DeWalt vs Craftsman V20 Batteries: Are They Interchangeable?

No: neither DeWalt nor Craftsman lists the other brand’s batteries as compatible, even though Stanley Black & Decker owns both and both print “20V” on the label. Both brands rate that figure as a 20 volt maximum initial voltage and an 18 volt nominal one, which is why the batteries look like twins.

An earlier version of this guide said Craftsman V20 batteries slide straight onto DeWalt 20V MAX tools. We could not confirm that on either manufacturer’s site, so it has been removed. This rewrite sticks to what the two makers actually publish, shows what each platform offers and costs, and gives a short checklist for any battery you are about to buy or swap.

Are DeWalt and Craftsman Batteries Interchangeable?

Here is the documented picture. DeWalt’s 5.0Ah battery page says it is “compatible with 20V MAX* tools and chargers” and carries a 3 year limited warranty. Craftsman’s V20 4.0Ah page lists compatibility with the CRAFTSMAN V20 cordless power tool and outdoor tool lineup, also with a 3 year limited warranty. Neither page mentions the other brand, and Craftsman’s V20 launch announcement only claims that its batteries work across all V20 tools and outdoor equipment.

A third-party compatibility guide goes further and reports that the two platforms use different battery connectors and are not interchangeable without third-party adapters. We treat that as a warning, not a measurement, because neither manufacturer publishes connector drawings. The practical takeaway is the same: do not assume, and do not force a pack onto a tool.

Both brands define 20V as a no-load number: 20 volts maximum initial, 18 volts nominal. Source: DEWALT DCB205 product page; Craftsman states the same on its V20 pages.

Why the Same 20V Label Misleads People

Three things make these two brands look interchangeable when they are not documented that way.

• Same voltage rating. Both say 20 volts maximum initial and 18 volts nominal. Matching ratings tell you the cells are rated alike, not that the housings, rails, and contacts line up.
• Same parent company. Stanley Black & Decker owns DeWalt and Craftsman. Shared ownership is an ownership fact, not a compatibility promise, and neither brand’s battery page makes one.
• Look-alike packs. Slide-style packs from different brands are a similar size in a store aisle. Looking similar is exactly how people end up trying to force the wrong one on.

The correction to remember: “20V MAX” and “V20” are marketing names for two separate systems that happen to share a rating. If you are comparing the two brands as tool purchases rather than battery swaps, our DeWalt vs Craftsman drill comparison covers torque, price and warranty.

Craftsman V20 vs DeWalt 20V MAX: What Each System Offers

Because swapping is off the table, the useful comparison is what each system sells and what it costs. Capacities below come from each brand’s own pages; prices are Amazon listing prices we checked on October 7, 2026, and they move often.

	Craftsman V20	DeWalt 20V MAX
Rated voltage	20V max initial, 18V nominal	20V max initial, 18V nominal
Capacities listed	2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 6.0, 9.0 Ah	2, 4, 5, 8 (XR), 10 Ah packs
Warranty on the batteries we checked	3 year limited (CMCB204)	3 year limited (DCB205)
Compatibility stated by the maker	V20 tools and outdoor equipment	20V MAX tools and chargers
Example pack, Oct 7 2026 price	CMCB204 4.0Ah: $84.99 ($21.25 per Ah)	DCB204-2 two 4.0Ah packs: $106.56 ($13.32 per Ah)

The cost-per-amp-hour row is the part most guides skip. On the listings we checked, a DeWalt 4.0Ah 2-pack came out at about $13.32 per amp-hour, while a single Craftsman 4.0Ah battery came out at about $21.25. A single DeWalt compact 2.0Ah pack at $37.99 works out to $19.00 per Ah, so bigger packs and two-packs are where the savings are inside either system. Prices change daily, so re-check before you buy.

DeWalt FLEXVOLT is a separate question

DeWalt sells FLEXVOLT packs in 6, 9, 12 and 15Ah. DeWalt says they are compatible with DeWalt 20V MAX power tools and automatically switch voltage when you move to 60V MAX tools. That is a feature of the DeWalt system. It tells you nothing about Craftsman tools, and Craftsman’s pages do not list FLEXVOLT. If you are weighing 20V against 60V inside DeWalt, see DeWalt 20V vs 60V: how FlexVolt auto-switches voltage.

Before You Buy or Swap Any Battery: A 5 Step Check

1. Read the battery label. Note the system name (20V MAX, V20) and the amp-hour rating. Do not rely on the voltage number alone.
2. Check the tool’s manual or maker page. Use the battery list the tool’s own manufacturer publishes. If the other brand is not on it, treat the swap as unsupported.
3. Match the charger to the battery. Charge each pack on the charger sold for its platform. Neither DeWalt nor Craftsman lists the other’s chargers.
4. Never force a pack. A correct battery seats and clicks with ordinary hand pressure. If it needs force, stop and take it off.
5. Stop using any pack that is hot, swollen, cracked or smells odd. Take it out of the tool, put it somewhere non-flammable, and replace it.

What About Adapters?

Third-party adapters that claim to let one brand’s pack run another brand’s tool are sold online. Neither DeWalt nor Craftsman documents them, and we have not tested any. They sit between a high-current lithium-ion pack and a tool whose electronics were designed for a specific battery, and we cannot tell you how a given adapter behaves under load, how it treats the battery’s built-in protection, or how a manufacturer would view it for warranty purposes. We do not recommend them. If you own tools from both brands, the lower-risk route is to buy batteries for each platform, or to standardize on one brand when you next replace a tool.

DeWalt does sell its own adapter for a different job: the DCA1820 lets DeWalt 18V tools run on 20V MAX batteries, and its support article says it requires a DeWalt 20V MAX charger. That is a same-brand adapter and does not help with Craftsman. Older Craftsman systems are a separate story as well; our Craftsman 19.2V C3 battery guide covers that legacy platform, and our Craftsman V20 battery and charger guide goes deeper on the current one.

Mixed-Brand Toolboxes: Practical Options

• Standardize on one platform when you buy your next tool. Compare how the brand handles battery sharing before you commit; our 12V vs 20V drill guide explains why the voltage number alone is misleading.
• Buy tool-only models only when you already own that brand’s batteries. Tool-only bodies are cheaper than kits, but a kit’s batteries are usually the better value if you own nothing yet.
• Keep spare packs for each brand. If you run DeWalt and Craftsman side by side, a dedicated spare for each is safer than improvising.

Looking at other pairings? Our guides cover DeWalt 20V batteries and other brands, Black and Decker with DeWalt, and Porter-Cable batteries. If you have already charged a pack on the wrong charger, read how to charge a drill battery with a different charger first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a Craftsman V20 battery on a DeWalt tool?

Neither maker says you can. Craftsman lists V20 batteries for its V20 tool and outdoor lineup, and DeWalt lists its 20V MAX batteries for 20V MAX tools and chargers. Neither page names the other brand, so treat the swap as unsupported until the tool’s own manual says otherwise.

Can DeWalt 20V MAX batteries power Craftsman V20 tools?

Craftsman does not list DeWalt batteries for V20 tools, and DeWalt does not list its batteries for Craftsman tools. Both brands print the same 20V figure, but that number describes voltage, not whether the pack seats in the tool and connects safely.

Are Craftsman and DeWalt chargers interchangeable?

There is no manufacturer listing for it. DeWalt describes its batteries as compatible with 20V MAX tools and chargers, and Craftsman ties V20 batteries to its V20 system. Charge each battery on the charger sold for its own platform.

Does a DeWalt FLEXVOLT battery work in Craftsman tools?

DeWalt says FLEXVOLT batteries are compatible with DeWalt 20V MAX power tools and switch voltage automatically between 20V MAX and 60V MAX tools. DeWalt does not list Craftsman tools, so that compatibility applies inside the DeWalt system only.

Is 20V MAX really 20 volts?

Not under load. Both DeWalt and Craftsman state that the 20V figure is the maximum initial voltage measured without a workload, and that the nominal voltage is 18 volts. The matching numbers on the label are why the two brands get confused.

Who owns DeWalt and Craftsman?

Stanley Black & Decker owns both brands. It completed its purchase of the Craftsman brand from Sears Holdings in March 2017. Shared ownership does not mean the two battery systems were designed to fit each other.

Bottom line: DeWalt and Craftsman batteries are not documented as interchangeable by either maker, so buy for the platform your tool names, charge on that platform’s charger, and never force a pack. Check each manufacturer’s current compatibility pages before buying, since product lines change.