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8 Best Laptop Stands for MacBook Pro and Air of 2024

These top laptop stands are built with your comfort in mind.

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In order to work ably, your work area should be ergonomically comfortable. The idea is to optimize your work space, which helps to reduce discomfort during long periods of work, as well as increase productivity because of said reduced discomfort. A laptop stand allows you to place your laptop in a space that helps to keep your head neutrally positioned, so you don't have to look down or up — you can just look straight ahead. By keeping your body comfortable, you are able to work longer and more effectively.

The Good Housekeeping Wellness Lab consistently tests the best products, from standing desks to electric toothbrushes, and even weighted blankets. Anything that says it can improve your well-being needs to be vetted and tested by our team. We worked with Nikki Weiner, OTD, OTR/L, AOEAS, CEAS II, Occupational Therapist & President of The Rising Workplace, to determine what to look for in a MacBook stand to boost your overall physical well-being. Our pros evaluated 23 stands for height adjustability, durability and comfort to find the best.

Our top picks:

Continue to read below to see which MacBook Stands we liked the best, as well as why it is so important to have proper posture while working on your laptop. It's important to recognize that laptop stands are also meant to be used with an external keyboard and mouse, which helps to keep your body in proper position.

1
Best Overall MacBook Stand

Twelve South HiRise Pro

On Sale
HiRise Pro

Pros

  • Very adjustable
  • Creates extra desk space

Cons

  • Not as aesthetically pleasing

The HiRise Pro MacBook stand from Twelve South is great for those who need that extra desk space. It's easy to set up and completely height adjustable, going from 2.5 inches to 5 inches. This allows it to match the height of whatever you feel is most comfortable for you. The laptop itself sits on a non-slip surface, so it won't move while you work. Our engineer who tested this stand out really enjoyed how much extra space this provided their desk.

"It seems very stable and has really improved my workflow... since I can now fit everything on my desk," the tester said. Since the height is adjustable, it works well with a bigger monitor, and ergonomically, you can have it be the perfect height for yourself. While it may not be as aesthetically pleasing, it's perfect for people who have a lot going on on their desk and could use a stand that elevates their laptop out of the way.

ColorSilver
Item Dimensions LxWxH7 x 11 x 6 inches
MaterialsAluminum, silicone, leather
2
Best Value MacBook Stand

Satechi Lightweight Aluminum Portable Laptop Stand

Lightweight Aluminum Portable Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Helps with cable management
  • Portable

Cons

  • Non-adjustable height

Another great portable option is this Satechi laptop stand. It has a simple set up, as it comes as one flat piece that can unfurl and create legs wherever you go. While it does provide height to the laptop, the height isn't adjustable. It comes in two colors, silver and gray, and it's fairly cheap. If you are a fan of cable management, there are openings in the back leg that allow you to snake your cords through, preventing any tangling. The opening in the base of the MacBook stand is designed to help allow airflow through, to help cool down your laptop as it gets hotter. For the price and simplicity, you can't beat it.

ColorSilver, space gray, matte black, gold, rose gold
Item Dimensions LxWxH9.1 x 8.9 x 0.16 inches
MaterialsAluminum, rubber
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3
Best Portable MacBook Stand

Rain Design Mbar Pro+ Foldable Laptop Stand

Mbar Pro+ Foldable Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Folds up easy for transportation
  • Simple design helps keep laptop cool

Cons

  • Height isn't adjustable

If you are the type who works while they travel, or need to travel for work, getting a portable laptop stand is important. You want to work comfortably everywhere you go, and you want it to be small enough to pack it in your backpack or luggage without it taking up much space. This laptop stand from Rain Design weighs less than one pound and when folded is half an inch thick. It even comes with a sleeve for when you need to travel with it. It elevates your laptop by about 5.5 inches, and doesn't take up much space.

It isn't height adjustable, but even during use it was at a comfortable height for our testers. It works well in conjunction with a mouse and keyboard. The simplistic design helps to improve the airflow and reduce any overheating your laptop might incur over long periods of use. Our engineer who tested this said "I really enjoyed the simplicity of it. It's extremely portable as well, so I could see myself taking this with me wherever I am working."

ColorSpace gray, silver
Item Dimensions LxWxH10.8 x 9.6 x 5.5 inches
MaterialsAnodized aluminum, rubber
4
Best MacBook Stand for Collaboration

Rain Design mStand360 Laptop Stand

On Sale
mStand360 Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Swivel helps with collaborating on one laptop
  • Solidly built

Cons

  • No swivel lock

One of the designs that most people recognize is the rain drop laptop stand, built by Rain Design. This is a variation of said laptop stand, the Mstand 360 by Rain Design. While very similar, it has one main difference: it can swivel 360 degrees. The swivel is great if you're working in a collaborative environment and need to show other people what is going on.

While the height is not adjustable, our testers enjoyed the height as is, and it wasn't uncomfortable to use. The only issue one of our testers had was that the swivel had no lock. She said "While I enjoy the swivel base, I did find it to be sensitive... I wish there was a way to lock the stand in place and then unlock to swivel it again." Not a huge issue if you have an external keyboard and mouse, as you won't be touching the laptop much anyways, but still important to keep in mind.

ColorSilver, black, gold, space gray, midnight, starlight
Item Dimensions LxWxH7.5 x 11. x 10.2 inches
MaterialsAluminum, rubber
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5
Best Luxury MacBook Stand

Wood Laptop Stand

Wood Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Well built

Cons

  • Takes up a decent amount of desk space

When it comes to your work environment, sometimes it's all about how you style it that affects how you work. With this Grovemade wood laptop stand, not only will your laptop sit perfectly fine on it, but every time you look at your desk, you'll love how everything fits together. The laptop sits elevated on this stand to help improve your workplace ergonomics. At the bottom of where the laptop sits is a slight metal extrusion, to help keep the laptop in place.

One tester enjoyed this one so much she said,"Unlike any other MacBook stand I've tried, this wooden one puts aesthetics at the forefront. It's sleek in design with a slant and a width that perfectly held my laptop." It was extremely sturdy while using the laptop, and it's decently heavy due to the durability of the stand. If you are willing to spend the extra money to spruce up your work desk, this stand would be a great choice. It should be noted that the stand is significantly larger than other MacBook stands, and will probably take a decent chunk of space from your desk.

ColorWalnut, maple
Item Dimensions LxWxH11.5 x 20.5 x 6 inches
MaterialsAmerican black walnut / eastern hardrock maple plywood, stainless steel, tanned leather, cork
6
Best Adjustable MacBook Stand

obVus Solutions Minder 2.0 Height-Adjustable Laptop Stand

Minder 2.0 Height-Adjustable Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Height can be adjusted by over a foot
  • Can fold down to be portable

Cons

  • Expensive

Obvus Solutions has created a MacBook stand that not only holds your laptop, but also your phone. The stand is portable, but also height adjustable. It can get up to a height of about 14 inches and still comfortably hold your laptop, so if you're someone who likes to stand and work (and maybe a standing desk is too expensive), this might be the laptop stand for you. It's easy enough to adjust, so you can unfold and fold it wherever you go. If you don't want the phone stand, there's an alternative version you can purchase without it.

ColorSilver, silver/gray
Item Dimensions LxWxH10 x 10 x 21 inches
MaterialRecycled aluminum, rubber
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7
Best Tower MacBook Stand

Rain Design mTower Vertical Laptop Stand

On Sale
mTower Vertical Laptop Stand

Pros

  • Less likely for laptop to overheat
  • Saves a lot of desk space

Cons

  • Need external monitor

This style of laptop stand is different from any you have previously seen. The Mtower is designed as a laptop stand built for using an external monitor and not the laptop itself. The laptop stays folded within this laptop stand, and it sits vertically, not horizontally. So if you are not a fan of the small laptop screen, and just want to work on an external monitor, this type of laptop stand would be perfect for you. It's also a great way to prevent your laptop from getting too hot while you work as there is nothing the laptop is sitting on to help increase its temperature.

ColorSilver, space gray
Item Dimensions LxWxH9.84 x 4.48 x 3.46 inches
MaterialAnodized aluminium, rubber
8
Best MacBook Stand on Amazon

SOUNDANCE Laptop Stand

Laptop Stand

Pros

  • 40,000 5-star reviews
  • Sturdy and well made

Cons

  • Can't adjust height

Over 46,000 reviews, with 87% of those being five-star reviews, make this a top pick on Amazon. It comes in 10 different colors to fit whatever aesthetic you want. It's easy to install, with clip-on parts that come apart easily if it needs to be taken somewhere. The stand itself sits high enough that it works better ergonomically for your neck and your eyes. It also has enough space underneath to fit your keyboard, helping to save even more space at your desk. While we weren't able to get hands-on with this product, the reviews speak for themselves. One said, "It was really sturdy and a well made laptop stand, easily assembled... it supports a laptop really well!"

ColorSilver, black, gray, gold pink, champagne gold, green, aquamarine, navy blue, red, purple
Item Dimensions LxWxH10.2 x 8.9 x 5 inches
MaterialsAluminum alloy, rubber
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How we tested the best MacBook stands

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We tested MacBook stands by working with consumer testers and testing them in-house as well. We researched over 23 different brands, picking over 10 products to test. We looked at the best reviewed, as well as the more innovative and useful stands. We were mindful to keep price in mind as we searched as we don't believe a MacBook stand needs to be too expensive (except for our luxury pick).

When testing, we checked height adjustability, durability and compared the differences between how the laptops sat when using the stand. The MacBook stand had to be both aesthetically pleasing as well as easy to work with. Taking all the ergonomic tips that we received, we made sure that the MacBook stand helped to improve our comfortability for sitting for long periods of time and working on the computer.

What to look for when shopping for the best MacBook stands

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Not all laptop stands are the same. See below for the most important features you should think about when shopping for a laptop stand.

✔️ Height adjustment: Height is an extremely important part of your laptop stand. For the ideal height of your laptop, the top third of the screen should be eye level. This way you can work without having to look up or down, and avoid causing any unnecessary strain on your neck. Look for a laptop stand that allows you to adjust its height so that you can have the height be comfortable for your set up.

✔️ Portability: If you travel a lot with your laptop, you want to make sure that wherever you go you can work properly. Some stands are harder to travel with than others as they stay as one huge piece and don't fold up. If you travel frequently, look into a more portable stand.

✔️ External mouse and keyboard: Laptop stands are not meant to be used without an external mouse and keyboard. Do not buy a stand to use it like a traditional laptop. It will be uncomfortable, you won't want to continue working on it and depending on the type of stand, it's possible it will even shake while using it this way. Always make sure to use an external mouse and keyboard while utilizing a laptop stand.

✔️ Size: This is in reference to both size of your desk and size of your laptop. You don't want a laptop stand that takes up too much space, and you also want to make sure your laptop will fit on it. Check the product dimensions before buying to make sure it works for you.

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Why use a laptop stand?

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"Sit up straight!" is actually a pretty important rule to follow. Maintaining a neutral position reduces any stress or strain on your body while you're standing or sitting for long periods of time, says Nikki Weiner, OTD, OTR/L, AOEAS, CEAS II, Occupational Therapist & President of The Rising Workplace.

A laptop stand provides you with a good way to avoid any musculoskeletal pains you may get when not using one. "You want to avoid any sustained or repeated neck rotation, flexion and extension," Weiner says. It is so important to be ergonomically comfortable while working day after day, that if you don't have a MacBook stand, Weiner recommends stacking some books. As long as you are able to work without having to flex your neck up and down, you are already improving how you work.

Weiner also says that you should always use an external keyboard and mouse when using a laptop stand, in order to keep your shoulders relaxed and wrists straight. You don't want to be typing on your laptop while it's on a stand — that will inevitably cause issues for your body as most stands will angle your laptop and you'll never be in a neutral position typing on it.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

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Good Housekeeping has tested wellness products for years. Our Test Engineer Alec Scherma has experience working on and testing the durability of different wellness products, and we consistently try to work with experts, such as Nikki Weiner, to determine why these products would be great for any consumer.

Headshot of Alec Scherma
Alec Scherma
Test Engineer

Alec Scherma (he/him) is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s test engineer, where he helps to create and implement new product testing methodology across home, cooking and cleaning appliances, wellness, tech products and more. He graduated from Drexel University’s College of Engineering with a B.A. in mechanical engineering.

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