Two hundred and fourteen patients who had 270 cementless hip prostheses were followed for 2 to 8 years. PCA (Porous-Coated Monatomic), AML (Monatomic Medullary Locking) and HGP (Harris-Galante-Porous) femoral stems and acetabular cups were used without any preference for the prostheses. The overall clinical results were similar for the three prostheses with average Harris hip scores of 93, 93 and 91 respectively. Four PCA prostheses had radiological aseptic loosening and one was revised because of polyethylene wear. There was no loosening in the AML and HGP prostheses. Pain in the thigh, usually slight, occurred in 17% of AML, 21% of PCA and 19% of HGP prostheses. Five years after operation, radiological changes such as migration, calcar remodelling and radiolucent lines were the same for the 3 prostheses, but bony ingrowth was greater with the AML femoral stems.