Here are some important things to consider when shopping for the best affordable mattress:
- Support and Pressure Relief: Support and pressure relief are key for spine alignment and comfort. For affordable options, a score of at least 7.0 for your sleeping position and weight range is a good place to start.
- Responsiveness: A responsive mattress makes it easy to change positions while sleeping. Look for a model with a Responsiveness score of 7.5 or higher. A bouncier feel will also help make it easier to move around.
- Motion Isolation: This is important if you sleep lightly or with a partner. Look for an overall score of 7.5 or higher for good motion isolation. If you sleep very lightly, you may want a mattress with an even higher score.
- Cooling: A mattress that stays cool can help you sleep soundly, especially if you tend to overheat. If you sleep hot, consider a score above 8.0; otherwise, a score above 7.0 should keep you comfortable.
- Durability: We consider a Longevity score above 6.5 to be adequate.
The best affordable mattress for you may not check all these boxes, but it should offer a good balance of support and pressure relief for your specific needs and perform well in the areas that are most important to you.
We've tested more than 70 mattresses, and below you'll find the best affordable mattresses for most people. If you're just starting your mattress search, you might be interested in our article on how to choose a mattress. Also see our recommendations on the best Twin XL mattresses or the best mattresses overall.
We've tested over 70 mattresses. We purchase each unit independently from major retailers, just like you, to keep our reviews free of manufacturer influence. Each mattress undergoes the same tests to measure objective data on characteristics like firmness, cooling, and motion isolation, so you can easily compare results. Since we buy all our mattresses, we can tear them down layer by layer and isolate the mechanical properties of every component: quilted tops, foams, coils, and any special materials.
Want to learn more about how we operate? Check out our About Us page.
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Best Affordable Mattress
Side Sleeping7.4Back Sleeping7.4Stomach Sleeping7.5Responsiveness8.3Motion Dissipation8.6Cooling7.9Longevity6.7See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium (42 Pa/mm)Pick if: You're looking for a balance of support and pressure relief and a responsive feel for ease of movement.
Skip if: You're a hot sleeper.The Casper Cooling Select is the best affordable mattress we've tested. This Medium mattress is currently available for about $650 at Costco (U.S.) for a Queen. Its balanced feel and solid support make it suitable for a range of sleepers. You won't sink very far into its comfort layers, so it's not very enveloping, but a mildly contouring feel helps provide enough pressure relief for most side sleepers. It also offers good support for most people, helping keep your hips from sinking in too far and making it a versatile option. Our tests found that it's fairly bouncy and has a responsive feel, unlike some memory foam mattresses, so it feels easy to move around on and won't make you feel constricted.
It's also a reasonably durable option that includes high-quality foam to help it resist forming permanent impressions longer, though a lower-quality memory foam comfort layer reduces its overall longevity. Its excellent motion dissipation prevents you from feeling movement throughout the mattress, so movements like your partner rolling over are less likely to disturb you. It's also cooling enough for most people, though if you sleep hot and want a mattress that feels cool as you fall asleep, you might prefer a mattress with better cooling performance.
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Best Affordable Mattress For Couples
Side Sleeping7.7Back Sleeping7.1Stomach Sleeping6.9Responsiveness9.0Motion Dissipation7.6Cooling7.9Longevity5.5See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Plush (39 Pa/mm)Pick if: You want a mattress for you and a partner.
Skip if: You're a hot sleeper or want a more durable, affordable mattress.If you're looking for an affordable mattress for you and a partner, you might prefer the DreamCloud Classic Hybrid. This Medium-Plush mattress is available for just under $700 for a Queen, and while it's not as durable as the Casper Cooling Select, its fantastic edge support and good motion isolation make it a good option for couples. The very sturdy edges help make the sleeping surface feel more spacious, and good motion isolation makes movements less noticeable. It also offers very good pressure relief, and it's a comfortable option for most side and combination sleepers.
We measured very good cooling overall, so it dissipates heat efficiently enough for most people. However, if you sleep hot, you'll probably want a mattress with slightly better cooling, especially during the first hour you're in bed. Also, it only includes one layer of good-quality foam. The other, lower-quality foam layers aren't as durable and make the mattress more likely to show signs of wear sooner.
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Best Affordable Memory Foam Mattress
Side Sleeping7.7Back Sleeping7.0Stomach Sleeping6.8Responsiveness8.5Motion Dissipation8.7Cooling8.7Longevity6.1See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Plush (40 Pa/mm)Pick if: You're a side or combination sleeper and like the hugging feel of memory foam.
Skip if: You sleep with a partner and want sturdy edge support.If you like the hugging feel of memory foam, you might prefer the SweetNight CoolNest Pro. This all-foam memory foam mattress, available for just under $600 for a Queen, features highly contouring comfort layers that create an enveloping, hugging sleeping surface. Unlike some memory foam mattresses, it's very responsive, so it shouldn't make you feel constricted or stuck in place. Its weak edge support reduces the comfortable sleeping space and makes it less ideal for couples, but very good pressure relief and adequate support make it a good option for side and combination sleepers.
It's also a good choice for hot sleepers looking for an affordable mattress, since it does an excellent job of keeping you cool. Its cooling performance is particularly strong over eight hours, so it's well-suited for people who often wake up later in the night feeling overheated. It also offers excellent motion isolation, so you won't feel most movements, and bigger movements dissipate quickly, so they aren't as noticeable. Also, while most of the mattress is made of good-quality foam, it also includes one layer of lower-quality memory foam, which will likely sag or form permanent impressions earlier.
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Best Cheap Mattress
Side Sleeping6.7Back Sleeping7.3Stomach Sleeping7.5Responsiveness8.1Motion Dissipation8.8Cooling8.3Longevity6.0See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Firm (54 Pa/mm)Pick if: You want a cheap mattress with a bouncy feel for ease of movement.
Skip if: You want a more durable, cheap option.If you want to spend around $300 or less for a mattress, you might prefer the Allswell Hybrid, the best cheap mattress we've tested. This Medium-Firm hybrid's inexpensive price and versatile performance make it suitable for a range of sleepers. You won't sink very deeply into it, but its highly contouring comfort layers help cushion pressure points like your arm and shoulder, and its good support for most people helps keep your spine aligned. Unlike the SweetNight CoolNest Pro, it's bouncy, so your movements feel supported, which is a plus for combination sleepers.
It offers excellent motion isolation, so you won't feel most smaller movements, and bigger movements are mostly felt near the source. It's very cooling, too, though our testers found it's best suited to people who tend to wake up overheated later in the night, rather than those who have trouble falling asleep because of the heat. Unfortunately, it's not extremely durable. It has a couple of layers of good-quality foam and a couple of layers of low-quality foam, so you can expect to notice some sagging as the low-quality layers begin to break down, but, considering the price, this will probably be an acceptable trade-off for most.
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Best Cheap Memory Foam Mattress
Side Sleeping6.2Back Sleeping7.1Stomach Sleeping7.4Responsiveness5.7Motion Dissipation8.2Cooling7.5Longevity6.7See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Firm (69 Pa/mm)Pick if: You want a cheap mattress with a firmer feel and strong motion isolation.
Skip if: You're a hot sleeper or a lighter/average-weight side sleeper.Consider the Zinus Original Green Tea 2025 if you're looking for a cheap memory foam mattress. This Firm all-foam mattress costs a little over $350 for a Queen. It isn't as versatile as the Allswell Hybrid, since its firmer comfort layers don't let you sink in much, and it won't offer enough pressure relief for side sleeping unless you're in the heavier weight category. However, it's supportive enough for lighter and average-weight back and stomach sleepers, and its slow-moving, highly contouring feel makes it a good option for people who like hugging memory foam.
It's also fairly durable, despite its lower price, as it's mostly made of good-quality foam, aside from one layer of lower-quality memory foam. Its impressive motion isolation means you'll mostly feel movement near the source, not all over the mattress, and motion dissipates quickly, so the mattress won't wobble or bounce when someone gets into bed or rolls over. It also does a good job of dissipating heat, so it won't make most people feel overheated, although if you often sleep hot, you'll want a more cooling mattress. Unfortunately, it doesn't have good edge support, so it's not a good option if you want a sturdy surface for getting in and out of bed.
Recent Updates
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Oct 08, 2026 at 09:16 am:
We replaced the Silk & Snow Mattress with the SweetNight CoolNest Pro in the couples category because of a price increase. We also replaced the Novaform ComfortGrande Plus, which is discontinued, with the SweetNight CoolNest Pro as the 'Best Affordable Memory Foam Mattress,' and the Novaform Dreamaway with the Zinus Original Green Tea 2025 as the 'Best Cheap Memory Foam Mattress,' since it's available in more sizes.
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Aug 12, 2026 at 09:31 am:
We updated the picks to focus on 'Medium' options and to include mattresses that are available for under $650 in the affordable categories or under $300 in the cheap categories. We moved the Casper Cooling Select to the top category, replaced the Nectar Classic Hybrid with the less expensive Novaform ComfortGrande Plus, and added the Novaform Dreamaway as the 'Best Cheap Memory Foam Mattress.' The Novaform Legacy and Boring Hybrid were removed as picks.
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Jul 14, 2026 at 11:41 am:
We added the Novaform Legacy as the 'Best Affordable Firm Mattress.' Otherwise, our picks haven't changed.
FAQs
How much should an affordable mattress cost?
We've recommended mattresses that cost $700 USD and less for a Queen-size model in the affordable category. Our best cheap mattresses cost about $350 USD or less for a Queen.
What should I look for in an affordable mattress?
To find a mattress with a comfortable feel for you, look for a score of at least 7.5 for your sleeping position and weight category. If you're looking for an affordable mattress for you and a partner, you'll want a mattress with strong motion isolation, so movements are less noticeable, and good edge support, for maximum comfortable sleeping space.
Are budget-friendly mattresses less durable?
The most durable mattresses include expensive materials like latex or high-density polyfoam and memory foam, and aren't generally available for budget-friendly prices. If you want a very durable mattress, you'll likely have to pay more, but many affordable mattresses include at least some good-quality foam and are reasonably durable.
All Reviews
The recommendations above are what we think currently represent the best budget mattresses for most people. Along with performance results based on our standardized test bench, we factor in visitor feedback, availability, and, of course, price.
That said, the best mattress for you depends on your body type, sleeping position, and preferences. If you want more options to consider, here's a list of all our mattresses sorted by price.