Both move pallets, both are pedestrian-operated, and both cost a fraction of a forklift — so it's no surprise that "pallet stacker vs pallet truck" is one of the most common questions we hear from warehouse buyers. The short answer: a pallet truck moves pallets horizontally, while a pallet stacker also lifts them vertically into racking or storage. Which one you need comes down to whether your pallets ever leave the ground.
What is a pallet truck?
A pallet truck (also called a pallet jack or pump truck) is the simplest piece of pallet-handling equipment there is: two forks, a hydraulic pump and a steering tiller. You slide the forks into the pallet, pump the handle to raise the load a few centimetres off the floor, and pull it where it needs to go. There is no mast and no lifting to height — it is purely a horizontal transport tool.
Manual hand pallet trucks handle most everyday loads, while electric pallet trucks add powered drive (and sometimes powered lift) to take the strain out of longer runs and heavier loads. Weigh-scale models add a built-in scale so you can check weights as you move goods. You can compare the options in our pallet trucks collection or read our guide to manual vs electric pallet trucks.
What is a pallet stacker?
A pallet stacker takes the pallet-truck format and adds a mast, so the forks can lift pallets to height — into racking, onto workbenches, or stacking pallet-on-pallet. Pedestrian stackers are designed for exactly the spaces where a forklift doesn't fit or can't be justified: smaller warehouses, back-of-store areas and low-throughput racking.
Stackers come in three broad types, all available in our pallet stackers collection:
- Hydraulic (manual) stackers — you pump the lift by hand. Fixed-fork and adjustable straddle versions, manufactured to EN 1757-1.
- Semi-electric stackers — a 12V battery powers the lift while you still push the truck. A good middle ground where the lifting, not the travel, is the hard work.
- Fully powered stackers — electric drive and electric lift, including straddle and counterbalance models for different pallet types and aisle layouts.
The key differences at a glance
| Pallet truck | Pallet stacker | |
|---|---|---|
| Lifts to height? | No — raises the pallet a few centimetres for transport | Yes — typically 1.6m up to around 5.5m depending on model |
| Typical capacity | Higher — hand pallet trucks commonly handle heavier pallets | 1,000–1,500kg on our range, reducing at full lift height |
| Best for | Goods-in, despatch, moving pallets between areas | Putting pallets into racking, stacking, machine feeding |
| Cost | Lowest-cost pallet handling there is | More than a pallet truck, far less than a forklift |
| Operator | Pedestrian, minimal training | Pedestrian, employer-provided training required |
Do you need a licence to use a pallet stacker?
There is no legal "licence" for pedestrian pallet stackers in the UK. However, under the Health and Safety at Work Act and PUWER, employers must ensure operators are adequately trained on the specific equipment they use — most businesses arrange short in-house or accredited familiarisation training. The same principle applies to electric pallet trucks.
Can a pallet stacker unload a lorry?
Sometimes — but check the details first. A stacker can unload from a loading dock or work with a tail-lift vehicle, and straddle models need the pallet accessible from the open side. What a pedestrian stacker generally can't do is reach into a curtain-sider from ground level the way a counterbalance forklift can. If vehicle unloading is your main job, look at dock equipment or a forklift; if it's occasional and you have a dock or tail-lift, a stacker usually copes.
Which should you buy?
Choose a pallet truck if your pallets only ever move at floor level — lorry to bay, bay to despatch. It's cheaper, lighter and nearly maintenance-free.
Choose a pallet stacker if pallets need to go up — into racking, stacked two-high, or lifted to a working height. One stacker can replace a pallet truck for transport in a pinch, but it's heavier and slower for pure horizontal work.
Many warehouses run both: pallet trucks for the floor work, a stacker at the racking. Because pallet trucks are inexpensive, pairing one with a stacker is usually better value than making a stacker do everything.
Straddle, fixed-fork or counterbalance: which stacker layout?
Once you've decided a stacker is the right tool, the leg layout matters as much as the lift height. Fixed-fork stackers have support legs that run beneath the forks — the simplest and most stable format, but the legs must pass under or beside the pallet, which suits open-bottom UK and Euro pallets. Straddle stackers have adjustable legs that pass either side of the pallet, so they handle closed-bottom pallets, bottom boards and wider loads — our hydraulic and powered ranges both include adjustable straddle versions. Counterbalance stackers have no front legs at all, using the truck's own weight to balance the load; they're the answer where legs would foul racking beams, drive-in racking or machinery, and our fully powered range includes a counterbalance model with a 1,485mm turning radius for tight aisles.
What about a stacker vs a forklift?
If you're weighing up a stacker against a counterbalance forklift, the practical questions are throughput and environment. A pedestrian stacker suits indoor use on level floors, moderate lift frequencies and aisles too tight for a truck — with no fuel, no driver seat and far lower purchase and maintenance costs. A forklift earns its keep where you're unloading vehicles all day, working outdoors or on rough ground, or moving very heavy loads at height. For many smaller warehouses, a powered stacker plus a couple of hand pallet trucks covers everything a forklift would — at a fraction of the cost, and without the same operator certification burden.
Running costs and maintenance
A manual pallet truck needs little more than occasional hydraulic checks and wheel replacement. Hydraulic stackers are similar — the pump and lift chain need periodic inspection. Semi-electric and fully powered equipment adds battery care: our fully powered stackers run on two 12V/85Ah batteries with onboard charging, and like all lifting equipment used at work they fall under LOLER thorough-examination requirements as well as PUWER maintenance duties. Factor an annual inspection into the budget for any stacker; it's a small cost against the downtime of a failed lift.
Quick decision checklist
- Do pallets ever need lifting above floor level? No → pallet truck. Yes → stacker.
- How high? Match the mast: our stackers lift from 1.6m to around 5.5m.
- How heavy? Check the load at the lift height you need — capacity reduces as the mast extends.
- How far and how often? Long runs or constant use point to semi-electric or fully powered models.
- Closed-bottom or Euro pallets? Straddle and adjustable-fork models handle non-standard pallets.
Still unsure? Browse our pallet trucks and pallet stackers, or get in touch — we're happy to talk through your layout and loads.