The compact track loader and the skid steer are the same machine with different feet, and the ground you are working on settles the argument. Tracks spread the weight and grip, wheels are faster and cheaper. Expect roughly $350 to $600 a day on tracks against $250 to $450 on wheels, and pick by the surface rather than by the spec.
Soft, wet or sloped ground is the tracked machine's case
Rubber tracks put the machine's weight over a long footprint, so it floats where a wheeled unit digs itself in, and they hold a side slope that tyres slide down. On mud, sand, fresh fill and lawns you want to keep, the extra rate buys working days you would otherwise lose to towing yourself out.
On hard ground, the wheeled machine is the better tool
Asphalt, concrete and compacted gravel favour wheels: the machine moves faster between piles, turns more sharply, does not scuff a finished surface as readily, and costs less per day. Demolition inside a building and yard work around a depot are wheeled machine jobs, and hiring tracks for them is money spent on nothing.
Undercarriage wear sits on your rental ticket
Tracks are a consumable. Counter turns on abrasive surfaces, debris packed into the rollers and hard turns on concrete wear them fast, and the yard checks the undercarriage on return. Make gentle three point turns, keep off broken concrete where you can, and clear the tracks out at the end of a muddy day.
Where the job has both, hire in two stages
A project that starts on raw ground and finishes on a slab does not need one machine for the whole run. Take the tracked unit for the wet work and swap to wheels for the tidy up, which two week rates back to back often cover for less than a fortnight on tracks. Ask the yard to plan the swap.
Questions people ask about compact track loader vs skid steer
Do the same attachments fit both?
Almost always, because both use the same universal mounting plate. What differs is hydraulic flow: high flow attachments like mulching heads and cold planers need a machine specified for them. Confirm standard or high flow when you book the attachment, not just the carrier.
Which is easier for a first time operator?
The tracked machine, generally. It sits more stable, rides more smoothly over rough ground and is more forgiving on soft footing. The controls are identical, so the learning curve is the same; the difference is how much the ground punishes a mistake.
Will a track machine damage a lawn?
Far less than wheels will, but not never. Tracks spread the load so they rarely rut a dry lawn, and turning is what tears turf regardless of the feet. Plan wide, gentle turns, work off boards on soft ground, and stay off it entirely after heavy rain.