A four-post lift takes up much more room than a two-post lift. A two-post lift will raise a car “higher” in a low ceiling garage. This is because the four-wheel assemblies hang below the four lifting arms (the vehicle is lifted by the frame). ... A four-post lift makes it much easier to load and position the vehicle. A four-post lift generally features a 110-volt motor which does not require special wiring to install. A two-post lift will come with a 220-volt single-phase motor

Why do you need a four-post lift?
Practical purposes. The simplest set up involves a high lift that raises the car slightly to the ceiling height of the vehicle. A standard drop in front driver-side lift system generally requires mounting the hitch, brakes, and electric system in the floor of the garage or beneath a deck. The basic three-post system requires the installation of a 12-volt brake, a door on/off switch, the lift motor, and the lift arms. The lift motor comes in 12- or 24-volt versions. Some 24-volt systems are air-powered, while others feature a compressor. The 12-volt system requires that the chassis be connected to the lift, and that the AC cord not be routed through the frame. The AC electrical system must also be set up so that it will run through the garage or deck.

How do you decide what type of lift to buy?
When your garage is relatively compact, a two-post lift may suffice for your needs. This type of lift can be used in medium- to large-sized garages. There are two types of power-lift-and-lower car lifts - single- and two-post. Single-post lifts, or a simple two-post lift, will lift the car with the frame, and lower the car with just the lifting arms. The car is then directly placed in the garage, rather than being raised in a low sealing garage. This is more convenient and takes up less room. When you need to move your car, the whole lifting arm can be lifted off the frame, and the frame slid out, lifting the car once more. However, it is not uncommon for one or more of the lifting arms to break, either prematurely or at some point later.

The two-post lift why it's better
Why it's better to have a two-post lift that enables the car to be lower in the garage? This is for a couple of reasons. First, the doors of the car lift go in to the door recess of the car lift. If the car lift were higher in the ceiling, it would require modifying or replacing some of the doors to get the car out easily. Because of this, you may want to look for a four-post lift, or choose a lift that includes all the door openings. A four-post lift is better a four-post lift requires the driver to lower the vehicle in the car lift. This is because, when the vehicle is positioned in the lift, the doors of the car lift must raise and lower with the car. The driver can do this by using the hydraulic floor jack, or by manually raising and lowering the car manually.

The four-post lift why it's better
With a four-post lift, you can get as much height as you need for your vehicle. In a two-post lift, the vehicle would need to raise an additional three to five feet in order to be lifted more than two feet. This is not an issue with a four-post lift. A four-post lift makes it much easier to load and position the vehicle. A four-post lift generally features a 110-volt motor which does not require special wiring to install. A two-post lift will come with a 220-volt single-phase motor you don't have to move the car around to lower the garage door either. The motor is self-contained and there is only one lifting arm. There is also no need to tie off the electric cord to the garage door. With the two-post lift, you must find a spot to plug in the cord in order to lower the door.

Conclusion
If the primary use of your garage is to store cars, then a four-post lift, because of the space it takes up, is the way to go. If it is for storage only, then a two-post lift is more practical because it does not take up the space of a four-post lift.