Stihl MS 500i vs Husqvarna 572 XP

Stihl MS 500i

Stihl / Gas

Stihl MS 500i

70cc+ class

~$1,780

See it at Stihl
Husqvarna 572 XP

Husqvarna / Gas

Husqvarna 572 XP

70cc+ class

~$1,349

See it at Husqvarna

The Husqvarna 572 XP costs about $431 less; the Stihl MS 500i has more engine (79.2cc); the Stihl MS 500i swings a longer bar (25 in); the Stihl MS 500i is lighter at 13.9 lb on the same basis.

SpecStihl MS 500iHusqvarna 572 XP
Approx. price~$1,780with 25" bar and chain~$1,349with 20", 24", 28", or 32" bar and chain
Engine class70cc+ classby displacement70cc+ classby displacement
Power typeGasGas
Use caseProfessionalProfessional
Engine79.2 cc70.6 cc
Rated power5 kW4.3 kW
Bar length25 in24 in
Single-pass cutabout 23 inabout 22 in
Bar range16-36 in15-28 in
Chain3/8" pitch / .050" gauge (33 RS3)3/8" pitch / .058" gauge (X-Cut C85)
Weight13.9 lbpowerhead only14.5 lbpowerhead only
Warranty1-year consumer / 3-month professional (Stihl policy from Jan 1, 2026)2-year consumer / 1-year commercial

Tinted cells mark the better figure on that row alone: more engine, longer bar, lighter, cheaper. A lighter weight is only a win on the same basis.

What owners like and complain about

Stihl MS 500i

  • Electronic fuel injection — no carburetor at all; starts in 2-3 pulls and auto-adapts to altitude and temperature
  • 5.0 kW from a 13.9 lb powerhead — Stihl claims the best power-to-weight ratio on the market
  • Instant throttle response owners say no carbureted saw can match
  • Runs bars from 16" to 36", covering everything from bucking to serious felling
  • Owner threads report multi-year reliability — 'always starts, never let me down' is the common refrain
  • Strong resale value; used 500is barely depreciate
  • Heavy fuel consumption is the most repeated owner complaint — plan on carrying extra mix
  • Documented gripe about fine dust entering around the plastic air-filter attachment point
  • Price has climbed roughly $500 since launch to ~$1,780, prompting even fans to hesitate
  • Some high-hour owners report warm-start stalling quirks after several years
  • Injection system is dealer-only territory — no backyard carb fixes if the electronics act up

Husqvarna 572 XP

  • 4.3 kW output pulls 24-28 inch bars through hardwood without bogging
  • AutoTune eliminates carb fiddling across altitude and fuel changes
  • Best-in-class cooling and filtration for sustained full-load work
  • Low vibration for a 70cc saw — full-shift usable
  • Flat torque curve deep in the cut, the X-Torq signature
  • Pro-grade magnesium construction built for years of rebuilds
  • Bar studs back off in use — the most-repeated owner fault; the chain can dull itself against the guard before you notice, and owners run thread-locker on the studs or check the nuts every few tanks
  • Hot starting is the fault that moves owners to Stihl; it is worst a few minutes after shutdown, and setting the fast idle is the workaround
  • $1,349 list and dealer-only — a working tool's price tag
  • 1.3 lb heavier than the Stihl MS 462 it battles — 14.5 lb against 13.2, a wider gap than the brochures suggest
  • Early-production cylinder issues still color forum sentiment despite the fix
  • AutoTune diagnostics require a dealer visit
  • Vastly more saw than any homeowner workload justifies
Stihl MS 500i in fullHusqvarna 572 XP in fullMore matchups