill, see impact driver vs drill/driver and the difference between a drill and an impact driver. Everything lives under the power tools and workshop hub.
We never buy or physically test the tools we rank — our recommendations come from aggregated owner reviews and expert consensus, and the method is on how we rank. Follow each tool's manual and use impact-rated sockets and bits.