Chain, Belt Or Screw
There are four drive types and the choice mostly comes down to noise, headroom and whether there is a room above the garage.
Short answer
Chain drive is the cheapest and the noisiest. Belt drive is quieter and is the right choice where there is a bedroom above the garage. Screw drive is fewer parts and is less common now. Wall-mount jackshaft openers fit where there is no headroom and free up the ceiling.
The four types
Chain drive: a metal chain pulls the trolley. Cheapest, most robust, and the noisiest — the vibration transmits through the ceiling.
Belt drive: a reinforced rubber belt instead of a chain. Noticeably quieter and the right choice with a room above the garage.
Screw drive: a threaded steel rod turns and moves the trolley. Fewer moving parts, moderate noise, and less commonly fitted now.
Wall-mount or jackshaft: mounts on the wall beside the torsion shaft and turns it directly. No ceiling rail at all, which frees the ceiling and suits a low-headroom garage.
Direct drive, where the motor travels along the rail, which is also a quiet option.
And in all cases the motor is rated by horsepower or by newtons, and a double door or an insulated door needs more than the entry-level rating.
A bedroom above the garage
If there is a bedroom, an office or a living space above the garage, fit a belt drive or a wall-mount unit. The difference between a chain and a belt through a floor assembly is substantial, it costs a modest premium, and it is the single most common regret on an opener choice.
What else to specify
A battery backup, which keeps the door working in a power cut — genuinely useful in a London ice storm when the garage is the main entrance.
Rolling code security, which every current unit has and which older units do not.
Soft start and soft stop, which reduces wear on the door and the opener and is quieter.
Adequate motor rating for the door, which on an insulated double door matters.
Smartphone control if you want it, and an understanding that it is a convenience rather than a security feature.
And a wall-mounted control with a lock-out function, which matters if the garage is accessible to children.
What matters more than the opener
The door balance. An opener working against an unbalanced door fails early, whatever it cost.
The springs, which should be matched to the door and in good condition before a new opener goes on.
The rollers and the track, because a binding door is the thing that kills openers.
The header and the mounting, particularly for a wall-mount unit which puts the load into the torsion shaft bracket.
The force and travel limit settings, which should be set properly at install and adjusted seasonally.
And the safety sensor installation, which should be at the correct height and properly wired rather than draped.
Common questions
Which opener is quietest?
Belt drive or a wall-mount jackshaft. Fit one of those if there is a room above the garage.
Does a battery backup earn its cost?
In London, yes. An ice storm power cut with the garage as the main entrance makes the case.
What matters more than the opener itself?
The door balance and the springs. An opener fighting an unbalanced door fails early.