Full mattresses (75" X 53") are both shorter and narrower than Queen mattresses (80" X 60"). Their smaller size makes them a good option for saving floor space, equipping guest rooms, or upgrading a child's bed from a Twin. Single people and couples looking for a cheaper or less bulky option might also want a full-size mattress. If you sleep with a partner, sharing the smaller surface of a full bed can make you feel warmer and mean you feel it more when your partner rolls over or gets out of bed. However, if you know what to look for, the right full-size mattress can offer great performance, often at a much lower price. Here are some things to consider when choosing a full-size mattress:
- Support and Pressure Relief: You'll want a mattress with the right balance of support and pressure relief for you. To ensure a mattress is suitable for how you sleep, look for a score of at least 7.5 for your weight category and sleeping position.
- Edge Support: Sturdy edges help maximize comfortable sleeping space, which is especially important if you sleep with a partner. To find models with solid sides, look for an edge support score of at least 7.5.
- Cooling: A mattress that dissipates heat efficiently will help keep hot sleepers cool. If feeling overheated prevents you from falling or staying asleep, look for a cooling score of at least 8.0. If you sleep with a partner, look for a higher score of 8.5 if you're concerned about cooling, since sharing a smaller sleeping surface can make you feel warmer.
- Motion Dissipation: Motion dissipation is particularly important for couples. Motion doesn't have to travel as far to bother you on a full-size mattress, so if you sleep lightly, look for a mattress with a score of at least 8.0 for good motion dissipation.
We've tested more than 55 mattresses, and below you'll find our recommendations for the best full mattresses. We test queen-size mattresses, but the feel and performance of a mattress should be the same across sizes if the construction is the same. To recommend full-size mattresses, we've focused on models with good edge support, cooling, and motion dissipation. For more options, check out the best mattresses-in-a-box and the best memory foam mattresses.
We've tested over 55 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.
-
Best Full-Size Mattress
Side Sleeping8.2Back Sleeping7.4Stomach Sleeping7.2Cooling8.2Motion Dissipation8.2See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium (44 Pa/mm)The Helix Midnight Luxe 2025 is the best full-size mattress we've tested. It's best-suited for single sleepers or for people who want a comfortable mattress for an often-occupied guest room. It's a versatile option with great performance for side sleepers and provides at least decent support for a range of body types, making it a satisfactory choice for most back/stomach sleepers as well. This mattress's edges are reinforced with stiffer springs, providing fantastic edge support and maximizing comfortable sleeping space.
Most of the foam in the mattress is dense and good-quality, which will help it resist forming permanent indentations and maintain its performance longer. It offers great cooling, so it's a suitable option if you sleep hot and you're not sharing with a partner. Similarly, its great motion dissipation performance will help prevent you from feeling smaller movements, like a cat jumping onto the foot of the bed. However, couples sharing a full-size bed may want stronger cooling and motion dissipation.
-
Best Full-Size Mattress For Back/Stomach Sleeping
Side Sleeping6.4Back Sleeping7.6Stomach Sleeping8.0Cooling8.1Motion Dissipation7.5See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Firm (81 Pa/mm)If you sleep on your back or stomach, consider the Sleep On Latex Pure Green Organic instead. This very firm mid-range mattress offers impressive support for most people, so whatever weight category you're in, it'll do a great job of supporting your hips and keeping your spine aligned for comfortable back and stomach sleeping. Average-weight and heavier people in particular will get much better support versus the Helix Midnight Luxe 2025. This foam mattress's all-latex design helps make it very durable, so you can rely on it maintaining its support performance without sagging, and its fantastic edge support will help make the full-size sleeping surface feel a little bigger.
However, it's not as versatile as the Helix. The springy, firm comfort layers won't let side sleepers sink in enough for proper pressure relief. It's also not the best option for couples. While it offers good motion isolation, you'll feel your partner's movements more, which is especially noticeable when sharing a full-size bed. Similarly, while its great cooling makes it suitable for single people who sleep hot, couples may want a stronger performance if cooling is a concern.
-
Best Full-Size Mattress For Couples
Side Sleeping7.9Back Sleeping7.7Stomach Sleeping7.6Cooling8.4Motion Dissipation9.0See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium (46 Pa/mm)You might prefer the Tuft and Needle Mint if you're looking for a full-size mattress for you and a partner. This mid-range all-foam mattress isn't as supportive as the Sleep On Latex Pure Green Organic overall, so it's less ideal for average-weight and heavier side stomach sleepers in particular. Otherwise, though, it's a comfortable option for a range of body types and sleeping positions. It also offers outstanding motion dissipation, which is especially important when sharing a relatively small full-size mattress. You won't feel most of your partner's movements, and while you might feel bigger moves, like someone getting into bed, you'll only feel motion briefly, and the mattress won't wobble or bounce.
This mattress offers impressive edge support, giving you more room to comfortably share without feeling at risk of falling out of bed. It only contains good-quality foam, which will resist sagging longer than lower-quality, less-dense foam. It's also cooling enough for most people, though if cooling is a priority for you, you may want even better cooling from a full-size mattress that you're sharing with a partner.
-
Best Full-Size Mattress For Cooling
Side Sleeping6.3Back Sleeping6.6Stomach Sleeping6.6Cooling9.7Motion Dissipation7.7See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Firm (51 Pa/mm)The Purple Mattress is the best full-size mattress we've tested for cooling. This mattress is well-suited for average-weight and heavier side sleepers as well as lighter back/stomach sleepers. If you sleep hot and it suits your sleep style, you might prefer it to the Tuft and Needle Mint. It offers outstanding cooling, so it feels cool when you first get into bed, and it maintains a refreshing feel overnight. It's especially worth considering if you sleep with a partner and one of you sleeps hot, since a more cramped sleeping surface makes cooling even more important. However, it doesn't offer the same fantastic motion isolation as the previous pick, so your partner's movements will be more noticeable.
The grid-shaped comfort layer helps give the mattress its fantastic cooling and has a responsive feel that makes it easy to move around on. However, you'll feel the shape of the rubbery grid, which gives it a different feel that some people won't like. The mattress's edges are sturdy enough that you won't feel pushed out of bed if you sleep near the edge. However, it's worth noting it's not as versatile as the Tuft and Needle. It'll be uncomfortable for lighter side sleepers and unsupportive for heavier and average-weight back and stomach sleepers, so it's not an ideal choice if you want a crowd-pleasing mattress for a guest room.
-
Best Full-Size Mattress For Back Pain
Side Sleeping7.2Back Sleeping7.1Stomach Sleeping7.0Cooling7.3Motion Dissipation8.2See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium (47 Pa/mm)If you're looking for a mattress that might help with back pain, consider the Big Fig Mattress. While you might have heard that firmer is better when it comes to mattresses for back pain, research shows that Medium or Medium-Firm mattresses with a balance of support and pressure relief are more likely to help. This Medium hybrid mattress is also one of the most durable we've tested, with four layers of good-quality or high-quality foam. This will help it maintain its feel and support for longer, so you're less likely to experience back pain because of a sagging mattress in a few years.
It offers good support for lighter people, making it a suitable option for lighter back and stomach sleepers. The moderately enveloping comfort layers help it provide good pressure relief for average-weight and heavier side sleepers. The mattress has excellent edge support, so you can comfortably spread out over the whole sleeping surface. However, its cooling is just decent, so it's not the best full-size mattress for couples, especially if one of you sleeps hot.
See our other article for more mattresses suitable for people with back pain.
-
Best Budget Full-Size Mattress
Side Sleeping8.1Back Sleeping7.0Stomach Sleeping6.6Cooling8.0Motion Dissipation8.6See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Plush (36 Pa/mm)If you're looking for a budget-friendly full-size mattress, consider the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid. This Medium-Plush mattress is best suited for side sleepers and lighter back/stomach sleepers. Its versatile performance for lighter people makes it worth considering if you're looking for a comfortable option for a teenager who's outgrown a twin-size bed, and its good overall performance makes it suitable for single people and couples looking for an affordable option.
This hybrid mattress has excellent motion dissipation, so you won't feel most of your partner's movements, and movements don't make it wobble or bounce. The edges of the support layer use stiffer coils, so you can comfortably sleep near the side of the bed. Its cooling performance is good enough to keep most people comfortable, although it's not ideal if you sleep hot and often have difficulty falling asleep because of the heat. Also, it's not as durable as the previous picks, and its lower-quality foam layers may show signs of wear sooner compared to mattresses with denser foam.
If you want to see more budget-friendly options, check out our recommendations for the best affordable mattresses.
-
Best Cheap Full-Size Mattress
Side Sleeping6.7Back Sleeping7.3Stomach Sleeping7.5Cooling8.3Motion Dissipation8.8See all our test resultsFirmness Level:Medium-Firm (54 Pa/mm)Consider the Allswell Hybrid if you're looking for an inexpensive full-size mattress. This Medium-Firm mattress is more supportive than the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid for most people, making it a better option for back and stomach sleeping overall. Its firmer feel makes it less ideal for side sleeping, as it won't provide enough pressure relief for many people, but it's a good choice for heavier side sleepers. You might also prefer its bouncier, less enveloping feel, which makes it feel easier to move around on.
This mattress stands out from other cheap options for its good all-around performance. It has excellent edge support, which helps maximize comfortable sleeping space. Its motion-dissipation performance is also amazing, so you'll feel even fewer of your partner's movements, and it's cooling enough for most people. However, while it includes some good-quality foam layers, overall, like the previous pick, it's not very durable.
Notable Mentions
-
Boring Hybrid:
The Boring Hybrid is a budget-friendly mattress suitable for average-weight and heavier side sleepers as well as lighter back/stomach sleepers. It's not as suitable for lighter side sleepers as the DreamCloud Premier Hybrid, but depending on your needs, you might prefer it for its bouncier, more responsive feel, which makes it easier to move around on.
See our review -
Saatva Latex Hybrid:
The Saatva Latex Hybrid is a high-end mattress with a latex comfort layer, making it very durable. It's very cooling and offers balanced support and pressure relief for a range of sleeping positions and body types. However, its motion dissipation is much worse than that of the Helix Midnight Luxe 2025, which will be especially noticeable on a full-size mattress, and makes it not so great for couples.
See our review
All Reviews
The recommendations above are what we currently think represent the best full-size mattresses for most people. Along with test results, we factor in visitor feedback, availability, and, of course, price.
Of course, the best mattress for you depends on your sleeping position, body type, and specific preferences, like cooling and motion dissipation. If you'd like to choose yourself, here's a list of all of our mattress reviews.