Scissor Lift vs Boom Lift — Which Do You Need?

Quick rule: if the ground directly under the work is clear, level and drivable, hire a scissor lift — bigger platform, lower cost (from $80/day vs $200/day ex-GST), and no licence required. If you need to reach up and over something — a roofline, awning, machine or fence — you need a boom lift.

The one question that decides it

Can you park the machine directly underneath the thing you’re working on? Scissor lifts only go straight up. If a parapet, conveyor, garden bed or parked plant is in the way, no amount of scissor height fixes that — a knuckle or straight boom articulates over the obstacle and puts the basket where the work is.

Side by side

	Scissor lift	Boom lift
Reach	Straight up only	Up, out and over
Platform	Big deck — 2 people + tools + materials	Small basket — usually 2 people max
Our heights	Up to ~18m working (53ft RT)	Up to ~26m working (80ft)
Daily rate	$80–$350 ex-GST	$200–$500 ex-GST
Delivery (≤50km)	$165–$240 each way	$165–$450 each way
Licence (VIC)	None required — Yellow Card recommended	WP high-risk licence for 11m+ booms
Harness	Not required in normal use	Mandatory in the basket

Pick the scissor when…

Work is directly overhead: ceilings, racking, sprinklers, lighting, ducting, painting walls
You want room for two people, tools and a stack of materials on one platform
Budget matters — the 19ft electric at $100/day covers most two-storey work
Nobody on the crew has a WP licence (scissors don’t need one — licence guide)

Pick the boom when…

You’re reaching over something: awnings, parapets, plant, gardens, water
The machine has to stay on the road or hardstand while the work is elsewhere (tree work, signage, facades)
You need serious height — our booms work to ~26m vs ~18m for the tallest scissor
The floor under the work can’t take a machine — booms set up to the side

The in-betweeners

Sloped or rough ground with overhead work? That’s the Athena bi-levelling scissor — full platform, works on 20° inclines. Tight budget but need over-reach? The 35ft trailer cherry picker ($250/day) tows behind your ute and skips most of the transport cost.

Common questions

Is a boom lift harder to operate?

A little — more functions and more swing to manage, and legally you need a WP high-risk work licence for any boom with 11m+ reach. Scissors are simpler and licence-free in Victoria.

Which is safer?

Both are safe used correctly. Booms add the harness requirement and catapult risk if driven on rough ground elevated; scissors add tip-over risk on slopes. Match the machine to the ground and the rules — we’ll advise free on 1300 806 577.

What does each cost all-in?

Use the instant estimator — machine, days and postcode gives the exact number. Rough guide: a day on a 19ft scissor lands about $430 ex-GST all-in; a day on a 34ft knuckle boom about $650.

Still 50/50? Describe the job.

We’ll pick the right (usually cheaper) machine for free — quotes in 60 minutes.

Call 1300 806 577

Scissor lift vs boom lift — which do you need?