6 Best Portable Wheelchair Ramps (2024)

If you use a wheelchair, scooter or other mobility device, a street corner without a curb cut or a private home with a couple of steps up to the front door can make it frustrating, and quite frankly dangerous, to navigate. But for some, a portable ramp can help.

According to standards set by the American Disabilities Act (ADA), a ramp should have 12 inches of length for every 1 inch of height. Now, that means that when, say, a bank is building a ramp to allow access into an older building with several steps, the ramp might be 20 feet or longer. That's great for entering public buildings, but what do you do when you just need to get up the front stoop into your cousin's house for Thanksgiving?

Experts explain that a portable ramp is typically used when you’re visiting a home that you know has a step or two into the front door, when you are traveling in a city where you might have to get up and over a curb or when you need to access a part of your home, like a shed that hasn't been adapted for accessibility. “You’re not going to get up a flight of stairs with these, but if you’re going to a friend or family member’s house, you can make it work,” says Peter Gagliardo, an adaptive sports coordinator at Helen Hayes Hospital, a rehabilitation center in West Haverstraw, NY, who has used a manual wheelchair for the past 17 years.

Portable ramps come in a few different varieties, explains Karen Frank, PT and co-owner with her husband Gregg, OT, of Back Home Safely, a company in Randolph, NJ, that modifies homes for accessibility. “There are suitcase ramps, which fold up and have a handle for carrying, and trifold ramps, which fold in half and then in half again,” she explains. “They are typically 30 inches wide, and don’t have handrails, so they're not as good for self-propelling, but you can use them to get up a curb or into a house with one or two steps.”

With help from these experts, we were able to pull together this list of the best portable wheelchair ramps. When choosing a ramp, Kathleen Walworth, DPT, a board-certified geriatric clinical specialist at Athletico Physical Therapy in Brooklyn, MI, suggests you spend a little extra time doing research. "I usually recommend that people look for companies online that specialize in portable ramps, talk with their representatives about your specific needs and have them help you select the best option," she says.

Hopefully, the buying guide at the of this article can help, too. But if you're still overwhelmed with the choices or just need another experienced opinion, you can speak to your doctor or physical therapist.

A top-seller on Amazon, this ramp is just four feet long and weighs 20 pounds, which makes it easy to fit in the back of a van or SUV (or a roomy trunk). It folds up like a suitcase with a handle for easy portability. Reviewers say it’s durable, sturdy and lightweight. Its short length mean it's perfect for getting into a doorway, a sidewalk curb or any other small step.

At less than $100, this ramp is a good bet if you'll only be using it temporarily, or if you want to keep something in the garage or basement to use when a relative in a wheelchair visits once in a while. Made of corrugated aluminum, this chair is small but mighty: It's only two-feet long but can hold up to 800 pounds. Reviewers say it's sturdy and good quality for the price.

If you're planning to do a lot of traveling and want a ramp with you that won’t weigh you down, this is the one to consider. Made of carbon fiber, it weighs just 5.7 pounds, making it the lightest ramp available. But that comes at a higher price. “This is one that you might really travel with,” says Gagliardo. “It folds in half and you could put it in a bag behind a power chair.”

The Franks are fans of the EZ-ACCESS brand, which they say produces ramps that are durable and last year after year. This one can fold up as a suitcase, or be separated into two pieces, offering multiple ways to store and carry it. The heavy-duty ergonomic handles also make it easier to carry.

A telescoping ramp, which is adjustable in both length and width, is another good option for traveling, says Gagliardo. This one is lightweight but sturdy, and reviewers give it high marks for being easy to set up. Because this holds a top weight of 600 pounds, it would only work for those using manual chairs.

This six-foot long, 30-inch-wide aluminum ramp is the one Gagliardo uses at home. It folds in half and then in half again for easy carrying and storage. It has an 800-pound capacity, making it an excellent choice for people who use power chairs.

Marisa Cohen, deputy editor in the Health Newsroom at Hearst, scoured online reviews of wheelchair ramps; she also consulted with physical and occupational therapists who specialize in helping make homes accessible for people in wheelchairs, as well as one longtime wheelchair user, for recommendations on what to look for when purchasing or renting a wheelchair ramp.

Portable ramps can range from less than $100 to more than $1,000. Consider how often you’ll use the ramp and whether it’s worth the extra cost to buy a lightweight ramp that can travel with you, even to another country. You may also want to consider renting. “If you need the ramp for less than six months, such as due to recovering from a surgery or accident or accommodating a temporary house guest, then renting will likely be more cost-effective,” says Walworth.

Portable wheelchair ramps from reliable manufacturers are safe, as long as you pay attention to the weight limits (if you need assistance being pushed up the ramp, be sure to include the other person’s weight in your calculations), and are careful to follow the instructions for use. They should also have safety edges on both sides and non-slip surfaces. Though Frank cautions that if portable ramps are used in situations they’re not meant for — such as a steeper incline or in bad weather — they can be dangerous.

Portable ramps range in length from around two feet to eight feet. According to ADA standards, there should be 12 inches of length for every 1 inch of rise, so if you need to get up a four-inch incline, for example, you would need a four-foot ramp.