6 Best Types of Garage Door Openers for Your Home

There are six main types of garage door openers, all of which make your life much more convenient. No need to step out of the car to open and close the garage door every time you come and go—just click the button, and voila!

But what’s the best type of garage door opener? That depends on several factors, including your budget, noise tolerance, the size and weight of the garage door, and any other features you may want. Below, we’ll review these various garage door opener types and help you decide on the right model for your needs.

What to Consider When Choosing a Garage Door Opener

Before purchasing a garage door opener, evaluate your current door and how you use it so you can make the right choice. Here are some things to consider:

• Where is your garage? If your garage is attached to your home, and especially if it’s under a bedroom or next to a common living area, you’ll want to choose a garage door opener that offers quiet operation and low vibration.

• How big is your garage door? Some garage door openers are better suited to smaller doors. If you have a particularly wide or heavy door, you’ll need to factor that into your purchase. Pay attention to the horsepower rating for each model: ½ horsepower will cut it for small doors, but you may need ¾ to 1-plus horsepower for larger doors.

• How do you use your garage? If you need vertical storage space, you may want a wall mount garage. If multiple family members enter and exit each day, you may want a smart opener (especially if you have some forgetful members in your family).

• Does your neighborhood often have power outages? If so, you’ll want a model with a backup battery.

• What’s your budget? You can prioritize affordable garage door openers if your budget is limited, but the tradeoff could be noisier operation.

• Are you good about home maintenance? Some garage door openers require more maintenance than others. If you know you’re not good about staying on top of home maintenance, choose a type of garage door opener that is low-maintenance.

1. Chain Drive Openers

Chain drive garage door openers are among the most common in the industry. Chances are good, you’ve lived in a house with a chain drive opener at some point—your current garage may even have one. As the name suggests, these openers rely on a metal chain to lift and lower your garage door.

Why are chain drive openers so popular? They’re durable and affordable, with models ranging from $150 to $250. They’re also versatile—they work with practically all widths, heights, and weights of garage doors.

However, chain drive openers are really noisy, so they’re not ideal if the garage is under a bedroom; instead, use these for a detached garage. These openers also require more maintenance than some other types of garage openers and may only last 10 to 15 years.

Best for: Detached garages

2. Belt Drive Openers

Belt drive garage openers are also a popular type of garage door opener. They operate just like chain drive models, but with a belt. The belt makes these garage door openers function much more quietly, so they’re ideal for attached garages. Belts are also faster than chains—no long waits for the door to rise or lower.

Belt drive models also last 15 to 20 years when properly cared for; the belt itself, however, is not as durable as a chain, so it may need to be replaced once or twice during the opener’s lifespan; plus, these models may struggle with larger doors and are susceptible to heat and humidity

Like chain drive openers, belt drive models also require more maintenance than other openers. They are also more expensive than chain drive models. On average, they cost between $175 and $350 for the unit.

Best for: Attached garages

3. Jackshaft Openers (Wall-Mount Openers)

Jackshaft openers, also known as wall-mount garage door openers, are much newer in residential garages than chain and belt drive models. Unlike most traditional garage openers, jackshaft openers are mounted to the wall.

Rather than pull the door up with a chain or belt, jackshaft openers connect to the door’s torsion bar and lift it with a rope and pulley system. Like belt drive models, jackshaft openers are quiet and have minimal vibration.

The main appeal of this system is that it frees up vertical space in your garage, allowing for taller vehicles and more vertical storage. This is also ideal if you have a garage with a low ceiling height. Plus, if you need to perform maintenance, a jackshaft opener is much easier to reach.

The major downside of a wall-mount garage door opener is cost: Because they are so new for residential garages, they can be pricey ($400 to $500 for a single unit), and repair costs are higher due to specialized labor needs and higher-cost replacement parts. They also only work with sectional garage doors and are not ideal for a DIY install.

Best for: Low ceilings and tall vehicles

4. Screw Drive Openers

Like chain drive openers, screw drive garage door openers are budget-friendly; they typically run between $150 and $300 for the unit. Like a rotating screw that tightens or loosens, a threaded rod turns one way to open the garage and the other to close it.

These models are great for one-car garages with low ceilings; they pack a lot of power in a compact design (but wouldn’t be suited to larger, taller doors). They’re quieter than chain drive models but louder than belt drives—think of them as somewhere in between.

Compared to other types of garage door openers, screw drive openers require more maintenance, and they operate more slowly. Though they need more maintenance (particularly frequent lubrication), they have fewer parts, so they’re less susceptible to breakdowns.

Best for: Small garages

5. Direct Drive Openers

Think of direct drive openers as the opposite of a belt drive or chain drive model. Direct drive garage door openers do use either a chain or belt, but rather than use the motor to move the chain or belt, the chain or belt remains stationary, and the motor moves along it to raise and lower the door.

Because direct drive garage openers are relatively new, they’re still on the more expensive end; budget between $475 and $500. They’re also harder to find, and many garage door pros may not have worked on one yet.

That said, direct drive openers are super quiet and require minimal maintenance. They can last between 15 and 20 years. They do operate more slowly than other garage openers, however.

Best for: Minimal maintenance

6. Smart Openers

There’s no one type of smart garage door opener: They might be belt drive, chain drive, or even wall mount. But the biggest benefit is they offer remote operation. Because they’re connected to the WiFi, you can open or close the door using your phone.

Here are some of the conveniences this offers:

• Maybe on a cold winter morning, you want to remote start your car, but you need to lift the garage door first? You can do it from bed.

• Forget the garage key in the house? You likely have your phone in your pocket.

• Driving a rental car while your car’s in the shop? No need to remember to grab the garage door remote—just use your phone.

• Can’t remember if you closed the garage door before leaving for vacation (Kevin’s dad from Home Alone, anyone?) You can check the status on your phone and close it remotely, if needed.

In addition to this convenience, smart openers may offer home security monitoring, carbon monoxide sensors, and bluetooth speakers.

The catch? Smart garage door openers are much more expensive. Plan to spend between $400 and $600 for a single unit. Some of the extra features may also require subscription fees. Smart openers are prone to tech issues, like WiFi outages and app glitches. There’s also the threat of a hacking risk and privacy issues with smart openers (and any smart home device).

Best for: Smart homes

Advantages and Disadvantages of Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers offer a number of advantages over manual garage doors, but there are also some drawbacks to consider.

Garage Door Opener Pros

• Convenience: First and foremost, garage door openers are convenient. You don’t have to get out of your car to manually lift and lower a door every time you leave or come home.

• Accessibility: Garage door openers are game changers for drivers who cannot physically operate a manual garage door.

• Security: Garage door openers offer more security than manual garage doors; they are harder for intruders to open than one requiring manual operation.

• Safety: Lifting and lowering a door manually can lead to health issues, like throwing out your back, pulling a muscle, or dropping the door on yourself or someone else. Most modern garage door openers include a sensor so that the door will not close if something is in its path.

Garage Door Opener Cons

• Expense: Garage door openers can cost anywhere from $150 to $600 for the unit itself. Hiring a local garage door professional to complete the install adds even more cost—and if you have a two- or three-car garage, your price will double or triple.

• Maintenance and repair: A garage door opener is just another home feature that can break down and require costly repairs. Plus, most garage door openers require routine maintenance.

• Power dependence: Garage door openers require electricity to run. In power outages, you may not be able to open the garage, unless you have a backup battery.

How to Figure Out Which Garage Door Opener Is Right for You

To choose the right garage door for your home, make a checklist of the following:

• Budget

• Noise tolerance

• Garage and door size

• Garage needs

These can help you narrow your search to one or two types of garage openers that make sense for your home.