Huntsman spiders are generally about the size of a human hand, but the very largest species can reach roughly the size of a dinner plate when fully stretched out.

Typical huntsman size

Most huntsman spiders people see in homes are in the “palm-sized” range.

  • Average leg span for common huntsman species is up to about 12–15 cm (roughly 5–6 inches).
  • Their bodies are much smaller than their leg span, often around 1.8 cm (about 0.7 inches) long.

So when someone says a huntsman is “as big as your hand,” they usually mean the leg span, not a massive body.

Giant huntsman: the extreme

There is a record-breaking species called the giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima).

  • Its leg span can reach about 25–30 cm (9.8–11.8 inches), about as wide as a dinner plate or two U.S. dollar bills end to end.
  • The body itself is still under 5 cm (around 1.8 inches), so most of the apparent size is those very long legs.

This makes the giant huntsman one of the largest spiders on Earth by leg span.

What people usually encounter

Everyday huntsman sightings (especially in places like Australia) tend to be big but not record-breaking.

  • Forum and Q&A discussions often describe typical house huntsmen as around 10–12 cm (4–5 inches) across, with occasional individuals close to 15 cm (6 inches).
  • Stories or photos that make them look “half a car wide” are often due to camera angles or forced perspective, not their real size.

So in practical terms, huntsman spiders usually get to about hand-sized, while the most exceptional species and individuals can reach true dinner-plate scale.