A feller buncher rents for $10,000 to $37,500 a month, with weekly rates around $10,000 to $12,000. Buying is where the spread gets dramatic: tracked machines list anywhere from $79,500 for an old high-hour unit to $799,500 for a current model, and recent 2023-onward tracked machines cluster at $385,000 to $799,500. Wheeled feller bunchers cost far less, at $139,900 to $230,000 for 2022 and newer and $40,000 to $125,100 for older units.
| Grade / Item | Low | High | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracked mid class, weekly | $10,000 | $10,000 | USD/week |
| Tracked large 2026, weekly | $12,000 | $12,000 | USD/week |
| Tracked mid class, monthly | $25,000 | $30,000 | USD/month |
| Tracked large, monthly | $35,000 | $37,500 | USD/month |
| Wheeled, monthly | $10,000 | $15,000 | USD/month |
| Tracked purchase, all ages | $79,500 | $799,500 | USD |
| Tracked, 2023 onward | $385,000 | $799,500 | USD |
| Wheeled, 2022 onward | $139,900 | $230,000 | USD |
| Wheeled, pre-2022 | $40,000 | $125,100 | USD used |
| Country | Typical Range | Per Tonne | Cur. |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Baseline rates shown | n/a | USD |
| Canada | About 5 to 15% above US | n/a | CAD |
| United Kingdom | About 0.75 to 0.85x US in GBP | n/a | GBP |
| Germany / EU | Broadly comparable to US in EUR | n/a | EUR |
| Australia | About 20 to 40% above US | n/a | AUD |
| India | About 30 to 50% of US rates | n/a | INR |
| UAE / Dubai | About 60 to 80% of US rates | n/a | AED |
Feller buncher rental rates
| Class | Weekly | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Wheeled | Ask | $10,000 to $15,000 |
| Tracked, mid class | About $10,000 | $25,000 to $30,000 |
| Tracked, large current model | About $12,000 | $35,000 to $37,500 |
Two things about this market are worth saying plainly. First, feller bunchers are rarely rented by the day. Logging jobs run in weeks and months, and yards price accordingly. Second, the rental market for them is thin compared to construction equipment. In many regions there is no general rental yard stocking one, and you are dealing with a forestry equipment dealer or arranging a machine through a contractor. Expect to book further ahead than you would for an excavator.
Purchase prices
| Machine | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tracked, all ages on market | $79,500 to $799,500 | The full listing spread |
| Tracked, 2023 and newer | $385,000 to $799,500 | Current generation |
| Wheeled, 2022 and newer | $139,900 to $230,000 | Much cheaper entry |
| Wheeled, pre-2022 | $40,000 to $125,100 | Used market |
Why tracked costs three times wheeled
A wheeled feller buncher is fast on flat, dry, firm ground and cheaper in every respect. A tracked machine carries a leveling cab and an undercarriage that keeps working on steep slopes, soft ground and snow. If your ground is flat pine plantation, the wheeled machine does the same work for a third of the money. If you are cutting on grade or on wet ground, the tracked machine is not a preference, it is the only thing that will stay on the hill.
That single decision moves your capital cost by hundreds of thousands of dollars, so make it against your actual terrain rather than against what the neighbouring outfit runs.
What drives the price
The head. Disc saw heads cut fast and are standard on high-production machines. Shear heads cost less, cut slower, and can damage the butt of high-value logs. Accumulating heads that gather several stems before dumping raise output and price. The head is a significant slice of machine cost and can be replaced separately.
Leveling cab. Adds cost and adds working hours on slopes. On steep ground it also determines whether the operator can work a full shift without fatigue.
Hours. Forestry machines accumulate hours fast, often 2,000 or more a year in a production operation. A machine with 15,000 hours has a different remaining life from one with 4,000, and that is most of why the used band is so wide.
Undercarriage condition. On tracked machines this is the expensive wear item. A worn undercarriage on an otherwise good machine is a five-figure to six-figure repair. Inspect it before anything else on a used purchase.
Rent or buy
Take a $385,000 tracked machine against a $30,000 monthly rental. That is roughly 13 months of continuous rental to break even on the purchase price, before financing. Logging is seasonal in most regions, and a machine that sits through a wet season still costs you insurance, depreciation and interest.
The practical rule in this trade: if you have a year-round contract that keeps the machine cutting, buy. If your work is seasonal, project-based, or you are trying a new region, rent. Many operators do both, owning a core machine and renting a second through the peak.
Wheeled machines change the arithmetic. A $139,900 wheeled unit against a $12,000 monthly rental is under 12 months. On suitable ground, wheeled ownership makes sense at a much lower level of utilisation than tracked.
Costs beyond the machine
- Transport. Feller bunchers are heavy and wide. Lowboy moves with permits, and on remote sites the haul is a substantial line item on its own.
- Saw teeth. Disc saw teeth are consumable and dirt or rock destroys them quickly. Budget for regular replacement.
- Fuel. These machines work hard. Fuel burn on a large tracked unit in production is a major weekly cost.
- Field service. Logging sites are far from dealers. A service truck, a parts inventory and a mechanic who can travel are part of the real cost of running one.
- The rest of the system. A feller buncher alone produces piles in the woods. You still need a skidder or forwarder, a delimber or processor, and a loader. Costing the buncher in isolation understates the job.
Getting a fair quote
Tell the dealer your terrain slope, ground conditions through the season, average stem diameter and target daily production. Those pick the machine class and the head. Then ask about hours on a used unit, undercarriage percentage remaining, head hours separately from machine hours, and whether any warranty carries over. On a rental, confirm who pays for saw teeth and what the transport charge is each way.
Rates move with regional demand and fuel. Figures here are dated August 2026. Confirm locally before you book.