Hydraulic lifts are the most popular, as they use fluid pressure to raise and lower the platform.
Gearless drive lifts are an environmentally friendly solution as it uses no fossil hydraulic oils, it also has reduced energy consumption due to the use of a counterweight mechanism. This counterweight mechanism balances out the weight of the car plus half of the load that the car can carry. It, therefore, uses up to 90% less energy than any other system.
Finally, pneumatic lifts operate on pressurized air, making them very quiet and smooth-running. Often a builder may not be required for these types of lifts.
For video comparison of hydraulic and gearless. Click here