Something has probably changed at home recently, and the bathroom is where it shows first. Maybe your mum has started bracing against the wall in the shower, or your dad has admitted that standing the whole time has become hard work. You want to sort it before there is a slip, not after.
If you have searched shower chairs and found a wall of products with weight ratings and no real guidance, you are in the right place. This guide explains the types of shower seat available in Australia, names the best one for each situation, and shows you how to choose the right fit for your bathroom.
Written by Bianca, founder of SteadWell. Last updated 16 July 2026.
Compare the shower seats at a glance
| Seat | Best for | Back & arms | Height adjustable | GST | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shower chair with arms & back | Most people wanting support | Yes | Yes | GST-free | $89.90 |
| Wide shower chair (135 kg) | A larger or taller person | Yes | Yes | GST-free | $129 |
| Compact shower stool | Small or narrow showers | No | Yes | Incl. GST | $46.99 |
| Wide braced shower stool | A sturdier backless seat | No | Yes | Incl. GST | $69 |
| Bath transfer bench | Showering over a bathtub | Back rest, no arms | Yes | Incl. GST | $149 |
Our top picks for elderly Australians
Best all-round: Shower Chair with Arms & Back
$89.90. The seat we point to first for most people. Arms give you something solid to push up from, a back rest makes longer showers comfortable, and the height adjusts to suit almost anyone. GST-free. See it here.
Best for a larger or taller person: Wide Shower Chair with Arms
$129. Same reassuring design with a wider, braced seat rated to 135 kg. The one to choose if the standard chair feels too narrow or a bit low. GST-free. See it here.
Best for a small or narrow shower: Compact Shower Stool
$46.99. Light, backless and takes up very little room, so it fits a tight recess and lifts out easily for cleaning. Best when you just need somewhere steady to sit or perch. See it here.
Best sturdy backless seat: Wide Braced Shower Stool
$69. A bigger seat and a cross-braced frame for extra steadiness, still without a back or arms. A good middle ground for someone who wants room to move but a very solid base. See it here.
Best for showering over a bathtub: Bath Transfer Bench
$149. If the shower is over a bath, this bench lets you sit down on the outside, then slide across, so there is no stepping over the edge. It removes the single riskiest moment in an over-bath shower. See it here. If you are making the whole bathroom safer at once, our bathroom safety guide covers rails, mats and what to do first.
We do not list everything we can get our hands on. Every seat in our range has to pass the same checklist before it earns a place: a clearly stated weight capacity, non-slip feet, simple setup with no tools, dispatch from an Australian warehouse, and the build quality we would want for our own family. The picks in this guide are chosen on that basis by our founder, Bianca, not on what earns us the most.
Shower chair, shower stool, or bath bench: which type suits
There are three main shapes, and the right one comes down to how much support is needed and what the bathroom looks like. If you are choosing for a parent from a distance, our guide on how to choose a shower chair for an elderly parent covers the conversation as well as the seat.
A shower chair with arms and a back gives the most support. The back rest means you can sit for a full shower without tiring, and the arms give you something firm to push up from, which is the moment most people feel least steady. It is the safest starting point for anyone who is unsure on their feet.
A shower stool is backless and usually smaller. It suits a tight recess and someone whose balance is reasonable but who just needs to sit or perch to save their legs. It is lighter and easier to move for cleaning, but it gives less support. If you are weighing the two, our guide on choosing between a shower chair and a shower stool goes deeper.
A bath transfer bench is for showering over a bathtub. It sits half in and half out of the bath so you can sit down on the outside and slide across, instead of lifting a leg over a wet edge. For an over-bath shower, that one change removes the riskiest moment of the whole routine.
Getting the height and fit right
The right seat set up wrong will feel worse than a basic one set correctly, so it is worth two minutes. Adjust the height so the feet rest flat on the floor and the knees sit at about a right angle, roughly level with the hips. That is the position that makes standing up easiest and keeps the body steady while seated.
Before you order, measure the shower. Check the width of the recess at its narrowest point and compare it to the seat width in each product's specifications. A good rule is to allow room to sit and turn without knocking your elbows. If the space is tight, a compact backless stool is usually the easiest fit.
Using a shower seat safely
A seat does most of its work simply by being there, but a few habits make it safer still.
- Check the rubber feet grip the floor before every use, and keep the seat on the flat, never on a sloped drain area.
- Keep a grab rail within easy reach of the seat, so there is something solid to hold when sitting and standing. A rail and a seat work best as a pair.
- Lower yourself with control rather than dropping onto the seat, and feel it take your weight before letting go.
- Wipe the seat down and let it dry between uses, and check the feet and joints for wear every so often.
NDIS and Home Care Package funding for shower seats
If you are sorting the funding side for the first time, our step by step guide to getting a shower chair with NDIS funding walks through it in order.
Shower chairs, stools and bath benches are eligible under the NDIS Consumables category (Category 03). If you are self-managed, you order and pay as normal and claim the invoice back. If you are plan-managed, choose the invoice option at checkout and add your plan manager's email, and we send them a compliant invoice directly, so there is nothing for you to chase. Many Home Care Packages cover these seats too. Our NDIS funding guide walks through it step by step.
Common questions about shower chairs
What is the best shower chair for an elderly person?
For most people, a shower chair with arms and a back is the best all-round choice, because the arms help with sitting and standing and the back makes showering more comfortable. If the shower is small, a compact backless stool suits better, and if it is over a bathtub, a bath transfer bench is safer. The best seat is the one that matches the bathroom and the person, not the most expensive one.
What is the difference between a shower chair and a shower stool?
A shower chair has a back rest and usually arms, which give support for sitting down and standing up. A shower stool is backless and often smaller, so it fits tight showers and lifts out easily, but it offers less support. Choose a chair when support matters, and a stool when space is tight and balance is reasonable.
What height should a shower chair be?
Set the seat so the feet rest flat on the floor and the knees sit at about a right angle, roughly level with the hips. That height makes standing up easiest and keeps the body stable while seated. Every seat we recommend is height-adjustable, so this takes a minute with no tools.
Are shower chairs covered by the NDIS?
Yes. Shower chairs, stools and bath benches are eligible under the NDIS Consumables category (Category 03). Self-managed participants buy and claim the invoice back, and for plan-managed participants we send a compliant invoice straight to the plan manager. Many Home Care Packages cover them too.
Will a shower chair fit in a small shower?
Often yes, but measure first. Check the width of your shower recess at its narrowest point and compare it to the seat width in the product specifications before ordering. For a tight space, a compact backless stool is usually the easiest fit.
Do you need a shower chair with arms?
For most people, yes. The arms are what you push up from when you stand, and standing is the moment most people feel least steady. They also give you something firm to hold while you lower yourself down. Go without arms only if balance is reasonably good and the shower is too narrow to fit a wider frame, in which case a compact stool is the better answer.
What is the best bath seat for an elderly person?
If they shower over a bathtub, a Bath Transfer Bench, $149 is the safest choice, because you sit down on the outside first and slide across, with no climbing over the edge. For a simpler option, a bath board with a handle, $74.99 rests across the top of the bath. Both remove the step-over that makes a bath risky.
Bianca is the founder of SteadWell, an Australian store for mobility and daily living aids. She personally selects every product in the range against SteadWell's checklist, so families can choose with confidence rather than guesswork.
