Best Cheap Mattress for 2024
Buying a quality mattress doesn't have to break the bank. We'll show you how with our expert-tested best list of budget-friendly mattresses.
Our Experts
What to consider
Firmness
Sleeping position
Feel
Construction
Body type
Performance
Company policies
Our Picks
A cheap mattress isn't synonymous with bad quality. You can get a quality mattress without breaking the bank. The intimidating price tags on high-end mattresses often keep people from upgrading their older ones. The good news is that many cheap beds are readily available, whether you're searching for a firm, soft, memory foam, innerspring or cooling mattress. After testing countless beds, I selected the best cheap bed-in-a-box mattresses that combine comfort and support.
What's the best cheap mattress overall?
Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding makes comfortable bed-in-a-box mattresses with various feels and firmness levels to accommodate a wide range of people. The Dreamfoam Hybrid is a popular option in the brand's Dreamsync Collection that offers a medium firmness profile and a soft, neutral foam feel that most people will enjoy. You don't want to sacrifice quality when buying a cheap mattress, which is not a concern when you buy the Dreamfoam Hybrid.
Video: Best cheap mattresses for 2024
Watch CNET mattress expert Owen Poole review the best cheap mattresses for 2024.
The best cheap mattresses of 2024
Best cheap mattress overall
Dreamfoam Hybrid
Why we chose the Dreamfoam Hybrid mattress: The Dreamfoam Hybrid is a popular and accommodating bed-in-a-box mattress that lands on the affordable side of the price scale. Just over 10 inches thick and constructed with four distinct layers, this bed is thicker and more durable than other low-cost mattresses I've tested. Its medium firmness level and neutral foam feel should suit most sleeping positions.
The Dreamfoam Hybrid has a base layer of high-density foam, covered with a 6-inch layer of individually encased coils that help minimize motion transfer and allow for airflow. On top of the coils is a comfort layer of gel memory foam that is responsive and provides pressure-point relief for the shoulders and hips.
The soft, quilt-top layer has phase-change cooling materials sewn into it -- a nice feature we rarely see on budget beds. This material draws heat away from your body to prevent overheating, working to keep your skin at an ideal sleep temperature of 88 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dreamfoam by Brooklyn Bedding has deals that bring the queen-size pricing of this mattress down to $599, which is a fantastic value for all this bed offers. Not to mention, it also has free shipping.
Pros
- It's a durable and supportive hybrid bed
- Medium firmness level suitable for all sleeping positions
- Has cooling technology in the cover
Cons
- Might not provide adequate support for those over 230 pounds
- On the higher end of the budget price range
Best cheap bed-in-a-box mattress
Zinus Green Tea mattress
CNET Score
- People who love memory foam
- Those under 230 pounds
- Side and some combination sleepers
- Budget shoppers
- Not supportive enough (in the long run) for heavier sleepers
- Not firm enough for most back or stomach sleepers
Why we chose the Zinus Green Tea mattress: This bed-in-a-box mattress is a soft memory-foam bed, perfect for side sleepers on a budget. Thicker mattresses tend to be more durable, and this budget mattress has multiple height options. We recommend getting the 10- or 12-inch height profile, making it a little more durable than other models on our list.
It has a dense, sinking memory-foam feel that engulfs you when you lie on the bed and conforms around your body. As I mentioned, it's pressure-relieving and great for people who love memory foam's hugging feel. It's rated around a medium-soft to medium or a 3 to 5 out of 10 on the firmness scale, so it's best suited for side sleepers or lighter individuals seeking optimal pressure relief.
The Zinus Green Tea mattress retails on Amazon for $370, and is often offered at a discount to make it even more price-friendly.
Pros
- Very accommodating for side sleepers who want a soft feel
- Multiple height options to pick from
- Affordable
Cons
- Its foam construction doesn't make it ideal for those over 230 pounds
- Too soft for back or stomach sleepers
- Edge support is not great
Best cheap mattress for guest rooms
Dreamfoam Doze
CNET Score
Why we chose the Dreamfoam Doze: This neutral foam mattress is perfect for a guest room. First, it is affordable -- possibly the most affordable mattress we have ever tested. You don’t want to spend too much money on a bed that will sit in a guest room. Second, this is a very basic mattress. It is all foam, and its feel is very neutral, meaning it isn’t too dense. This feel appeals to most audiences, so your guests will likely find it comfortable.
The Dreamfoam Doze comes in three thickness options that change its firmness profile. The most affordable option is seven inches thick, which is the firmest. We estimate it's medium-firm. Then, the 9-inch thick option is around a true medium, while the 11-inch mattress is the thickest and softest, around a medium-soft. The 9-inch option with medium firmness is likely your best choice to accommodate guests with different sleeping positions or preferences.
Pros:
- Ultra budget pick
- Three thickness options
- All-foam design is ideal for average-sized individuals
Cons:
- No extra features
- Strong off-gassing when you open it
- Not the best choice for people over 250 pounds
Best cheap mattress for hot sleepers
Cocoon Chill
CNET Score
- Special memory foam adapts to your body
- Cover pulls away heat
- Might be too firm for side sleepers under 230 pounds
- Too cool for cold sleepers
- Not supportive enough for people over 230 pounds
Why we chose the Cocoon Chill mattress: The Cocoon Chill by Sealy proves you don't have to pay an arm and a leg for a good cooling bed. I suspect Cocoon Chill is one of the cheapest cooling mattresses you can get. It has a phase change cover that actively draws heat away from your body and delivers a noticeably cool feel when lying on the mattress. Memory foam is its primary comfort material, which has a reputation for sleeping hot, but that's not the case here.
The Cocoon Chill is slightly firmer than a medium, around a medium to medium-firm or six out of 10 on the firmness scale. I think most sleepers will find this bed comfortable unless you're a petite side sleeper. Those over 230 pounds can opt for the Cocoon Chill Hybrid mattress. It's a little more expensive, but it will offer the extra support and durability you need for it to be long-lasting.
Retail prices start at $619 for a twin and go up to $1,389 for a California King, although that's not the price you'll typically pay. Sealy is generous with discounts, which is why we included this mattress on this cheap mattress list, and you can usually get a queen size for around $300 to $400 off.
Pros
- More affordable than most competing cooling beds
- A great pick for people who get warm at night
- Sealy is a reputable brand with a 10-year warranty
Cons
- Might be a little too firm for strict side sleepers
Best cheap mattress on Amazon
Tuft & Needle Nod
CNET Score
- Kids, college students or young adults
- Shoppers on a budget
- All sleeping positions
- Those who want a simple foam bed
- Not very supportive for people over 230 pounds
- Thinner than other foam mattresses
Why we chose the Tuft & Needle Nod mattress: Tuft & Needle is a reputable brand, and that is one of the reasons why I think it's the best cheap mattress on Amazon, as some sellers can be a little unreliable. The Tuft & Needle Nod is a great entry-level bed for people who want simplicity at an affordable price. It has a medium firmness level suitable for all body types and a light and airy feel that most people will generally find comfortable. It's the ultimate "safe pick," if you ask me.
The Tuft & Needle Nod has a simple, two-layer all-foam design that suits most sleepers under 230 pounds. It doesn't feature any special bells and whistles, but you're reading this because you're looking for the best cheap mattress, not the best foam mattress your savings account can buy. It offers classic, neutral comfort and is seriously affordable. The top comfort layer is airy and responsive, unlike memory foam. It's also a little more breathable than your typical memory-foam mattress because the foam is more aerated. Both layers stack up to eight inches in total.
Prices are cheap, starting at $349 for a twin and maxing out at $599 for a California king. Because this mattress is sold through Amazon, prices frequently change but usually stay within this affordable range.
Pros
- Inexpensive mattress from a reputable brand
- Accommodating firmness level suits all body types
Cons
- Its all-foam construction won't be as supportive for heavier sleepers
Read more in our Tuft & Needle mattress review.
Best cheap memory-foam mattress
Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam
CNET Score
- All sleeping positions
- People who love memory foam
- People on a budget
- Not supportive enough for people over 230 pounds
- Gives some resistance to combination sleepers
Why we chose the Lucid 10-inch Gel Memory Foam mattress: While you have multiple heights to choose from, the 10-inch model offers a good value for the price. It has a dense memory-foam feel that responds slowly to pressure and morphs around your body's curves. I think it's ideal for side sleepers as it molds around the curves of the hips and shoulders, providing ample pressure relief to those joints.
The Lucid mattress is another Amazon-exclusive bed that's a big hit among shoppers, as it's racked up over 5,000 positive reviews on the online retailer's website. This cheap mattress is offered in three different firmness levels and a wide range of heights, so you can customize your mattress to fit your specific needs. Side sleepers will love the plush or medium model, while back and stomach sleepers will probably like the medium or firmer model.
As the best cheap memory-foam mattress, its prices start at $220 for a 10-inch twin and go up to $470 for a California king.
Pros
- Multiple firmness levels available to suit different sleeping positions
- Offers some of the cheapest pricing on our best list
Cons
- The all-foam model won't be sufficiently supportive for those over 230 pounds
Best cheap mattress under $500
Allswell
CNET Score
Why we chose the Allswell mattress: The Allswell brand comes from one of the most popular and cheapest retailers in the world, Walmart, which decided it wanted to enter the bed-in-a-box mattress game. Most hybrid mattresses that combine foam and steel coils cost at least $700, usually more. Back, stomach and heavy sleepers on a budget should find the Allswell a comfortable pick, and it's one of the best-build beds for the money.
In total, this affordable mattress is around 10 inches thick -- similar to popular, standard foam mattress beds -- and at the bottom, you can find a 6-inch layer of pocketed coils. The coils are topped with a few foam layers, including the 0.75-inch gel memory foam comfort layer quilted into the top cover. It's a suitable choice for all body sizes. It doesn't feel like memory foam where your handprint lasts a few moments before bouncing back to normal. I think the innerspring layer makes it feel a little firmer, so I'd rate it around six or seven out of 10 on the firmness scale, and it is best for back or stomach sleepers.
Prices are affordable, starting at $217 for a twin and going up to $357 for a California king, although you can often find it cheaper on sale.
Pros
- Fit for all body types from petite to plus-size
- Cheap bed from a popular, well-known brand
- Hybrid construction makes it more durable than all foam
Cons
- It's a little too firm for strict side sleepers
Other cheap mattresses we've tested
Much goes on behind the scenes to curate our best lists, including hundreds of mattress-testing hours to find out which beds are truly worth your money. Our CNET Sleep editors are the ones who curated this best affordable mattress list, as they chose their top favorite cheap beds from the 100+ they've tested. With that being said, they've also included another mattress option below that could also be up for consideration.
Bear Original mattress: The Bear Original mattress isn't the cheapest bed we've encountered, but it offers excellent value. It's made with graphite-gel memory foam, so it doesn't retain heat like older types of memory-foam mattresses used to, and it provides that signature hugging feel memory foam has become known for. In my opinion, one of the best parts -- besides the budget mattress price -- is the optional Celliant-infused cover.
How we test cheap mattresses
CNET editors pick the products and services we write about based on editorial merit. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission. For this list, we considered a "cheap mattress" to be between $300 and $800 (with discounts applied). Many cheap mattresses are low-quality, but the ones listed here were chosen because of their ability to stand out as quality beds at affordable prices.
It's impressive to have a cheap mattress with cooling tech, a thick, cheap mattress or a cheap mattress with targeted support and pressure relief. Other cheap beds listed don't have special qualities, but they're quite comfortable for the price they offer and are more durable than poor-quality cheap mattresses.
Read more on how we test mattresses.
What to consider when buying a cheap mattress
You get what you pay for, and that rings especially true with mattresses. That said, there are cheap mattresses out there that are both worth the money and comfy to sleep on each night. You can't expect any crazy bells and whistles, but that's not typically what you look for in a cheap mattress.
- Construction: Your body type should help determine the type of mattress construction you want. People over 230 pounds may want a cheap hybrid mattress because the steel coils inside of them help them provide more support. People under that weight can opt for a cheap foam mattress. You should also consider thickness; the thicker the mattress, the more supportive it is.
- Brand reputation: Do your research when you're looking to buy the best cheap mattress and look closely at retailers, especially on Amazon. Some companies try to sell dupes of popular cheap beds like Casper Element and Nod, so be vigilant.
- Firmness: What's best, a soft or firm mattress? It depends on your sleeping position. Side sleepers should consider a soft mattress, whereas back and stomach sleepers may want something on the firmer end for ample back support.
- Price: Remember, you get what you pay for. You likely won't find a bed under $100 or even $200 unless it's designed to fall apart in a year or is already used.
We also feel it's important to remind you of possible downsides of buying a cheap mattress:
- They typically aren't as thick or durable as an average foam or hybrid bed.
- Unless there's specific cooling tech, they can sleep hotter than a regular mattress.
- Cheap beds don't usually use organic or natural materials.
- Unless it's a hybrid, a cheap mattress likely isn't supportive enough for someone over 230 pounds.
- Cheap mattresses are made with cheaper or fewer materials to achieve a lower price.
What you can expect is a few layers of comfy foam or a layer of pocketed coils if you go for something like the Allswell mattress. You can typically get around three to five years out of a cheap bed, maybe a little longer if you take good care of it (rotate it every six months and deep clean it once a year).
Best cheap mattresses FAQs
Which mattress types are more expensive than others?
Foam mattresses tend to be cheaper than innerspring or hybrid mattresses because the materials are cheaper to make. Hybrid mattresses are made with steel coils, while foam beds are made from soft foam materials. Memory foam and polyurethane foam are among the most affordable types of foam, while latex foam tends to be the most expensive -- especially if it's natural or organic.
Are cheap mattresses worth it?
If you aren't looking for extreme durability and longevity, a cheap mattress may be a good option. Cheap mattresses may be ideal for young children or professionals looking to save money. They also work well for guest bedrooms, college dorm rooms and first-time apartments. If you want to invest in your sleep and keep your mattress for more than five years, you may want to save up a little more.
When is the best time to buy a mattress?
Online brands run discounts at all times of the year, but you'll usually walk away with the best deals around key holidays like Presidents Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Black Friday and Christmas.
What are the best budget mattress brands?
You'll find the best budget mattresses from Lucid, Zinus, Allswell, Tuft & Needle, Dreamfoam and Sealy.