Chair pads and seat cushions: the difference

We split our list into two kinds: seat cushions and chair pads.

Seat cushions

A seat cushion is a cushion in its own right that you set on a seat: a polymer grid, a foam cushion, a gel pad, an inflatable or a folding pad.

Chair pads

A chair pad is a flat fabric pad made to sit on a chair seat. Most of the chair pads on our list have ties or fasteners, and most are sold for dining or home chairs.

Why we keep them apart

Some chair pads are sold for desk chairs, so 3 are on our office list. They are made as chair pads, not as desk cushions, and each one's pick page says so.

Which is which on our list

Seat cushions (9)

• Klymit V Seat
• Therm-a-Rest Z Seat
• Therm-a-Rest Lite Seat
• Cushion Lab Cloud Cradle Car Seat Cushion
• Purple Simply Seat Cushion
• Purple Royal Seat Cushion
• Purple Double Seat Cushion
• Purple Ultimate Seat Cushion
• QUTOOL Gel Car Seat Cushion

Chair pads (5)

• IKEA JUSTINA chair pad
• IKEA MALINDA chair pad
• IKEA PYNTEN seat pad
• Better Homes & Gardens Memory Foam Chair Cushion
• Better Homes & Gardens Shredded Memory Foam Chair Cushion

Want a shortlist? The finder asks five quick questions and shows up to three cushions from our list.

Start the finder

A cushion changes how you sit. It isn't medical advice or a treatment. If sitting hurts a lot, or keeps hurting, talk to a doctor or physical therapist.

Last updated October 2026.