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Hammock stands come in all shapes and sizes with options to suit every budget. So, whether you’re looking to spruce up your backyard on a budget or create an affordable place to hang out on your balcony, there’s a stand for everyone.
In this guide I’ve pulled together my top recommended hammock stands priced under $100 to get you started, including the pros and cons for each and where you can get hold of it.
How to Choose an Affordable Hammock Stand
Here are the key considerations you should keep in mind when buying a hammock stand. In my reviews below, I’ve made sure to cover each of these aspects for the recommendations:
What Size Hammock? – When hanging a hammock between trees, the recommended distance is at least two feet longer than your hammock. However, with hammock stands, the rules are not as clear cut as it depends on the design of the stand. Those with hooks on the outside of the stand can accommodate larger hammocks, whilst others have multiple attachment points. You should check the manufacturers guidance on hammock size and not rely on the overall span of the stand.
Stand Material – Hammock stands are generally made from wood or metal, each of which has its own benefits. When buying lower priced hammocks, the choices are generally limited to metal stands. However, I did manage to find one great budget wooden stand which I’ve included in the recommendations below.
Weight Capacity – Hammock stands will have a stated capacity which indicates the weight limit that’s been tested. A 300lb capacity stand is usually aimed at solo sleepers, whereas those designed for two or more sleepers will be 450lbs or more. Of course, this will vary from person to person and if buying your hammock separately, you must also ensure this is strong enough.
Portability – It’s not always a great idea to leave your standout in poor weather conditions, that’s why many of them will be extremely portable. Look out for stands that can be put together and taken apart without any tools, some even come with a carry case for easy storing. This is also ideal if you want to take your stand away with you, although I’d recommend you check out my full guide to portable hammock stands instead.
Best Budget Hammock Stands
These are the six best hammock stands priced less than $100:
- Best Overall: Sunny Daze Universal Stand
- Runner Up: Best Choice
- Best Under $50: FDW Stand
- Best Large Stand: Zupapa
- Best Space Saving Stand: Vivere
- Best Wooden Stand: Lazy Daze
Here are my full reviews of each stand, along with the pros and cons of each:
Best Overall: Sunny Daze Universal Stand
This universal hammock stand is my absolute favourite because of its versatility. It is perfect to use with both spreader bar and non-spreader bar hammock. The adjustment chains give you plenty of size options too, making it suitable for hammocks between 9 and 14ft long which pretty much covers every hammock.
The stand has a weight capacity of 550lbs which exceeds all of the other hammock stands here and many higher priced stands too. The design is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, although at more than 10ft long and 3ft wide, you might struggle to find a room for it inside your home.
The stand is made from 1.5 inch thick steel tubing which gives it the strength, but without weighing too much that you can’t move it. In fact, at 25lbs it’s easy to relocate. Okay, so it’s not quite under the $100 budget, but I highly recommend you splash out that little bit extra because this is definitely the best stand for the money.
Runner Up: Best Choice
The Best Choice hammock stand is another great pick, and you may have seen it featured in some of my other buyer’s guide. This one is slightly less versatile than the Sunnydaze stand, but it does actually come in under $100.
It doesn’t include a hammock, but the stand is best suited toward gathered end hammocks such as Brazilian style, this is because the forks on top of the legs are designed to hold the suspension strings in place.
The lightweight steel design gives the stand strength which allows it to hold up to 450lbs, about right for two people. The four-legged design isn’t always as stable as the two-legged design and the bar down the middle reduces the floor clearance, regardless of this, it’s still a great buy for the price on offer.
Best Under $50: FDW
The stand itself is 9ft long and made from tubular steel with a lightweight design, this makes it relatively straight forward to put together and it’s easy to move around too.
This stand doesn’t come with a hammock included, but thanks to 6 adjustability options, the stand is suitable for all single and double gathered end hammocks up to 11ft. The stand is a space saving design which is best suited towards non-spreader bar hammocks.
At such a cheap price, you’d expect there to be some drawbacks, and you’d be right. It’s not particularly weather resistant and is likely to show signs of rust if left exposed for too long. Also, I’m not a fan of the four-legged design which I generally find to be less stable than the two-legged design.
Best Large Stand: Zupapa
If you have a large spreader bar hammock, I’d recommend you consider a stand with a design like this Zupapa stand. It has a long 12ft span with hooks on the inside which are perfect for spreader bar hammocks and can also accommodate smaller gathered end hammocks.
It is a very simple design which is why Zupapa have been able to create such a large hammock and keep the price under $100. The stand is made from steel tubing which has a good strength to weight ratio, allowing a heavy duty product that still weighs less than 30lbs. the total capacity of the stand is 450lbs which means it will be suitable for two adults.
The stand is suitable for hammocks between 8-11ft long, although if you have a gathered end, I’d suggest a maximum length of 10ft. It also comes with a handy carry case although there is no hammock included.
Best Space Saving Stand: Vivere
This Vivere stand is perfect for small spaces, whether inside or out. The stand itself is only 9ft long and weighs 35lbs so it’s extremely compact. With it comes one of Vivere’s excellent hammocks with the stand. If you don’t know much about Vivere they’re one of the most popular hammock brands for relaxation in North America due to their extra comfort.
You’ll be able to choose between a cotton or polyester double hammock and over 30 different patterns, so you’ll surely find something to suit your backyard. Thanks to a strong build it can accommodate up to 450lbs and is suitable for both single and double hammocks, personally I love to sleep in a double stand even on my own to be cocooned away.
If using outdoor, I would recommend that you bring it in during bad weather or winter months as with all cheaper hammock stands. It comes with a carry case that’s about the same size as a set of golf clubs which makes for easy storing away.
Best Wooden Stand: Lazy Daze
My final budget recommendation is this Lazy Daze wooden hammock stand. Wooden stands are generally more expensive than metal stands, however this Lazy Daze 10ft pine hammock is a great budget pick.
The stand has an arc curved design that will look elegant in your backyard. Keep in mind that the stand is only 10ft long and with a weight limit of 300lbs so is geared towards smaller solo-occupancy hammocks up to 9ft long.
The stand is simple to put together without any expertise. It’s more of a permanent solution than the metal stands above, although I’d still recommend putting it away or covering it up in the winter. The stand is varnished, but you’ll want to regularly apply your own varnish or water sealant to make it last.
