Both lifts raise the vehicle. The real question is what you do once it's up.
Pick a two-post lift when
- You need wheels-free access — brakes, suspension, exhaust, drivetrain
- Your bay is tighter and you want maximum working room around the vehicle
- You work mostly cars and light trucks up to 10k–12k lb
Pick a four-post lift when
- You do alignments, heavy trucks or long-term vehicle storage
- Your techs prefer drive-on stability over frame lifting
- You need capacity above 12k, up to 30k lb for dually and medium-duty
Bay reality check
Ceiling height, slab thickness and column clearance decide a lot before the lift type does. Every quote we build in Maine starts with a bay measurement — that way you don't buy a lift that doesn't fit the shop.