The parts of a multistage pump are very similar to those of a standard centrifugal pump, except the multistage centrifugal pump where additional parts are diffusers that effectively direct the fluid into the impeller ear or to the next stage. In a side channel pump, there are interlayer plates with a cut side channel and liquid parts.

In multi-stage centrifugal pumps, due to the large thrust created by the rotors facing in the same direction, there will be a thrust balancing device, i.e. a balance disc or balance drum which reduces the thrust to a level that can be controlled by a standard size thrust bearing.

Applications for multistage pumps are many and varied and can be used for water delivery to high rise buildings, reverse osmosis (RO), boiler water supply, spraying, high pressure cleaning, plumbing, heating, condensate, fuel delivery, oil and manufacturing gas, power generation and mining and other high pressure and temperature applications.