立式铣床与卧式铣床相比较，主要区别是主轴垂直布置，除了主轴布置不同以外，工作台可以上下升降， 立式铣床用的铣刀相对灵活一些，适用范围较广。可使用立铣刀、机夹刀盘、钻头等。可铣键槽、铣平面、镗孔等。卧式铣床也可使用上面各种刀具，但不如立铣方便，主要是可使用挂架增强刀具（主要是三面刃铣刀、片状铣刀等）强度。可铣槽、铣平面、切断等。
卧式铣床一般都带立铣头，虽然这个立铣头功能和刚性不如立式铣床强大，但足以应付立铣加工。这使得卧式铣床总体功能比立式铣床强大。立式铣床没有此特点，不能加工适合卧铣的工件。生产率要比卧式铣床高。
立式铣床用途：适用于加工各种零部件的平面、斜面、沟槽、孔等，是机械制造、模具、仪器、仪表、汽车、摩托车等行业的理想加工设备节省设备投资。但是由于立铣的零活多，这种卧式铣床加立铣头的方式，实际上是天天挂着立铣头，当立铣用，反而不如立式铣床更适合。
卧铣多用于齿轮，花键，开槽，切割等加工，立式铣床除多用于平面加工方面外，平面有高低曲直几何形状的工件，如模具类，立铣可大显身手。
Compared with horizontal milling machine, the main difference between vertical milling machine and horizontal milling machine is that the spindle is arranged vertically. In addition to the different arrangement of main shaft, the worktable can be up and down. The milling cutter used in vertical milling machine is relatively flexible and has a wide range of application. End mill, cutter head and drill bit can be used. It can mill keyway, milling plane, boring hole, etc. Horizontal milling machine can also use all kinds of cutters above, but it is not as convenient as vertical milling. The main reason is that hanger can be used to enhance the strength of cutting tools (mainly three-sided edge milling cutter, sheet milling cutter, etc.). It can mill groove, plane and cut.
Horizontal milling machines usually have a vertical milling head. Although the function and rigidity of the vertical milling head are not as powerful as those of the vertical milling machine, they are enough to cope with the end milling. This makes horizontal milling machine more powerful than vertical milling machine. Vertical milling machine does not have this feature, and can not process the workpiece suitable for horizontal milling. The productivity is higher than that of horizontal milling machine.
Vertical milling machine application: it is suitable for processing plane, bevel, groove and hole of various parts. It is an ideal processing equipment for machinery manufacturing, mould, instrument, instrument, automobile, motorcycle and other industries, saving equipment investment. However, due to the many jobs of vertical milling machine, this horizontal milling machine with vertical milling head is actually hanging the end milling head every day. When used for vertical milling, it is not as suitable as vertical milling machine.
Horizontal milling is mainly used for gear, spline, slotting, cutting and other processing. Vertical milling machine is mainly used for plane processing, and vertical milling can be used for high and low curved geometric parts, such as molds.
