Best Booster Car Seats of 2023
It happens more quickly than you’re probably ready for: One minute you’re bringing your newborn home from the hospital in an infant car seat, and in the blink of an eye, your big kid is ready to transition to a booster seat. While your kiddo may look (and feel!) mature enough to safely sit directly in your vehicle’s seat, they aren’t quite grown up enough for a seat belt to fit properly.
Booster seats will be part of your family outings for years to come, so we’ve rounded up everything you need to know about our favorite booster car seats so you can shop with confidence—consider this your booster cheat sheet.
How We Choose Our Best Booster Car Seat Picks
We take baby product advice seriously and pride ourselves on helping parents find the gear that’s just right for their family. We’ve combed through reviews of real Albee parents and polled our own gear enthusiasts (who have decades of experience in the baby retail space—and are parents themselves!) for our best booster seat picks.
Best Affordable Booster Seat
Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus 2-in-1 Belt Positioning Booster Car Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Affordable
- Easy LATCH installation
- Eco friendly
The Chicco KidFit ClearTex Plus is a 2-in-1 belt positioning booster that converts to a backless booster when your kiddo is ready without breaking the bank. This longtime Albee parent fave is a bestseller with good reason: The SuperCinch LATCH installation system requires virtually zero effort, it has extra side impact protection, and the double foam padding means your kiddo stays comfortable on road trips. The ClearTex fabrics are GREENGUARD Gold Certified and have been tested for low chemical emissions, contributing to a healthier air quality around little riders.
The KidFit ClearTex Plus has a narrow footprint and retractable cup holders, so it’s a great option for three-across seating (or compact cars).
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
Removing the booster cover to clean (and reinstalling it) can be a challenge.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 10 lbs
- High back booster 30-100 lbs
- Backless booster 40-110 lbs and 38-57”
- Lifetime warranty
Best Portable Booster Seat
Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe Belt Positioning Booster Car Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- 25% smaller than the average booster seat
- Designed to be portable
- Easy to adjust
Diono’s Monterey 5iST booster seat was designed with travel and safety in mind. It has a small footprint, is relatively lightweight, and has integrated carry straps that allow you to wear it like a backpack when you’re on the move. If you’re worried that means sacrificing safety, don’t. It has eight layers of side impact protection, an energy absorbing shell, rigid LATCH connectors, and a twelve position adjustable headrest. All adjusting for kiddo comfort can be done with one hand, and it’s easy for kids to buckle and unbuckle themselves, too.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
While the integrated carry straps are super convenient, they aren’t cushy enough to be worn for extended periods comfortably (not that we can imagine needing to schlep a car seat around for hours on end).
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 18.7 lbs
- High back booster 40-100 lbs
- 3 year warranty with registration
Easiest Multi-Stage Booster Seat
Britax Highpoint 2-Stage Belt Positioning Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Easy to clean
- Budget friendly
- Slim and lightweight
The Britax Highpoint combines serious safety and stylish design in an affordable booster that’s lightweight with a slim profile. It has three layers of side impact protection, a ten position adjustable head restraint, and color coded belt guides that take the guesswork out of proper seat belt usage. Best of all, the cover is a breeze to remove, and it can be machine washed and dried (take that, applesauce pouches!).
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The belt guides may mean that it takes your child a little practice before they’re able to independently buckle themselves.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 12 lbs
- High back booster 40-120 lbs and 44-63”
- 1 year warranty
Best Booster Seat for Big Kids
Cybex Solution Z-Fix Booster Car Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Ventilation system
- Bonus side impact protection
- Good for big kids
The Cybex Z-Fix is a thoughtfully designed booster seat loaded with parent (and kid) friendly features that prioritize comfort and safety. A patented reclining headrest prevents your child’s head from tipping forward during naps on-the-go, and linear side impact protection absorbs up to 25% more impact forces in the event of a collision. An air ventilation system keeps kiddos cool on the hottest of days, and twelve adjustments expand the seat’s height and width (it’s plenty roomy and great for larger kids).
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The Z-Fix has a wider footprint because of the linear side impact protection on the shoulder wings, so if you have a compact car and need to use additional car seats, it may be trickier to fit. And remember it’s a high back booster only, so it’s likely you’ll still need to purchase a backless booster, as well.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 15.9 lbs
- High back booster 40-120 lbs and 38-60”
- 2 year warranty
Easiest to Clean Booster Seat
UPPAbaby Alta Belt Positioning Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- 1 mode of use
- Top-of-the-line side impact protection
- Lap belt positioner
The Alta has every UPPAbaby hallmark you’d expect: Advanced safety features, fashion-forward design, and serious kid comfort. Its multiple belt positioners (shoulder, side-lap, and lap) follow a SecureFit routing system that keeps your child properly secured and safely positioned.
The Alta is fully lined with a combination of EPP and memory foam for shock absorption and rider comfort and side impact protection pods divert crash forces away from your child. Growth spurts are no match for the Alta—the headrest and body can be adjusted for your growing child for optimum head, shoulder, and back support at every age and stage.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The Alta isn’t exactly petite, so if you need to ride three across, it may not be the best option.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 13.5 lbs
- High back booster 40-100 lbs and up to 57”
- Backless booster 40-100 lbs and up to 57”
- Lifetime warranty
Best Three Across Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Modern design
- IIHS Best Bet for 10+ years
- Good for 3 across
The Clek Oobr has a modern streamlined design—your kiddo will feel like an astronaut in the best possible way—and is a child safety technology superstar. It’s engineered with an encyclopedia’s worth of bonus safety features, like: Rigid LATCH connectors for increased stability, a headrest with deep side wings for added side impact protection, durable energy absorbing EPP foam, and guides to improve seat belt positioning. (We did mention this has been an IIHS Best Bet for over a decade, right?)
While it’s jam-packed with safety features, it’s still one of the slimmest profiles of any car seat on the market and an awesome option if you need to fit three seats across.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The Oobr is one of the most expensive booster seats on the market, so keep that in mind when creating your baby gear budget.
Noteworthy specs:
- High back booster weighs 20 lbs
- Backless booster weighs 10 lbs
- High back booster 40-100 lbs and 38-57”
- Backless booster 40-110 lbs and 40-57”
- 3 year warranty with registration
Best Booster Seat for Carpool
Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 High Back Belt Positioning Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Easy for kids to buckle and unbuckle themselves
- Narrow footprint
- Compact fold
The first thing you may notice about this Peg Perego booster seat is that it doesn’t have arms—a feature we happen to love. The booster being armless makes it easy for kiddos to get themselves into and out of the seat independently (making you a carpool hero!), and reduces the width of the footprint, so it’s a great three-across option. Additionally, the absence of arms also eliminates one of the most common booster user errors: Putting the lap belt over arm rests.
The Flex 120 has 4D total adjust technology for growing kiddo comfort, as well. The headrest, upper back, side wings, and seat can all be adjusted independently in four different directions. It folds into a compact package (even when installed), freeing up room in your car for oversized loads, and making it easy to switch between vehicles.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The Peg Perego Viaggio Flex 120 is a high back booster only, so it’s likely you’ll still need to purchase a backless booster, as well.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 14.8 lbs
- High back booster 40-120 lbs and 40-63”
- 2 year warranty
Sportiest Booster Seat
Maxi-Cosi RodiSport High Back Belt Positioning Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Two modes of use
- Good for three across
- Multiple recline positions
The RodiSport has two modes of use: High back belt-positioning booster and backless booster (and it’s a quick and easy conversion—just seconds). It has a narrow profile and multiple recline positions, so it fits in a broader variety of vehicles and will give you plenty of options for three across if you have plans to expand your family.
Easy-to-use shoulder and lap belt guides make it easy for big kids to buckle themselves in and out, and the seven-position headrest grows with your kiddo, ensuring a proper fit. The padding is extra cushy, and the removable cover can be machine-washed and dried.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
While the reclining positions have made the RodiSport a good fit in most vehicles, LATCH installation in a truck can prove trickier.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 13.5 lbs
- High back booster 40-100 lbs and up to 57”
- Backless booster 40-100 lbs and up to 57”
- Lifetime warranty
Best Harness to Booster Seats
Britax Grow With You ClickTight Harness Booster Car Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Easy to install
- Bonus safety features
- SafeWash fabrics
This booster from Britax starts as a 5-point harness car seat and converts to a belt positioning high back booster that works with your car’s seat belt. ClickTight installation technology guarantees a quick and straightforward installation: Twist a button to open the car seat front, thread and buckle your seatbelt, and close for a snug fit.
The Grow with You is jam-packed with safety features, like a high strength steel frame, two layers of side impact protection, SafeCell crumple zones that redirect crash forces away from the seat, and a v-shaped tether that stabilizes the seat and prevents rotation in a collision.
The SafeWash fabric is naturally flame retardant free, and can be machine washed and dried (a pretty major time saver). Dual cup and snack holders are easy to remove and are dishwasher safe.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 26.5 lbs
- Harness booster 25-65 lbs and 34-49”
- High back booster 40-120 lbs and 44-63”
- 2 year warranty
Best Harness to Booster Seats
Chicco MyFit Harness Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- 2 modes of use
- Affordable
- Easy LATCH installation
The Chicco MyFit is a 2-in-1 harness-to-belt positioning booster that keeps little big kids safe and comfy without breaking the bank. This longtime Albee parent fave is a bestseller with good reason: The SuperCinch LATCH installation system requires virtually zero effort, the DuoGuard system provides two layers of protection with a rigid shell and EPS foam, and the steel frame has superior impact protection.
The MyFit is designed to be super cozy as your toddler grows into a big kid. Nine headrest positions accommodate your child’s growth in both modes, and a four-position recline supports proper posture. The extra deep ErgoBoost seat sports dual-density foam padding that is ergonomically contoured for happy riding.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
Removing the booster cover to clean (and refitting it) can be a challenge.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 25 lbs
- Harness booster at least 2 years old; 25-65 lbs and up to 54”
- Backless booster at least 4 years old; 40-100 lbs and 38-57”
- Lifetime warranty
Best Backless Booster Seat
Chicco GoFit Plus Belt Positioning Booster
The Albee’s rundown:
- Budget friendly
- Easy to install
- Good for travel
A backless booster becomes a convenient and portable solution for bigger kids who meet the seat’s height requirements (more on that, below). Chicco’s GoFit Plus is easy to install with LATCH and can be removed from the car with one hand by pulling the release handle. The contoured ErgoBoost seat is comfy for kids, and the smooth non-marking underside won’t damage your vehicle seat. Bonus: Its weight makes it a great option for travel.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
Backless boosters require that your vehicle seat’s back reach your child’s ears (the height of the base of their skull). If the seat back does not come up to your child’s ears, they need to remain in a high back booster to reduce the risk of whiplash injuries in an accident.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 5.7 lbs
- Backless booster 40-110 lbs and 43-57”
- Lifetime warranty
Best Luxury Booster Seat
Nuna AACE Belt Positioning Booster Seat
The Albee’s rundown:
- Sleek design
- Comfy for little riders
- Eco friendly
Nuna has perfected the art of creating easy to use yet great looking baby gear, and the AACE booster seat is no exception. The AACE was designed to be comfortable for all riders, from kindergartener to preteen: The adjustable headrest has nine positions, the shoulders expand as your kiddo grows, the seat depth has three positions to keep legs comfy (especially great for tall kids), and there are eight adjustments for a customized recline. Energy absorbing foam and SIP pods take side impact to the next level, and the breathable GREENGUARD Gold Certified knit fabrics have no added flame retardants.
Is It a Match? Some Good-To-Knows
The Nuna AACE is a premium booster seat, and the price reflects it. One small Albee parent quibble: The body of the cup holder isn’t solid, so while it will accommodate cups and water bottles, it won’t hold any loose knick knacks.
Noteworthy specs:
- Weighs 15.6 lbs
- High back booster 40-110 lbs and 38-60”
- Backless booster 50-120 lbs and 38-60”
- 2 year warranty
Finding What’s Right for You
Albee Baby is the oldest family-owned specialty baby shop in the US, and we pride ourselves on providing our customers with the best assortment of baby products anywhere, at fair prices, always. We’re committed to being an inclusive resource for parents, and hope you’re feeling empowered to find the right baby gear for your family. Still have questions? Feel free to contact our baby gear experts at 877.692.5233 or by email at [email protected].