Tub or Walk-In Shower? How to Decide What’s Right for Your Bathroom

When planning a bathroom remodel, one decision can completely change the way your new space looks and functions: should you keep the bathtub, replace it with a walk-in shower, or find a way to have both?

There isn’t one answer that works for every homeowner. Your lifestyle, available space, mobility needs, cleaning preferences, and plans for the home can all influence which option makes the most sense.

Before automatically replacing what you already have, here are some things worth considering.

How Do You Actually Use Your Bathroom?

Start with the simplest question: when was the last time you used your bathtub?

For some homeowners, a long bath is one of their favorite ways to relax. For others, the tub has essentially become an oversized shelf that gets stepped over every morning to take a shower.

Your remodeled bathroom should reflect the way you actually live rather than the way a bathroom is traditionally expected to look.

If nearly everyone in the household prefers showers, converting an underused tub into a spacious walk-in shower may dramatically improve the room's everyday functionality.

On the other hand, families with young children or homeowners who genuinely enjoy baths may still find a bathtub valuable.

Why Walk-In Showers Have Become So Popular

Walk-in showers can make a bathroom feel larger, brighter, and more open—especially when paired with glass enclosures and lighter finishes.

But their popularity isn't only about appearance.

A well-designed walk-in shower can also provide:

• Easier entry and exit

• More usable shower space

• Room for built-in seating

• Convenient shower niches

• Handheld and overhead shower options

• Grab bars incorporated into the design

• Fewer awkward surfaces to climb over

For homeowners thinking about long-term comfort, removing the high side of a traditional bathtub can also make the bathroom easier to navigate as mobility needs change.

But Should Every Bathtub Be Removed?

Not necessarily.

One concern homeowners frequently have is whether removing a bathtub will hurt their home's resale value.

Rather than focusing only on the individual bathroom, consider the entire house.

If your home has multiple bathrooms and another bathroom still contains a tub, converting one tub into a walk-in shower may give you the best of both worlds.

If it is the only bathtub in the home, however, it may be worth thinking more carefully about your household's needs and the types of future buyers your home might attract.

Your own comfort matters too. Designing exclusively around hypothetical future buyers can leave you living with a bathroom that doesn't work particularly well for you.

What About a Tub-and-Shower Combination?

A traditional tub-and-shower combination remains a practical solution when space is limited.

It gives homeowners the ability to bathe or shower without dedicating floor space to two separate fixtures.

The tradeoff is accessibility. Stepping over the wall of a bathtub can become inconvenient or difficult for some people, particularly as they get older.

If you're remodeling with long-term use in mind, that is something worth considering before automatically replacing an old tub with another one.

Don't Forget About Cleaning

The bathroom you love on installation day also needs to be a bathroom you're willing to clean.

Large walk-in showers can be surprisingly easy to maintain when they're designed thoughtfully. Larger wall panels or large-format tile can reduce grout lines, while properly positioned niches keep bottles off the floor.

A bathtub can also be relatively easy to clean, but tub-and-shower combinations often have corners, tracks, curtains, grout, and other areas where soap residue and moisture collect.

Materials and layout can make just as much difference to maintenance as choosing between a tub and shower.

Think About the Space You Could Gain

Removing a bulky bathtub can completely change a smaller bathroom.

The additional space may allow for a larger shower, wider entrance, built-in bench, additional storage, or simply more breathing room.

But bigger isn't automatically better.

A good bathroom remodel is about using available space intelligently. Sometimes a modestly sized shower paired with better storage or a larger vanity creates a more functional bathroom than an oversized shower occupying most of the room.

Consider Your Future Needs

You don't have to design your bathroom like a medical facility to make smart decisions for the future.

Features such as a low-threshold shower, handheld showerhead, built-in bench, strategically positioned grab bars, and easy-to-reach controls can blend naturally into a beautiful bathroom.

Planning for these features during the remodel is usually much easier than trying to retrofit them later.

The goal isn't simply to create a bathroom for "someday." It's to create one that's comfortable now and adaptable enough to continue serving you later.

So, Which Is Better?

Neither.

The better choice is the one that fits your home and your life.

Choose a walk-in shower if you value easy access, additional shower space, modern styling, and everyday convenience.

Keep or install a bathtub if baths are part of your routine, you have young children, or maintaining a tub makes sense for your household.

And if your bathroom is large enough, having a separate tub and shower can provide both without requiring a compromise.

Build the Bathroom Around You

A bathroom remodel is an opportunity to rethink more than colors and finishes. It's a chance to improve how one of the most frequently used rooms in your home actually functions.

At Best Baths, we help homeowners create bathrooms that combine thoughtful design, quality craftsmanship, comfort, and long-term functionality.

Whether you're considering a tub-to-shower conversion, a new walk-in shower, or a complete bathroom transformation, the right design starts with understanding how you want to use your space.

Beautiful. Functional. Built for life.

Ready to explore what could work in your bathroom? Visit Best Baths to learn more and start planning your remodel.