Abstract Objective: Total laryngectomy (TL) is a life-saving procedure for individuals with advanced laryngeal cancer or those suffering from recurrence after initial treatment. The present study aims to evaluate the differences between stapler closure (SC) and manual closure (MC) of the pharynx during TL for patients with laryngeal cancer. Design/Setting: A systematic literature search was performed using the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library. The data were analyzed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software (Version 3; Biostat, Englewood, NJ). Dichotomous data were calculated by odds ratio (OR) and continuous data were calculated by mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Main outcome/Results: A total of 7 studies (535 patients) were included in this meta‐analysis. Pooled analysis showed that the operative time of TL was significantly reduced in the SC group (MD, -63.2; 95% CI, -106.0 to -20.4). Moreover, the SC group had a lower incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula (OR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.18-0.83; P = 0.016) and hospital stay (MD, -2.9; 95% CI, -5.6 to -0.1). The incidence of postoperative surgical site infection (OR = 0.41; 95% CI, 0.02-8.73; P = 0.565) was comparable between the two groups. Conclusion: Based on these results, SC may be a useful option for patients who need TL.