The introduction of the three-state switching cell (3SSC) and the multi-state switching cell (MSSC) has led to the proposal of several converter topologies, where prominent characteristics regarding reduced dimensions of filter elements, high efficiency, and increase of maximum power levels are achieved. Even though the active switches associated to the 3SSC and MSSC are driven by signals obtained from multiple phase-shifted carriers similarly to the interleaving technique, there are significant differences between the aforementioned approaches. Within this context, this work intends to analyse several converter topologies employing the 3SSC and MSSC that were previously reported in the literature. An overview of important concepts regarding interleaved and 3SSC-based converters is initially presented, as potential advantages and drawbacks are discussed in detail. Besides, it is also shown how the 3SSC and MSSC can be employed in the conception of power converter topologies for distinct applications, e.g. high-voltage step-up non-isolated dc-dc converters, power factor correction rectifiers, and multilevel inverters.