Vertical Platform Lift vs Incline Platform Lift: Which Do You Need?

Definitions in one minute

A vertical platform lift (VPL) travels straight up and down between two or more levels, like a small lift. It needs its own floor space at the lower level — its footprint — and arrives at a landing or doorway above. Built to BS EN 81-41. Low-rise versions for entrance steps are usually called step lifts.

An incline platform lift (IPL) — also called a platform stairlift — travels along a rail fixed to your existing staircase, carrying the wheelchair diagonally up the slope of the stairs. The platform folds flat against the wall when not in use. Built to BS EN 81-40. See our incline platform lifts page.

The deciding factor: space, not preference

In most projects the building decides for you.

Choose a vertical platform lift when there is floor space beside or near the level change — at an entrance, in a foyer, beside a stage, at a split level. A VPL travels the level change directly, needs no staircase at all, and leaves the stairs completely untouched.

Choose an incline platform lift when the staircase is the only route between levels and there is nowhere to put a vertical lift — the classic situation in narrow buildings, basements, churches, schools, and many period properties. The IPL borrows the staircase's own path instead of demanding new space.

If you have both options available, the comparison below decides it.

Side-by-side comparison

Travel: a VPL handles level changes from a single step up to several metres of vertical travel; an IPL handles whatever the staircase covers, including curves and intermediate landings on bespoke rail systems.

Footprint: a VPL occupies permanent floor space at the lower level; an IPL occupies staircase width while running but folds flat to roughly 30–40cm when parked, leaving the stairs usable by everyone else.

Staircase width: irrelevant to a VPL; critical to an IPL, where around a metre of clear width is the practical minimum, plus landing space to board.

Outdoors: both are available in weatherproofed forms, though VPLs (and step lifts in particular) are the more common outdoor choice at UK entrances.

Standards and aftercare: BS EN 81-41 (VPL) versus BS EN 81-40 (IPL); both need routine servicing, and both require six-monthly LOLER thorough examinations in commercial settings.

Cost comparison

Indicative installed prices from our network, confirmed by survey:

• Vertical platform step lift (low-rise, entrance steps): from £6,389

• Incline platform lift, straight staircase: from £8,000

• Incline platform lift, curved staircase: bespoke — each rail is made for the specific staircase, so curved installations are priced individually and cost meaningfully more than straight ones

• Vertical platform lift, storey-to-storey: rises with travel height and enclosure; your installer quotes after survey

Rule of thumb: for a small number of entrance steps a step lift is almost always the cheapest compliant option; for a full staircase where space exists for either, a straight IPL and a storey-height VPL often land closer together than people expect, and the survey settles it.

Common scenarios, quick answers

• Three steps at a shop entrance → vertical step lift (and the Equality Act case for it is strong — see commercial platform lifts)

• Narrow Victorian terrace, staircase only route upstairs → incline platform lift if width allows; otherwise consider a through-floor homelift

• Church hall with stage and steps → vertical platform lift beside the stage

• School with a half-landing staircase between wings → incline platform lift on a bespoke rail — see platform lifts for schools

• Split-level garden access → weatherproof vertical step lift

Get an independent answer for your building

Send us a photo of the level change, the rough measurements, and your postcode area. We will tell you which type fits — honestly, since we install neither and refer for both — and match you with vetted installers for free, no-obligation quotes.

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