There are three kinds of shower seat. Shower chairs, backless stools, and transfer benches solve different bathrooms, and which one you need comes down almost entirely to whether there’s a tub wall to get over.

If you want the bigger picture of making the whole room safer, start with my companion guide on bathroom safety on any budget.

The one question that decides it

Before comparing models, answer this: is there a tub wall to get over?

  • Walk-in shower or a low curb. A seat that sits inside the space, a shower chair or stool, is usually all you need.
  • A bathtub with a high side. Stepping over a wet tub wall while balancing on one foot is exactly the moment a lot of falls happen. For that, a transfer bench is the safer answer.

Best for stepping over a tub wall: a transfer bench

The shower transfer bench is built for the hardest case. Two legs sit outside the tub and two inside, so the person sits down on the dry outer end and slides across into the tub, rather than lifting a leg over the wall. If your parent bathes in a standard tub and the step-over is the scary part, this is the pick to look at first.

Best for a roomy walk-in shower: a chair with a backrest

When there’s no tub wall and space to spare, comfort and support matter most. The shower chair with backrest has a full back and adjustable height. The back helps anyone who tires easily while washing, and the height can be set so their feet rest flat, which makes standing back up easier.

Best for a tight space: a backless stool

If the shower is small or you want something that tucks away between uses, the backless shower stool is small and light, adjusts for height, and folds flat. There’s no back support, so it suits someone with reasonable trunk strength, but it’s the easiest of the three to store and to move between bathrooms.

What to look for in any shower seat

  • Weight capacity with margin to spare. Every seat lists one. Pick a number comfortably above the person’s weight, since wet surfaces and leaning add stress.
  • Adjustable height. You want the feet flat on the floor and the knees roughly level with the hips, which makes both sitting down and standing up safer. The chair and stool here both adjust.
  • A good fit for the floor space. Measure the inside of the shower or tub first, and leave room to turn and reach the taps.

Make the seat safer still

  • A handheld shower head lets you control the water and bring it to you instead of standing under it, which is the whole point of sitting down.
  • Properly mounted grab bars give something solid to hold while getting on and off the seat. Anchor them into studs or load-rated hardware, and never trust a towel bar or suction handle to hold a person’s weight.
  • A non-slip rubber bath mat gives traction underfoot on the tub or shower floor.

This isn’t medical advice. If balance or weakness is behind the worry, it’s worth asking a doctor or physical therapist which type of seat and what height fit the person best.