The fundamental difference
The two crane types solve different problems geometrically.
A jib crane is a fixed pivot with a swinging horizontal boom. The hook traces a circular arc around the column. You get point-of-use lifting at a fixed location, with the load able to swing to anywhere within the boom's reach. Footprint is small (one column or wall mount). Coverage is a sector of a circle.
A gantry crane is a portal — two legs supporting a horizontal beam, with the hoist running along the beam. The hook traces a rectangular pattern. Footprint covers the full rectangle bounded by the wheels (mobile) or the leg base plates (fixed). Coverage is rectangular.
That geometric difference drives most of the selection decision: jibs for fixed-station work, gantries for area coverage.
Side-by-side comparison
| Footprint | Jib: one column / wall mount. Gantry: two legs (full portal width). |
| Coverage | Jib: circular sector — typically up to 360° on freestanding. Gantry: rectangular along the beam length. |
| Capacity range | Jib: typically 125 kg to 5 t standard, up to 10 t custom. Gantry: typically 500 kg to 6 t standard, up to 50 t custom. |
| Mobility | Jib: fixed — bolted to a foundation or wall. Gantry: workshop gantries can roll on the floor; portal gantries are fixed. |
| Install complexity | Jib: requires designed concrete pad and anchors. Mobile gantry: no foundation. Fixed portal: foundation needed. |
| Headroom needed | Jib: minimum — boom is at one height. Gantry: full vertical clearance required for hoist travel. |
| Outdoor use | Jib: possible but needs wind/corrosion engineering. Gantry: portal gantries common outdoors; AS 1170.2 wind design. |
| Typical cost (supply + install) | Jib: lower for equivalent capacity. Gantry: higher for fixed portal; mobile workshop gantry can be lower. |
When a jib crane is the right answer
- Fixed workstation lifting — you lift loads at a specific machine, bench or bay, not across an area
- Repetitive operations — assembly, press tending, machine loading, paint shop work
- Limited floor space — only one column or wall mount required
- Existing structure unsuitable for overhead crane — but you have a wall or column to mount to
- Lower capacity requirements — most jib applications sit well under 5 t
- Loading bays and maintenance pits — classic jib applications
When a gantry crane is the right answer
- Area coverage — you need to lift loads across a defined rectangular space
- No overhead structure — the building doesn't have suitable steel for a runway
- Outdoor work — yards, laydown areas, container handling
- Mobile lifting needs — workshop gantries can be repositioned between bays
- Higher capacities — gantries scale up better than jibs
- Construction and infrastructure projects — temporary lifting where a fixed install isn't justified
Edge cases — when neither is quite right
Two scenarios where both options fail and you need something else:
You need full-bay coverage of a long, narrow space. A jib won't reach the corners. A gantry blocks ground access along the bay. The right answer is usually an overhead bridge crane running on a wall-mounted runway.
You need repetitive precision lifting in an assembly cell. A jib is point-locked; a gantry has too much footprint. The right answer is usually a workstation crane using aluminium or steel rail with an articulated hoist.
Decision tree
If you read nothing else, this:
- Q: Do you lift in a fixed location, or across an area?
Fixed → consider a jib crane. Area → consider a gantry or overhead bridge. - Q: Does your building have suitable overhead structure for a runway?
Yes → an overhead bridge crane probably beats a gantry on coverage and floor access.
No → gantry crane. - Q: Outdoor or indoor?
Outdoor with no wall/structure → portal gantry.
Indoor with wall/column → jib if fixed-station; gantry if area coverage. - Q: What's the capacity?
Under 5 t at a fixed station → jib.
Over 6 t or area coverage → gantry or overhead bridge. - Q: Will you move it between locations?
Yes → mobile workshop gantry.
No → either, decide on coverage geometry.
Or skip the decision tree and use our crane selector tool — it'll ask you five questions and recommend a crane type.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a jib crane and a gantry crane?
A jib has a fixed pivot with a swinging boom — point-of-use lifting in a circular pattern. A gantry has two legs supporting a horizontal beam — rectangular area lifting. Jibs are best for fixed-station work; gantries for area coverage or sites without overhead structure.
Is a jib crane cheaper than a gantry crane?
Generally yes for equivalent capacity. A jib uses one column versus a gantry's two-leg portal. However, mobile gantries can avoid foundation work while jibs always require a designed concrete base.
Can I use a gantry crane indoors?
Yes — workshop gantry cranes are widely used indoors. Mobile rolling gantries can be moved between bays. Fixed gantries provide rectangular coverage similar to a small overhead bridge crane.
Which is better for outdoor lifting?
Gantry cranes, specifically portal gantries, are designed for outdoor exposure with AS/NZS 1170.2 wind loading. Jibs need additional consideration for wind, weatherproofing and corrosion. Both can work outdoors; gantries are usually the simpler engineering case.