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When you’re shopping for a mattress, you’ve got options — lots of them. Two brands you may have come across in your search are Casper and Zinus.
While these two brands have similarities, like offering both hybrid and foam models and using materials with safety certifications, they’re also vastly different in terms of pricing and construction.
Let’s take a closer look at how Casper and Zinus compare. We’ll cover their pros and cons, customer service reviews, and everything else you need to know to make the best choice for a restful and relaxing night of sleep.
Casper is one of the most well-known bed-in-a-box companies. They’re famous for their hybrid and foam models.
In contrast, Zinus may be a more under-the-radar company. However, the price point on their mattresses is affordable, ensuring that almost everyone can find one in their budget.
| Casper | Zinus | |
| Types | hybrid and foam | hybrid, spring, and foam |
| Price range for queen size | $595–$2,595 | $164–$729 |
| Certifications | CertiPUR-US | CertiPUR-US and OEKO-TEX Standard 100 |
| Known for | breathable, ergonomically supportive foam mattresses | well-priced mattresses and a wide variety of choices |
Casper offers four different mattresses, while Zinus has 19.
In this review, we’ll compare the four Casper mattresses to the Zinus options that they most closely parallel.
Pricing guide
Prices in this review are based on queen-size mattresses.
- $ = under $500
- $$ = $500–$1,000
- $$$ = $1,001–$2,000
- $$$$ = over $2,000
Casper
Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress
- Price: $$$$
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 13 inches
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
The Wave Hybrid Mattress is Casper’s most supportive option. Casper says it’s best for back strain, and reviewers seem to agree.
Some reviewers liken sleeping on this mattress to sleeping on a cloud, suggesting it provides a plush feel.
While most reviews are positive, there are some complaints about long delivery times.
Casper Nova Hybrid Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 12 inches
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
The Nova Hybrid Mattress is Casper’s most plush offering. The perforated foam is designed to provide airflow while the springs offer support.
Reviewers say the mattress is extra comfortable and cool, while still being supportive.
Most customers seem satisfied with their purchase, but some say they don’t feel it’s worth the price tag.
Casper Original Mattress
- Price: $$$
- Type: Hybrid or foam
- Height: 11 inches
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
The Original Mattress is Casper’s most popular mattress option. It’s designed with softer foam around the shoulders and firmer foam under the lower body. You can choose an all-foam version or a hybrid version.
Customers say this mattress is pillow-like or “marshmallow-like,” suggesting it has a soft memory foam feel. They also say it has good motion isolation. So, if you sleep with a partner, you shouldn’t feel them moving around.
Casper Element Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: Foam
- Height: 10 inches
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California king
Casper’s most affordable option, the Element Mattress, is an all-foam pick.
Reviewers mostly say it feels firm, so it may be best for those wanting a very supportive surface. Some people say it’s too firm, bordering on hard.
Customers also describe the mattress as breathable, thanks to the perforated memory foam.
Zinus
Zinus Pressure Relief Olive Oil Memory Foam iCoil Hybrid Mattress
- Price: $$
- Type: Foam
- Height: 12 inches
- Sizes: Full, queen, and king
This memory foam mattress from Zinus is a firm choice. Some reviews say it feels like an 8 on a 10-point firmness scale and that it’s firmer than they expected.
Most reviews are positive, with some saying the mattress helps with body pain and that it’s a good value.
Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam iCoil Hybrid Mattress
- Price: $
- Type: Hybrid
- Height: 10 or 12 inches
- Sizes: Twin, full, queen, king, and California king
Zinus rates this mattress a 5.8 on a 10-point firmness scale, meaning it has a medium feel.
Most reviews for this mattress are positive, with people saying it offers a great value for the price, and that it helps alleviate body pain upon waking up.
Though it’s a hybrid mattress, customers report there’s not much bounce. They also mention some customer service complaints, saying they had issues with delivery time and damages.
Some reviewers also say the mattress doesn’t fully decompress upon opening.
Zinus Pressure Relief Cloud Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $
- Type: Foam
- Height: 8, 10, or 12 inches
- Sizes: Twin, full, queen, and king
This mattress comes in three different thicknesses, with the thinnest mattress being firmer and the thickest one being plush.
Reviewers say this mattress is a great value, whether it’s being used in a guest bedroom or it’s being slept on nightly.
Many people call it comfortable and say it’s easy on aches and pains.
Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress
- Price: $
- Type: Foam
- Height: 6, 8, 10, or 12 inches
- Sizes: Twin, twin XL, full, short queen, queen, king, and California king
This mattress comes with lots of options. Not only can you choose from four thicknesses, but you can also get it in harder-to-find sizes, like short queen.
Reviewers call the mattress comfortable and liken it to sleeping on a cloud. Some negative reviews note premature sagging.
When you purchase a mattress directly from Casper or Zinus, here’s how they arrive at your door.
Casper
Most Casper mattresses are shipped via UPS. At checkout, specify whether you’d like a signature required at delivery.
If you opt out of the signature requirement, the Casper mattress will be left outside your door (and the company will not be liable for damage or loss).
Another option is in-home delivery and setup for $149. This option is only available for king or California king Wave Hybrid Mattresses.
If you choose in-home delivery, a Casper delivery partner will schedule the delivery date directly with you. During a 4-hour delivery window, they’ll bring your mattress to the desired room, remove it from the box, and dispose of the packaging.
If you have an old Casper mattress, you can also arrange for it to be removed at the same time. However, they won’t take away mattresses from other brands.
Zinus
Shipping on Zinus mattresses is available in the 48 contiguous United States. It’s free and takes 5–12 business days via FedEx Ground.
However, there’s no expedited shipping or date-specific delivery at this time. Your mattress will arrive in a box and will likely be left on your doorstep.
Memory foam mattresses arrive compressed and rolled up in a box. You’ll have to bring the box up to the intended bedroom on your own. Once you unroll the mattress and remove the wrapping, wait 48–72 hours for it to fluff up to the proper size. (It’s still okay to sleep on it right away.)
Zinus won’t remove old mattresses. Instead, they recommend checking into furniture donation programs or disposing of it with your waste management company.
Both Casper and Zinus offer generous return policies and warranties.
Casper
Casper mattresses come with a 10-year limited warranty, which includes:
- deterioration that results in indentations greater than 1 inch, provided the mattress is on a proper foundation or base
- physical flaws that result in the foam splitting and cracking
- manufacturer zipper defects in the mattress cover
After purchasing the mattress, Casper offers a 100-night sleep trial.
To start a return, you’ll need to call the company’s support phone number or email them. At that point, they’ll arrange a pickup for the mattress (to be donated or recycled), and you’ll receive a full refund within 2 weeks.
Zinus
Zinus offers a 10-year worry-free limited warranty, which covers all new mattresses purchased from an authorized retailer. During the warranty period, you’ll receive either a replacement or prorated refund.
There are several instances where the warranty is invalid, such as if the mattress is misused or placed on an improper foundation or base.
Zinus offers a 100-night sleep trial upon delivery.
If you’re unhappy with the mattress at that time, the company requests that you donate or dispose of it on your own. After doing so, provide proof of the disposal via a donation receipt or photo of it in the trash, and you’ll be issued a refund in 2–5 business days.
Zinus is sold through other online retailers, like Amazon. In that case, contact the partner site for their specific return window and policies.
To ensure their safety, mattresses from both brands meet necessary flammability tests, as required by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission.
In addition, Casper and Zinus hold the following certifications.
Casper
Casper mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified.
This means the materials are made without ozone-depleting substances, certain flame retardants, mercury, lead, or other heavy metals, formaldehyde, and certain phthalates.
Zinus
Zinus mattresses also hold CertiPUR-US certification.
Some mattresses are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, meaning that all materials were tested for harmful substances.
Casper
Casper is an accredited business with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They have an A+ rating. Customer reviews (which are independent of the BBB rating) give Casper 2.58 out of 5 stars.
While a class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of investors against Casper Sleep, Inc., this involves the company’s initial public offering, not safety concerns with the mattresses.
There have also been patent cases between Casper and other major mattress brands.
Zinus
Zinus is not a BBB-accredited business. It has an F rating and an average customer review of 1.22 out of 5 stars.
There is a current alert for Zinus. According to the BBB, there are complaints that mattresses sag after a few months. As well, the 100-night sleep trial and return policy is difficult to understand.
As of June 2019, the BBB said they did not receive a response from Zinus. However, the Zinus return and trial policy is available on their website as of this date.
In November 2020, Zinus issued a voluntary recall of their metal bunk bed for fall and injury risks. The company will ship users a repair kit to fix the issue.
Regarding their mattresses, a class action lawsuit was filed in 2020, claiming that, when mattresses are unzipped and the cover is removed, they expose glass fibers that can cause injury and allergic reactions.
These glass fibers are apparently used as a fire retardant, according to the law firm that filed the class action against Zinus.
This proposed class action lawsuit was filed in federal court, and they are awaiting approval of class certification.
In response to fiber glass complaints from customers on their website, Zinus says that there’s a tag on the mattress that specifically notes the cover is not removeable.
Casper
On Casper’s website, reviews are overwhelmingly positive.
When going to an independent site, like Trustpilot, the reviews are also great. On Trustpilot, Casper has an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars from about 6,000 reviews.
That said, there are also some poor reviews. Complaints concern sagging, poor quality, shipping and delivery issues, as well as poor customer service.
Zinus
When it comes to Zinus, their ratings on the company’s own website are good. Most average 3 or 4 stars, but some mattresses are not rated at all.
Based on the number of ratings and the average star rating, the Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress and Cooling Gel Memory Foam iCoil Hybrid Mattress are their most popular mattresses.
On Trustpilot, 25 percent of Zinus reviews are excellent (for the company as a whole), and 75 percent of the reviews are poor or bad.
Customers cite issues with the mattress not inflating to its full size, sagging, long delivery times, and alleged non-adherence to the warranty.
When choosing a Casper or Zinus mattress, analyze your budget. Both companies offer value options, but Casper mattresses are more expensive overall.
Next, decide if you’d like a memory foam or a hybrid (a combination of foam and coils). Then, consider your preferred firmness level (firm, medium, soft). Both Casper and Zinus offer foam and hybrid mattresses at various firmness levels.
If you’re a hot sleeper, look for a cooling mattress like the Zinus Cooling Gel Memory Foam iCoil Hybrid Mattress or the Casper Wave Hybrid Mattress.
You might also want to consider whether you’ll be sleeping on the mattress every night, or if you’re using it in a guest bedroom.
If you’re looking for a guest bed, a budget mattress might do the trick. If you want something to sleep on nightly, you may want to consider investing a little more if you can.
Finally, know that many Zinus mattresses don’t come in a full range of sizes. Your options may be limited if you’re looking for a non-standard size.
Casper is one of the more popular bed-in-a-box brands for a reason, and while there are complaints, customers generally seem satisfied.
It appears that Zinus may have to work out their customer service issues, as well as allegations of sagging and dipping. Still, Zinus offers a large variety of direct-to-consumer mattresses at affordable prices.
Jessica Migala is a freelance writer specializing in health, nutrition, and fitness content. She lives in Chicago with her husband, two young sons, and rescue pup. Find her on LinkedIn or on Instagram.