The two most popular ways to tap into the benefits of heat therapy - a sauna vs steam room. But whether you’re planning on installing one in your own home or trying to figure out where you should spend your time at your local spa/gym, there are differences you need to know.

• Sauna: Dry or infrared heat warms the body to induce a deep sweat, offering benefits ranging from stress relief to recovery, detoxification, and more. Simple and practical. 
• Steam Room: Moist heat and heavy humidity produce an intense sweat as well, but it feels gentler and has unique benefits for skin health and breathing. They’re generally found in spas and fitness centers.

Both have their place, but what’s better, sauna or steam room? It usually makes more sense to buy a sauna from a cost and maintenance perspective. They don’t necessarily require water lines, drains, or full waterproofing. You can choose between an indoor sauna and outdoor sauna, too, so there’s more versatility in where you install your sauna.

The best part? You can turn just about any traditional-style sauna into a steam sauna for a smart middle ground! You can indulge in dry heat when you want it, and pour water over the hot rocks to produce humidity and steam. 

Nordica Sauna carries all the different sauna types from the best sauna brands at the lowest prices online. Shop now or connect with our customer service team for one-on-one guidance. 

Brief Overview of Sauna vs Steam Room

Factor	Sauna	Steam Room
Heat Type	Dry heat or infrared heat warms the body steadily	Moist heat from a steam generator fills the room
Humidity Level	Low humidity (steam optional with stones)	High humidity (near 100%)
Typical Feel	Hot, dry, breathable air	Warm, wet, heavy air
Temperature Range	Usually hotter overall	Usually lower temp but feels intense
Sweat Response	Gradual, deep sweat as core temp rises	Fast sweat driven by humidity
At-Home Practicality	Easier to install and maintain	Requires sealed waterproof room and plumbing
Maintenance	Wipe down and keep clean	Frequent cleaning and moisture control
Common Locations	Homes, gyms, spas, cabins	Mostly gyms and spas

Benefits of Sauna Therapy

Sauna therapy has been used for centuries to warm the body in a controlled, comfortable way. Whether it’s an infrared vs steam sauna, raising your core body temperature produces a sweat and gives your system a chance to reset. Here are some of the benefits of saunas:

• Improved circulation: Heat widens blood vessels so blood moves more freely through muscles and skin. This is also where the detoxification benefits come from, as it helps transport nasty stuff out of your pores.
• Muscle relaxation: Warmth loosens up tight muscles. It can feel amazing after long days or workouts. It may even support stronger recovery processes. 
• Joint comfort: Through the same mechanisms as muscle relaxation, the heat minimizes stiffness and makes everyday movement feel more natural.
• Stress relief: A warm, enclosed space helps calm the nervous system and slow racing thoughts. It’s the perfect form of self-care. 
• Better sleep quality: Evening sauna sessions are a wonderful way to unwind and set the stage for a good night’s rest.
• Skin refresh: Sweating can help clear pores and leave skin feeling cleaner afterward. 

There are quite a few types of saunas to choose from, like the classic barrel sauna for sale, which is often installed outdoors. These saunas use traditional electric (or wood stove) heating elements, so they can be paired with steam!

Then there’s the infrared sauna for sale, which is often installed indoors - be it a spare bedroom, garage, or basement sauna. These are more affordable upfront and more efficient. They heat the body in a totally different way, too, penetrating tissues with infrared light.

Each type offers its own take on the same core benefit: reliable heat therapy you can count on.

Benefits of Steam Rooms

A steam room is also a sealed space filled with warm air - but this time there’s always a higher level of humidity, which is created by a steam generator. All the moisture makes the sessions feel softer and easier to get accustomed to for newcomers to heat therapy. Benefits include:

• Easier breathing: Warm moisture can help open airways and loosen congestion.
• Skin hydration: Steam brings skin much-needed moisture, which feels so soothing.
• Gentle muscle relaxation: The warm, humid air can help clear out some tension.
• Joint comfort: Moist heat may ease stiffness, especially during colder months.
• Relaxation: The quiet, foggy environment helps slow breathing, wrapping you in calm.

Most people experience steam rooms at gyms, spas, or wellness centers rather than at home. That’s because true steam rooms require a fully sealed, waterproof space, constant moisture control, and dedicated plumbing to support a steam generator. Walls, ceilings, doors, and even lighting must be designed to handle heat and humidity without damage over time.

That’s just not practical for the vast majority of people.So, you’ll need to do your research and find a spot near you that offers a steam room. Or, consider the alternative - a steam sauna. We’ll take a closer look at the sauna vs steam room below.

Sauna vs Steam Room: Benefits, Cost, and More Differences to Consider

You’re going to see some overlap in the sauna vs steam room benefits - both are super relaxing and enjoyable. It’s just a matter of which is better for your goals, budget, and space. 

How the Heat Feels

The dry or infrared heat saunas produce feels quite a bit more intense than that of a steam room. At least at first. A lot of people say that the dense humidity in steam rooms can feel heavier and heavier the longer a session goes on. 

Humidity and Breathing

This is the biggest and most obvious difference between a sauna vs steam room. Saunas are low-humidity by design, which makes them more practical for homeowners. That being said, the traditional approach to sauna therapy in Finland involves pouring water over the hot rocks - which produces steam. So technically, a sauna can be high-humidity. It’s much more versatile.

In contrast, a steam room is always high humidity, whether you like it or not. All that moisture can feel soothing for some and overwhelming for others. It’s also important to note that the humidity creates quite a few complexities in terms of installation and maintenance. 

Sweat Response

Most of the benefits of heat therapy come from sweating. You’ll feel sweat building gradually in a sauna as your core temperature rises. It feels deep, and the response is sustained. 

A lot of people say steam rooms make them sweat faster, but it’s hard to say if it’s actually sweat or not because your body becomes saturated with moisture from the steam itself.  

Skin and Pore Effects

One aspect in which steam rooms have an edge over saunas is in the benefits they bring your skin. Steam rooms have hydrating effects, leaving the skin feeling soft afterwards.

Now, saunas are still great for your skin in the sense that they force impurities out of the pores through sweating - but the hydration benefits are non-existent unless you’re pouring water over stones to produce steam. 

Muscle and Joint Relief

This is another important distinction between the sauna vs steam room benefits. Infrared saunas especially penetrate the skin to warm muscle tissue directly, so larger muscle groups feel more relaxed. Stiffness is eased more thoroughly as well.

Steam rooms still leave your body feeling comfortable, but the effects tend to be a little more surface level when you compare a steam room vs sauna side by side. 

Stress and Mental Health

Both saunas and steam rooms are great for your self-care ritual. Saunas are a quiet, warm space to let go of racing thoughts and finally find your inner bliss. Steam rooms feel more enveloping. Some people like it, others find it distracting and uncomfortable. 

Installation Cost and Practicality

Now we’re getting into the practicality side of things in our sauna vs steam room comparison.

It’s relatively easy to bring the benefits of sauna therapy into your home - either in your backyard, a basement, garage, or spare bedroom. Saunas start at just a few thousand dollars and are usually sold as pre-made kits that you just have to piece together. 

Steam rooms are quite a bit trickier. They need sealed walls, specialized materials, and a steam generator tied into water lines. They also need ventilation. This makes them way more expensive and limits where you can install them.

The Maintenance Side of Things

There’s some level of maintenance required regardless of your decision between a steam room vs sauna. But the higher level of humidity creates extra work for those overseeing a steam room. Moisture control, cleaning, and ventilation can’t be taken lightly.

On the other hand, saunas just need to be wiped down every so often. The more you create steam in your sauna cabin, the more work you’ll have to do, but dry saunas are super low maintenance. 

So What’s Better, Sauna or Steam Room?

Steam rooms can be a nice change of pace if you have access to one at your local gym or spa. But anyone trying to bring the benefits of heat therapy into their home will find a sauna makes way more sense. It’s more affordable, practical, and versatile. 

The best part? You can turn any traditional sauna into a steam sauna, too!

Can You Have the Best of Both Worlds With a Steam Sauna?

We’ve said throughout this steam room vs sauna comparison that technically, any traditional sauna can produce steam. It’s a process referred to as löyly in Finland where saunas originated, and it’s pretty simple.

All you do is pour a little water over the hot sauna stones. The water flashes into steam for a brief rise in humidity. This is why we keep saying saunas are so much better. You can’t turn a steam room into a sauna, but you can turn a sauna into a steam room.

Bringing Our Steam Room vs Sauna Comparison to a Close

That does it for our sauna vs steam room comparison. We hope you feel clear and confident in what’s better for your unique situation. Whether you’re looking for the best infrared sauna for home or the best outdoor sauna, your search ends here.

Nordica Sauna has handpicked the top models from the best brands so you can rest assured you’re getting the quality you deserve. We also have a price-matching policy, offer hassle-free financing, and can work with you to use HSA/FSA funds in some cases.

Most importantly, our customer service team is here for you every step of the way - whether you need help choosing the right sauna or want guidance on installing a backyard sauna or garage sauna. Take our quiz below for a personalized recommendation!