For lat growth
For lat growth, lat pulldown and plate-loaded pulldown score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both.
Both are good choices that train the lats the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
The research score comes from these, scored by hand from the studies. Lifter scores appear once an exercise has 10 ratings. How scores work
Lat Pulldown. Full overhead stretch for the lats and microloadable from day one.
Plate-Loaded Pulldown. A plate-loaded pulldown on a fixed path: full overhead stretch and easy to load in small steps.
For lat growth, lat pulldown and plate-loaded pulldown score the same on every criterion, so use whichever is free, or both. Both are good choices that train the lats the same way, so they swap freely. Rotating between them every few weeks is an easy way to vary your training.
About the same: both are easy to learn.
Lat pulldown needs a cable station, so for most people it’s a gym exercise. Plate-loaded pulldown needs a machine, so for most people it’s a gym exercise.
About the same: both rate Excellent for joint and recovery cost in our research rubric.