If there’s one thing I know about online mattress-shopping, it’s that it can be expensive. That’s why I created this guide for the best mattresses under $500. Though they differ in terms of style, design, and construction, the beds in this roundup are built to be as good for your sleep as they are for your wallet.
I’ll walk through my selections, then cap things off with a quick methodology detailing what I like to look for when mattress-shopping on a budget. And just so you know, the $500 price tag I’m alluding to here refers to the cost of a Queen-size mattress (sometimes after discounts).
Best Mattresses Under $500 – Top 4 Picks
- Best Hybrid Mattress – Lucid Hybrid
- Best Cooling Mattress – Dreamfoam Essential
- Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers – Novilla Vitality
- Best Mattress for Couples – Allswell
Lucid Hybrid 10"
Dreamfoam Essential Wanderlust Memory Foam
Novilla Vitality Mattress
Allswell Mattress
Rating
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Firm: 7.5/10
Firm: 7.5/10
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Material
Hybrid
Foam
Hybrid
Hybrid
Cooling
--
--
--
--
Sleep Position
Combination
Back
Back & Stomach
Back & Stomach
Best Hybrid Mattress – Lucid Hybrid
The Lucid Hybrid has a buoyant top layer of gentle latex that overlays sections of memory foam and pocketed coils, This creates a structure that’s both lively and pressure-relieving.
The Lucid Hybrid has a buoyant top layer of gentle latex that overlays sections of memory foam and pocketed coils, This creates a structure that’s both lively and pressure-relieving.
The Lucid Hybrid has a buoyant top layer of gentle latex that overlays sections of memory foam and pocketed coils, This creates a structure that’s both lively and pressure-relieving.
Lucid Hybrid 10"
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
30 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Lucid Hybrid 10"
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
30 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Lucid Hybrid 10"
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Trial Period
30 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
If you’re on the prowl for an affordable hybrid mattress, I’d suggest checking out the Lucid Hybrid, which combines plush memory foam with pocketed coils for a one-two punch of pressure relief and support. You can choose from either a 10”- or 12”-tall model, with the 12” being slightly more expensive than the 10”.
Pros
- The Lucid Hybrid should satisfy a wide range of sleepers, especially those who switch between their back and side in the night.
- Back sleepers should be fine on either size option, though strict side sleepers will probably enjoy the extra inches of foam on the 12”.
- The memory foam has been infused with charcoal, which helps to dissipate body heat and keep you cool.
Cons
- Despite the support from below, the Lucid Hybrid may not be the best fit for strict stomach sleepers, who could sink more deeply into the mattress as their sleep cycle progresses. They may need a firmer option.
Learn more by checking out my full Lucid Hybrid mattress review. You can also click here to get the best deal, or see our best hybrid mattress page for more options.
Best Cooling Mattress – Dreamfoam Essential
The Dreamfoam Essential is a very affordable memory foam mattress that is available in multiple heights and firmness levels.
The Dreamfoam Essential is a very affordable memory foam mattress that is available in multiple heights and firmness levels.
The Dreamfoam Essential is a very affordable memory foam mattress that is available in multiple heights and firmness levels.
Dreamfoam Essential Memory Foam Mattress
Material
Foam
Trial Period
120 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Dreamfoam Essential Memory Foam Mattress
Material
Foam
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
120 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Dreamfoam Essential Memory Foam Mattress
Material
Foam
Firmness
Multiple firmness options
Trial Period
120 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
This all-foam bed dreamed up by Brooklyn Bedding is designed with cooling in mind. The chill vibes kick off with a layer of memory foam infused with gel, which helps to dissipate body heat as you lie down for the night. Beneath that, you’ll find a layer of higher-density foam for added support. While memory foam has a reputation for sleeping hot, the gel infusion and open-celled construction of the foams work together to keep temperatures low.
Pros
- The Dreamfoam Essential is available in five different heights (6″, 8″, 10″, 12″, and 14″), allowing the bed to appeal to a variety of sleeping positions.
- Side sleepers in need of pressure relief should be happy with the all-foam construction, and will likely be most comfortable on the 12″ or 14″ model.
- Back sleepers are probably best-suited for the 6″, 8″, or 10″ models.
Cons
- Heavier sleepers over 250 lb will probably not find the support they need on the Dreamfoam. Instead, they may want to peruse our roundup of best mattresses for heavy people.
Does the Dreamfoam sound like a dream? We’ll have a full review coming soon! In the meantime, you can click here to get the best deal, or see our best cooling mattress page for more options.
Best Mattress for Stomach Sleepers – Novilla Vitality
The Novilla Vitality Hybrid Mattress is a budget friendly, bed-in-a-box mattress with its queen size coming in at less than $500! It's made with a combination of cooling gel memory foam and wrapped coils for some outstanding cooling and comfort.
The Novilla Vitality Hybrid Mattress is a budget friendly, bed-in-a-box mattress with its queen size coming in at less than $500! It's made with a combination of cooling gel memory foam and wrapped coils for some outstanding cooling and comfort.
The Novilla Vitality Hybrid Mattress is a budget friendly, bed-in-a-box mattress with its queen size coming in at less than $500! It's made with a combination of cooling gel memory foam and wrapped coils for some outstanding cooling and comfort.
Novilla Vitality Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
30 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Novilla Vitality Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
30 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Novilla Vitality Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Firm: 7.5/10
Trial Period
30 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Stomach sleepers usually need a good deal of support and firmness to ensure that they don’t sink too far into the bed. Novilla’s hybrid Vitality mattress stands out in both of these departments, scoring a high 7.5 out of 10 on the firmness scale and creating a strong foundation at the bottom of the bed with a layer of independent springs. For some extra support, they’re stacked on top of a stretch of high-density base foam. Strict stomach sleepers should be plenty comfortable, as should combo sleepers who switch between their backs and stomachs.
Pros
- There’s also some contouring and slight pressure relief in the first two layers of memory foam and comfort foam.
- Hybrid mattresses tend to sleep cool because of their construction, and the Novilla Vitality goes the extra mile with an infusion of cooling gel and a soft, breathable cover made of bamboo rayon fiber.
- The cover is hypoallergenic and designed to ward off dust mites and mold.
Cons
- Side sleepers will probably find the Novilla Vitality to be far too firm.
- It isn’t the best bed for couples. The edge support is fairly low and, like many other hybrids, it isn’t the best at isolating motion.
For more on this mattress, check out the full review of the Novilla Vitality hybrid. You can also click here to get the best deal, or see our best mattress for stomach sleepers page for more options.
Best Mattress for Couples – Allswell
I’d recommend the Allswell for anyone who wants some serious bounce from their mattress. The innerspring coils make this bed easy to move around and change positions on.
I’d recommend the Allswell for anyone who wants some serious bounce from their mattress. The innerspring coils make this bed easy to move around and change positions on.
I’d recommend the Allswell for anyone who wants some serious bounce from their mattress. The innerspring coils make this bed easy to move around and change positions on.
Allswell Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Allswell Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Allswell Mattress
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year limited warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
When thinking about beds for those who share their sleep space with a partner, I like to consider a few different criteria, namely firmness, motion transfer, and edge support. And in my opinion, the Allswell mattress excels in all three. This makes it an excellent choice for couples.
Pros
- The Allswell is medium firm, providing a nice middle ground for couples with different comfort preferences.
- It performed super-well on my motion transfer test, which means folks shouldn’t be too bothered by their bedmate’s tossing and turning.
- This mattress has fantastic edge support, allowing both partners to stretch all the way to the outer edges of the mattress.
Cons
- Side sleepers may not be especially comfortable on the Allswell, as they’ll probably need more cushioning around their shoulders and hips.
- Heavier sleepers over 250 lb might find the transition from the top layers of foam to the coils below to be uncomfortable.
For a deeper dive, check out my full Allswell mattress review. You can also click here to get the best deal, or see our best mattress for couples page for more options.
How I Chose the Best Mattresses Under $500
Materials
Below, I’m going to break down a few of the materials used in the construction of these beds, describing not just how they feel, but also how expensive they tend to be.
- Memory foam has a slow response to pressure, which provides plenty of space for folks to sink in for relief at the shoulders and hips. Many describe memory foam as having a contouring “hug,” so it could work particularly well for folks who like to feel more “in” their bed than “on top” of it. In terms of price, memory foam can be expensive, mostly because it’s a super-dense material. But, if you’re able to find a mattress that pairs memory foam with a less-expensive material, you could reap all its benefits at half the cost.
- Poly foam has a quicker response to pressure than memory foam, so it establishes a firmer and bouncier feel. Though poly foam doesn’t have nearly as many comfort benefits of memory foam (no sinkage, body-contouring, or deep pressure relief here), the material is pretty affordable. So, I’d recommend snagging a mattress that uses this material somewhere in its design to help cut down on the overall cost.
- Latex is an eco-friendly foam option that’s soft, bouncy, and naturally cooling. There are a ton of benefits to latex, so it tends to be expensive, especially if it’s the primary material used in a bed’s construction. One way to get it at a budget price is to look for a latex-foam alternative. Several brands have developed their own take on all-natural latex, so keep your eyes peeled as you investigate your potential mattress’ construction specs.
- Hybrid mattresses combine foam layers with either pocketed coils or springs. For this reason, they’re typically pretty expensive, though that’s not always the case. If you want a hybrid mattress, you’ll just have to make sure that the foam comfort layers are made from an affordable material (see above).
- Innerspring mattresses are made almost exclusively from tall steel coils (though some beds do feature foam comfort layers or pillow top sections). This makes them one of the least expensive mattress options on the market. If you’re looking to really cut down on the overall price of your bed, you could go with an innerspring…as long as you don’t mind a firm, bouncy, and ultra-supportive feel.
Pressure Relief
We talked about this measure a little bit above, but pressure relief refers to how well (or not well!) a mattress is able to alleviate tension at sensitive spots like the shoulders, hips, and lower back. It could be especially important for those who experience pain or doze primarily on their sides.
So, how can you score high-quality pressure relief on a cheap mattress? By paying attention to the materials in the comfort layers. If you need a bed that’s deeply pressure-relieving, I’d recommend looking for mattresses built with either quilted pillow-top layers or thick sections of memory foam. Either material is worth the splurge if you’re a sleeper who regularly wakes up with aches and pains in the night.
I also recommend trying out a new mattress for at least two weeks before committing to it. Thankfully, a lot of direct-to-consumer online brands have generous trial periods that allow folks to do just that. This can also help with concerns of pulling the trigger too fast on a purchase!
Support
Though definitions of support vary, I like to think about it in terms of spinal alignment. If a bed is truly supportive, it will be able to lift the hips in line with the shoulders, establishing a straight line all across the body.
To determine the support level of your mattress, pay extra-close attention to the foundational core of the bed. In my opinion, pocketed coils and steel springs are some of the most supportive materials around. Not only do they lend their structures a ton of firmness and bounce, but they actively work to position the sleeper more “on top” of the bed than “in” it. If you’re a back sleeper or someone who likes to move around at night, you’ll really want to dig into the construction specs of your mattress to find out what its base is made of.
I’d also note that mattresses with three or more layers tend to be more supportive than mattresses built with single-layer or two-layer designs. This creates more space for folks to sink into the structure, providing a more nuanced or “balanced” vibe. A lot of budget mattresses only feature two layers, so be on the lookout for ones that utilize more materials.
Buying
If you’re still struggling to find a mattress that’s within your budget, let me leave you with a few buying tips you can use to land on a fantastic and affordable bed.
- Don’t focus on name brands: Sure, they might be backed by flashy advertisements and celebrity endorsements, but that doesn’t speak to how comfortable they actually are. Focus on the materials and your own sleep needs and you might be surprised by the “no-name” mattresses you discover.
- Look out for warranties: Nowadays, there are plenty of online companies that equip their mattresses with lifetime warranties, which ensures that your bed will be fixed or replaced if it’s ever damaged. This can help soften some of the initial shock of an initially high price tag, especially if it means you’re covered basically forever.
- Shop around the holidays: Perhaps one of the biggest industry secrets is that a lot of bedding brands have huge savings around the holidays. And not just Christmas or Thanksgiving (Black Friday and Cyber Monday), but around President’s Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day, too.
- Utilize our coupons: Did you know that Sleepopolis has year-round discounts on some of the most popular mattress brands? Snag some major savings by taking a peep at our mattress coupons page.
Our Methodology
We’ve reviewed more than 220 products in our mattress lab, running each one through tests such as pressure-mapping and measuring motion transfer with a seismometer. From there, we give every bed an overall score based on materials, comfort, support, cooling, and edge support. We also factor in brand performance with categories such as value and warranty.
For this particular roundup, we naturally chose mattresses where a Queen-size costs less than $500 after discounts. We then focused on the category of value, stacking how well each mattress performs against how much it costs. With all of that in mind, we then only selected beds that have an overall score of 3.5 out of 5 or higher. And of these five products, three of them scored a 4 or higher. Jump back to our mattress picks or click here to learn more about our methodology.
Summary: The Best Mattresses Under $500
| Mattress | Best For | Price (Queen) | Coupon | Review |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Hybrid | Hybrid | $422 | Check Coupon Page | Read Our Review! |
| Dreamfoam Chill | Cooling | $393 | Dreamfoam Coupon | Full Review Coming Soon! |
| Novilla Vitality | Stomach Sleepers | $441 | Check Coupon Page | Read Our Review! |
| Allswell | Couples | $449 | Allswell Coupon | Read Our Review! |
