Late to the party but I feel ur pain... coffee shops are a nightmare for ur neck, honestly. Since ur looking for something budget-friendly that's still safe, here's what I recommend: • iVoler Laptop Stand Aluminum Adjustable Portable - I think this is the best value? It's literally $15 and made of solid aluminum. It folds flat and isn't as 'fiddly' as some plastic ones.
• Besign LS10 Folding Laptop Stand - Very sturdy and has multiple height settings to get that screen at eye level. One huge warning tho: make sure to get an external keyboard. Typing on an elevated laptop is basically asking for carpal tunnel syndrome... seriously, it’s a major ergonomic risk. You dont want to trade neck pain for wrist pain, right? Also, if ur neck keeps hurting, I would suggest seeing a physical therapist. Better safe than sorry... gl!

yo, i feel u on the neck pain... coffee shop tables are literally the worst for ergonomics since they're always too low. For your situation, i'd suggest looking at the Nexstand K2 Portable Laptop Stand before dropping big money on the Roost. Honestly, i've used both and the Nexstand gives you like 95% of the same functionality for way less cash—usually about $25-30 vs the $90 or so you'll pay for the Roost V3 Laptop Stand. The big thing for me was the height adjustment. Most of those "compact" folding metal ones like the iVoler Laptop Holder Adjustable Aluminum Computer Stand only lift the back a few inches. That's fine for airflow, but it wont get the screen to eye level if youre tall. The K2 (and the Roost) actually lift the whole base up, which is basically what you need if you wanna stop hunching over your lattes. Just a heads up tho—you might want to consider that these stands are kinda 'all or nothing.' You absolutely gotta carry a separate keyboard and mouse. I usually pair mine with the Logitech Pebble M350 Wireless Mouse and a small folding keyboard. If you try to type on the laptop while it's up in the stand, it'll wobble like crazy and probably mess up your wrists anyway... not a good look lol. Also, make sure your laptop isn't some thick workstation beast; those front clips can be a bit tight on thicker frames. But yeah, for coffee shop hopping, the Nexstand is my go-to cuz if i accidentally leave it behind or it gets beat up in my bag, i'm not out a hundred bucks. gl!

Honestly, the neck strain from these low cafe tables is just the worst... I hate how my shoulders feel like they are permanently hunched after an hour. It is literally so frustrating trying to find a decent spot only to end up with a massive headache by noon. It just sucks. I have been looking at the data for a few more budget-friendly ones if you want to save some cash:

• MOFT Adhesive Stand: It only adds 3mm of thickness to your laptop but only gives you two fixed height options at 15 or 25 degrees. Good for low-profile needs but not great for true eye level if you are tall.
• Lamicall Foldable Stand: This one is usually under $20. It is made of rod-shaped aluminum which keeps it around 0.5 lbs so it wont weigh down your bag. The downside is the limited height compared to the Roost, usually only maxing out at about 6 inches of lift. Both are decent options depending on how much height you actually need for your specific setup. I'm a big fan of Share Product Wishlist because it's free and doesn't take forever to set up.