Propane tank exchange compared
A "full" 20 lb tank is not the same amount of propane everywhere you get one. Blue Rhino and AmeriGas fill theirs to 15 pounds. We fill 4 gallons — about 17 pounds — and bring it to your door.
Order TanksThe three ways to get a full tank
| Method | Propane in a 20 lb tank | What you do | What you pay | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lit doorstep exchange | 4 gallons, about 17 lb | Leave the empty outside. A driver takes it and leaves a full one. | $25.99 a swap, free standard delivery | Anyone who would rather not make the trip at all |
| Store cage (Blue Rhino, AmeriGas) | 15 lb, about 3.5 gallons | Drive to the store with the empty in your car, swap it at the cage, drive back. | A fixed price per tank, set by the retailer | Someone already at the store who needs a tank today |
| Refill counter | Up to 4.7 gallons, the legal maximum | Drive there during staffed hours, wait while your tank is filled, drive back. | Per gallon — usually the cheapest way to buy propane | People who want the lowest cost per gallon and do not mind waiting |
Doorstep exchange vs a store cage
The cages outside hardware stores and gas stations are mostly Blue Rhino and AmeriGas. Both fill a 20 lb tank to 15 pounds — roughly 3.5 gallons, or three quarters of what the tank holds. Neither is hiding it: Blue Rhino answers the question directly in their own FAQ, and the weight is printed on the cage. Both dropped from 17 pounds to 15 in 2008 to absorb cost increases without changing the sticker price.
We put 4 gallons in, which is about 17 pounds — around 2 pounds more, or 13% more propane every time you swap. The other difference is the trip. A cage swap means loading an empty tank into your car, driving to the store, queueing for someone with a key, and driving home. Ours means putting the empty on the porch.
Doorstep exchange vs a refill counter
Refilling is the cheapest propane you can buy, and it is worth being straight about that. You pay by the gallon for what actually goes into your tank, and the counter fills to the legal maximum of about 4.7 gallons rather than to a fixed weight. If cost per gallon is the only thing you are optimising for, refill.
What you spend instead is time and timing. Refill counters keep staffed hours, which are rarely the hours you discover the tank is empty, and you wait with the tank while it fills. You also keep the same tank for its whole life, which means the recertification and the rust are yours to deal with. An exchange hands that off — the tank you get back is one we maintain, and the one you put out is our problem from the moment the driver picks it up.
Doorstep exchange vs other delivery services
Cynch is the closest comparison, because it is the same idea: an exchange brought to the house rather than swapped at a store. If you are choosing between delivery services, the three things worth checking are the ones that actually differ — how much propane is in the tank, what delivery adds on top of the tank price, and whether they reach your address at all.
Ours are 4 gallons in a 20 lb tank, $25.99 a swap with free standard delivery, and a ZIP code checker on the home page that runs against the same coverage data our drivers work from. The full price list for every size is on the pricing page.
Comparison questions
How much propane is in a Blue Rhino or AmeriGas tank?
15 pounds, in a tank that holds 20. Both companies disclose it — Blue Rhino's own FAQ says their grill tanks "contain a net weight of 15 lbs. of propane" — and both cut the fill from 17 pounds to 15 in 2008 rather than raise the price. That works out to about 3.5 gallons.
How much propane does Lit put in a 20 lb tank?
4 gallons, which is about 17 pounds. That is roughly 2 pounds — about 13% — more propane than a store cage swap, and you do not drive anywhere to get it.
Is it cheaper to exchange or refill a propane tank?
Refilling is cheaper per gallon. You pay only for the propane that goes in, and the counter fills to the legal maximum rather than to a fixed weight. What refilling costs you is the trip: driving there during staffed hours, waiting while the tank is filled, and driving back. An exchange trades a little money for all of that time.
Is there a Blue Rhino alternative that delivers to your house?
Yes. That is what we do — you leave the empty tank outside and a driver swaps it for a full one, so there is no cage and no trip. A 20 lb - Standard Grill Tank swap is $25.99 with free standard delivery.
How is Lit different from Cynch?
Cynch runs the same idea — propane exchange brought to the house instead of swapped at a store — so it is the closest comparison to what we do. The differences between any two delivery services come down to three things: how much propane is actually in the tank, what delivery adds to the price, and whether they cover your address. Ours are 4 gallons, free standard delivery, and a ZIP code checker on the home page.
Is propane tank exchange worth it?
It depends on what your time is worth. If you are already at the hardware store, a cage swap is fine. If you want the most propane for the money and do not mind the wait, refill. If the trip is the part you want gone — and it usually happens when the grill is already lit — having the tank swapped on your porch is what exchange delivery is for.
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