11 Best Cheap Mattresses

A quick look at our top cheap mattress picks

• Best overall cheap mattress: Nectar Memory Foam Mattress | Skip to review
• Best cheap mattress for back pain: Saatva Classic Mattress | Skip to review
• Best cheap mattress for side sleepers: Helix Midnight | Skip to review
• Best cheap mattress in a box: Casper Element Mattress | Skip to review
• Best cooling cheap mattress: Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress | Skip to review
• Best latex cheap mattress: Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex | Skip to review
• Best cheap mattress on Amazon: Tuft & Needle Original Mattress | Skip to review
• Best hybrid cheap mattress: The Allswell Luxe Hybrid | Skip to review
• Best natural cheap mattress: Avocado Green Mattress | Skip to review
• Best cheap mattress for pressure relief: Nolah Original | Skip to review
• Best memory foam cheap mattress: Zinus Cooling Comfort Plus | 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.

How we chose the best cheap mattresses

• Affordability. The most important consideration was finding luxury performance at an accessible price. Each mattress is $1,500 or under, and many are 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.

Pricing guide

Pricing for mattresses depends on what size you’re looking for. We based our price comparisons on a standard queen mattress without any sales pricing.

• $ = under $750
• $$ = $750–$1,000
• $$$ = over $1,000

Healthline’s picks of the best cheap mattresses

Best overall cheap mattress

Nectar Memory Foam Mattress

• Price: $$
• Type: foam
• Trial period: 365 days
• Warranty length: lifetime
• Height: 11 inches
• Who it’s good for: combination sleepers, warm sleepers

The Nectar Memory Foam mattress packs in a bunch of luxury features at a great price, like a quilted cover made from super soft and sustainable Tencel fibers, as well as a gel memory foam layer to promote airflow and keep you cool.

The mattress is great for nearly every sleeping position, as the gel memory foam provides close body contouring and great pressure relief. The foam construction is good for motion isolation, so you won’t get woken up by a partner or pet moving around.

Not to mention, Nectar has an industry-leading 365-day trial period and a lifetime warranty, a huge perk when selecting a new mattress.

Buy the Nectar Memory Foam Mattress online.

Best cheap mattress for back pain

Saatva Classic Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: hybrid
• Trial period: 180 nights
• Warranty length: 15 years
• Height: 11.5 inches or 14.5 inches
• Who it’s good for: sleepers with back pain

A 2015 study found that medium-firm mattresses can help promote sleep comfort in people with back pain. Most mattress companies call their medium-firm mattresses “luxury firm,” or say they fall between a 5 to 7 on a 10-point firmness scale. The Saatva Classic Mattress has a luxury firm option, making it a good choice for those with back pain.

Even better, Saatva mattresses are specifically designed for a pain-free sleep, and this hybrid mattress is approved by the Congress of Chiropractic State Associations. It has a unique memory foam layer designed to relieve lumbar tension.

Reviewers with back pain and arthritis say this mattress balances softness and support.

This mattress is one of the more expensive options on our list, likely due to the hybrid construction and different materials used. Even so, it’s still priced lower than many luxury hybrids on the market.

Buy the Saatva Classic Mattress online.

Best cheap mattress for side sleepers

Helix Midnight

• Price: $$$
• Type: hybrid
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Warranty length: 10-15 years
• Height: 12 inches
• Who it’s good for: side sleepers

Side sleepers need a balance of pressure relief and support. Both the Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe are made specifically with side sleepers in mind and have targeted support for the hips, shoulders, and neck.

The top memory foam layer relieves pressure and keeps your spine aligned, while the middle wrapped coil layer is designed to cradle and support your body. The result is an award-winning, but still affordable, mattress.

Buy the Helix Midnight online.

Best cheap mattress in a box

Casper Element Mattress

• Price: $
• Type: foam
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 10 inches
• Who it’s good for: sleepers on a budget

Casper is a leader in the affordable bed-in-a-box marketplace, and this entry-level mattress is a simple, yet versatile, option. The top layer of foam in the Casper Element is perforated, promoting airflow to reduce heat. The second layer is a dense base to provide support.

Reviewers rave about the unbeatable price and smart packaging of the Casper Element, as well as the great motion isolation.

But this mattress may be too soft for stomach sleepers, who might feel extra pressure in their hips and lower back when sinking into a softer mattress.

Buy the Casper Element Mattress online.

Best cooling cheap mattress

Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: foam
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 10 inches
• Who it’s good for: hot sleepers, combination or side sleepers

The Cocoon Chill is a bed-in-a-box option from Sealy, one of the oldest and most reputable mattress brands. Its unique stretch-knit cover is designed to respond to temperature changes, dissipating heat when your body feels hot and retaining heat when it feels cool.

This three-layered mattress adapts to your body and sleeping style while still bouncing back and allowing movement.

The medium-soft feel of the Cocoon Chill is a good choice for combination or side sleepers.

Even though this mattress gets great reviews, some reviewers complain that it doesn’t have the best edge support — which is how supportive a mattress feels when you sit on or lie near the edge of it.

Buy the Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress online.

Best latex cheap mattress

Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex

• Price: $$$
• Type: latex foam
• Trial period: 120 nights
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 10 inches or 12 inches
• Who it’s good for: sleepers with back pain, those who like a bouncier sleep surface

Latex mattresses are known for their bounce and responsiveness, conforming to your body’s contours while also snapping back to shape when you roll over or get up.

They can also be great for reducing pain: A 2017 study showed that latex mattresses can be better than memory foam mattresses at reducing pressure on the torso and backside.

The Elements Latex has impressive features at a stellar price point for a latex mattress. It comes in two thicknesses and three firmness options, all made with OEKO-TEX class 1 certified Talalay latex over a dense foam base.

Reviewers like this alternative to an all-foam mattress for its firmness and gentle bounce.

Keep in mind that this mattress doesn’t have an innerspring system, so some people with more weight may not get the support they need.

Buy the Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding Elements Latex mattress here.

Best cheap mattress on Amazon

Tuft & Needle Original Mattress

• Price: $$
• Type: foam
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 10 inches
• Who it’s good for: back sleepers

A high quality, affordable mattress with Prime shipping? Say no more. This adaptive foam mattress has over 15,000 reviews on Amazon with a 4.4-star overall rating. Its proprietary foam adjusts to your sleeping position throughout the night and helps distribute weight evenly, making it a solid choice for back sleepers.

This medium-firm option provides good support for your back, shoulders, and neck.

Tuft & Needle offers the same 100-night sleep trial on Amazon that’s offered on the company website, which isn’t always the case with other mattress brands.

Buy the Tuft & Needle Original Mattress online.

Best hybrid cheap mattress

The Allswell Luxe Hybrid

• Price: $
• Type: hybrid
• Trial period: 100 nights
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 12 inches
• Who it’s good for: all sleeping positions, shoppers on a tight budget

Hybrid mattresses are made with both foam and innerspring elements. These types of mattresses may suit many body types, because the springs offer more support than an all foam mattress.

The Allswell Luxe Hybrid is made of two top foam layers designed to relieve muscle and joint pain. The top memory foam layer is antimicrobial and infused with copper to reduce heat. The third layer is made of 8-inch individually wrapped coils that provide support, including exterior rows for extra support along the edges of the mattress.

This mattress could be a great option if you’re a back or stomach sleeper, as the firmness keeps your back and hips elevated and helps with alignment.

Reviewers also say the mattress works well for combination sleepers and partners with different sleeping styles.

One note here: Allswell doesn’t say anything on the company website about how the mattresses comply with federal flammability standards.

We spoke with a customer service representative, who told us that this mattress does meet federal flammability requirements. They confirmed the brand uses a mixture of chemical fire retardants, which meet CertiPUR-US standards, and natural retardants, like fire-resistant rayon and polyester.

Buy The Allswell Luxe Hybrid online.

Best natural cheap mattress

Avocado Green Mattress

• Price: $$$
• Type: hybrid
• Trial period: 1 year
• Warranty length: 25 years
• Height: 11 inches or 13 inches
• Who it’s good for: all sleeping positions, those who want an organic mattress

Every Avocado mattress is Greenguard Gold certified, meaning they meet strict third-party emissions standards for chemical exposure and pollutants. The Avocado Green Mattress also features organic latex, cotton, and wool, and comes in a vegan option without wool.

This hybrid mattress has a latex top layer and a second layer of individually pocketed coils, arranged in five ergonomic zones. Both the latex and coils provide bounce and support for your shoulders, hips, spine, and knees.

The Avocado Green Mattress comes in a standard 11-inch style and a 13-inch pillow top version, which many reviewers say adds the necessary cushioning for side sleepers.

Buy the Avocado Green Mattress online.

Best cheap mattress for pressure relief

Nolah Original

• Price: $$$
• Type: foam
• Trial period: 120 nights
• Warranty length: lifetime
• Height: 10 inches
• Who it’s good for: side and back sleepers, warm sleepers

The Nolah Original 10-inch mattress is designed to be as cooling as it is pressure relieving. According to the brand, it’s made with temperature-neutral foam that dissipates heat 20 percent faster than far more expensive memory foams.

Plus, the microscopic air bubbles in the company’s patented foam distribute body weight more evenly, which means less pressure on points like the shoulders, hips, and back. If you’re a side or back sleeper, that makes the Original an option worth considering.

The mattress is a 5 to 6 on the firmness scale, so it has a comfortable middle-of-the-road feel that works well for most sleepers.

You can put it to the test at home with Nolah’s 120-night trial.

Buy the Nolah Original Mattress online.

Best memory foam cheap mattress

Zinus Cooling Comfort Plus

• Price: $$$
• Type: foam
• Trial period:100 days
• Warranty length: 10 years
• Height: 10 inches
• Who it’s good for: hot sleepers

Zinus is known for affordable mattresses, and this option is a standout. It’s made with cooling gel-infused foam and green tea extract, which helps neutralize odors to keep your mattress smelling fresh night after night. Plus, the foam is CertiPUR-US certified, so you can breathe easy knowing it meets standards for safety.

The mattress comes with a 100-night trial window and free shipping, plus a 10-year warranty.

Reviewers praise the mattress’s cool feel and medium firmness, but some note that it never fully inflated in the corners.

Buy the Zinus Cooling Comfort Plus Mattress online.

How our top picks compare

What to consider when shopping for an affordable mattress

• Sleeping position: Mattresses aren’t one size fits all, so be sure to pick one that fits your specific sleeping style. Side sleepers should look for a mattress that contours to their body and keeps their spine aligned, while back sleepers may want something firmer that supports their neck, back, and hips.
• 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 and narrow your search that way. 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.
• 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.
• 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. Almost all mattresses these days, especially foam ones, just need a flat surface to perform well, not a box spring or fancy base. Think about whether your new mattress will work with your existing bed frame and linens.
• 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. A good mattress should last around 10 years, so use that as a benchmark for warranty length.
• Firmness level: You’ll want to purchase a mattress with a firmness level that suits your sleeping style. If you sleep on your back, for example, you may prefer a firmer surface for support. Side sleepers should opt for something with a little more give.
• Pressure relief: If you’ve ever gone to sleep thinking a mattress is very comfortable, only to wake up the next morning with aches and pains, chances are you aggravated your pressure points as you slept. 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. You’d be surprised at the wide variety of sounds a mattress can make. A mattress could be the most comfortable one you’ve found, but the squeaks and squawks of a noisy mattress will cause you sleepless nights. Mattresses with springs and coils tend to be the noisiest, so scrutinize them.

What to expect from an affordable mattress

One of the most affordable types of mattress 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 have the tendency to sag or become lumpy.

However, memory foam mattresses can be quite affordable as well and can 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.

What factors can affect the price of a mattress?

Mattress prices might seem confusing, but several factors contribute to the sticker price:

• Size. For starters, a twin mattress will be less expensive than a queen mattress of the same construction because of the additional materials necessary to make it.
• Materials. Less expensive mattresses use more basic materials, such as foam. They may also have springs and not use much padding. Higher end mattresses may use latex and other high quality materials, like organic cotton or wool.
• Location. Where you purchase your mattress can also greatly affect price. Brick-and-mortar stores will typically have higher prices than online-only retailers.
• Policies. Any mattress company that offers flexible return policies and generous warranties will most likely cost more than those without trial periods and lengthy warranties.

Other expenses to consider

When budgeting for your new mattress, consider other potential costs, such as:

• Bed frames and headboards. Will you also be purchasing a new bed frame, or perhaps a new headboard? Factor these into the total cost.
• Bedding. If you’re upgrading to a bigger bed, you’ll also need to purchase new sheets, a comforter, and possibly a new mattress topper or pillows.
• Box spring. Find out if the mattress requires a box spring. Not all mattresses do, but they can add to the cost.

When to get a good deal on a mattress

If you can hold out for a sale, holidays are the best time to get a good deal on a mattress. You may find a mattress that’s out of your price range for a steal if you time it right. Or you can easily upgrade to a bigger mattress for the price of the smaller one.

Some of the biggest holidays to save on a mattress include:

• New Year’s Day
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Black Friday
• Cyber Monday

Frequently asked questions

If you’re purchasing a mattress for the first time, here are a few common questions you may have.

What’s the best type of affordable mattress?

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. Latex is typically bouncier than memory foam, but also more expensive. 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.

What’s the best time of year to buy a mattress?

If you’re flexible on your timeline, 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 can’t wait, look around for any current promotions or coupon codes before you buy.

What size mattress should 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. After that, consider the size of your bedroom. Can you fit all of your furniture if you opt for the king bed?

Other considerations will include whether you share your bed with another person, your sleeping style, and your body type.

What’s a good price for a mattress?

Expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $1,500 for an affordable queen mattress. Some picks may be even cheaper, but they might not last as long.

Which type of mattress is usually the least expensive?

The cheapest type of mattress is typically made from memory foam.

Should you test out a mattress before you buy?

Of course. 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.

Therefore, with the expansion of online mattress buying, 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 take-away if a mattress doesn’t work out. But make sure you know this in advance to save yourself a headache if you need to return it.

How do you know if it’s time to buy a new mattress?

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.

Takeaway

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.

Sara Wilson is a freelance journalist interested in health policy, wellness, and politics. Her work has appeared in Morning Consult, MarketWatch, Sojourners, and others. She is a graduate of the University of Alabama and Northwestern University. She loves historical fiction, long trips to a museum, and chatting with her 8-year-old cat Ethel. Follow her on Twitter.