Shopping for a mattress online can make it easier for you to find a bed that matches your needs. Buying a bed online is also usually more convenient and less expensive than buying one from a brick-and-mortar mattress store. However, with so many options online, purchasing a mattress online can feel daunting for many shoppers.
We’ll go over the pros and cons of buying a bed online, the steps to find the right mattress for you, and our top picks for the best online mattress.
Buying a mattress online is one of the most accessible and least expensive ways to buy a mattress, but the sheer amount of options on the market can make it difficult to choose the perfect bed for you. I recommend taking your preferred sleeping position and body weight into consideration to help narrow down your choices.
Sleep Doctor’s Picks
Best Overall
Saatva Classic
Sleep Doctor
4.7
Details
Trial Length 365 Nights ($99 Return Fee)
Warranty Lifetime, Limited
Trial Length / Warranty
365 Nights ($99 Return Fee) / Lifetime, Limited
Type Innerspring
Firmness Soft (3), Medium Firm (6), Firm (8)
Price $995 – $2,710
Sleep Doctor’s Take
The Saatva Classic is a luxury innerspring available in three firmness levels and two profiles, ensuring a comfortable option for most sleepers. Premium features such as targeted pressure relief from the pocketed minicoils and extra spinal support from the lumbar pad make the Saatva a standout option.
Highlights
- Available in multiple heights and firmness levels
- Coil-on-coil design delivers significant bounce to promote movement across the surface
- Free White Glove delivery for all orders
Drawbacks
- Couples who prioritize motion isolation may find the coils transfer too much movement
- Some sleepers under 130 pounds may find the mattress doesn’t cushion their bodies enough
With versatile comfort and a high-performance design, the Saatva Classic is one of the best mattresses available online. It comes in three firmness levels: soft (3), medium firm (6), and firm (8). Shoppers can also choose between 11.5- and 14.5-inch profiles.
How Does It Feel?
The Saatva Classic is a modern take on the traditional innerspring mattress design. The quilted pillow-top cover features organic cotton with 3 inches of polyfoam padding and a memory foam lumbar pad, which we found provided added cushioning. A layer of pocketed coils helps cradle key pressure points while responding to your body’s movements, and a thick support core of innerspring coils with reinforced edges provides a durable base.
Why We Like It
Our sleep testers were impressed with the Saatva Classic’s unique construction. They noticed the innerspring design underwent little off-gassing after unboxing, helped dissipate heat during sleep, and provided very good durability. We found the Saatva Classic also performed well where many innersprings fell short. For example, the bed’s pillow-top cover and pocketed coil layer offered our testers very good pressure relief while isolating motion across the bed’s surface.
Our sleep testers who weigh under 130 pounds found the soft (3) Saatva Classic provided excellent comfort for their needs. In contrast, our testers over 230 pounds found the firm (8) version was more comfortable regardless of sleep position.
The Saatva Classic comes with free White Glove delivery that includes in-room set up as well as old mattress and foundation removal. Free shipping is available in the contiguous U.S. The bed is also protected by Saatva’s 365-night sleep trial and limited lifetime warranty. Returns under the sleep trial policy include a $99 return fee.
Best Value
Siena Memory Foam Mattress
Sleep Doctor
4.5
Amazon
4.5
Details
Trial Length 180 Nights
Warranty 10 year
Trial Length / Warranty
180 Nights / 10 year
Type Foam
Firmness Medium Firm (6)
Price $499 – $799
Sleep Doctor’s Take
A balanced feel and affordable price-point make the Siena Memory Foam Mattress appealing to many sleeper types. Most of our side and back sleepers felt comfortable, thanks to deep cushioning from the adaptive comfort system and robust support from the polyfoam base.
Highlights
- All-foam construction offers deep contouring and excellent pressure relief
- Foams respond slowly to absorb movement and reduce motion transfer for co-sleepers
- Below-average pricing for an all-foam bed
Drawbacks
- The mattress may sink too much for many stomach sleepers
- Couples who prefer a responsive surface for sex may find the mattress too plush
The Siena Memory Foam Mattress is an all-foam bed that cradles your body closely while maintaining medium firm (6) support. We found the price-point reasonable compared to other all-foam models with similar quality of construction.
How Does It Feel?
The comfort layer is composed of plush memory foam, followed by 2 inches of firmer polyfoam and a thick high-density foam base. A gel infusion helps the memory foam resist overheating. Another cooling component is the transitional layer, which is channeled to help aerate the bed and offset heat retention in the foam layers. A knit polyester cover encases the mattress.
Why We Like It
During our in-house tests, the mattress earned the highest ratings from testers who sleep on their side and back. We especially recommend it for side sleepers between 130 and 230 pounds and back sleepers under 130 pounds, since these weight groups will receive the perfect amount of pressure relief for the shoulders, hips, and spine without sinking too far into the bed.
Another area where this bed excelled was motion isolation. Testers reported feeling little to no movement when another tester moved around the bed surface. The foam layers also absorb noise well, making this a strong option for co-sleepers who tend to wake each other up with nighttime movement.
Siena offers 180 nights to try out the bed at home. Beyond that, you’ll also receive a 10-year warranty. Residents in the contiguous U.S. receive free shipping.
Most Comfortable
Helix Midnight
Sleep Doctor
4.5
Details
Trial Length 100 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty 10 Year, Limited
Trial Length / Warranty
100 nights (30-night requirement) / 10 Year, Limited
Type Hybrid
Firmness Medium Firm (6)
Price $749 – $1,399
Sleep Doctor’s Take
Many of our testers felt comfortable on the Helix Midnight thanks to the balanced foam hybrid construction and mid-range firmness level. We found the adaptive memory foam comfort layer greatly reduced pressure buildup in the joints. Meanwhile, the pocketed coils and perimeter reinforcement prevented excessive sinkage across the surface.
Highlights
- Foam hybrid design cushions the body without excessive sink
- Reinforced perimeter coils help stabilize the edges
- Below-average pricing for a hybrid
Drawbacks
- Sleepers who weigh more than 230 pounds may find the mattress unsupportive
- Hot sleepers could find the memory foam retains too much heat
The Helix Midnight is a thoughtfully designed hybrid mattress with good support, motion isolation, and ease of movement. This model offers a comfortable sleeping surface for a wide range of sleepers.
How Does It Feel?
The mattress begins with a breathable polyester cover on top of a thick layer of memory foam. This top layer hugs the body and provides good pressure relief. Our testers found the thinner layer of polyfoam added support and helped balance the cushioning of the memory foam layer.
The bed’s support core contains 8 inches of pocketed coils with a reinforced perimeter. Our testers noticed that the core helped improve edge support and allowed air to circulate through the mattress. A final layer of polyfoam helps stabilize the bed and improve durability.
Why We Like It
The layers of the Helix Midnight create a 12-inch, medium firm (6) sleep surface. We found that the balance of contouring and support worked well for our side and back sleepers under 230 pounds. Our stomach sleeping testers under 130 pounds also felt ample support and cushioning with the Helix Midnight design. However, testers over 230 pounds noticed the mattress lacked the support for proper spinal alignment.
For a hybrid mattress, the Helix Midnight is exceptionally quiet when bearing weight. The bed also provides good motion isolation and ease of movement, making this an excellent choice for couples.
The Helix Midnight is made to order in the U.S. and ships for free to all 50 states. Helix backs its bed with the company’s 10-year limited warranty. Each Helix Midnight Mattress also comes with a 100-night sleep trial. If you’re not happy with the bed in the first 100 nights, you can return it for a full refund. However, the sleep trial includes a mandatory 30-night break-in period.
Best Luxury
DreamCloud Premier Rest
Sleep Doctor
4.4
Details
Trial Length 365 nights (30-night requirement)
Warranty Lifetime, limited
Trial Length / Warranty
365 nights (30-night requirement) / Lifetime, limited
Type Hybrid
Firmness Medium (5)
Price $999 – $2,298
Sleep Doctor’s Take
A plush pillow-top surface and thick comfort system give the DreamCloud Premier Rest a luxurious feel. The high-profile hybrid design offers great contouring for sore spots, which our side sleepers thoroughly enjoyed. The adaptive foam layers also absorbed most movement transfer, making it a great choice for couples.
Highlights
- Luxury hybrid with a medium (5) feel
- Cashmere blend cover
- Free sleep accessory bundle with purchase
Drawbacks
- Stomach sleepers may find the medium (5) feel too soft
- Couple who prioritize responsiveness for sex may find the plush surface restricts movement
The DreamCloud Premier Rest is a high-profile, luxury hybrid mattress. We found that the six layers, which add up to a 16-inch profile, create a plush yet supportive sleep surface.
How Does It Feel?
A pillow-top layer includes 1 inch of memory foam and 1 inch of polyfoam sewn into a quilted cashmere blend cover. Our testers noticed that the layer of soft, contouring polyfoam provided additional pressure relief, while the denser layer of polyfoam added support.
The DreamCloud’s support core features a thick section of pocketed coils that we found provided a responsive feel. A final layer of polyfoam rounds out the support core, helping to stabilize the other layers of the bed.
Why We Like It
Together, the layers of the DreamCloud Premier Rest offer a medium (5) firmness level. Our testers found the bed’s construction provided versatile comfort for back and side sleepers, regardless of their body weight. However, we also noticed that the medium (5) feel did not offer enough support for most stomach sleepers over 130 pounds.
Overall, our testing team was pleased with the DreamCloud Premier Rest’s performance. We found that the hybrid construction offered durability, a cooler sleep, and minimal off-gassing. The multilayer comfort system provided above-average motion isolation and pressure relief. Our testers also appreciated that the DreamCloud Premier Rest was very quiet, making it a good choice for couples interested in a luxury hybrid.
The DreamCloud Premier Rest ships for free to customers in the contiguous United States. Each purchase comes with a free sleep accessory bundle, which includes a mattress protector, sheet set, and cooling pillows. The bed is protected by a limited lifetime warranty. The DreamCloud Premier Rest also comes with a 365-night sleep trial, but customers must try the mattress for 30 nights before they can request a return.
Best for Side Sleepers
Layla Memory Foam Mattress
Sleep Doctor
4.4
Amazon
4
Details
Trial Length 120 nights
Warranty Lifetime, Limited
Trial Length / Warranty
120 nights / Lifetime, Limited
Type Foam
Firmness Medium Soft (4), Firm (7)
Price $749 – $1,249
Sleep Doctor’s Take
Our side sleepers thoroughly enjoyed the Layla Memory Foam Mattress’ flippable all-foam design. Adaptive foam layers prevented pressure buildup in their hips and shoulders, while high-density polyfoam helped them maintain healthy sleep posture. Most of our side sleepers felt comfortable on one of the two firmness levels.
Highlights
- Flippable design with medium soft (4) and firm (7) options
- All-foam bed that sleeps cool
- Free shipping to all 50 states
Drawbacks
- Some sleepers who weigh more than 230 pounds may find they need more support
- Hot sleepers could find the foam layers absorb too much heat
The Layla Memory Foam Mattress is a 10.5-inch all-foam bed with a flippable design. One side of the bed has a medium soft (4) feel, and the other side has a firm (7) feel. The medium soft (4) side of the Layla Mattress features 3 inches of copper and gel-infused memory foam as well as 2 inches of zoned polyfoam. The firm side features 1 inch of copper and gel-infused memory foam and 4.5 inches of dense polyfoam.
How Does It Feel?
We found the Layla’s flippable, all-foam design ideal for side sleepers regardless of body weight. The soft side of the Layla Memory Foam Mattress was most comfortable for our side sleeping testers weighing up to 230 pounds, while the firm side worked well for side sleepers over 230 pounds. However, we found the firm side of the Layla provided good support and cushioning for back and stomach sleepers in all weight categories.
The cover is made from a polyester, rayon, viscose, and poly-lycra blend. Our testers liked the cover’s two-tone, geometric design, which made it easy to distinguish the soft side from the firm side.
Why We Like It
As expected from an all-foam bed, the Layla Memory Foam Mattress provides very good pressure relief and motion isolation. Our testers were also surprised by how cool the Layla felt for an all-foam bed. The less contouring firm side was especially good at regulating body heat. The only downsides we noticed were a lack of edge support and ease of movement, which may cause problems for some couples.
The Layla Mattress comes with free shipping to all 50 states. The bed is protected by a limited lifetime warranty. A 120-night sleep trial allows you to try out the bed for three months. If you don’t like the way the Layla Memory Foam Mattress feels, you can return it for a full refund.
Best Cooling
Cocoon Chill Hybrid
Sleep Doctor
4.4
Details
Trial Length 100 Nights (30-Night Requirement)
Warranty 10 Year, Limited
Trial Length / Warranty
100 Nights (30-Night Requirement) / 10 Year, Limited
Type Hybrid
Firmness Medium Firm (6)
Price $839 – $1,699
Sleep Doctor’s Take
Like its name implies, the Cocoon Chill Hybrid is one of the coolest mattresses we’ve tested. A breathable coil system encourages internal airflow, and the cover is infused with phase change material meant to regulate temperature. Our heat guns detected minimal heat buildup on the surface as a result.
Highlights
- Hybrid mattress with a medium firm (6) feel
- Sleeps cool
- 10-year warranty and 100-night sleep trial
Drawbacks
- Some back and stomach sleepers may prefer a mattress with more support
- People who share the bed with a restless sleep partner may find the coils noisy
The Cocoon Chill Hybrid is designed to keep you cool as you sleep. The cover consists of a stretch-knit fabric with integrated phase change material engineered to absorb and disperse body heat. The two layers of memory foam contoured to the shape of our testers’ bodies, cushioning key pressure points.
How Does It Feel?
We found that the Cocoon Chill Hybrid’s pocketed coil support core provided support and responsiveness while improving airflow throughout the mattress. We also noticed the reinforced perimeter added extra edge support and increased the usable surface area of the bed.
The mattress has a 12-inch profile and medium firm (6) feel. Our side sleeping testers reported that the bed’s memory foam comfort system helped relieve pressure on the hips and shoulders. The bed’s supportive yet cushioning surface was also comfortable for back and stomach sleepers under 230 pounds. However, our back and side sleeping testers over 230 pounds felt the Cocoon Chill Hybrid didn’t provide enough support.
Why We Like It
We noticed the design of the Cocoon Chill Hybrid was particularly breathable and cool, providing very good temperature neutrality for our testers who sleep hot. We also found that the bed’s two-layer memory foam comfort system helped the mattress excel at isolating motion and dampening sound, making it a good option for couples.
The Cocoon Chill Hybrid ships for free anywhere in the United States. The bed comes with a 100-night sleep trial that includes a 30-night break-in period. The Cocoon Chill Hybrid is also covered by a 10-year limited warranty.
Why You Should Trust Us
One of the most important products for a restful night’s sleep is a quality mattress. Our team of experts is made up of individuals in different weight categories with various preferred sleeping positions to reflect a wide range of sleeper types.
To give you the confidence to buy a mattress online, we use a data-driven approach to research and evaluate dozens of mattress models. Our team of experienced testers runs each mattress through a series of tests that collect data on important factors like pressure relief, durability, and ease of movement so you can choose the best online mattresses for you.
More Mattress Types
Buying a Mattress Online vs. In-Store
Buying a mattress online has several advantages over purchasing a bed from a traditional brick-and-mortar store. For example, shopping online is more convenient, as customers aren’t limited by a store’s location or business hours. Shopping online also provides a much larger selection. Brick-and-mortar stores typically offer select models from a few brands, whereas shopping online allows customers to browse any brand with an online store.
Moreover, buying a mattress online is usually less expensive. Online retailers typically have lower overhead costs and pass these savings on to their customers to stay competitive. You also have access to a larger selection of budget mattresses when shopping online.
However, shoppers should also be aware of the potential downsides of online mattress shopping. While online retailers often provide generous sleep trials, customers won’t be able to actually test out the mattress until after they purchase it. The break-in period for these mattresses can also take longer, as the beds are usually compressed and vacuum-sealed for shipping. Additionally, shopping online may require more up-front research.
Buying a Mattress Online
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What to Look for in a Mattress Online
The hardest part of buying a mattress online is often finding the right model for your needs. There are a variety of ways to make a purchase, depending on your personal preferences.
Based on Your Budget
Before you begin researching online mattress models, determine your budget. This can significantly narrow your search and make finding the right mattress easier.
Mattresses come in a wide range of price-points. Typical prices range from $600 to $2,000. Keep in mind that a higher price tag doesn’t necessarily mean better quality sleep. You can find quality, comfortable mattresses at any price range.
One major factor that determines price is the mattress type. Beds with simple constructions and materials, such as all-foam models, tend to be less expensive. Mattresses with more complex construction and high-end materials, such as hybrids featuring latex or organic fabrics, tend to be more expensive.
When budgeting for an online mattress, it’s also important to factor in additional costs. For example, shipping costs can be significant. While many online brands offer free shipping, delivery costs can vary depending on the manufacturer and your location.
Based on Your Sleeping Position
After determining your budget, establish which type of mattress would be the most comfortable for you. Mattress comfort is largely subjective, but your sleeping position, body weight, and personal comfort preferences can all influence how comfortable a bed feels to you.
First, consider your favorite sleep position. Side, back, and stomach sleepers each require different features in a mattress. Side sleepers tend to put more pressure on their hips and shoulders, so they need a softer mattress to relieve these crucial pressure points. Back sleepers usually require a medium level of firmness to cushion the body and support the lower back. Stomach sleepers need extra support to prevent the midsection from sagging into the mattress and straining the lower back.
Sleepers should also consider their body weight. Those who weigh less than 130 pounds typically prefer a softer mattress, while sleepers who weigh over 230 pounds usually need the extra support provided by a firm mattress.
How to Buy a Mattress Online
Once you set your budget and know what you need in a mattress, you can start researching brands. Find reputable online retailers and read reviews so you know what to expect from your purchase.
Identify models that fit your budget and meet your comfort preferences. After ordering online, most companies provide shipping information so you can track your bed’s delivery status.
Best Place to Buy Online
When shopping online, it’s crucial that you choose a reputable retailer. This helps ensure the quality of the product and customer service.
There are many direct-to-consumer brands that have excellent reputations for high-quality mattresses and positive customer experiences. These include brands such as Saatva, DreamCloud, Layla, Purple, and Helix. There are also some reputable third-party online mattress retailers, including Amazon, Walmart, and Wayfair.
Before buying, remember to consider a retailer’s shipping, sleep trial, return, and warranty policies. And no matter where you choose to buy, we recommend doing your own independent research and reading reviews from different sources.
Can I Return an Online Mattress?
Many online mattress retailers offer generous return policies as well as a sleep trial and extensive warranty. A sleep trial allows you to try out a bed in the comfort of your own home. If you decide you don’t like the feel of the mattress, you can return it within the sleep trial period for a refund. Many brands offer full refunds, but some may include a return fee.
Not all online mattress brands and retailers accept returns. Be sure to double check the return policy on a mattress before making a purchase.
About The Author
Certified Sleep Science Coach, Director of Product Testing
David is a Certified Sleep Science Coach with a lifelong passion for well-being and health optimization. His interest in sleep developed with the arrival of his son, when sleep suddenly became a precious commodity.
- Position: Side sleeper
- Temperature: Hot Sleeper
- Chronotype: Lion
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