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Buying a mattress used to be a lot simpler: You’d visit a brick-and-mortar retailer that sold mattresses, speak with someone about your sleeping preferences, and choose out of four or five available brands that were in your price range.
These days, it’s common (sometimes even expected) to order your mattress on the internet without ever trying it in person.
But with the increasing number of mattress brands on the market today, narrowing down the best mattress for you can start to feel impossible.
Leesa and Purple are both mattress brands that are fairly new to the market. Both claim to be superior in comfort, provide advanced cooling while you sleep, and give you enhanced support through proprietary technologies.
So, how can you know which one (if either) is best for you?
We took a close look at the consumer reviews, customer service reputations, construction, and materials for Leesa and Purple mattresses.
If you’re debating between the two brands, this article is here to help you decide.
| Purple | Leesa | |
|---|---|---|
| Price range for entire line | $599–$3,998 | $499–$2,149 |
| Size run | Most Purple mattresses come in a full size range, from twin to split king. | Most Leesa mattresses (with the exception of the Leesa Legend) come in a full size range, from twin to Cal king. |
| Mattress types offered | Purple mattresses are available in foam and hybrid types, all with their signature gel “Grid.” | Leesa offers two memory foam mattresses and two hybrid mattresses. |
| Trial and warranty | Each mattress comes with a 100-night trial and 10-year limited warranty. | Each mattress comes with a 100-night trial and 10-year limited warranty. |
| Delivery | Purple mattresses come compressed in a box. They offer free delivery to the contiguous U.S. | Leesa mattresses come compressed in a box. They offer free delivery to all 50 states. |
| Certifications | Purple mattresses contain CertiPUR-US certified foam. | All foams used in Leesa mattresses are CertiPUR-US certified. Leesa is also B-Corp certified. |
Purple and Leesa mattresses have a lot in common — but they also have a few important differences.
Materials
The Leesa line offers two types of memory foam mattresses and two types of hybrid mattresses.
All of Purple’s mattresses, whether foam- or spring-based, include the brand’s signature “Purple Grid” (which we’ll explain below).
Price
As a general rule, the Leesa line is more affordable than Purple.
Retail availability
Leesa only has two storefronts, but they’ve partnered (as of 2020) with West Elm and Pottery Barn, so you can try out the mattresses in either of those stores.
Purple is more widely available. The company is partnered with stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Macy’s, Mattress Firm, and more.
Of course, you can shop both brands online.
For this review, we compared the Purple Mattress (formerly the Purple 1) with the Leesa Original Mattress, which are both modern, foam-based mattresses with no innerspring.
The Purple Mattress
- Height: 9.5 inches
- Size options: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
- Firmness rating: Medium firm
The Purple Mattress isn’t your typical bed in a box, mostly because of one thing: the company’s signature, patented, gel-foam “Grid.” (The gel foam is purple, hence the brand name.)
This material has a very different feel than memory foam mattresses. The highly responsive gel foam is intended to provide relief to your body’s pressure points and do some gravity-redistributing magic, so you feel supported and “floaty.”
Purple also likes to highlight that the mattresses are made in the United States, and that their materials are food-grade and nontoxic (just in case you want to take a bite of your mattress).
Who is it for?
Traditional memory foam mattresses tend to not be recommended for people with higher body weight.
But the Purple Grid doesn’t seem to have this limitation, as many reviewers with higher body weight rave about the support they get from their Purple Mattress.
Reviewers with chronic hip, back, or shoulder pain often love the Purple Mattress, saying it feels like the Grid is aligning their spine.
Buy the Purple Mattress online.
The Leesa Original Mattress
- Height: 10 inches
- Size options: Twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
- Firmness rating: Medium firm
The Leesa Original Mattress is half an inch thicker than the Purple Mattress, topped with what Leesa calls “comfort foam.”
Beneath the “comfort foam” is a layer of memory foam, which is intended to provide responsiveness and pressure point relief. Under the memory foam is “support foam” that gives the mattress stability.
This three-layer construction is simple. It’s made to provide a traditional memory foam feel with a more modern, durable design that suits a variety of sleeping styles.
The Leesa Original Mattress also has a gray cover made of soft twill fabric, which instantly gives it a luxe feeling. It’s designed and manufactured in the United States, though some materials are imported from other countries before being assembled.
Who is it for?
Leesa mattresses are more likely to be a fit for side and combination sleepers who like a medium-soft mattress and the hugging feel of memory foam.
Like most traditional memory foam mattresses, Leesa probably won’t be comfortable if for people with higher body weight.
Purple
Purple ships directly to you from their factory in the United States. If you order within the contiguous United States, shipping is free.
The mattress comes rolled and compressed in a box that’s 5 feet tall and weighs around 100 pounds.
You may opt to upgrade to Purple’s white-glove delivery service to have the mattress set up in your home and your old mattress removed. This costs extra unless you get one of the larger mattress options, in which case it’s complementary.
Leesa
Leesa offers free delivery to all 50 states. The mattress will arrive compressed in a box, and it will be heavy. You’ll need to allow a few hours for the mattress to expand before you sleep on it. It will reach its full firmness within a day or two.
Leesa also offers white-glove delivery service for $150, which includes setup of your new mattress and disposal of your old mattress.
Purple
Purple offers a 100-night trial to decide whether you want to keep the mattress. However, there are some caveats:
- Purple requires that you have the bed for 21 days before the return process can be initiated.
- Purple will only take the mattress back if it’s clean and not damaged.
- Purple allows one exchange per mattress purchase. Similar to the return policy, you have to initiate the exchange before the 100-night trial is up but after 21 days have passed.
- In some cases, Purple allows you to donate your returned mattress.
The 10-year limited warranty on the Purple Mattress only covers defects or damage to the mattress caused by the factory. Anything that exceeds what Purple deems “normal use” of the mattress voids the warranty.
Leesa
Leesa offers a 100-night trial and a limited warranty (which covers craftsmanship and factory defects). There are some caveats to Leesa’s return policy, too:
- You must wait 30 days from the date your mattress arrives to initiate a return.
- Only undamaged, unstained mattresses qualify for a return.
- Mattresses that are returned to Leesa are typically donated to a family or child in need. That means there’s typically no cost to ship the mattress back to Leesa. (If you’re in Alaska or Hawaii, there is a fee for the return.) In some cases, Leesa will even allow you to donate it yourself.
Leesa and Purple both use foams that are CertiPUR-US certified. This means that a third-party nonprofit has evaluated the foams in the mattress and found them to be safe and eco-friendly.
It’s the industry standard certification for mattresses that use memory foam and other types of foam.
It’s also worth noting that Leesa is B-Corp certified. This means the brand meets high standards for transparency, accountability, and positive social impact. For every 10 Leesa mattresses sold, one is donated.
Purple
For the most part, Purple has a decent reputation for customer service. Of course, that doesn’t mean that everyone is pleased with their mattress.
Purple is a Better Business Bureau accredited business. The brand is ranked below 2 out of 5 stars by previous customers. Purple also hasn’t been in business for very long, having been founded in 2015.
Purple doesn’t currently have any pending or recent lawsuits from customers or any current recalls of their products.
Leesa
Leesa is a relatively new company with only 6 years in business. It’s accredited with the Better Business Bureau and is ranked 1 star out of 5 for customer service.
Before you let that scare you off, keep in mind that there are only three customer ratings currently on the BBB site.
There are currently no recalls or pending lawsuits associated with Leesa.
Purple
Some reviewers feel that the mattress isn’t particularly durable, saying that the gel grid doesn’t offer the same firmness after a year or so of consistent use.
Other reviewers were disappointed with the edge support of the mattress, saying that the gel grid collapses and pushes outward on the edges.
If you’re a side sleeper, stomach sleeper, or combination sleeper who gets hot during the night, it seems you’re less likely to fall in love with the Purple Mattress.
Purple currently has a 3.4 ranking out of 5 stars on Trustpilot.
Leesa
Based on reviews, the Leesa Original Mattress is far less polarizing than the Purple Mattress.
Reviewers who are side sleepers and who share their bed with a partner may be especially pleased with the motion isolation and responsiveness this bed offers.
Several reviewers said that Leesa isn’t as breathable as it claims to be. This is pretty subjective according to your sleeping preferences, but it’s worth being aware of if temperature is a big concern for you.
Leesa has a 1.8 rating on Trustpilot. Several reviewers point out that they liked Leesa’s products but were disappointed in the customer service.
If you are a combination or stomach sleeper, have chronic pain, or just want to try something that feels like no other mattress you’ve had before, Purple might be the winning choice for you.
It’s slightly more expensive and may not be for everyone, but you do have the option to return it within 100 days.
If you’re looking for a mattress that’s simple, versatile, and low risk, Leesa might be more of what you’re looking for. Leesa is a safe choice that appeals to a wide variety of sleepers, and it feels luxurious and stable to sleep on.