Overall, counter stools and bar stools are pretty similar. They both come in similar styles, and you can find options with and without backs. However, there is a bit of a height difference between the two. Counter-height bar stools tend to have a seat height of 24 inches, which makes them a great choice for most breakfast bars and kitchen counters. Keeping the 10-inch legroom rule in mind, they’re ideal for dining tables in the 34-39 inch range .
Bar-height stools are slightly taller and usually have a seat height of 30 inches. You may also see these called pub stools, and while pub stools are typically the same height, you always want to double-check product specifications. Bar stools work well with tables in the 40-43 inch range.