BKrenning

They are all different and they are all the same. My B-Line came with everything you need but most people make leaders to attach the top, batting & backing to. My ProFlex, like the Hinterberg Stretch, uses EMT conduit for the takeup & payout rollers and the rails that the carriage rides on. It's very expensive to ship 10' or even 12' lengths of poles, so most people just buy those locally.

The real differences are whether it is a tabletop or free-standing frame. How big of a machine can you put on it? How large of a quilt can you put on it? How smoothly does the carriage move with the weight of the machine you will be using? You can't put a Voyager 17 or the original Tin Lizzie on a Little Gracie or Grace Sturdy Lite frame. How sturdy is the frame even with a little domestic machine on it?--If it wobbles even a little, it's going to cause problems. Can it & your machine be fitted with a stitch regulator/cruise control device (if desired)?, Is it compatible with any of the computerized add-ons (if desired?), How easy is it to setup & take down if you can't leave it up all the time?

There is also 2 different styles/methods of loading a quilt on a frame--Over the top and in the well. The Hinterberg Original & Stretch frames load "over the top" as do several if not all of the true longarms. If you're going to do ruler work or quilting around templates--over the top frames work best. ProFlex will do "over the top" or "in the well". "In the well" is the way most home systems work. It's easier to load your layers this way or at least it is less confusing for me since I learned on this style. I'm sure there are other reasons for this design. It may take up less space because they were designed for domestic machines so they don't need to be as deep.