How much does cherry picker hire cost in the UK?
A cherry picker hire costs £90 to £650 in the UK, typically around £200 per day. What moves the price most is working height and reach, so a simpler job sits near the bottom of that range and a larger or higher-spec one near the top. Prices reviewed June 2026.
Hiring a cherry picker runs from about £90 a day for a small towable platform you tow and drive yourself, up to around £650 a day for a large boom or a truck-mounted unit that comes with a trained operator, with roughly £200 a day typical for a mid-size self-propelled machine. Delivery and collection usually add £40 to £120 each way on top.
Cherry picker hire cost calculator
Use the calculator to price your cherry picker hire in 2026. Adjust the options and area for a UK cost range. Nothing is sent anywhere.
Cherry picker hire cost breakdown
Typical cherry picker hire costs, by option:
| Machine type and reach | Typical UK cost |
|---|---|
| Towable or compact boom, up to about 13m | £90 to £180 |
| Self-propelled diesel boom, 14m to 20m | £180 to £350 |
| Large boom 20m-plus, or truck-mounted with operator | £350 to £650 |
What's included in the price?
Typical cherry picker hire prices include:
- Use of the platform for the agreed period, priced per day or per week
- A machine with a current LOLER thorough examination certificate
- A familiarisation handover on a towable or compact self-drive unit
- Delivery and collection, though many firms itemise transport separately
- On operated hire, a trained IPAF operator included in the day rate
- The machine supplied fuelled or charged and ready to work
What changes the price?
The things that move cherry picker hire prices most:
Working height and reach, from a 9m towable up to a 28m boom
Machine type: towable trailer boom, self-propelled electric or diesel, or truck-mounted
Dry hire, where you supply the operator, versus operated hire with a driver
Delivery distance, since transport is charged each way and dominates short hires
Hire length, because a week costs far less per day than a single day
Your region, with London and the South East the dearest
How the price is built up
The day rate is built from the machine itself, its size and reach, and whether a trained operator comes with it. On top of that sits delivery and collection, charged each way and driven by how far you are from the depot, which is why transport can cost more than the platform on a single day's hire. Diesel machines are supplied fuelled and expected back full, and most firms offer an optional damage waiver. A LOLER safety inspection and insurance are already priced into the rate. The longer the hire, the lower the effective daily cost, since a week is billed at roughly three to four days. Cherry picker hire is equipment hire, not a trade, so there are no materials to buy. On dry hire you pay only for the machine and its transport, and you or your own IPAF operator do the work. On operated hire the day rate also covers the driver's labour, which is the main reason it costs more than dry hire.
Ways to keep the cost down
- Book for a weekend if you can, since Friday to Monday is often charged as a single day.
- Get the reach right. A machine taller than you need costs more to hire and to deliver, so measure the working height first.
- Ask what delivery and collection add, and whether a machine is already heading to your area, as transport often costs more than the platform on a one-day hire.
- If you hold an IPAF card, dry hire is much cheaper than paying for an operator, so the training can pay for itself if you use access platforms often.
Does where you live change the cost?
In London, a cherry picker hire typically costs around £260 per day, about 30% above the UK average of £200. In the North, Scotland and Wales the guide figure is nearer £180.
| Region | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midlands / East (UK average) | £90 | £200 | £650 |
| London | £120 | £260 | £850 |
| South East / South West | £100 | £230 | £750 |
| North / Scotland / Wales | £85 | £180 | £600 |
Guide prices per day, scaled with the same regional multipliers as the calculator. Not quotes.
Cherry picker hire cost in major UK cities
| City | From | Typical | Up to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | £75 | £170 | £550 |
| Birmingham | £90 | £200 | £640 |
| Bristol | £100 | £220 | £720 |
| Cardiff | £85 | £190 | £610 |
| Edinburgh | £90 | £200 | £640 |
| Glasgow | £80 | £180 | £590 |
| Leeds | £85 | £190 | £600 |
| Liverpool | £85 | £180 | £600 |
| London | £120 | £260 | £850 |
| Manchester | £85 | £190 | £620 |
| Newcastle | £80 | £180 | £590 |
| Sheffield | £85 | £180 | £600 |
City guide estimates, scaled by local labour costs. Indicative averages for cherry picker hire, not quotes.
London and the South East carry the highest day rates and the steepest delivery charges. The North, Midlands, Wales and Scotland are usually cheaper, though a long haul from the nearest depot can wipe out the saving.
Common questions
How much does it cost to hire a cherry picker in the UK?
Dry hire, where you supply the operator, runs from about £90 a day for a small towable platform up to £350 or more a day for a 20m-plus boom, with around £180 to £220 a day typical for a mid-size self-propelled machine. A week usually costs three to four times the day rate rather than seven, so a towable at £120 a day is nearer £380 for the week. Operated hire with a driver, common on truck-mounted units, is roughly £350 to £650 a day. Add £40 to £120 each way for delivery and collection.
What changes the price of cherry picker hire?
Working height is the main driver: a 9 to 13m towable is the cheapest, a 15 to 20m self-propelled diesel boom costs more, and a 21 to 28m machine more again. After that it is whether you hire dry or with an operator, how far the depot has to send the machine, and how long you keep it. Region matters too, with London and the South East dearest. Soft ground or a narrow entrance can force a tracked spider lift, which costs more than a standard boom.
Do I need a licence to operate a cherry picker?
To drive a self-propelled or truck-mounted MEWP you need IPAF training and a valid PAL card, and most firms will not dry-hire a powered machine without seeing one. That is why one-off users often either pick a towable trailer platform, which usually comes with a short familiarisation instead, or pay for operated hire so a trained driver runs it. Operated hire costs more per day but removes the licence and safety burden entirely.
Is a cherry picker cheaper than scaffolding?
For short, high-up jobs a cherry picker is usually cheaper and faster. A day's platform hire at £90 to £250 beats scaffolding a two-storey elevation, which can run to several hundred pounds and takes time to put up and take down. Scaffolding wins when the work lasts a week or more or needs a stable platform to stand on and store materials, such as re-rendering or a full roof. For gutter clearing, fascia work, sign fitting or tree pruning, the cherry picker is the sensible choice.
Can I hire a cherry picker for just one day?
Yes. Day hire is standard, and a weekend from Friday to Monday is often charged as one day. If the job might slip, a two or three day booking gives breathing room for little more money, and a full week costs only three to four times a single day. For work you repeat, such as annual gutter or tree maintenance, a short hire each time is far cheaper than owning a machine.
Are there cheaper alternatives to hiring a cherry picker?
For low, quick work a scaffold tower or a good extension ladder costs a fraction of powered access, and a tower can be hired for roughly £30 to £60 a day. A towable cherry picker is the cheapest powered option when you genuinely need height. Sharing delivery with a neighbour doing similar work, or booking when a machine is already heading to your area, can cut the transport charge that often adds the most to a short hire.
These are independent guide prices based on typical UK jobs in 2026. Your actual cost depends on your property, spec, access and where you live. Always get at least three written quotes before committing.