NEW STIHL GTA 30 vs GTA 26 & GTA 40! Which Pruner Should You Buy in 2026?

If you've been eyeing STIHL's little battery pruning saws, the lineup now has a clear middle option. The STIHL GTA 30 lands between the long-time favorite GTA 26 and the pro-focused GTA 40, and it hits a sweet spot on price, power, and features.

This post breaks down what you actually get with each model, what's changed over time, and what happens when you push them into real wood, including some surprisingly thick cuts for a 6-inch bar saw.

STIHL didn't release these tools all at once. You can see the progression if you look at the order they hit the market. First came the GTA 26 (it's been around for about six years). Then the GTA 40 showed up about a year ago as a more commercial, climb-ready version. Now the GTA 30 arrives as the newest option, bringing much of the GTA 40's feel and size, but with a lower price.

The simplest way to think about the lineup is this: the GTA 26 is the smaller, budget-friendly starter tool; the GTA 40 is the premium, pro-ready option; the GTA 30 tries to give homeowners the 6-inch, dual-battery experience without paying top-dollar.

Here's the high-level comparison based on what was shown and discussed in the video.

The takeaway is straightforward. If you want a 6-inch bar and two batteries, your choices are GTA 30 or GTA 40. If you want the lowest buy-in and a smaller tool for lighter work, the GTA 26 still makes a lot of sense.

A handheld battery pruner feels "cute" until you use one for real work. These tools are built tough, and the video stresses that even the small models are heavy-duty and suitable for commercial use. That's part of why they've gotten so popular. They're easy to grab for quick limb cleanup, storm debris, or trimming jobs that would be annoying with a full-size saw.

Main Street Mower, the channel behind the video, is also a mower shop based in central Florida. They also sell online and ship across the United States, except Hawaii. If you want to browse the same store mentioned in the video, start with Main Street Mower's online shop. There's also a curated page of gear they like using, Chip and Stu's Favorites.

And yes, the video has some personality, including a couple of snorts that make it feel like you're standing in the shop with them.

The GTA 26 is the original "little guy" in this lineup, and it's still a solid option. In the video, they mention they've owned one for about six years and it still runs flawless. That kind of long-term comment matters because these tools often end up being the most-used saw in the garage simply because they're convenient.

At $199 as a package deal, the GTA 26 comes ready to run. It includes the basics you need to charge up and get cutting, plus a simple carry solution.

• One battery and one charger
• A 4-inch bar
• A soft case
• A small bottle of chain oil (for manual oiling)

One important detail is what it does not have. The GTA 26 has no oil tank, so it doesn't automatically oil the chain while running. Instead, you apply oil manually as you work.

Chain tensioning also stays simple. The video shows a manual approach where you loosen the hardware, let gravity help pull slack out of the chain, then tighten it back down. It works, but it's not as quick as the newer designs.

The GTA 26 chain speed is described as fast enough to get the job done, but not "super fast." That matches its role. This saw is for pruning and small cutting jobs, not for acting like a full-size chainsaw.

During the cutting portion, they mention that using the GTA 26 on thicker logs is basically maxing it out. You can do it within reason, but you're right at the edge of what the tool is meant to handle.

These small pruners aren't meant to replace a felling saw. The interesting test is whether they can bury the bar and keep cutting without bogging down.

The GTA 40 arrived about a year ago and clearly targets commercial users and climbers. It carries the highest price of the three at $419, but it also brings the most pro-style features.

The GTA 40 bumps you to a 6-inch bar and uses a two-battery system, which changes how the saw feels in both power and run time. In addition, it includes features that make it feel more like a traditional commercial saw.

Key features shown in the video include:

• 6-inch bar
• Two batteries, plus a charger that charges both at the same time
• Side-access chain tensioner, similar to what you'd see on a commercial saw
• Oil reservoir that oils the chain while you run it
• A lanyard attachment point for climbing
• A hard plastic case, compared to a "gun case," described as more durable and close to waterproof

On performance, the takeaway is simple: the GTA 40 "rips." The chain speed is noticeably faster than the GTA 26, and the tool feels smooth and ergonomic in use.

The GTA 40's price is the biggest hurdle for a lot of homeowners. The other drawback mentioned is oil leakage. The video explains that oil reservoirs can leak often, not always because something is broken, but because an oiler needs loose tolerances to work. As a result, the hard case can get sticky and messy over time.

If you climb for work and want the full feature set, those tradeoffs may be fine. If you just want a clean, simple homeowner kit, the oil system can feel like more hassle than help.

The GTA 30 is introduced as the newest saw in the lineup, and it's priced at $329. The big headline is that it keeps the 6-inch bar and two-battery setup, while dropping the price compared to the GTA 40.

They also point out something else that matters in the real world: it's a little lighter than the GTA 40, which you can feel in hand.

The most talked-about feature is the tensioning system. The video shows a new tensioner design that's spring-loaded, and it works differently than the older manual approach.

Here's what they demonstrate:

• When you loosen the bar nut, the chain can go slack.
• When you click the mechanism down, the chain tightens.
• The system is spring-loaded, and when you loosen the bar nut slightly, the spring naturally pulls slack out of the bar.

They also emphasize you don't need to take parts off to adjust tension in the field. You loosen slightly, let the spring do its job, then snug it back down.

It's described as something they haven't seen on a chainsaw before, and it's the kind of feature you appreciate after you've had to retension chains mid-job.

Just like the GTA 26, the GTA 30 does not have an oil reservoir. You manually apply bar and chain oil while using it. At first glance, that looks like a downgrade from the GTA 40, but the video gives a homeowner-friendly reason it might be a plus.

Without an oil tank:

• The tool can stay cleaner in storage because there's nothing to leak into the case.
• The case can remain less sticky over time.
• You also save some weight.

If you want a tidy kit you can store on a shelf and grab when needed, the manual oiling approach can feel simpler.

Another detail they call out is the guard on the GTA 30. Even though a guard can sound inconvenient, they show that it moves completely out of the way while cutting. In return, it adds a little peace of mind, especially for homeowners.

They also make a point that battery tools can feel "always armed." In other words, there's no warm-up or pull-start step that signals danger. Because of that, an added safety feature can make sense if the saw might be used by a spouse or other family member.

The overall first impression is clear: one of them says, "Without a doubt, this is definitely the one I would buy personally for my house."

If you want to see the kit that was discussed, here's the product page: STIHL GTA 30 kit with batteries and charger.

Specs are helpful, but the video spends most of its time doing what buyers actually care about: cutting logs. The goal is not to pretend these are full-size felling saws. Instead, they want to answer a more honest question: can a small battery pruner bury its bar and keep running without bogging down?

On thicker wood, they describe the GTA 26 as being "maxed out." You're feathering the tool, and you're right at the end of what it should do comfortably. They also note you shouldn't go much bigger than what they were attempting with it.

That doesn't mean it's bad. It means it's sized honestly. A 4-inch bar and single battery have practical limits, especially if you start cutting more like a chainsaw than a pruner.

Both 6-inch models put on a strong showing. With a 6-inch bar, you can't always cut all the way through a thick log in one pass, but you can finish the cut by working around it.

When the GTA 30 goes into a thicker piece, the reaction is immediate. They compare it to "MS170 territory," which is their way of saying it's impressively capable for a small battery tool.

Then they run the GTA 40 on the same kind of cut. The verdict is that the GTA 40 seems a little stronger, and it does the work a bit easier. That result matches the GTA 40's pro positioning.

Still, the important part is what they say next: as a homeowner, you could do it. The GTA 30 didn't bog down, even on a surprisingly thick piece for this class.

Next comes a tougher challenge: oak that came from Virginia, not typical Florida wood. They comment on how dense and old it looks, based on the rings, estimating the piece could be around 100 years old.

They run the GTA 30 first on that oak, and it cuts through in a way that surprises them. After that, they run the GTA 40 and it also eats through it without drama.

At one point they describe the log as roughly 8 inches in diameter (they discuss it being about 7 to 8 inches). Regardless of the exact number, it's clearly a thick hardwood round for a small pruner saw.

The difference shows up again in feel. They say the GTA 40 has more power "for sure," and it seems to bind less. Even so, the GTA 30 proves it can handle serious homeowner tasks when you need it to.

After the cuts, they talk money and runtime. This is where the GTA 30 makes its case.

They frame the jump from GTA 26 to GTA 30 like this: for about $129 to $130 more, you get an extra battery (they mention that battery value at $69), a hard case, a longer bar, much longer run time, and more power.

The runtime difference shows up in their work session too. They point out that the 6-inch models still show full battery bars after doing a lot of cutting, while the GTA 26 had already dropped a bar with less heavy cutting. Their conclusion is that the dual-battery setup gives about twice the runtime compared to the single-battery tool.

That doesn't mean you should overspend. It does mean that if you already like the idea of the GTA 26, but you want a saw that feels more like "a chainsaw chainsaw," the GTA 30's package starts to look reasonable.

The choice depends on how you'll use it and how much you care about pro features like auto-oiling and climbing points.

The GTA 26 at $199 stays a great tool at its price point. It's also an easy gift option because the size feels less intimidating. For light pruning and small cuts, it does the job, and it has a proven track record in the video, with about six years of use and still running great.

The GTA 30 sits at $329 and delivers what many homeowners actually want: a 6-inch bar, two batteries, strong cutting ability, a hard case, and that spring-loaded tensioning setup. You do give up the oil tank, but that can also mean cleaner storage and less mess.

For a "budget 6-inch battery saw," the video's conclusion points straight at the GTA 30.

If you need the lanyard point and want the auto-oiling system, the GTA 40 is still the most commercial-ready. It also shows a bit more power in the cut tests. That said, the premium price and the potential for oil mess are real tradeoffs if you're only doing homeowner work.

STIHL's GTA lineup makes more sense now because the GTA 30 fills the gap between "tiny and affordable" and "pro-grade and pricey." The GTA 26 remains a proven starter, and the GTA 40 still fits climbers who want every commercial feature. Still, the GTA 30 stands out because it brings the 6-inch, dual-battery setup home at a lower price, and the spring-loaded tensioning system is a real quality-of-life upgrade.

If you want to see the exact kit discussed in the video, you can find it on the STIHL GTA 30 product page at Main Street Mower.

Links to Main Street Mower

• Shop online: Main Street Mower
• YouTube: Main Street Mower on YouTube
• Facebook: Main Street Mower on Facebook
• Instagram: Main Street Mower on Instagram
• TikTok: Main Street Mower on TikTok