Best Reasonably Priced Mattress
Premium mattresses cost up to $5,000 but it doesn’t mean that a good mattress can’t cost less than that. Here, we’ve made up the list of the best affordable mattresses — some of them are $500, the others are a little more expensive, but they all have one thing in common — they are the best mattresses for the money. Check out the list, choose the best budget mattress, and improve your sleep for a reasonable price!
Top affordable mattresses: 10 best options
- Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress — the cheapest memory foam mattress that is just great for comfort and price.
- Dreamfoam Arctic Dreams — the best low cost mattress with a cooling top panel.
- Tuft&Needle Original Mattress — one of the mattresses for less than $500!
- The Allswell Luxe Hybrid — another great affordable mattress.
- Brooklyn Signature Hybrid — a cheap but good mattress with 961 coils and two memory foam layers.
- The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress — the best inexpensive mattress with almost perfect support and firmness.
- Leesa Original — a great foam mattress with breathable foam and supportive base layer. The best mattress for the price!
- Casper Original — one of the greatest affordable mattresses that is both comfortable and cool.
- Bear Hybrid Mattress — a premium, but affordable mattress. Cooling, comfortable, and responsive.
- Saatva Classic — truly the best mattress for the money. Premium quality and premium materials!
Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam Mattress
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium
- Height: 12 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $365/$254
According to the manufacturer, the memory foam used in this mattress is breathable because of air channels. This fact, together with the top layer that contains cooling gel, make this mattress quite ok for hot sleepers. This mattress provides that classic foam feel — you push it, it returns to the original shape in a few seconds, not right away. There are lots of Zinus Memory Foam mattress options (6, 8, 10, 12, and 14 inches), but the 12-inch model is often described as the most balanced one. The mattress provides quite good support, but it might feel too soft for those who prefer sleep on their stomach, especially for the plus-size sleepers. This mattress is delivered in a box (the shipping is free), and there is a 100-night trial period so you can return the mattress if you don't like it.
| Pros | Cons |
| Price — Zinus Memory Foam is one of the most affordable mattresses | Too much softness which is not the best option for some stomach sleepers |
| Thick top foam layer isolates motion perfectly | This mattress doesn't provide enough support for the plus-sized people |
| Good choice for side sleepers because of nice pressure relief | It’s not that durable |
Dreamfoam Arctic Dreams
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Height: 10 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $399/$279
This mattress is available in two versions — all-foam and hybrid. Here, we'll talk about the all-foam version. It's quite cool thanks to the cooling gel and to an advanced cooling panel, so it will work great for hot sleepers. This mattress provides great motion isolation (well, like almost any other all-foam mattress) so it's a good choice for couples. However, it's not perfect — if you need a VERY supportive mattress, Dreamfoam Arctic Dreams is probably not what you're looking for.
| Pros | Cons |
| Available in both memory foam and hybrid versions so it's a great choice for those who don't like all-foam mattresses | Not the best option for stomach sleepers — it's not an ultra-firm mattress that will give you all the support you need |
| It's just great when it comes to back sleepers. If you sleep on your back, this DreamFoam mattress will feel both supportive and comfortable for you | It might feel too firm for some side sleepers |
| Price — this mattress falls into the “under $500” category so if you’re searching for the best low price mattress, don’t miss Arctic Dreams | Some users say that it doesn't actually stay cool at night. If you're a very, very hot sleeper, you probably don't need this mattress (as well as any other all-foam mattress) |
Tuft&Needle Original Mattress
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Height: 10 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $495/$350
One of the best low cost mattresses, the Original by Tuft&Needle, is definitely worth your attention. T&N is not the most popular mattress manufacturer, of course, but its products are certainly great, and this mattress is not an exception. It's an all-foam mattress with a great motion isolation, nice support, and bounciness. It's also very quiet which, together with motion isolation, makes this mattress a great option for the couples. The top layer consists of memory foam, graphite, and cooling gel, so it's also a good choice for those who feel hot at night. Tuft and Needle provides free shipping and a 100-night trial which is enough to understand if you like this mattress or not.
| Pros | Cons |
| Compared to some other mattresses for less than $500, the Original mattress is much more durable. That’s because of the high quality of memory foam | The edge support of this mattress is not that good. It's not like you'll fall out of your bed at night, but the edges will eventually sink down and it's not the best mattress for those who prefer sitting or laying on the edges |
| No sound, no transfer of motion | It's not bouncy at all (so T&N Original is not the best option for those who are looking for a mattress for sex) |
| Price — it’s another mattress under $500 on this list |
The Allswell Luxe Hybrid
- Type: Hybrid
- Firmness: Medium
- Height: 12 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $545/$395
Allswell Luxe is a hybrid mattress that has both coils and high density foam. The top layer of this mattress consists of gel-infused memory foam material — the combination of cooling gel and individually-wrapped coils provide great cooling effect, so if you overheat at night, this Luxe mattress by Allswell will be a good option for you. This mattress is medium-firm, so it's both supportive and really comfortable. However, it's definitely not a firm mattress, so if you prefer sleeping "on top" of the mattress, Allswell Luxe will not work great for you.
| Pros | Cons |
| Free shipping, 10 years warranty, and 100-night trial (with free white glove delivery and mattress removal). If anything goes wrong or if you don’t like this mattress, you’ll be able to return it without paying anything | Not enough support for heavy side and stomach sleepers |
| Great support for average weight side and back sleepers | Not the best option for those who prefer “sinking” in the mattress — it’s just not soft enough |
| A good choice for hot sleepers thanks to the coils that provide air circulation and to the top gel-infused memory foam layer |
Brooklyn Signature Hybrid
- Type: Hybrid
- Firmness: Soft/Medium/Firm
- Height: 11 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $680/$480
Brooklyn Signature Hybrid is a hybrid mattress that contains both individually encased coils and multiple memory foam layers. It provides all the benefits hybrid mattresses provide — it's cool, it's responsive, it has great support, and it's durable. This mattress is made in the US but it's still not that expensive, and that's what makes it one of the best mattresses for price. This mattress has good motion isolation and good edge support, so we can recommend it to couples. However, we can't say that it's the best choice for side sleepers.
| Pros | Cons |
| Three firmness options — it’s not a problem to find the right firmness for every sleeping position | If you prefer slow response memory foam that takes time to respond to pressure, this is not the right mattress for you |
| Multiple foam layers provide that "pillow" feel so even the firm version of the mattress feels comfortable enough | Some side sleepers say they feel too much pressure on their shoulders and hips, so if you're a plus-sized side sleeper, be careful with Brooklyn Signature Hybrid |
| Memory foam provides comfort and support while individually-wrapped coils provide good air circulation and that springy feel |
The Nectar Memory Foam Mattress
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Height: 11 inches
- Warranty: Lifetime
- Full/Twin price: $700/$500
This Nectar mattress is just great. First of all, it's about the manufacturer's bonuses: you don't just buy a mattress for $799, you also get a free cooling pillow, sheet set, and mattress protector for the money. Then, it's about the trial and warranty: this mattress goes with a 365-night trial and a lifetime warranty. Of course, that's not all. Thus, Nectar Memory Foam Mattress is really comfortable and it's even not as hot as you might've expected from an all-foam mattress because of the breathable mattress cover and gel-infused memory foam layer.
| Pros | Cons |
| The "slow response" memory foam provides that classic foam feel. The quality of memory foam is actually very high — it provides both pressure relief and quite good support | It's not the best mattress for plus-sized sleepers (especially for the side and back sleepers) |
| Great motion isolation — you won't bother your bedmate the next time you move at night | f you're a very hot sleeper, this mattress might be not the best option for you. It's quite cool for an all-foam mattress, but if you have serious thermoregulation problems, you need a hybrid or an innerspring mattress |
| It's more like a plush mattress than a very firm one (though some people may not like it) |
Leesa Original
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Height: 10 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $764/$594
Another great cheap affordable mattress is called Leesa Mattress. Well, it's not extremely cheap, but it's still cheaper than most mattresses on the market — and it has lots of benefits for the money. The mattress cover feels very soft, the mattress itself feels very responsive and even bouncy, the memory foam layers are breathable (well, as breathable as memory foam could be), and the base dense foam layer provides enough support for almost all types of sleepers. This is a medium-firm mattress (5-7 out of 10) so it's quite good when it comes to pressure relief and to reducing lower back pain.
| Pros | Cons |
| This Leesa mattress provides good support and contouring at the same time — such a combination makes this mattress a great choice for all sleeping positions | Off-gassing. It's a very common problem when we're talking about memory foam mattresses, but it's still not very pleasant |
| It's perfectly balanced, not too firm and not too soft at the same time | As any other all-foam mattress, this one is not the most perfect choice for you if you're a hot sleeper |
| The motion isolation is just great | Sleepers who weigh more than 200 lbs can experience sagging. It’s not only uncomfortable; it can also shorten the lifespan of the mattress |
Casper Original
- Type: Memory foam
- Firmness: Medium-firm
- Height: 12 inches
- Warranty: 10 years
- Full/Twin price: $995/$595
This mattress is made by Casper, one of the most popular American mattress brands. It falls into the "under $1,000" category and it is definitely worth it — this mattress has lots of benefits. It's made with breathable memory foam that provides cooling effect, it's very comfortable, and it's just great when it comes to spinal alignment and support. Casper mattresses come with a 10-year warranty, the shipping is free, and there is a 100-night trial period.
| Pros | Cons |
| Perfect for the majority of back sleepers and for combination sleepers. 3 zones of targeted support make Casper Original a great option for people with back pain | Heavier sleepers might not be happy with the level of support offered by Casper Original |
| This mattress works well for hot sleepers due to the top layer of perforated memory foam | If you're looking for a mattress with great body contouring, the Casper Original will probably not work for you |
| Free shipping, risk-free trial period, free returns | This mattress feels very firm when new but don’t worry, this will go away very quickly |
Bear Hybrid Mattress
- Type: Hybrid
- Firmness: Medium
- Height: 14 inches
- Warranty: 20 years
- Full/Twin price: $1,032/$832
According to the manufacturer, this mattress is designed for athletes and its Celliant technology improves athletic performance and sleep quality. Well, even if you are not an athlete, this product will definitely be interesting for you. It's very comfortable, it's not that expensive, it provides great edge support thanks to individually wrapped coils, and it's also quite cool because of cooling gel. The Bear Luxury Hybrid mattress is also great in terms of pressure relief.
| Pros | Cons |
| This mattress is thicker than any other affordable mattress from this list — it’s 14 inches thick and its thickness makes it a great choice for plus-sized sleepers | Heavyweight side sleepers will probably find this mattress too soft |
| It’s perfect for hot sleepers. Individually wrapped coils transfer heat quite well and increase air circulation, and cooling-gel memory foam retains less heat than traditional memory foam | It’s one of the most expensive mattresses on this list — the queen-size Bear Hybrid mattress costs more than $1,100. It’s still not that expensive when we compare it with premium brands, but if you can’t spend about $1,000 on a mattress, Bear Hybrid is not what you need |
| Great edge support. You won't fall out of bed and the edges of this mattress won't sag eventually which means this mattress is more durable than all-foam mattresses with poor edge support | It's not the best mattress regarding motion isolation. If you're a light sleeper who wakes up easily, you won't be happy with Bear Hybrid's motion transfer. |
Saatva Classic
- Type: Hybrid
- Firmness: Plush/Medium/Medium-firm
- Height: 11.5 inches
- Warranty: 15 years
- Full/Twin price: $1,100/$800
This mattress is very close to premium mattresses. Premium materials, free white glove delivery, three firmness options, lots of awards from magazines and mattress experts — Saatva Classic is the best mattress for the money. Well, only if you are ready to spend more than $1,000, of course. Saatva Classic provides great pain relief and spine support and it doesn't sleep hot.
| Pros | Cons |
| High-quality materials — the Euro pillow top is made of hypoallergenic organic cotton, the coils are durable and provide great contouring, and memory foam is very dense and provides maximum back support | The motion isolation is not 100% perfect |
| Saatva Classic has good edge support — the foam rails prevent this mattress from sagging therefore extending its lifespan | Saatva Classic is the most expensive mattress here |
| There are three firmness options so it doesn't matter what sleeping position you prefer, you'll still find the right firmness. However, more than 80% of Saatva customers prefer medium firmness (it's also called "Luxury Firm") | If you return the mattress during a trial period, you'll still have to pay $99 for transportation |
Can you find a cheap but good mattress or does cheap mean low quality?
In short, yes: a good mattress is not necessarily an expensive mattress. However, you should be realistic about it — affordable mattresses always mean some kind of compromise, there are no exceptions to this rule.
Compromises you’ll have to make if you choose an inexpensive mattresses
- Edge support. It's very important because if the mattress has good edge support, it lasts more and sags less. Cheap foam mattresses don't have extra high-density foam structures on the sides so most of them don't provide good edge support.
- Affordable all-foam mattresses can feel hot. Polyurethane foam is very dense so it allows almost no air circulation. As a result, affordable memory foam mattresses reflect heat back to the body and make the sleeper feel hot at night.
- A bit less comfort. It’s obvious — cheap mattresses are made of cheap memory foam and cheap coils, so they are less comfortable than the mattresses by premium brands.
- No testing before purchase. If you search for affordable mattresses, you’ll most likely have to buy the mattress online because online shops typically offer lower prices. The only problem of online shops is that you simply can’t test the mattress before you buy it — but well, that’s what they created free trial periods for.
How to find the lowest mattress price?
Choose the right time
First of all, it’s all about buying at the right time. You probably know about Black Friday, but that’s definitely not all. Like, did you know that retailers have special discount days or that it's highly recommended to buy a new mattress from February to May? Read this guide on the best month to buy a mattress to know more — our experts will tell you how to choose the right time to save as much as possible.
Buy online, not offline
It’s also recommended to buy the mattresses online. It’s very simple, actually — online shops have much lower operating costs and expenses so they typically sell the mattresses at lower prices than offline stores. Yes, you can’t touch the mattress before you buy it if you are doing it online, but don’t worry about it — all mattress brands offer trial periods so you can return the mattress if you don’t like it.