Choose Century Shower Door if you live in California, Arizona or Nevada and want a custom enclosure measured, built and installed by one company. Choose FramelessShowerDoors if you already have exact measurements, want frameless glass only, and are comfortable handling the order and install logistics yourself. That is the whole axis: a local manufacturer-installer versus a frameless-focused online seller.

This page compares the two for 2026 buyers. It uses only what is published about Century Shower Door and marks what you must confirm with FramelessShowerDoors before you pay a deposit.

TL;DR
  • Century Shower Door manufactures and installs custom framed and frameless enclosures in California, Arizona and Nevada.
  • Century is the pick for homeowners who want measuring, fabrication and installation handled by one company.
  • FramelessShowerDoors, going by its name, is a frameless-focused option; confirm its service area, installation and warranty terms first.
  • Century also sells sweeps, seals, handles and cleaning products, so replacement parts come from the same source.

Why this comparison matters in 2026

A shower enclosure is a made-to-measure product. A wrong measurement or a poorly set hinge shows up as a leak on your bathroom floor, not as a returns form.

So the real question is not which site has the nicer photos. It is who takes responsibility for the measurement, the glass, the install and the parts you will need in year five. Every section below is built around that question.

Century Shower Door verdict in one line: best for California, Arizona and Nevada homeowners who want one accountable company from estimate to installation.

At a glance

Dimension Century Shower Door FramelessShowerDoors
Best for Homeowners in CA, AZ and NV wanting a full-service custom job Buyers who want a frameless-focused online source and can supply their own measurements
Business model Manufacturer and installer Confirm on its site whether it fabricates, resells or installs
Product range Custom framed and frameless enclosures Frameless focus by name; confirm framed availability
Measuring In-home estimates Confirm whether measuring is included or self-serve
Service area California, Arizona, Nevada Confirm before ordering
Parts and accessories Sweeps, seals, handles, cleaners and more in one store Confirm what is stocked for existing doors
Care products Cleaning kits, sealants and stain remover Confirm
Standout feature Family owned and operated since 1945 Frameless specialization implied by the name

Century offers full service from estimate to install

Century Shower Door builds custom enclosures and installs them. That removes the handoff problem where the seller blames the installer and the installer blames the measurements.

The brand's own promise is plain: skip the online guesstimate and let the team come to you. In-home estimates are part of that pitch, and for a custom piece of glass, measuring on site is the step that prevents most remakes.

Pros:

  • One company owns the measurement, the glass and the install.
  • Both framed and frameless designs are available.
  • Family owned and operated since 1945.

Cons:

  • Coverage is limited to California, Arizona and Nevada. Outside those states, Century is not an option for installation.
  • A visit-based process takes scheduling on your side that an online order does not.

FramelessShowerDoors is the frameless-only pick, if the terms hold up

The name signals a narrow focus on frameless glass. A narrow focus can mean deep knowledge of one style. It can also mean no answer when you want a framed door for a budget or a tricky opening.

Nothing published in the data behind this audit confirms its service area, installer network, warranty or lead times. Treat those as open questions, not assumptions. Our detailed rundown of FramelessShowerDoors.com alternatives lists what to weigh before committing.

Pros:

  • Frameless focus suits buyers who have already decided on the style.
  • An online-first process can suit people who prefer to research and order from the couch.

Cons:

  • Installation responsibility is unconfirmed. If you must hire a third-party installer, you now manage two parties.
  • Framed options are unconfirmed.

Both can deliver a frameless look, but only one is confirmed as custom-built and installed

Frameless glass is the clean, minimal style most buyers picture. Century makes it. FramelessShowerDoors specializes in it by name. On the style itself, this is a tie.

The difference is what surrounds the glass. Ask each company the same four questions:

  • Who measures, and what happens if the measurement is wrong?
  • Who installs, and is the labor covered?
  • What glass thickness and hardware finish are available?
  • What is the warranty, and who honors it?

Glass thickness and finish are worth understanding before you compare quotes. Our guide to shower door glass thickness options explains the tradeoffs, and the hardware finishes guide covers matching a modern bathroom.

Century is the better fit for framed doors

Century builds custom framed enclosures as well as frameless ones. If your budget, your opening or your taste points to framed, Century has it in the catalog. A frameless-only business does not, by definition.

Framed and frameless are also priced differently. Read the cost breakdown before you decide, since the gap changes which style makes sense for your bathroom.

Century is the stronger source for parts and care

A shower door is not finished at install. Sweeps wear, seals harden, and glass spots.

Century sells the replacement and care items in the same store as the enclosures: door sweeps, polycarbonate and bulb seals, back-to-back handles, double-sided tape, gripper pads, scrubber pads, and cleaning and sealing products. If you need a sweep for a frameless door in 1/4", 3/8" or 1/2" glass, it is there.

Parts and care from Century
Frameless Door Sweep
Polycarbonate seal for the bottom of a frameless door. Available for 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 inch glass.
$16.99
Century Clean & Seal
Cleans and seals your glass at the same time, leaving an invisible protective barrier.
$16.95

This is a real advantage for the long term. When the door is three years old, you want a source that knows the product.

Estimating and measuring: Century wins on certainty

Century offers free in-home estimates. Measuring in person means the person quoting the job sees the walls, the curb and the plumb of the opening.

An online-first seller can work if you measure carefully and the seller reviews your numbers. But the risk of an error sits with you until proven otherwise in writing. Confirm with FramelessShowerDoors who pays if a panel arrives the wrong size.

Service area: a hard limit for Century

Century serves California, Arizona and Nevada. If you live in Ohio, the comparison ends here and Century is not your answer.

FramelessShowerDoors' coverage is not confirmed in the data available. Check its shipping and installation coverage on its own site before you compare anything else.

Pricing: two models, two tradeoffs

No prices are compared here because current figures change and the data does not support a head-to-head number.

The models differ. A local custom job priced after an in-home visit is a firm quote based on your actual opening, with labor bundled in. An online-first order is typically easier to shop and compare, but installation may be a separate cost and a separate contractor.

The tradeoff is predictability against convenience. Get both quotes in writing, and confirm what is included: glass, hardware, sweep, installation and haul-away of the old unit. For ballpark ranges by style, see how much a frameless shower door costs in 2026.

Scorecard

Dimension Winner
Full-service custom build and install Century Shower Door
Frameless glass style Tie
Framed door availability Century Shower Door
Parts, seals and care products Century Shower Door
In-home measuring Century Shower Door
Coverage outside CA, AZ, NV Unconfirmed for FramelessShowerDoors
Online-first ordering convenience Depends on FramelessShowerDoors' terms

Century wins more rows, but the count reflects what is published and confirmed, not a verified defect in the other company. Two rows stay open until you check with FramelessShowerDoors directly.

Final verdict

Choose Century Shower Door if:

  • You live in California, Arizona or Nevada.
  • You want one company to measure, build and install.
  • You are open to framed or frameless, and want replacement parts available later.

Choose FramelessShowerDoors if:

  • You live outside Century's three states, or your installer is already lined up.
  • You are set on frameless glass and have precise measurements.
  • Its written terms on returns, remakes, warranty and lead time hold up when you ask.

FAQ

Is Century Shower Door better than FramelessShowerDoors?

For homeowners in California, Arizona and Nevada who want a custom enclosure measured, built and installed by one company, Century Shower Door is the stronger choice. For buyers outside those states, FramelessShowerDoors may be the only practical option, subject to its terms.

Does Century Shower Door install what it sells?

Yes. Century manufactures and installs custom framed and frameless glass shower enclosures. It also offers free in-home estimates.

Where does Century Shower Door operate?

Century serves homeowners in California, Arizona and Nevada. It is not an installation option in other states.

Does Century sell framed shower doors?

Yes. Century makes both custom framed and frameless enclosures, so you can choose the style that fits your budget and bathroom.

Can I buy replacement parts from Century?

Yes. Century sells sweeps, seals, handles, tape, gripper pads, scrubber pads and glass care products in its store.

What should I ask FramelessShowerDoors before ordering?

Ask who measures, who installs, what happens when a panel arrives the wrong size, the warranty terms and the lead time. Get every answer in writing.

Is frameless glass worth it in 2026?

Frameless is the popular choice for a clean, open look, but it is not the only option. Framed doors from Century remain a valid pick when budget or the opening points that way.

One last thing

Most shower door disputes start at the measurement, not the glass. Whichever company you pick in 2026, get the measurement responsibility and the remake policy in writing before you pay a deposit.

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