The Best Mattresses to Buy Online in 2021

Everybody needs a good night’s rest, which makes shopping for an online mattress such a stressful endeavor. With a dizzying number of online mattress companies to choose from, those in need of a new mattress have quite a few options to consider in order to find the best online mattress. Thankfully, shopping online for a mattress allows you to do plenty of research before making a decision without the heavy sales pressure you’ll sometimes find in a retail store.

If you’re moving to a new home or apartment, buying a new mattress may be at the top of your priorities. Mattresses are cumbersome to move, and often due for a replacement when you’re changing homes. Online mattresses arrive right at your door, eliminating the need to figure out how to move or store them in between places. A mattress that comes in a box makes delivery and unloading even more convenient when it’s moving time.

The 5 best online mattresses of 2021

Researching which company offers the best online mattress can be prohibitively time consuming. To help you during your move with a mattress, the following guide breaks down the best online mattress companies to help find the best mattress to buy online.

• Best budget-friendly mattress: ViscoSoft React
• Best technology in a mattress: Purple Hybrid Premier
• Best mattress for the environment: Avocado Green
• Best mattress for light sleepers: Nectar Lush
• Best all-around mattress: The Casper

Methodology: To make our selections, we compiled a list of 10 popular mattress brands and evaluated them by price, type of mattress, sleeper type features, shopping perks, and online mattress company reviews. We also looked at online reviews from retail sites such as Amazon (when available) as well as consumer rating agencies such as J.D. Power and Consumer Reports. We then reviewed the research and narrowed down our selections to the top five, assigning each to a specific category based on their respective merits. Prices and features are valid as of March 18, 2020.

Best budget-friendly mattress: ViscoSoft React

Why we chose the ViscoSoft React Mattress
The React Mattress is one of two mattresses offered by ViscoSoft. Prices range from $449 for the twin to a wallet-friendly $749 for a California king. The React is a hybrid-style mattress that features inner coils as well as a top layer of foam. You have the choice between two foam options: heat-dissipating, gel-infused memory foam or body-contouring latex foam. There’s no price difference between the two options and both are adaptable to all sleep positions.

ViscoSoft doesn’t mention firmness specifically, but customer reviews indicate that the mattress sleeps medium-firm. Among the mattresses we analyzed, ViscoSoft had the lowest difference in cost between sizes, and it has the lowest price for a California king, making it the most budget-friendly pick.

ViscoSoft offers a 120-day trial period, during which you can return a mattress for any reason. Orders are fulfilled by Amazon, so there are no delivery or set-up services provided. Shipping is free, and each mattress comes with a 10-year limited warranty. The company has 98% positive reviews on Google, and the mattress holds a five-star rating on Amazon with reviewers touting its value for the money and pain relief.

ViscoSoft React mattress details

• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
• Models offered: Hybrid foam or hybrid latex

Pros and cons of the ViscoSoft React mattress

Best technology in a mattress: Purple Hybrid Premier

Why we chose the Purple Hybrid Premier mattress
Just about every online mattress company touts its advanced technology, but Purple stands out when it comes to design, engineering, and materials. Its most unique feature included on all mattresses is the Purple Grid, a special layer of a patented hyper-elastic polymer that features thousands of cooling open-air channels and pressure-relieving support.

The open grid layer claims to sleep cooler than traditional memory foam mattresses since there’s less surface area to absorb heat. All of Purple’s three mattress models offer this feature, with the top line Purple Hybrid Premier offering a three- or four-inch Purple Grid layer, as well as responsive support coils that provide dynamic pressure relief, support, and durability. The Purple Mattress adapts to all sleeping positions, with the Hybrid Premier model especially ideal for position changers and side sleepers. The mattress is considered to be of medium firmness.

Given its advanced design, the Purple Mattress is on the pricier end of the spectrum with its entry-level twin Purple Mattress costing $649. The luxury Purple Hybrid Premier costs $2,699 for a California king.

Customers seem to love the Purple Mattress. In 2019, the company was recognized by J.D. Power as the best mattress in a box based on customer satisfaction. The company also holds a four-star rating from Consumer Affairs.

Purple offers a 100-night trial period along with a 10-year limited warranty. Purchase of The Hybrid Premier includes in-home delivery and setup for no extra charge and the company will haul away your old mattress.

Purple Hybrid Premier mattress details

• Sizes: twin XL, full, queen, king, California king, split king
• Models offered: The Purple Mattress, The Purple Hybrid, and The Purple Hybrid Premier with three-inch or four-inch Purple Grid.

Pros and cons of the Purple Hybrid Premier mattress

Best mattress for the environment: Avocado Green

Why we chose the Avocado Green mattress
For some folks, getting a good night’s sleep also means knowing that the mattress they’re sleeping on had a minimal impact on the environment. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly mattress, Avocado Green is one of the most sustainable options on the market today. The Avocado Green is a hybrid spring and foam mattress made of organic certified latex, wool, and cotton. The company also makes a vegan version without the wool.

But how does it sleep? According to Consumer Reports, the Avocado Green was the highest-rated mattress of 2019. The firm-feeling Avocado Green performed “superbly” on the rating organization’s side-support and back-support tests. If you’re sensitive to the “off-gassing” smell emitted by other mattresses, you’ll be happy to know that Avocado Green mattresses are free of chemicals like polyurethane, cotton pesticides, and chemical flame retardants.

The Avocado Green has a high entry price point compared to other mattress companies, starting at $899 for a twin-sized bed. The California king price is also on the higher end of other premium hybrid mattresses at $1,779. An optional pillow top that adds extra inches and support is available on all mattresses and ranges in price from $300 to $600. The vegan version, which replaces the wool with organic cotton and latex, is the same price as the original Green mattress.

Avocado offers a generous one-year trial period, as well as a 25-year limited warranty. Free shipping is available by FedEx, or customers can upgrade to in-home delivery and setup for $199.

Avocado Green mattress details

• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
• Models offered: The Green Mattress and the Vegan Mattress

Pros and cons of the Avocado Green mattress

Best mattress for light sleepers: Nectar Lush

Why we chose the Nectar Lush mattress
If the slightest noise or movement disturbs your sleep, the Nectar Lush may be the perfect match for you. The all-foam premium mattress features a cooling cover and gel-coated memory foam to keep you from waking up in a sweat. According to reviewers, the high-quality materials and construction result in an exceptionally quiet mattress so you don’t have to worry about squeaks disrupting your sleep. The high-density foam also claims to cut down on motion transfer, so you’re less likely to be awoken by your sleeping partner. Nectar mattresses are considered good for side and back sleepers, but not so much for stomach sleepers.

The Lush model, which is a step up from the company’s entry-level Nectar Mattress, has a pre-promotional starting price of $1,099 for a twin and runs up to $1,799 for a California king. Nectar was ranked third among online sleep companies for customer satisfaction by J.D. Power last year. Nectar offers a lengthy one-year trial period to try out the mattress, as well as a lifetime limited warranty. With your purchase, you can include setup with white glove delivery for a $149 fee.

Nectar Lush mattress details

• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
• Models offered: The Nectar and the Nectar Lush

Pros and cons of the Nectar Lush Mattress

Best all-around mattress: The Casper Original mattress

Why we chose The Casper Original mattress
Casper is one of the original bed-in-a-box companies (companies who sell their mattresses online, usually in boxes or bags) and it’s still one of the most popular. While it has added a lower-priced Element Mattress and a top-line Wave Mattress to its product lineup, reviewers of the Original Mattress say that it offers everything most sleepers need to get a good night’s rest at an affordable price, making it the best all-around pick among mattresses that we analyzed.

Pre-promotional prices for the all-foam Original Mattress range from $595 for a twin up to $1,295 for a California king. The Casper is also available as a hybrid that adds a layer of inner springs for an additional cost. Both types offer Zoned Support, which means that the foam is firmer under the hips, but softer under the shoulders and legs to create optimal spinal alignment. Casper mattresses come with a 100-day trial and a 10-year limited warranty. In-home delivery and setup run an additional $149.

Consumer Reports rated the hybrid version of The Original Mattress very highly, second only to the Avocado Green Mattress. It performed above average for back and side sleepers on tests, and beat out the Avocado Green Mattress on stabilization — so you’re less likely to wake your partner if you have to get up in the middle of the night.

Since Casper is one of the most popular sleep companies operating today, there are loads of reviews available. Casper has an average of 4.5 stars on Trustpilot and both versions of The Original Mattress have more than four stars from Amazon shoppers. Casper also was ranked second for customer satisfaction in 2019 by J.D. Power when it comes to bed-in-a-box offerings.

The Casper mattress details

• Sizes: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, California king
• Models offered: The Casper, The Wave, and The Casper Essential

Pros and cons of The Casper mattress

Frequently asked questions

Is buying a mattress online a good idea? 

Some people prefer buying a mattress online for ease of research and low sales pressure, while others prefer to visit a retail showroom to test out the mattress in person. Most online mattress companies offer a lengthy trial period, which makes more shoppers comfortable with buying a mattress before testing it out in a showroom, though some offer both options. If you aren’t sure you’ll love an online mattress, be sure to verify the terms of the trial period before ordering.

What is the best online mattress? 

There are many online mattress companies, and determining which offers the best online bed depends on your preferred sleeping position, comfort preferences, and budget. Read positive and negative reviews on multiple websites and narrow down your selection from there.

How much should I pay for an online mattress? 

Online mattresses range greatly in price, from a few hundred dollars up to tens of thousands of dollars. However, the average queen-sized mattress sold online is about $1,000.