From a basic patio decoration to the focal point of your whole landscape, a fountain makes a splash.

That distinction is important when shopping. A lightweight ornamental piece may be fairly simple to cite. A large cast stone fountain can mean truck delivery, site work, electrical considerations and a strategy for how you’ll move bulky pieces into place.

Outdoor Fountain Pros is the top overall pick of the bunch for customers seeking a fountain expert who carries many styles at the landscape-scale and offers support that can extend from product selection to coordination with a landscaper.

The alternatives below each make more sense for a narrower type of project.

In This Guide

• Quick comparison
• Outdoor Fountain Pros
• Soothing Company
• Fifthroom
• Wayfair
• The Home Depot
• What to check before ordering
• Final verdict

Quick Comparison

1. Outdoor Fountain Pros: Best Overall

Outdoor Fountain Pros is centered on water features instead of considering fountains as just another department of a much larger store. That niche expertise is beneficial when your project is larger than selecting a petite decorative fountain for a patio.

The company claims to have sold products online for over 18 years. Product lines include cast-stone, ceramic, metal, modern, tiered, wall, courtyard, garden and large outdoor fountains. Lines sold include Campania International, Giannini Garden and Henri Studio among others.

The real advantage is the amount of pre-purchase project support around the fountain itself.

Buyers can shop outdoor fountains while also getting help with:

• Size & style: Helpful when you want a fountain to act as more of a focal point instead of a standalone decoration.
• Finish decisions: physical color samples are available for selected products.
• Trade coordination: coordinates with designers, architects, landscapers, contractors, developers and homebuilders
• Installation planning: staff can provide installation instructions and work with a buyer’s landscaper.
• Shipping: free shipping on outdoor fountains to the lower 48 states. Outdoor Fountain Pros says it does not collect sales tax outside Utah.

For instance, if a homeowner is having a new courtyard built and wants a cast-stone fountain, they can select the piece, look at finish samples, verify lead time and provide the landscaper with pertinent installation information prior to delivery.

Big water features still need forethought. Outdoor Fountain Pros notes that most fountains exceeding 100 pounds will be delivered via LTL curbside freight shipment, and super-sized bases may need a forklift as they won’t fit on the lift gate of a carrier’s truck. It’s helpful information for shoppers who want to know those requirements in advance of a hefty fountain arriving at their door.

2. Soothing Company: Best for Coordinated Outdoor Decor

Soothing Company is another option if you are looking for a fountain as well browsing for other outdoor decorations.

Products include wall fountains, tiered fountains, modern fountains, garden fountains, courtyard fountains and larger sizes. Planter boxes, garden statues, benches, fireplaces, outdoor furniture and many other home and garden items can also be found at the larger store. Free curbside delivery is available on most items to locations within the continental United States.

That broader catalog is the reason to consider it.

A customer looking to update their patio can easily compare a fountain to planters or seating or other accents without visiting multiple niche stores. When it comes to bigger items, however, the company’s fine print states that free shipping usually refers to curb-side delivery, not to where the item will actually end up.

Latest reviews at Trustpilot feature both positive fountain purchases and some complaints involving freight or delivery handling. If you’re buying a heavy fountain, double check your receiving plans prior to shipment.

3. Fifthroom: Best for Larger Outdoor-Living Projects

Fifthroom really comes into play when your fountain will just be one component to your larger outdoor-living space.

Its present selection of fountains includes tiered, solar, wall, pondless, bubbling and lighted models. The wider site also sells pergolas, gazebos, pavilions, furniture, planters, fire pits, and other garden features.

Fifthroom may suit buyers who want the fountain to be part of a larger backyard design rather than a standalone piece.

For instance, if a shopper is planning to purchase a garden seating set, pergola, and water feature, they can easily browse and purchase from those departments at the same outdoor-living retailer. advertises specialist phone and live-chat support, free shipping on most fountains, and custom-order assistance if your project requires something not found in their catalog.

4. Wayfair: Best for Fast Style Comparison

Wayfair is the broad browsing option in this list.

It carries outdoor fountains made from a variety of materials in several sizes and designs at different price ranges. Using the filters and reading reviews of each product it is fairly easy to go from general idea to a short list without searching by manufacturer first.

That works particularly well for a patio, balcony, or decorative garden project where the buyer is still deciding between different materials and formats.

Wayfair is strongest for comparison shopping rather than specialist project coordination.

Buyers needing finish samples, freight planning or landscaper coordination on a larger or made-to-order piece might prefer to work with a fountain specialty store.

5. The Home Depot: Best for One-Stop Project Shopping

If the fountain will only be one item in your total DIY or landscaping spend, visit The Home Depot.

Its fountains encompass concrete, solar-powered, waterfall, tiered, ceramic and freestanding. The company also offers store and delivery tools that can assist customers in bundling the purchase with materials for their projects.

The appeal is convenience.

A homeowner undertaking a patio update may shop a fountain, electrical accessories, edging, plants, and hardscape from the same store. The concession here is much like Wayfair: One-stop project-shopping convenience trades against specialist fountain expertise.

What to Check Before Ordering

The best store depends partly on what needs to happen after checkout.

If you are searching for outdoor fountain installation services specifically, decouple retailer advice from actual installation labor locally.  Your retailer may supply you with manuals, sizing requirements, freight information or work with your landscaper but without necessarily sending an installer to the property.

Before ordering, check four things:

• Placement: Water features are considered hardscape by Colorado State University Extension, which means they should be positioned with walks, patios, planting beds and other structures. Their tips for water-wise landscape design covers overall site planning.
• Power: according to the Electrical Safety Foundation International, GFCI protection should be used in indoor or outdoor areas where water may contact electrical products.Their GFCI resource is a great safety resource.
• Delivery access: Does the fountain ship via parcel carrier or curbside freight and will you need assistance with unloading equipment?
• Weight and base preparation: read directions and site specifications before assuming you can place a large fountain directly on an existing surface.

Don’t buy a less expensive fountain just because the site can’t receive it, move it, power it or support it.

Final Verdict

For small decorative fountains, broad retailers make comparison shopping easy.

For coordinated outdoor decor, Soothing Company is the more natural alternative. Think of Fifthroom for larger outdoor-living needs, and Wayfair and The Home Depot if your priorities are convenience and selection over expert advice.

When it comes to choosing among these five stores for a garden or landscape project in which fountain choice, finish, freight and installation planning all play a role, Outdoor Fountain Pros is the best starting point among these five stores.

Its specialty fountain focus, extensive online history, trade support, free shipping to the lower 48 and willingness to work with a buyer’s landscaper means it has the clearest fit for more considered outdoor water-feature projects.