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Mattress shopping can be intimidating, especially because of the pricing. We rounded up some more affordable mattresses that don’t sacrifice quality to help you start your search.
Mattresses under $1,000
- Most affordable: Zinus Cooling Green Tea Gel Memory Foam Mattress | Skip to review
- Best for custom sizing: Dreamfoam Essential | Skip to review
- Best for pressure relief: Essential T&N Original | Skip to review
Mattresses under $1,300
- Best overall: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress | Skip to review
- Best mattress in a box: Casper The One | Skip to review
- Best for side sleepers: Helix Midnight Mattress | Skip to review
Picking a new mattress can be confusing, overwhelming, and downright expensive. But it’s still important to make a good decision that suits your individual needs — and it’s surprisingly possible to do so on a budget.
Many companies offer mattresses with a luxurious feel at an affordable price point. We researched the best on the market to help you find an amazing mattress at an amazing price, without sacrificing quality.
- Affordability: The most important consideration was finding luxury performance at an accessible price. Most of our mattress picks are under $1,500 for the queen size, with several mattresses even priced under $1,000. Note that these prices reflect non-sale pricing.
- Company reputation and transparency: We only included mattresses from reputable brands that are known for making high quality products and engaging in ethical and transparent business practices.
- Company policies: We made sure to recommend products that have great at-home sleep trials and warranties with purchase.
- Customer reviews: We considered user reviews from each company’s website and third-party sellers to make sure the mattress was as fantastic in real life as the brand says it is.
- Look for sales: Keep your eye out for mattress sales that fall on Black Friday or President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, or New Year’s Day. You can save a lot of money by timing your purchase well.
- Sleeping position: Mattresses aren’t one size fits all, so be sure to pick one that fits your specific sleeping style.
- Materials: Many affordable bed-in-a-box mattresses are made of foam, like polyurethane, latex, or memory foam. The price tends to go up in hybrid mattresses with more advanced or intricate coil systems.
- Mattress performance: Figure out which mattress performance elements matter to you. If you want good motion isolation, your best bet is an all-foam option. If bounce is important to you, a hybrid mattress may be the way to go. For hot sleepers, look for cooling covers and designs that allow ventilation.
- Skip the add-ons: Don’t feel pressured to buy the add-ons companies suggest, like pillows or bases, even if they’re framed as a great deal.
- In-home trial and warranty: The best way to pick a new mattress is to try it out. Look for brands that offer extended at-home trials and have a simple and easy return process if it doesn’t work out.
- Firmness level: You’ll want to purchase a mattress with a firmness level that suits your sleeping style.
- Pressure relief: Look for a mattress that will allow you to sleep with good posture, minimizing contact with pressure points such as your shoulders, neck, and hips.
- Noise: Before purchasing a new mattress, check to see how much noise it makes when you lie down and switch positions. Mattresses with springs and coils tend to be the noisiest, so scrutinize them.
One of the most affordable mattress types tends to be innerspring. While this type of mattress is easy on the wallet, you might not get as many years out of it compared with a higher-quality mattress. Innerspring mattresses also have the tendency to sag or become lumpy.
However, memory foam mattresses can be quite affordable as well and may give you more comfort than the traditional steel coils and foam of innerspring mattresses. If you need to be more budget-conscious, a cheap mattress doesn’t have to be uncomfortable to sleep on.
Overall, though, cheaper mattresses don’t hold up as well as more expensive mattresses. You may get 5 to 8 years out of a cheaper mattress, versus 10 or more years with a premium mattress.
But they can be a great option if your sleeping situation is temporary, such as using it for college, or if you just don’t have the budget for a high-end mattress.
Several factors contribute to mattress sticker prices. Size is one of the most significant factors, with larger mattresses jumping in cost.
You’ll also pay steeper prices for higher quality materials and brands with a trusted reputation and generous warranties and trial periods.
Additionally, where you purchase your mattress can make a difference — brick-and-mortar stores typically have higher prices than online-only retailers.
The best type of affordable mattress depends on your sleeping style and comfort preferences.
Look for a foam mattress if you prioritize pressure relief and motion isolation. But if you want a bouncier, more elastic mattress, latex may be your best bet — though it’s typically more expensive than a memory foam mattress. If you want more support, opt for a hybrid mattress.
No matter which type you purchase, you’ll likely find the best prices at an online retailer.
If you’re flexible, wait to buy your new mattress until late winter or early spring, when many companies are running promotions. May is considered the best time to get a good price on a mattress.
However, if you need a new mattress now, look around for any current promotions or coupon codes before you buy.
You’ll want to consider several factors when choosing which size mattress to purchase. First, your budget: The bigger the mattress, the more expensive it is. After that, consider the size of your bedroom. Can you fit all of your furniture if you opt for a king bed?
You’ll also want to consider whether you share your bed with another person, your sleeping style, and your body type.
Expect to pay anywhere from $500–$1,500 for an affordable queen mattress. Some picks may be even cheaper, but they might not last as long.
The cheapest type of mattress is typically made from memory foam.
It doesn’t hurt to lie down on a mattress in a store before buying. You’ll want to make sure the firmness feels comfortable for you.
Testing the edge support is also a good idea. Lie on the mattress and see if you feel like you’re going to roll off.
However, being able to test out a mattress at home over the course of 1 or 2 months is just as important so you know how comfortable the mattress really is night after night.
Nowadays, you don’t technically have to try out a mattress before you buy. Make sure you note a company’s trial period or other guarantees. This tells you how long you can test the mattress to see if it works for you.
Many companies offer free delivery and free takeaway if a mattress doesn’t work out. But make sure you know this in advance to save yourself the annoyance if you need to return it.
One of the most obvious signs is waking up with pain in your back, shoulders, or hips. If you can’t get comfortable going to sleep, or if your mattress sags or feels lumpy, it may be time to upgrade.
Some other signs could be a squeaking noise when you move around in bed, worsening allergies, or a smell coming from the mattress.
With the affordable mattress market only getting more competitive, you have plenty of options to get the feel of higher end mattresses at prices that don’t break the bank.
When you’re shopping, be sure to prioritize features that suit your sleeping style. Take advantage of generous at-home trials to find the right mattress to fit your budget.