What Cordless Tool Batteries Are Interchangeable? Brand Compatibility Chart

Are cordless tool batteries interchangeable between brands? The short answer: batteries from the same brand and voltage are usually interchangeable within that brand’s ecosystem — but cross-brand compatibility is rare and can damage your tools. This guide breaks it down by brand so you know exactly what works with what.

Are Cordless Tool Batteries Interchangeable? (Quick Answer by Brand)

Brand	Voltage	Compatible With	Cross-Brand?
DeWalt 20V MAX	20V	All DeWalt 20V tools	No (proprietary)
Milwaukee M18	18V	All Milwaukee M18 tools	No (proprietary)
Makita 18V LXT	18V	All Makita LXT tools	No (proprietary)
Ryobi ONE+	18V	300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	No (proprietary)
Craftsman V20	20V	All Craftsman V20 tools	No (proprietary)
Hercules (Harbor Freight)	20V	Hercules tools only	No
EGO Power+	56V ARC	EGO outdoor tools	No

The key takeaway: no major brand makes batteries that work in another brand’s tools. Each manufacturer uses proprietary connectors and voltage management systems. However, within a brand’s ecosystem, batteries are freely interchangeable across tools of the same voltage.

DeWalt Battery Compatibility Chart

DeWalt’s 20V MAX system is their main platform and one of the most interchangeable in the industry. Any DeWalt 20V MAX battery (compact, standard, or FLEXVOLT) fits all DeWalt 20V MAX tools.

Battery Type	Compatible Tools	Notes
20V MAX Compact (1.3–2Ah)	All 20V MAX tools	Lighter; shorter runtime
20V MAX Standard (3–5Ah)	All 20V MAX tools	Best everyday balance
20V MAX XR (4–6Ah)	All 20V MAX tools	Extended runtime
FLEXVOLT (60V/20V)	60V FLEXVOLT tools + all 20V tools	Dual-mode; backward compatible
12V MAX	12V MAX tools only	NOT compatible with 20V tools

Are DeWalt 20V and 18V batteries the same? No. DeWalt’s older 18V NiCad batteries don’t fit 20V MAX tools. The 20V MAX is DeWalt’s current lithium-ion platform.

Makita Battery Compatibility Chart

Makita’s 18V LXT is the world’s largest 18V cordless tool system. All Makita 18V LXT batteries are interchangeable across 300+ LXT tools.

Battery Series	Voltage	Compatible Tools
BL1820B, BL1830B	18V LXT	All Makita 18V LXT tools
BL1840B, BL1850B	18V LXT	All Makita 18V LXT tools
BL1860B (6Ah)	18V LXT	All Makita 18V LXT tools (max runtime)
BL4040 (40V XGT)	40V MAX XGT	Makita 40V XGT tools only
CXT 12V	12V CXT	Makita CXT tools only

Are Hercules and Makita batteries interchangeable? No. Hercules (Harbor Freight) tools use a 20V platform with a different connector design. They are not compatible with Makita’s 18V LXT system despite the similar voltage range.

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Milwaukee Battery Compatibility Chart

Milwaukee’s M18 system is the most popular 18V platform among professional contractors. All M18 batteries (REDLITHIUM) are cross-compatible within the M18 family.

Battery Model	Capacity	Compatible With
M18 REDLITHIUM Compact (2Ah)	2Ah	All M18 tools
M18 REDLITHIUM XC (3–6Ah)	3–6Ah	All M18 tools
M18 REDLITHIUM HIGH OUTPUT (8–12Ah)	8–12Ah	All M18 tools
M12 REDLITHIUM	Various	M12 tools ONLY — not M18

Craftsman Battery Compatibility Chart

Craftsman’s V20 platform uses a 20V lithium-ion system. All Craftsman V20 batteries work with all V20 tools — making it a flexible budget-friendly ecosystem.

Battery	Compatible	Notes
CMCB201 (1.5Ah)	All V20 tools	Compact; light jobs
CMCB202 (2Ah)	All V20 tools	Standard use
CMCB204 (4Ah)	All V20 tools	Extended runtime
CMCB206 (6Ah)	All V20 tools	Heavy-duty use

Are DeWalt and Craftsman batteries interchangeable? No — even though both use 20V. DeWalt’s 20V MAX and Craftsman’s V20 have different connector shapes and electronics. They physically will not fit each other’s tools.

Ryobi ONE+ Battery Compatibility

Ryobi’s ONE+ is the largest 18V system by tool count — over 300 tools share the same battery. This makes Ryobi one of the best ecosystems for budget buyers who want flexibility. All Ryobi ONE+ 18V batteries (P100 through P108) are interchangeable.

Ryobi ONE+ Battery Compatibility Chart

Ryobi’s ONE+ ecosystem is the most flexible budget platform — every 18V battery works with every ONE+ tool, no exceptions.

Battery Model	Capacity	Compatible With	Best For
PCL50B (1.5Ah)	1.5Ah	All 300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	Light tasks, drills
PCL50B2 (2Ah)	2Ah	All 300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	Everyday DIY use
PCL54B (4Ah)	4Ah	All 300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	Extended runtime
PCL56B (6Ah)	6Ah	All 300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	Heavy-duty cutting/sanding
PCL58B2 (HP 2Ah)	2Ah HP	All 300+ Ryobi ONE+ tools	High-demand tools
RYOBI 40V	Various	Ryobi 40V tools ONLY	NOT compatible with ONE+ 18V

Note: Ryobi ONE+ (18V) and Ryobi 40V are separate platforms and are not cross-compatible. Always check the voltage label before purchasing.

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Other Brand Battery Compatibility Charts

Beyond the big five, several other brands have large cordless ecosystems worth knowing about.

Bosch 18V ProCORE Compatibility

Bosch Professional’s 18V system is common in Europe and growing in North America. All Bosch 18V ProCORE and CORE18V batteries are interchangeable across Bosch Professional 18V tools.

Battery Model	Capacity	Compatible With
GBA 18V 2.0Ah	2Ah	All Bosch Professional 18V tools
ProCORE 18V 4.0Ah	4Ah	All Bosch Professional 18V tools
ProCORE 18V 8.0Ah	8Ah	All Bosch Professional 18V tools
ProCORE 18V 12.0Ah	12Ah	All Bosch Professional 18V tools
GBA 12V	Various	Bosch 12V tools ONLY — not 18V

Einhell 18V Power X-Change Compatibility

Einhell’s Power X-Change (PXC) system is one of Europe’s largest, with 100+ compatible tools. All PXC 18V batteries fit any PXC tool.

Battery Series	Voltage	Compatible With	Notes
PXC 18V 2.0Ah	18V	All Einhell PXC tools	Standard use
PXC 18V 4.0Ah	18V	All Einhell PXC tools	Extended runtime
PXC 18V 5.2Ah	18V	All Einhell PXC tools	High demand tools
PXC 36V (Twin Pack)	36V	Einhell 36V tools only	2×18V cells combined

Are Einhell batteries interchangeable with other brands? No. Einhell PXC uses a proprietary connector and is not compatible with DeWalt, Makita, or any other brand’s tools.

Worx PowerShare 20V Compatibility

Worx PowerShare is unique — it’s one of the few platforms where 20V and 40V tools share the same batteries. Two 20V PowerShare batteries snap together to power 40V Worx tools.

Battery	Compatible With	Notes
WA3520 (2Ah)	All Worx PowerShare 20V tools	Use 2x for 40V tools
WA3525 (5Ah)	All Worx PowerShare 20V tools	Extended runtime
WA3553 (4Ah)	All Worx PowerShare 20V tools	Standard pick

Greenworks Battery Compatibility

Greenworks has separate battery platforms by voltage — they do not cross over between voltage lines.

Platform	Voltage	Compatible With	Cross-Platform?
Greenworks 24V	24V	Greenworks 24V tools only	No
Greenworks 40V	40V	Greenworks 40V tools only	No
Greenworks 60V	60V	Greenworks 60V tools only	No
Greenworks 80V	80V	Greenworks 80V tools only	No

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Can You Use Third-Party Batteries?

Third-party batteries (from brands like Powerextra, Energup, or DCBEL17) are made to fit name-brand tools physically, but come with risks: they often lack the battery management circuitry (BMS) that protects against overheating and overcharging. Some power tool brands also void warranties if third-party batteries are used. For occasional, light-duty use, third-party batteries can save money — but for heavy professional use, stick with OEM batteries.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are 18V and 20V batteries the same?

Not exactly. Most 18V and 20V lithium-ion batteries use the same cell configuration — the difference is in how voltage is measured (nominal 18V vs. peak 20V). However, the connectors are brand-specific and they are not physically interchangeable between brands.

What cordless tool batteries are interchangeable between brands?

Currently, no major brand officially supports cross-brand battery compatibility. Each major brand — DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, Ryobi, Craftsman — uses proprietary battery connections. The only cross-platform option is FlexVolt from DeWalt which works across 20V and 60V tools within the DeWalt system.

Do Milwaukee and DeWalt batteries interchange?

No. Milwaukee M18 and DeWalt 20V MAX batteries use different connector shapes and voltage management systems. They are not compatible with each other’s tools.

If you’re working on outdoor woodworking projects with cordless tools, also check our guide on pressure treated wood from Lowe’s — knowing which tools and batteries you’ll need for outdoor lumber projects can help you plan your battery purchase.