Best Under-Desk Footrests: 4 Small Footrests for Under Your Desk (2026)
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If your feet don't rest flat on the floor when you sit at your desk, a footrest is the cheapest fix there is. It's common in small home offices: most fixed desks are 28 to 30 inches tall, and to get your elbows level with the keyboard you raise the chair, until your feet dangle or you end up perched on the front edge of the seat. A footrest under the desk brings the floor up to meet you, and it takes no desk space at all.
We picked four small footrests for under the desk, from a steel platform that goes up to 10 1/4 inches to a soft memory foam cushion under 5 inches tall, and compared them on height, footprint and what they're made of. We haven't tested these hands-on. Specs come from each Amazon listing, checked on Oct. 26, 2026, and every pick has a video showing the same footrest we link. This guide is part of our how to set up a small home office series, where the footrest comes in at the step for setting the chair, screen and keyboard for your body.
TL;DR: Our top picks
- Best for a big height gap: VIVO Adjustable Foot Rest (STAND-FT01) (Check current price). A steel platform that adjusts from 5 to 10 1/4 inches, the widest range here, rated for 55 lb.
- Best budget adjustable footrest: Mind Reader Adjustable Foot Rest (FTREST-BLK) (Check current price). A 17 x 13-inch textured platform that tilts with your feet and adjusts from 3.25 to 6.25 inches.
- Best soft footrest: ComfiLife Memory Foam Foot Rest (Check current price). A 17.5 x 12 x 6-inch memory foam cushion with a washable cover and a carry handle, at 1.7 lb.
- Best low-profile footrest: Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Foot Rest (Check current price). About 4.75 inches tall and 9.5 inches deep, so it fits where feet almost reach the floor.
Comparison table
| Product | Size | Height | Weight limit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VIVO Adjustable Foot Rest (STAND-FT01) | 10 1/8" x 15.7" platform; frame 14.4" x 15.7" at its widest | Platform adjusts from 5" to 10 1/4" | 55 lbs (Amazon listing); not for standing on | Check price on Amazon |
| Mind Reader Adjustable Foot Rest (FTREST-BLK) | 17" L x 13" W | 3.25" to 6.25" | Not listed | Check price on Amazon |
| ComfiLife Memory Foam Foot Rest | 17.5" L x 12" W x 6" H | 6" (listed height); flips over to rock | Not listed | Check price on Amazon |
| Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Foot Rest | 17" x 9.5" x 4.75" | About 4.75" (fixed); flat side or rocker side | Not listed | Check price on Amazon |
Specs and prices come from each manufacturer's own product page or spec sheet, retrieved Oct. 21, 2026, Oct. 26, 2026. Prices shown are the manufacturer's own store prices, not Amazon prices. Prices change often; the retailer's page is always the final word.
How to choose a footrest for under your desk
1. Check whether you need one
Set your chair first: raise or lower it until your elbows are about level with the keyboard and your forearms are roughly flat. Now look at your feet. If they rest flat on the floor with your thighs roughly level, you don't need a footrest. If they dangle, only your toes touch, or you keep tucking your feet under the chair, a footrest fixes that without making you lower the chair again. If you can lower the keyboard instead, an under-desk keyboard tray lets you sit lower with your feet on the floor.
2. Measure the height gap
With the chair set, sit back and let your feet hang with your thighs level. Measure from the floor to the bottom of your heels. That's roughly the footrest height you need. Under about 5 inches, a low foam cushion like the Everlasting Comfort (about 4.75 inches) or the Mind Reader (3.25 to 6.25 inches) is enough. For a bigger gap, say a tall desk or a short person, the VIVO goes from 5 to 10 1/4 inches.
3. Measure the floor under the desk
Small desks often have less legroom than you'd think. Check the space between the desk legs, and anything else down there: a drawer unit, a rolling cart, a power strip or a cable tray that hangs low. The footrests here take up about 17 x 9.5 inches (Everlasting Comfort) to 14.4 x 15.7 inches (the VIVO's steel frame at its widest). Leave room for your chair to roll in, too.
4. Hard platform or soft foam
The VIVO and Mind Reader are hard platforms: steel and plastic, with a textured top so your feet don't slip. They hold the height you set, and the Mind Reader's platform tilts as you move your feet. The ComfiLife and Everlasting Comfort are memory foam cushions with removable, machine-washable covers. They're softer if you work in socks or bare feet, weigh about 2 pounds and need no assembly, and both can be flipped over to rock your feet. The trade-off is that foam has no height setting: you get the height it is.
5. If you have a standing desk
A footrest is useful at a standing desk too. VIVO's listing suggests propping one foot up on the STAND-FT01 to ease leg and back tension during long stretches, sitting or standing. It isn't made to stand on: VIVO says not to. If you're still choosing a desk, see our small standing desks guide.
The picks, in detail
VIVO Adjustable Foot Rest (STAND-FT01)
Who it's for: Shorter people at a standard-height desk, anyone with a tall desk or chair, and standing-desk users who like to prop a foot up.
VIVO's STAND-FT01 is a steel footrest with the biggest height range in this guide. The platform adjusts from 5 inches to 10 1/4 inches off the floor, in several steps, so it covers both a small gap and a big one. VIVO lists the platform at 10 1/8 x 15.7 inches (Amazon gives 9.8 x 15.7), on a frame that's 14.4 x 15.7 inches at its widest, and that frame is the floor space it needs under the desk.
The top is textured so your feet don't slide, and padded feet underneath keep the stand itself from moving, according to the listing. The Amazon listing rates the steel frame for 55 pounds and says not to stand on it. It needs minimal assembly, with hardware included, and comes with a 3-year VIVO warranty. It's sold in black and white; we link the black one. The video is VIVO's own 36-second look at the footrest.
Pros
- Adjusts from 5" to 10 1/4"
- Steel frame rated for 55 lb
- 3-year warranty
Cons
- Hard platform, no cushioning
- Needs minimal assembly
- Not for standing on
Key specs
- Size
- 10 1/8" x 15.7" platform; frame 14.4" x 15.7" at its widest
- Height
- Platform adjusts from 5" to 10 1/4"
- Weight limit
- 55 lbs (Amazon listing); not for standing on
- Type
- Steel frame with several height positions; textured anti-slip platform, padded feet
- Also
- 3-year VIVO warranty; 4.4 stars, about 870 Amazon ratings (Oct. 17, 2026)
- Model
- STAND-FT01 (black)
Price: check current price. Spec source
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)Mind Reader Adjustable Foot Rest (FTREST-BLK)
Who it's for: People who want a classic adjustable office footrest that tilts with their feet.
Mind Reader's FTREST-BLK is the familiar black plastic office footrest. The 17 x 13-inch platform adjusts from 3.25 to 6.25 inches, and it tilts as you move your feet, so you can rock your ankles a little instead of holding one position all day. The top is covered in small bumps, which Mind Reader calls a massage-textured surface, and they also keep your feet from slipping. It weighs 5.5 pounds.
Its 6.25-inch top setting is lower than the VIVO's, so it suits a small-to-medium gap rather than a tall desk, and Mind Reader doesn't list a weight limit. We first shortlisted Mind Reader's version with massage rollers (FTROLL-BLK), but the review video shows this all-bump model with no rollers, so this is the one we link.
Pros
- Adjusts from 3.25" to 6.25"
- Tilting platform
- Textured, non-slip top
Cons
- Plastic build
- No weight limit listed
- Lower top setting than the VIVO
Key specs
- Size
- 17" L x 13" W
- Height
- 3.25" to 6.25"
- Weight limit
- Not listed
- Type
- Plastic platform that tilts; height adjusts
- Also
- Massage-textured, non-slip surface; 5.5 lbs
- Model
- FTREST-BLK (black, textured plastic platform)
Price: check current price. Spec source
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)ComfiLife Memory Foam Foot Rest
Who it's for: People who work in socks or bare feet and want something soft that they can also take to the couch.
ComfiLife's footrest is a high-density memory foam cushion, 17.5 inches long, 12 inches wide and 6 inches tall, in a velour cover that zips off for the washing machine. It needs no assembly, has a non-slip base and a carry handle, and at 1.7 pounds it's the lightest here, so it's easy to move between the desk, the couch and a bag. ComfiLife also suggests flipping it over and using it as a rocker.
Amazon's listing calls it adjustable height, but it doesn't give a height range, so plan on the listed 6 inches. It comes in black, gray and navy, and in a classic or a teardrop shape; we link the black classic shape, the one in the video's own link. The video is an independent look at how the footrest can be used.
Pros
- Soft memory foam
- Machine-washable cover
- Lightest here (1.7 lb)
Cons
- No height range listed
- No weight limit listed
- Foam, so no height setting to change
Key specs
- Size
- 17.5" L x 12" W x 6" H
- Height
- 6" (listed height); flips over to rock
- Weight limit
- Not listed
- Type
- High-density memory foam, no assembly
- Also
- Removable, machine-washable velour cover; carry handle; non-slip base; 1.7 lbs; also gray, navy and a teardrop shape
- Model
- Classic shape, black
Price: check current price. Spec source
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Foot Rest
Who it's for: People whose feet almost reach the floor, and anyone with a shallow strip of floor under the desk.
Everlasting Comfort's footrest is the smallest and lowest in this guide. Amazon lists it at 17 x 9.5 x 4.75 inches and 2.06 pounds, so it fits where a deeper platform wouldn't, like behind a desk crossbar or in front of a drawer unit. It's memory foam with a removable, machine-washable cover and a non-slip bottom. Use it flat for steady support, or flip it over for a gentle rocker, according to the listing.
At about 4.75 inches it's for a small height gap; if your feet dangle well above the floor, look at the VIVO instead. Amazon lists it in Black and Onyx; the video, an independent review whose description links to this listing, shows the black cover.
Pros
- Only 9.5" deep
- Flat or rocker side
- Machine-washable cover
Cons
- Lowest here (about 4.75")
- No height adjustment
- No weight limit listed
Key specs
- Size
- 17" x 9.5" x 4.75"
- Height
- About 4.75" (fixed); flat side or rocker side
- Weight limit
- Not listed
- Type
- High-density memory foam, no assembly
- Also
- Removable, machine-washable cover; non-slip bottom; 2.06 lbs
- Model
- Large (black; Amazon also lists Onyx)
Price: check current price. Spec source
Check price at Amazon (opens in a new tab)Which footrest for which setup
- Short person at a standard 28- to 30-inch desk: the VIVO STAND-FT01, set anywhere from 5 to 10 1/4 inches.
- Feet just a few inches off the floor: the Mind Reader if you want to adjust and tilt it, or the Everlasting Comfort if you want soft and low.
- Working in socks or bare feet: the ComfiLife or the Everlasting Comfort, both memory foam with washable covers.
- Standing desk: the VIVO, to prop one foot up while you stand.
- Very little floor under the desk: the Everlasting Comfort, at 9.5 inches deep.
Footrest, lower chair or keyboard tray?
A footrest is the right fix when the desk is too high for you and you can't change it. If the problem is the chair, for example it won't go low enough or its arms stop it sliding under a small desk, our compact office chairs guide compares seat heights and footprints. If you'd rather sit lower with your feet on the floor, an under-desk keyboard tray brings the keyboard down to elbow height instead. Many people end up with two of the three. And if you're shopping for someone else, a footrest is also one of the picks in our home office gifts for small spaces, because it takes no desk space at all.
For the rest of the room, from the spot and the desk to light, cables and storage, see our step-by-step guide to setting up a small home office.
FAQ
What height footrest do I need under my desk?
Set your chair so your elbows are level with the keyboard, then measure from the floor to the bottom of your heels with your thighs level. That is roughly the height you need. The footrests in this guide range from about 4.75 inches (Everlasting Comfort) to 10 1/4 inches (the VIVO at its top setting).
What is the best small footrest for under a desk?
For a small floor space, the Everlasting Comfort is the most compact here at 17 x 9.5 inches. For a small adjustable footrest, the Mind Reader platform is 17 x 13 inches and adjusts from 3.25 to 6.25 inches.
Are foam footrests or plastic footrests better?
It depends on how you sit. Hard platforms like the VIVO and Mind Reader hold a set height and, on the Mind Reader, tilt as you move. Memory foam footrests like the ComfiLife and Everlasting Comfort are softer, lighter and have washable covers, but have no height setting.
Can I use a footrest with a standing desk?
Yes. VIVO suggests propping one foot up on its STAND-FT01 to ease leg and back tension, whether you sit or stand. Don’t stand on it: VIVO’s listing says it is not made for that.
How much space does an under-desk footrest take?
The four in this guide need about 17 x 9.5 inches (Everlasting Comfort) to 14.4 x 15.7 inches (the VIVO’s frame at its widest). Measure the floor between your desk legs, and check for drawer units or low cable trays.
Did you test these footrests?
No. We compared the Amazon listings and watched each product video. See How We Research.
About this guide
We looked for small under-desk footrests sold to US buyers, each with a real product video that shows the same model we link. Specs come from each product's Amazon listing, retrieved on Oct. 26, 2026; for the VIVO, the platform size is from VIVO's product page. We left out two footrests from our first shortlist: the Humanscale FM300B Foot Machine, because its Amazon listing was currently unavailable when we checked, and the Kensington SoleMate Pro Elite, because the only video we found shows an older SoleMate model rather than the Pro Elite we would have linked. For Mind Reader, we link the FTREST-BLK shown in its review video instead of the roller version we first shortlisted. We did not test these products hands-on and don't publish star ratings of our own.
Written by the SnugSetup Editorial Team. Read how we research and our affiliate disclosure. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].