Which is Better – Leaf Filter vs Leaf Guard?

September 8, 2025

There are many gutter guard products on the market today. As a consumer, it can be quite confusing – many of the products claim to do the same thing, have similar names, and look the same to the untrained eye.

Gutter Cover Kansas City® has been in the gutter protection industry for 25+ consecutive years. That much experience gives insight. To share this, they have several articles designed to give the consumer a trained eye when looking at a gutter guard system. 

This one will examine the two most widely recognized and marketed national gutter guard company brands – LeafFilter® and Leafguard®. 

What is the Difference Between LeafFilter® and Leafguard®?

LeafFilter® and Leafguard® are very different in their designs. 

LeafFilter® is – as you might guess – a filter.

It is a micro mesh gutter guard filter that attaches to the top of the existing gutters. LeafFilter® filters out all leaves, sticks and debris. When debris is cleaned off the top regularly, the filter allows rainwater through the filter and into the gutter. 

Leafguard® is a seamless, hooded gutter and gutter guard all-in-one. 

This means that it is an entire gutter system replacement in itself. The gutter guard is solid and prevents leaves and debris from entering. The hooded gutter guard allows the water to flow around its nose and into the gutter. 

Both are national brands and both have a clog-free guarantee. So are they just apples and oranges? A different approach but still good options at the end of the day? What are the upsides of LeafFilter®? What are the downsides of Leafguard®? And vise-versa?

Let’s look a little deeper at each product to answer these questions.

LeafFilter® Pros and Cons

LeafFilter® is built on a very simple but functional model that has been around for a long time. 

Just like all micro mesh and screens, the filter system covers the top of the gutter, and keeps debris out while allowing water in through the small holes. And when properly maintained, it does that quite well. 

The problems arise, however, when the system is not properly maintained by the homeowner. 

Once the filter is blocked by pollen, tree sap, or any other debris, the entrance to the gutter becomes closed and water is forced to overflow the gutter. The inside of your gutters will stay clean – but they won’t be able to perform their purpose. 

Really, this type of gutter protection is similar to any filter. 

Let’s use a furnace filter as an example. These filter the air in your home, but after some time, the filter needs to be replaced because it gets clogged by debris. Similarly, in order to keep the micro mesh gutter guard working optimally, they need the filter to be cleaned. This may involve scrubbing them clean by hand on a regular basis.

Upsides of LeafFilter®

• Professional Installation

• Comes with a clog-free guarantee

• It will keep the inside of your gutters clean, which is guaranteed

• When properly and regularly maintained, it allows a lot of water through even in heavy rains

Downsides of LeafFilter®

• Depending on the environment and amount of trees and debris involved it will require regular cleaning or the filter will clog, and water will overflow. In sufficient volume, this may cause the same water damage that the product was intended to prevent. 

There was a lawsuit in 2021 that illustrates and explains this downside:

Why Was LeafFilter® Sued?

In April 2021 a class lawsuit against LeafFilter® went to trial. Here is a snippet of the complaint, copied and pasted from its public location online:  

1. …“LeafFilter, which is designed, marketed, and sold at a significant premium as a low to no maintenance alternative to traditional gutter cleaning devices and systems. In reality, LeafFilter possesses a latent defect that prevents substantial amounts of rainwater from passing through the LeafFilter system and instead causes:

(1) rainwater to flow over the top of the LeafFilter system Case: 2:20-cv-06229-MHW-KAJ Doc #: 19 Filed: 04/01/21 Page: 1 of 56 

(2) debris to accumulate on top of the LeafFilter system that must be cleaned off by the homeowner. The defect renders the product unfit for its intended purpose as it substantially reduces the ability of water to enter the gutters on which it is installed. 

1. Defendant never discloses in its…marketing materials that the installation of LeafFilter reduces the amount of rainwater that can enter the gutters from the roof and permits debris to accumulate on top of the LeafFilter system. To the contrary, Defendant touts that LeafFilter “allows as much water as an open gutter.” 

1. Defendant has known for years, and actively concealed, that LeafFilter is defective and causes overflow and accumulating debris. Many consumers have filed or posted complaints with the Better Business Bureaus, with their respective state Attorney General, or with various consumer review websites regarding the overflow and/or debris caused by LeafFilter…  

“121. Defendant’s Limited Lifetime Warranty is specifically crafted so as to not cover the defect. Indeed, the only condition covered by the Limited Lifetime Warranty is an internal clog: “If at any time the LeafFilter Gutter Protection System allows the interior of your gutter to clog with debris causing your gutter to fill with water and overflow, LeafFilter North LLC (“LeafFilter”), the company that distributes LeafFilter, will provide replacement product or refund you 100% of the material purchase price for ALL LeafFilter materials installed on your home.” 

After the case went to court, consumers were able to file claims until Feb 2023. At that time over 10,000 claims were posted requesting debris cleaning of their Leaf Filter.

http://www.leaffiltersettlement.com/media/4186845/lf_supplemental_declaration_of_kenneth_jue.pdf

To read more about the lawsuit and the specific examples, click here. http://www.leaffiltersettlement.com/frequently-asked-questions.aspx#:~:text=Top-,What%20is%20this%20lawsuit%20about%3F,specifically%20denies%20all%20claims%20described%20above%20and%20asserted%20in%20the%20Litigation.,-You%20can%20read

Leafguard® Pros and Cons

Leafguard® is a surface tension gutter guard that is both a gutter and gutter guard all-in-one.

In other words, the gutter and gutter guard are purchased together and come as one unit. It has a solid top and uses the curve of the top section to direct water into the attached gutter. 

The leafguard gutters design is a solid cover that will keep leaves, pine needles and other debris out of the gutter.

We have an extensive article coming soon discussing Leafguard®’s comparison to Advantage Gutter Guard®. But here is a summary of how it compares to LeafFilter®:

Leafguard® Pros

• Professional installation
• Uses surface tension to keep debris out, while allowing water in. In our experience, it does a good job at both of those.
• Includes both full gutter replacement and gutter guard installation
• Seamless, gutter and guard
• Comes with a Clog Free Guarantee
• Made of largely sturdy materials, and should be expected to have a long life

Leafguard® Downsides

• Inadequate Gutter Size: In order to make the gutter and leaf guard hood one-piece the size of the gutter is cut down to 5 inches or less. This is often too small for many rooflines. When a gutter is undersized, water overflow is inevitable.
• Lack of Adaptability: Gutters cannot square directly with a roofline to function properly. The rule of thumb is that they must be sloped 1/4” for every 10 feet of gutter. This way the water runs towards the downspout. When there is a long section of gutter, to create the slope the gutter will have to be an inch or more below the roofline at the end where the downspout is positioned. This can create 2 problems:

1. The water can start to run behind the gutter and damage the fascia it is attached to.
2. Rain water can overshoot the leaf guard and cause water damage to the home, soil and foundation below.

• Appearance: As mentioned above, an all-in-one leaf guard must follow the gutter in sloping. This means that on long sides of the home, the gutter guard installation can look quite crooked. It also means less design flexibility since the leaf guard and the gutter must be the same color and material.
• Plastic brackets: Leafguard® uses plastic brackets to attach to the home’s fascia. In the face of extreme weather conditions over time, plastic does not hold up to steel. Over time plastic becomes brittle, loses strength, and cracks or breaks. When this happens the guttering system may detach. If unnoticed, water may leak behind the leaf guard system and cause water damage to your home.
• It is not nose-forward, as you can see in the picture above. 
• Increased Cost: Many have found that Leafguard® is often the most expensive of all gutter cover choices. There may be several reasons for this: 

1. Logically, the cost of a one-piece leaf guard system is higher because it is both a leaf guard and a gutter replacement. If you’re replacing your gutters anyway, then that’s just fine. But if your gutters are in good condition, then it’s an unnecessary additional cost.

Interestingly, when compared to buying standard gutters and a retrofit leaf guard separately, it is typically still more expensive. This appears to be simply market positioning, which is obviously any company’s personal decision to make. 

1. Due to its seamless design on top, even if just a small section is damaged in a storm, you will need to replace the entire leaf guard system for that run, both gutter and guard. In two-piece systems the gutter guard is separate, and may come in sections, which eliminates the need and expense of gutter replacement, if only the guard is damaged. In addition, only the damaged section or sections will need to be replaced as opposed to the entire run of gutter and leaf guard.

What is the Difference Between LeafFilter Cost vs LeafGuard Cost?

How can you know how much Leaf Filter vs Leaf Guard will cost for your home?

Step 1 – Understand how many feet of guttering your home has.

Often, people search ‘How much does Leaf Filter system cost for a 1500 square foot home?’

Actually, the amount of gutter doesn’t correlate to the square footage of a home. It’s all about the linear feet of the gutters. 

To better estimate the cost, go outside and measure your strips of gutter. This can be done from the ground. Simply use a tape measure on the ground and follow the length of each side of your home. (Don’t forget the second and third stories!) 

Step 2 – Prepare to negotiate.

We don’t sell LeafFilter® or Leafguard® and cannot provide an exact estimate. However, we have been in this industry for 25 years and have seen many LeafFilter® and Leafguard® estimates. At present, LeafFilter® tends to begin between their estimates $30-$45 a linear foot and Leafguard® between $50-$60 a linear foot. However, these are starting prices, usually dependent on how busy the company is and the time of year, and will be reduced dramatically with good negotiation skills on your part

Interestingly, according to the This Old House article, it says that their salespersons have been known to start at $10,000 no matter the linear feet. If this is true, you may need to be on the defensive to make sure you are not taken advantage of.

What Did We Choose After 25+ Years in the Gutter Covers  Industry?

After more than 25 years of working exclusively in gutter protection, we’ve seen nearly every design, heard from thousands of homeowners, and personally inspected the performance of countless systems in real-world conditions.

That experience gave us a clear perspective: every system has strengths—but also design limitations. Whether it’s filters that clog without regular maintenance or all-in-one systems that can’t be adjusted for proper water flow, each model has trade-offs.

That’s why we didn’t align ourselves with LeafFilter® or LeafGuard®. Instead, we took what we’ve learned from their designs—and the entire industry—and created our own solution: the Advantage Gutter Guard®.

Why We Designed the Advantage Gutter Guard®

We saw the frustration homeowners were having with systems that:

• Overflowed during heavy rains
• Required frequent cleaning
• Couldn’t adapt to complex rooflines
• They weren’t built with long-term durability in mind

So we built a gutter guard that answers those issues head-on:

✅ Surface tension design that keeps out small debris and large debris while maximizing water flow—even in downpours
✅ Engineered to fit existing gutters, reducing costs and maintaining flexibility
✅ Constructed from durable, all-metal materials, never plastic
✅ Professional gutter guards installed and fully customized to your home
✅ Backed by a lifetime no-clog guarantee that covers real-world performance

It’s Not Just the Product—It’s the Company Behind It

Product quality matters. But equally important is the company that stands behind it. At Gutter Cover KC™, we are locally owned, have an A+ BBB rating, and pride ourselves on honest assessments, no-pressure sales, and skilled installation by trained professionals—not third-party contractors.

Final Thoughts

LeafFilter® and LeafGuard® are both widely recognized names, and they offer functional gutter protection systems with their own set of pros and cons. But if you’re looking for a gutter guard that was built with the flaws of other systems in mind—and designed specifically to meet the challenges of Midwest weather and architecture—then it may be time to take a look at Advantage Gutter Guard® by Gutter Cover KC™.

Want to learn more? Schedule a free consultation with our trained team today.

Additional Resources:

Best Gutter Guard For Copper Gutters

Protect your copper gutters with the right gutter guard.

6 inch gutters vs 5 inch – What’s the difference?

All that rainwater is coming down on your roof and needs to go somewhere.

Gutter Cover Installation Cost

Thinking about installing gutter guards? Are you wondering how much gutter guards will cost you? 

Curious about the differences between Leaf Filter Gutters vs Advantage Gutter Guard??

This article explains how each system is designed, the maintenance they require, and what homeowners should consider before deciding which gutter guard is the best fit.

All-In-One vs. Two-Piece Leaf Guard Systems

See which type of leaf guard really delivers on clog-free performance and long-term durability.

Thinking about adding gutter protection to your home? With so many options out there, it can be tough to know which system actually performs well in Kansas City’s heavy rains and leafy neighborhoods. We’ve rounded up the Top 5 Gutter Guard Companies in Kansas City — ranked by real local reviews — to help you choose the right one for your home.

Trying to choose the right system? Here’s a simple look at the different types of gutter guards and which ones hold up best in Kansas City conditions.