GhostBed and Purple are two of the most well-known online mattress brands. They often get compared to each other, but really the mattresses from both brands are quite different. In this post, we'll explain the primary differences between the beds and also cover which types of sleepers each mattress is best for.

GhostBed Original mattress VS. Purple Original mattress
$895 – $1,650Price Range$799 – $1,699
32% Off + 2 Free Pillows Code: MSY32Offer $125 Off Applied In Cart
  • If you’re looking for a comfy foam bed
  • People on a budget
Best For
  • If you’re looking for a unique mattress with a different type of feel
  • All types of sleepers, including side, back and stomach
101 NightsTrial Period100 Nights
20 YearsWarranty10 Years
Free Shipping and ReturnsShipping Options Free Shipping and Returns
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Overview Of GhostBed vs. Purple Review

GhostBed was one of the first mattress-in-a-box companies, setting the bar for the competition to come and exceeding customer expectations. It continues to exceed expectations even today and remains a top online mattress purveyor. Purple may have come later, but with the development of its proprietary Hyper-Elastic Polymer material, Purple has created a niche for itself in the mattress world. Purple mattresses have an almost cult-like following among those who love the unique feel of their mattresses. Let’s take a look at the similarities and differences in GhostBed vs. Purple.

Researching mattresses can be a pain. To make things simple, the differences between these two brands can be boiled down to three factors:

  • Price GhostBed is more affordable, plain and simple.
  • Feel The original GhostBed has a soft neutral-foam feel. Purple beds have more of a gel-like feel thanks the company’s special Hyper-Elastic Polymer.
  • Temperature Regulation Purple beds allow for more airflow than the original GhostBed.

Our reviews tend to be pretty detailed. If you’re in a rush, you can use the links below to jump to the exact section you want.

Check out our video review for a quick summary of the differences between GhostBed vs. Purple. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more.

  • Ghostbed vs Purple Video Review

GhostBed Original Mattress Review

Nature’s Sleep, GhostBed’s parent company, was founded in 2001. Nature’s Sleep launched GhostBed in 2015. We are discussing the foam GhostBed model (the “Original”) in this comparison. The company does offer a few other mattresses on its website, including a coil and cooling model.

GhostBed Original
GhostBed Original
Why it’s Great
The GhostBed is one of the original bed-in-a-box mattresses. It has three layers of coils and a mixed foam feel.
Best for
If you’re looking for a comfy foam bed
People on a budget
Sleep Positions
Back, Side and Stomach
Product Details
Firmness
Medium
Type
Mixed Foam
Temp
Neutral
Free Shipping
and returns
Trial Period
101 Nights
Warranty
20 Years
Made in
USA

32%  use code:  MSY32  in cart

32% Off
MSY32

GhostBed Construction And Materials

The original GhostBed is an 11″ all-foam mattress comprised of three types of foam:

ghostbed mattress review edge support
The GhostBed mattress uses both memory foam and latex foam
  • Comfort layer – 1.5″ of aerated latex foam, which gives the bed some bounce
  • Transition layer – The middle layer is made with gel memory foam to help regulate temperature, and neutralize the feel of the firm foam below
  • Base layer – A dense, 7.5″ slab of polyurethane foam to act as the bed’s foundation

Regardless, it’s a comfortable mattress that we think the majority of sleepers will like.

GhostBed Feel And Firmness

In terms of firmness, we think it comes in right around a medium on the firmness scale. The mattress strikes a nice balance between support and pressure relief.

It also has a mixed foam feel, thanks to the bed’s memory/poly/latex foam combination. When you first lay on the bed, it’s hard to discern whether you’re feeling memory foam or latex foam because it takes characteristics from both. We’d say the bed has a soft memory foam feel, yet it doesn’t contour or hug your body the way typical memory foam does.

SEE ALSO: Best Mattresses For Heavy People

Is GhostBed A Good Mattress For Couples?

Temperature Regulation

The original GhostBed sleeps temperature neutral. You won’t heat up at night, nor will you feel chilly.

Motion Isolation And Edge Support

ghostbed mattress review side sleeper
GhostBed is just a comfy foam bed

We also think the original GhostBed is a decent option for couples because it does a good job of deadening movement and has good edge support.

GhostBed Flex vs Purple

GhostBed Flex is a 13″ thick hybrid mattress that omits latex foam and, instead, uses several layers of memory and poly foam. Together, it achieves a neutral feel with a hint of memory foam. It’s more expensive than the original GhostBed and Purple, but it’s better for heavier sleepers who want a more supportive bed.

Purple Original Mattress Review

Chances are you’ve heard about Purple by now. Whether it was from a friend or a commercial, Purple has taken the online mattress world by storm in the past couple years. It makes some of the most innovative, unique mattresses on the market. What makes the beds so unique is the company’s patented Hyper-Elastic Polymer material.

Purple Original
Purple Original
Why it’s Great
The Original Purple mattress is one of the most sought after beds online. It’s completely unique and is a great option for those that are interested in trying something new. It’s one of the only beds to feature Hyper-Elastic Polymer, a proprietary comfort material.
Best for
If you’re looking for a unique mattress with a different type of feel
All types of sleepers, including side, back and stomach
Sleep Positions
Back, Side and Stomach
Product Details
Firmness
Medium
Type
Unique
Temp
Breathable
Free Shipping
and returns
Trial Period
100 Nights
Warranty
10 Years
Made in
USA

$125 OFF APPLIED IN CART

$125 Off Applied In Cart

Purple Construction And Materials

The Original Purple mattress is about 10″ thick and includes three different layers:

purple mattress review construction and layers of original bed
We ripped open a Purple Mattress to give you a good look on the inside
  • Bottom layer – The bottom layer is a dense polyurethane foam for its support structure
  • Middle layer This is another poly foam layer that’s more soft and responsive
  • Top layer Finally comes the 2″ slab of Hyper-Elastic Polymer. This material is flexible, soft, responsive and supportive.

Purple Feel And Firmness

The unique feel of the Hyper-Elastic Polymer is hard to describe, but it seems closest to a gel-like feel. The bed is soft and comfortable however, the feel can be too odd for some people. We think it comes in around a medium on the firmness scale, but it’s hard to put a finger on firmness given the unique feel of the polymer.

Is Purple A Good Mattress For Couples?

Temperature Regulation

Another area where Purple excels is temperature regulation. Hyper-Elastic Polymer is a naturally cool material. It doesn’t trap heat the way a lot of foams do. Second, the polymer is laid out in a grid pattern, which creates a bunch of columns and rows that allow air to flow freely near the top of the mattress.

Motion Isolation And Edge Support

new purple mattress review 2 3 4 edge support
Solid edge support on the Purple Hybrid models

Lastly, we also think Purple mattresses are fine for couples because these beds have great edge support and limit motion transfer.

Purple Hybrid Mattress vs. GhostBed

Purple has recently discontinued the Purple Hybrid and Premier mattresses. They are no longer being made. In their place, Purple has released several new mattresses under three new collections — Essential, Premium and Luxe. If you’re looking for a hybrid mattress, check out our best hybrid mattress list to find your perfect fit

A couple of years after launching their Original model, Purple introduced three new hybrid models—these beds used to be known as the New Purple 2, 3 & 4. The hybrid models use pocketed coils for their support structure, rather than dense polyurethane foam.

Given the construction, we’d recommend heavy people go with one of the hybrid models, rather than GhostBed vs. Purple. The hybrid models will provide more support and give the bed some bounce. Though, they are a bit more expensive because they’re made with more durable, premium materials.

Purple vs. GhostBed Sleeper Type Analysis

Due to the medium firmness levels of GhostBed and Purple, we think all types of sleepers will be fine on these beds. It doesn’t matter whether you sleep on your side, back, stomach, or a combination.

  • Side Sleepers

    The Hyper-Elastic Polymer in Purple does a great job of cradling your pressure points when you’re on your side, as does the memory foam inside the GhostBed Mattress. As such, we think both of them would be suitable for side sleepers. Our only caveat would be for people who want a particularly soft bed.

  • Back & Stomach Sleepers

    The Hyper-Elastic Polymer material inside Purple mattresses is very supportive and durable, making the medium firmness profile on the Original Purple accommodating for back and stomach sleepers as well.

  • Combo Sleepers

    Both GhostBed and Purple are perfect for sleepers who switch positions throughout the night because they are responsive to pressure (especially Purple), and offer ample support and pressure relief.

  • Petite & Average Weight

    Given the original GhostBed and Purple are made without coils, we’d primarily recommend these mattresses for petite and average sized sleepers. Typically, heavy sleepers (250+ lb) will want to go with a bed that contains coils or innersprings for added support and durability.

    Also, keep in mind, petite sleepers (150 pounds or less) place little pressure on a mattress and will feel like the Purple and GhostBed mattresses are a little firmer.

GhostBed vs. Purple Mattress Pricing

A comparison of these two mattresses wouldn’t be complete without looking at pricing. You’ll quickly see that these two are priced nearly identically, with the exception of the somewhat higher price for the Purple king-size mattress.

Size GhostBed Purple
Twin$595$599
Twin XL$795$799
Full$1,045$999
Queen$1,145$1,149
King$1,295$1,449
Cal King$1,325$1,449

Purple vs. GhostBed Review Verdict

If you’re still having trouble deciding between Purple vs. GhostBed, ask yourself three questions.

First, what’s your budget? If it’s around $900 (queen size after discount), GhostBed is the clear winner.

Next, are you a hot sleeper? If yes, go Purple.

Lastly, do you truly like the traditional soft foam mattress feel? If yes, you’ll probably want to play it safe and go with GhostBed. If you answered that last question with a maybe or an “I’m not sure,” check out one of the Purple mattresses.

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Why Trust Us

Get the kind of sleep you’ve only dreamed of with some help from our team of mattress experts. We personally test more than 150 of the best sleep solutions from over 60 leading brands on site, so you can be sure you’re getting unbiased reviews, fair comparisons and personalized recommendations.


The Review Team

  • dillon lopez slumber yard

    Dillon Lopez

    Combo Sleeper

  • kenzie

    McKenzie Dillon

    Combo Sleeper

  • Owen Poole

    Side Sleeper

  • JD

    JD Christison

    Combo Sleeper

Shipping, Returns, Trial Periods And Warranties

To make up for the lack of physical locations, most online mattress brands try to make it as easy as possible for consumers. Most companies offer free shipping, free returns, a 100-night trial period and a 10-year warranty. So with that in mind, let’s see how GhostBed vs. Purple compare:

  • Trial period length: Purple matches the industry standard trial period, giving customers a full 100 nights to try the mattress and decide if they like it. GhostBed offers a 101-night trial.
  • Warranty policy: Purple offers the industry-standard 10-year warranty, while GhostBed doubles that with a 20-year warranty.
  • Shipping info: The Purple mattress and the GhostBed mattress both come with free shipping and free returns if you don’t like the mattress during the trial period. Purple steps things up by offering free white glove delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which mattress is better for heavy individuals, the GhostBed or Purple mattress?

We feel that the GhostBed will be better suited to heavier individuals due to its all foam construction.

Are the GhostBed and Purple mattresses flippable?

No, both mattresses are designed to be used on one side only and should not be flipped.

How long will it take to break in each mattress?

Both the GhostBed and Purple manufacturers recommend a minimum of 30 days to break in the new mattress and get used to its feel.