Skid steers are compared on three axes and horsepower is not one of them: rated operating capacity, whether the lift arms are radial or vertical, and whether the machine runs on wheels or rubber tracks. Hire lands between about $250 and $500 a day depending on where you sit across those three.
Rated operating capacity is the class
Yards size skid steers by rated operating capacity, the safe working load at the coupler. Small frame machines sit under about 1,750 lb, medium frame up to roughly 2,200 lb and large frame above that. It is a safety derived figure rather than a maximum, and it is the number to quote when you are lifting pallets.
Which way the arms travel changes the job
Radial arms swing through an arc and reach furthest at mid height, which suits digging, backfilling and grading at ground level. Vertical arms rise straight and hold their capacity high up, which is what loading a truck bed or stacking pallets needs. General work is fine on radial; overhead work wants vertical.
Rubber tracks cost more and go further
Wheels are cheaper to hire, faster on hard surfaces and rougher on lawns. A compact track loader floats on soft ground, climbs slopes and leaves less damage, and it costs more per day and far more if a track is thrown. On mud, sand or a graded slope the tracked machine is the only one that works.
The comparison that matters at the counter
Give the yard the heaviest thing you will lift, the height you will lift it to, the surface you are working on and the narrowest gap the machine must pass. Those four answers choose the frame size, the lift path, the running gear and the attachment. A model name adds nothing they cannot already work out.
Questions people ask about skid steer comparison
What size skid steer do I need?
Match the rated operating capacity to the heaviest load you will actually lift, then check the machine fits the access. Most homeowner work sits in the small frame class, while pallet and truck loading pushes you into medium or large frames.
Are tracks always better than wheels?
No. On concrete, asphalt and gravel, wheels are faster, cheaper and gentler on both the surface and themselves. Tracks earn their premium on soft, wet or sloping ground, which is exactly where a wheeled machine gets stuck.
Does the hire include attachments?
A general purpose bucket usually comes with it. Forks, augers, breakers, grapples and brush cutters are hired per item and per day. Confirm the auxiliary hydraulic flow matches anything powered, and ask for it on the same delivery run.
Is a mini skid steer worth it?
For garden access and landscaping where a full sized machine cannot pass, yes. You walk behind it, it fits through a gate and it takes the same style of attachments. It lifts far less, so do not plan truck loading around one.