This comparison has been a long time coming! I get a lot of questions about the Saatva and Purple mattresses, so I decided to answer everything right here and now. These are high-quality beds with some pretty sophisticated stuff going on under the hood. In general, they both feel great and sleep comfortably, but the question remains… which one is better for you?
To find out, we’re going to go over every last inch of these two mattresses. By the end, you’ll know exactly what I think of both products as well as my recs for whom I think might like them most.
Without any further ado, let’s get started!
[Note: In all references to the Saatva, we are talking about the Luxury Firm version.]
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Purple and Saatva Similarities
Saatva and Purple definitely have their unique selling points. There are some things, however, that both products bring to the table.
- Medium firmness – Both of these mattresses have a balanced mix of lift and give. The Saatva gets its support from two layers of coils, while the Purple uses HD poly foam.
- Bounce – Speaking of lift, I’d say that both of these beds are also pretty bouncy. Though they achieve it in different ways, there’s definitely a lot of buoyancy at play in these mattresses.
- Luxury styling – You may end up preferring one of these mattresses over the other because of your sleeping style. However, both of them feel great to the initial touch, which speaks to the quality of materials in the Saatva and the Purple.
Mattress Materials
We’ve taken a look at what makes the Saatva and Purple similar. Now let’s look at what makes them different by pulling back the covers and seeing what lies beneath. We’ll go into the basics here, but you can always check out my full Saatva Mattress review and Purple Original Mattress review for more details on each mattress.
Saatva
Cover – The organic cotton in the cover is cozy and durable, which inspires confidence in the rest of the bedding. You also get an airy texture that should help you feel and sleep cool.
Pillowtop – A pillowtop layer of memory foam and pocketed coils provides comfortable contouring around your body as well as some lift to keep you from sinking too deeply into the structure. Memory foam is known for sleeping hot, but Saatva manages to keep the mattress cool without giving up any of the advantages.
Base – The steel coils here give shape to the mattress, creating support below the pillowtop layer without creating stiffness in the mattress. You get that classic bounce that you expect from an innerspring mattress. The coil-on-coil layering provides two separate “textures” for the innerspring system, which works together to provide mobility to the sleeper.
Edge Support – HD poly foam wraps the entire mattress structure, maximizing the useable surface area of the Saatva. The result is that the bed feels a bit bigger. If you sleep with a partner, this means more room. If you’re a restless sleeper, this means more space to roll around.
Thoughts: The Saatva gives sleepers a traditional innerspring feel with a plush cotton cover. The overall effect is a good balance between support and comfort with the luxury feel of quality material throughout.
Purple
Cover – The combination of polyester, lycra, and viscose creates a hybrid fabric that’s soft, breathable, and sleeps cool. The feel is plush and thick although the cover itself is quite thin.
Comfort Layer – The comfort layer is comprised of 2” of hyper-elastic polymer, which has a quick response to pressure. Though this layer is quite bouncy, it’s also able to contour around the body, providing comfort to the shoulders and hips. The result is an interesting interplay between support and pressure relief.
Transition – 3.25” of HD poly foam separates the firm base from the softer top layers. This cradling support layer helps to position the sleeper on top of the bed without losing the contouring of the comfort layer.
Base – And finally, the base, which is composed of 4” layer of high-density poly foam. This section gives the Purple its shape and foundational support, adding to the overall durability of the mattress.
Thoughts: The Purple’s layering and proprietary hyper-elastic polymer comfort layer help to personalize the sleeping experience to your body type. The poly foam layers provide simultaneous comfort and support, which is a feat many competitors often have trouble with.
Head to Head: Saatva vs. Purple
The Saatva innerspring construction is naturally bouncier than the foam construction of the Purple. It maintains a relatively firm feel, giving back and stomach sleepers much needed support and alignment between the hips, shoulders, and lower back. The combination of springs and firm feel may keep this mattress from being comfortable for strict site sleepers, however.
The foam construction of the Purple actually needs a little bit of weight on it before it activates completely. What I mean to say is that every sleeper is going to interact with this structure differently, as the hyper-elastic polymer grid conforms to the body in a very interesting and specialized way. That being said, its overall vibe is great for combo sleepers, not only because it’s bouncy, but because the contouring grid allows for a consistent feel across multiple positions. Strict side sleepers may also enjoy the Purple as there is good pressure relief at the shoulders and hips.
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How Do These Mattresses Feel?
We’ve got the design of the Saatva and the Purple covered, but how do they feel? We may have touched upon some of these elements briefly above, but now we’ll go into more detail.
Feel is subjective and based on body weight, shape, and size. To get the best results, I always test beds with a few coworkers who run the spectrum. The results you see below are an average of our reports and opinions. We rate firmness on a scale of 1 to 10, with 6.5 being the industry standard for medium firmness.
Saatva
After trying out the Saatva, our average firmness rating was 7/10. This means that it’s slightly firmer than the industry average for medium firmness. There’s great support here for stomach sleepers, who usually need more hip support to keep the upper body in alignment with the lower back. At 190 lbs., I also found that the Saatva felt great when sleeping on my back.
When laying on my side, the Saatva caused a bit of pressure at my shoulders and hips. Side sleepers may wake up with aches and pains because of this. The support from the coils helped me feel free to switch positions, but this mobility comes with a price. Combo sleepers will likely feel less inclined to toss and turn on the Saatva. Its sturdy structure may be a bit too sturdy for the more vulnerable parts of your body (hips, shoulders, lower back, neck).
A small reminder that we’re only looking at the Luxury Firm Saatva, here. The brand also sells softer and firmer versions of this same mattress, which could be good for those strict-position sleepers in the bunch.
The Saatva mattress combines a luxurious pillow-top layer with two sections of coils for that classic innerspring feel.
Purple
The original Purple had a feel similar to the Saatva when I was on my back, even though our average firmness score was 6.5/10. I felt as though the mattress kept my hips and spine in a well-aligned position; however, you may need a bit more weight to activate the contouring features of the Purple. The hyper-elastic polymer is a bit bouncier than the pillowtop memory foam layer of the Saatva, which makes it feel more like a waterbed.
When I turned onto my side, I felt some really nice pressure relief at my shoulders and hips, enough so that I’d readily recommend the Purple for strict side sleepers. I could also change positions easily because of the bouncy nature of the hyper-elastic polymer grid. Strict stomach sleepers may need more support to avoid bowing in the back. However, if you don’t stay on your stomach for very long, the initial feel of the mattress is comfortable.
The Purple has nice bounce as well as a medium mix of support and pressure relief that makes it a great pick for the combo sleepers out there.
Saatva vs Purple vs…
Now that we’ve gone over the flagship Saatva and Purple mattresses, let’s compare them to other mattresses manufactured by the brands. How do our entries hold up? Take a look at my breakdown below to find out!
Zenhaven
- The Zenhaven is a flippable mattress with two different firmness ratings: one side 6/10 and the other 7.5/10.
- The latex in the layering is bouncy and sleeps cool.
- The mattress uses all-organic materials, which could be a big plus for eco-friendly sleepers.
- The Zenhaven is more expensive than the Saatva, with a range between $1,299-$2,499.
- Read all about it at my Zenhaven full review or check out my full Saatva comparison.
Purple 2, 3 & 4
- The numbered Purple mattresses correspond to the height of the hyper-elastic polymer comfort layer, with 2 being the firmest and 4 being the softest.
- The numbered Purple mattresses have a traditional pocketed coil spring construction, which makes for a bouncier mattress than foam.
- The Purple 2 is best for stomach sleepers, the 3 best for combo sleepers, and the 4 is best for side sleepers.
- The numbered Purples are more expensive than the original Purple, with the range coming in between $1,299 – $3,499..
- Read all about it at my Purple mattress full review or hop on over to my Purple comparison.
Is the Saatva or Purple Mattress Better?
Well, this is the end of our Saatva vs. Purple comparison! We’ve gone through construction, feel, and even compared our mattresses to their bedding siblings. So, which one of these mattresses will give you the best sleeping experience? This decision is yours, but check out my insights below for a bit more information.
Overall, I think the Saatva could be a great choice for those after a more traditional innerspring feel. The firm support of the coil-on-coil construction lends itself well to the needs of back and stomach sleepers, who will likely find that the springs position the spine in a healthy, neutral alignment.
The hyper-elastic polymer allowed me to sink into the Purple mattress a bit more, meaning it will be better for strict side sleepers than the Saatva. I felt much less pressure buildup at my shoulders and hips when testing out the Purple, which could save you from aches and pains in the morning. Additionally, the Purple also sleeps a bit cooler than the Saatva because of its breathable cover and unique polymer layer.
Since the Saatva and the Purple have different construction features, you will need to take note of the differences in shipping as well. The Saatva does not compress because it is an innerspring mattress, but you can get free white glove delivery. The Purple does compress because it is a bed-in-a-box. You will need to let the mattress decompress for a few hours before attempting to build it or sleep on it.
FAQ: What’s the difference between Innerspring & Memory Foam mattresses?
To wrap things up, I’ll quickly go over my favorite features of each mattress. Hopefully, these will help you make your final decision between the two!
Saatva
- If you want that bouncy innerspring feel without giving up the convenience of online delivery, this is the mattress for you.
- You can sleep all the way to the edge of the bed because of the great edge support.
The Saatva mattress combines a luxurious pillow-top layer with two sections of coils for that classic innerspring feel.
Purple
- The grid structured hyper-elastic polymer is unique to Purple and gives a great balance between comfort and support.
- The heavier you are, the more this bed cradles you. However, you don’t lose out on support!
The Purple has nice bounce as well as a medium mix of support and pressure relief that makes it a great pick for the combo sleepers out there.
How Much Do the Saatva and Purple Cost?
Well, that’s all for the Saatva vs. Purple comparison! If you have any more questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to leave a message on the video.
| Size | Purple | Saatva |
|---|---|---|
| Twin | $649 | $799 |
| Twin XL | $699 | $999 |
| Full | $899 | $1,299 |
| Queen | $999 | $1,399 |
| King | $1299 | $1,799 |
| California King | $1299 | $1,799 |
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