I have a clamp on 30hp mariner twostroke (yamaha) weighs 120lbs on a 16x42 aluminum Grumman Challenger. it does not have power trim or shallow drive.  Just a bracket with five holes and a pin to adjust prop attitude manually.  I want power trim but was thinking. Would a power jack plate be more valuble to me? Get on plane super and run. Vs a power trim. I usually just set the motor on middle hole and leave it anyway unless i have two in the boat then i drop a hole down. 

   A unit with both jack and trim is super expensive about 1500. A power jack plate is 800 and a power trim is 650 give or take depending on vendor.   WOULD A JACK PLATE DO ME BETTER THAN REGULAR POWER TRIM? anyone running a jack PLATE on small outboard and boats?

That's a tough decision!

 

I would prefer to have both but if I had to pick ?

 

Sorry I just noticed you said "hydraulic", I would have to pick TNT!

Tilt and trim is a whole lot more useful than jack plate. 

I love the combination of both... but if limited to one on a smaller craft would take TNT.  

The only reason i would prefer the jack plate i think is if i repower the new motor will have trim. So then I'd have both. But i don't think the motor is gonna crap out. Its 33years old but like brand new. And not worth the 5 to 8 hundred dollars I'd get for selling it. So ill run it till it fails. I sure would like to have both tho.

Any aftermarket tilt and trim is going to set the motor back from the transom ~6" which will mean prop height will be 1.5-2" higher than it is now, it's almost like a mini-manual jack.  The one upside to a future motor purchase is the tilt and trim will hold its value so if you don't need it you can get back a good portion of your investment.