The 7 Best Budget Office Chairs For Every Need

Having a comfortable and practical office setup is vital to your productivity levels. After all, if you’re not comfy, how can you work efficiently? Here’s our top picks for office chairs priced under $200.

It’s possible to spend thousands of dollars on an office chair and, sure, they’re pretty special—there’s a lot to be said for a supremely adjustable chair with all the ergonomic bells and whistles. Not everyone has that  kind of money spare, though, so we’ve focused on $200 or less as our target budget for affordable but comfortable office chairs.

In each case, we’ve looked at comfort levels, practical features such as armrests or lumbar support, any additional controls, and, of course, style. We can’t promise you’ll look like you work an office job in a sci-fi thriller, but there’s plenty of mesh and curves to go around.

Here’s our pick of the bunch when it comes to office chairs priced under $200.

Best for Multiple Features: VIVA Office High Back Mesh Executive Chair ($188)

With a variety of different features, the VIVA Office High Back Mesh Executive Chair is perfect for those in need of a few extra options. It has an adjustable pneumatic seat height control, adjustable headrest support, as well as armrests. Additionally, you can change the tilt tension via a corresponding lever, and enable three different vertical positions.

The chair material is a mixture of polypropylene and nylon, with a mesh back to prevent body heat and moisture build up. That same mesh means it feels pretty comfortable as it molds to your back too. You’re sure to stay cool while sitting on it for extended periods, plus the mesh makes it look pretty airy in your office.

Best for Mid-Back Support: Alera Elusion Series Mesh Mid-Back Swivel/Tilt Chair ($139)

A little lower when it comes to back support, the Alera Elusion Series Mesh Chair still offers that all important breathable mesh back. It does a great job of keeping the heat off your back while still looking appealing.

Elsewhere, it has a contoured seat cushion for maximum comfort, with fabric upholstery ensuring it’s easy to clean. A waterfall style edge helps keep the pressure off your thighs. Seat depth, tilt tension, and height adjustments offer a fair amount of customization for the budget price. Different color schemes are also available if you feel like something different from the usual black look.

Best for Tight Budgets: AmazonBasics Mid-Back Office Chair ($65)

The AmazonBasics range of items is pretty good at offering just what you need but nothing more than that. Their Mid-Back Office Chair is ideal if you’re on a tight budget and you simply want something moderately comfortable.

The office chair has a padded seat, upholstered in black bonded leather, so it’s super comfy but not exactly ideal at keeping sweat off your back. The seat height can be adjusted through pneumatic controls, and you can also tilt the chair back or forward depending on what works for you.

Is this a chair to last you years upon years? Probably not, but as a budget choice, it’s a good option to pursue and will give you plenty of time to save up for a chair with more bells and whistles (or decide that budget chairs are just fine for your needs).

Best for Memory Foam: VANBOW High Back Memory Foam Leather Office Chair ($180)

Memory foam is the holy grail of comfort. Molding to your back and butt, the VANBOW High Back Memory Foam Leather Office Chair offers premium comfort at an affordable price. The downside? Memory foam is also notorious for absorbing heat so you’ll definitely feel a bit more toasty in this chair than you would in a mesh-backed one.

Still, this is a very comfortable office chair. Its high back gives you maximum back support, and the rounded seat edge removes pressure on the back of your legs. Plenty of adjustments can be made too with a locking system that allows you to keep the right angle for as long as you need to. You can flip up the armrests if you don’t want to use them too. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that just comes under the $200 budget.

Best for Budget Bucket Seating: Furmax Office Chair ($63)

Touting itself as a gaming chair as well as an office chair, the Furmax Office Chair looks kind of like something you might see in an arcade or even a car. It’s molded in a way that’s either going to be perfect or a little odd for you, depending on your shape. That’s the thing about bucket seats — they’re heavily reliant on your body layout.

For a budget price though, it’s worth checking out. It has padded armrests, a comfortable base and high back, and can easily be rocked back and forth. Unlike some of the other chairs here, it has a maximum capacity of about 280lb, while others only tend to weigh in at just over 200lb. It’s easy to assemble too. If you like the design and features of this budget pick (and you’re willing to spend a bit more) check out our review of a similar but more feature rich gaming chair here.

Best for Larger Users: Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair ($126)

Looking rather stylish, the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair ticks all the boxes for a good quality office chair. It has a mid-back mesh support to ensure that air reaches your back and reduces the risk of sweating, a 6″ thick mesh seat cushion that aims to do similar, and height adjustable armrests.

One touch chair height adjustment is possible, saving you the hassle of constantly adjusting things, and there’s a tilt and lock system for those times you want to lean forward. It’ll also support up to 331lb in weight, and looks super stylish. For the price, it’s pretty great.

Best for Style: Space Seating Professional AirGrid ($161)

The Space Seating Professional AirGrid Dark Back and Padded Black Eco Leather Seat might look more lightweight than the other chairs here, but that just means it’ll suit a more minimalist office setup than the others. It’s still sure to be comfortable thanks to its mesh back keeping the sweat off you, and a one touch control affecting seat height adjustment. As well as that, there’s adjustable tilt controls, and height adjustable angled arms.

Its design is all about ergonomic support, but it also looks pretty great. Rather than the typical bulky nature of many office chairs, this one is quite eye catching for the price. It certainly looks like it costs a fair bit more than what you actually pay for it.