Two of the most well-known bed-in-a-box brands on the market that we consistently receive requests to compare are Nectar and Purple. On one hand, you have an affordable memory foam bed in a box, and on the other, you have Purple, which offers four different models that are quite different from the rest of its competitors. In this post, we’ll break it all down for you, including which bed is best for which types of sleepers.
 | VS. |  |
|---|---|---|
| $798 – $1,498 | Price Range | $1,299 – $1,999 |
| $399 Of Free Accessories w/Purchase | Offer | Free Sheets & Pillow Applied In Cart |
| Best For |
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| 365 Nights | Trial Period | 100 Nights |
| Forever | Warranty | 10 Years |
| Free Shipping and Returns | Shipping Options | Free Shipping and Returns |
| Shop Now | Shop Now |
Purple Hybrid vs. Nectar Mattress Comparison Overview
For those of you who prefer the Cliff Notes version, the primary differences between Nectar vs Purple can be boiled down to a few points:
- Price — Nectar is more affordable than all four Purple models. Pretty straightforward.
- Feel — Nectar has a dense memory foam feel, while the Purple beds use a material called Hyper-Elastic Polymer that has a gel-like feel. This decision really comes down to personal preference.
- Sleep Temperature — If you’re a hot sleeper, the Purple beds allow for much more airflow.
Purple Mattress has taken sleepers by storm with a one-of-a-kind mattress material and feel, while Nectar has a reputation of being one of the most popular memory foam mattresses online. Each of these beds offers something different for the consumer, and we think the choice ultimately comes down to the type of feel you’re looking for and how much money you plan on spending.
There are reasons these beds are so well-received online — you just need to do a little research to find out which one would be best fitting for you. If you want to read a specific part of this review for Nectar or Purple, use our jump-to navigation links below to get you there.
Nectar Vs. Purple Mattress Comparison Video
As you might imagine, there’s a lot more to the Purple vs. Nectar story than we can fit into a video or a few bullet points. So continue below to learn all about Nectar vs. Purple.
Nectar Mattress Review
Most people familiar with the bed-in-a-box industry hear the name Nectar and automatically associate it with budget-level beds. And while Nectar is priced affordably, it’s also a solid mattress in almost all aspects.
- Free Shipping & Returns
- 365 Nights Trial Period
- Forever Warranty
Design & Construction
The Nectar Mattress is 12″ thick and is made with all-foam layers. It starts with a dense slab of polyurethane foam for the base and is topped with “Adaptive Hi-Core Memory Foam,” a dense memory foam transition layer. Finally, this bed is topped with gel memory foam, and there’s a thin layer of cooling memory foam woven into the cover.
Conversely, the original Purple mattress is comprised of two layers of polyurethane foam and a 2″ layer of their signature Hyper-Elastic Polymer.
The Purple Hybrid, Purple Hybrid Premier 3 and Purple Hybrid Premier 4 (formerly known as the New Purple 2/3/4), on the other hand, incorporates both coils and dense polyurethane foam for their support structure, as opposed to just dense polyurethane foam like the Original Purple. In addition to added support, the coils give these beds a little bounce.
Depending on what you’re looking for, Nectar mattress vs. Purple mattresses offers very different construction, which provides a slightly different sleeping experience. Nectar is completely foam, full stop, whereas Purple is a little more one-of-a-kind because of its unique Hyper-Elastic Polymer material.
Feel & Firmness
Nectar has that typical memory foam feel where you sort of slowly sink in, and the bed starts to conform to your body’s shape. You will get a bit of that stuck-in-the-mud feel. However, Nectar is different from a lot of memory foam beds out there in that it’s on the firmer side of the spectrum. As such, we’d categorize Nectar as more of a firmer, dense memory foam bed.
We think it comes in around a medium-firm on the firmness scale. At the end of the day, we think it finds a pretty good balance between support and pressure relief.
On the other hand, Purple is made with a proprietary material that sort of feels like gel, but it’s not actually gel. It’s very responsive, stretchy, and soft, yet it’s oddly supportive, as well. So now that you understand a little more about Purple’s special material, let’s discuss each of their models a bit more in-depth.
Our team members rate the Purple Mattress as a medium, the Purple Hybrid is medium-firm, and Purple 3 and 4 are between medium and medium-firm.
Both Nectar and all the Purple mattresses are very similar in firmness. While there might be a slight variation from the materials the mattresses are made with, you’re likely going to get a feel that’s in between medium and medium-firm.
Other factors to consider
Edge Support
The Nectar mattress provides pretty solid edge support for an all-foam bed. You really don’t get that roll-off sensation as you approach the edge. This comes into play a lot with couples where one person likes to hog the middle of the mattress and push the other person towards the edge.
What’s neat about Purple Hybrid beds is that they contain dense foam side rails to ensure sleepers feel supported around the edges. That’s good news for couples who like to have their own space and not cuddle throughout the night.
When it comes to edge support with Nectar compared to Purple, Purple Hybrid beds take the cake because of their reinforced foam and pocketed coil design.
Motion Isolation
Nectar does a good job of limiting motion transfer, which is beneficial for couples with one partner who likes to toss and turn or get up a lot during the middle of the night. Purple’s Hyper-Elastic Polymer material also does a decent job of not transferring motion. So once again, when it comes to motion isolation, both mattresses offer an ample amount. We think Nectar has the slight edge here, though, because of the dense foam it’s made of.
Temperature
Nectar will be fine for most sleepers who sleep hot, but it isn’t a mattress that’ll help cool you down either. Purple’s Hyper-Elastic Polymer, on the other hand, is actually great for temperature regulation. Even though the Purple beds are not cool to the touch, they actually sleep quite cool due to two primary reasons. First, Hyper-Elastic Polymer is just a naturally cooler material than foams since it doesn’t trap heat.
Second, Purple lays out the Hyper-Elastic material in a grid formation, creating columns and rows that allow air to flow freely near the top of the bed.
Between the two, Purple is the clear winner for temperature regulation while sleeping. If you sleep hot, Purple is the mattress for you because Nectar won’t do anything to cool you down at night.
Body Type Analysis
Petite
Petite individuals can get away with any foam beds and most hybrid beds (unless they’re ultra-thick supportive), including Nectar and Purple. Judging simply on body type alone, you’d probably be happy with either mattress.
Average
People of an average body type should be comfortable with either the Nectar or Purple mattress. Both mattresses will offer a similar level of firmness for you to sink into, so it comes down to other factors you’ll want to consider in your decision (like sleeper type).
Heavy
Given coils are in general much more durable and supportive than foams, we’d recommend heavy sleepers go with one of the Purple Hybrid models. They’ll end up being thicker and more supportive in the long run!
Sleeper Type Analysis
Side Sleepers
You do sort of nestle into Nectar enough to where your hips and shoulders receive good pressure relief when you’re on your side, so we definitely recommend it to side sleepers. However, if you’re petite or want a truly soft mattress, you may want to pass on Purple.
As for the Purple models, the Purple Hybrid Premier 4 is best for side sleepers, and they will provide the most immersive experience with the Hyper-Elastic material.
Combo Sleepers
Since Nectar offers both support and pressure relief, we do recommend it to combo sleepers, but only if you like memory foam. Some combination sleepers might think it’s difficult to change positions with such viscous memory foam.
If you’re more interested in Purple, the original model is a great mattress for combination sleepers. Though, Purple Hybrid 3 is also a solid option if you want a hybrid model.
Back & Stomach Sleepers
For Nectar, the bed provides a good amount of support and is best for back and stomach sleepers. You don’t sink in too far to the point where your spine is no longer properly aligned. The base Purple Hybrid is also ideal for back and stomach sleepers. Purple says this is the firmest option of all their mattresses, and we agree since you feel more of the firmer foam and pocketed coil springs below.
Purple Hybrid Mattress Review
Purple is one of, if not the most, unique online mattress brand on the market. And that designation is primarily due to their patented Hyper-Elastic Polymer material that they use for the top layer on each of their models.
Nectar vs. Purple Pricing
In comparing Nectar vs. Purple, Nectar is a traditional memory foam mattress with more budget-friendly pricing. Purple uses a unique polymer topping and hybrid construction, and it costs more than the regular Nectar. If budget isn’t an issue, it might come down to whether you prefer the feel of memory foam or the polymer gel because both mattresses are suitable for all kinds of sleepers.
| Size | Nectar (Discount) | Purple Hybrid |
| Twin | $798 ($499) | N/A |
| Twin XL | $868 ($569) | $1,399 |
| Full | $1,098 ($699) | 1,599 |
| Queen | $1,198 ($799) | $1,699 |
| King | $1,498 ($1,099) | $1,999 |
| California King | $1,498 ($1,099) | $1,999 |
Check our Deals page or the brand’s website for up-to-date promotions.
Purple Mattress vs. Nectar Review Verdict
Overall, we are big fans of Purple, and it offers a completely unique experience for consumers. We think the Nectar mattress is a great value for people that like the feel of memory foam. It’s been a staple on our Best Budget Beds list for years.
Now that we’ve broken down these two brands, it’s probably pretty clear how they differ. To us, if you’re trying to pick between Nectar or Purple, the decision really comes down to three questions.
First — Are you on a budget? If so, Nectar is the clear winner. The Nectar mattress is quite a bit cheaper than even the original Purple.
Second — Do you like or prefer the feel of memory foam? Some people do, which would make Nectar the clear choice. If your answer was no or maybe, then you might want to take a look at Purple. There’s a very good chance you’ll love the feel and benefits Purple beds provide.
Last — Do you sleep hot? If so, Purple is going to be the better option given its superior airflow.
- Free Shipping & Returns
- 100 Nights Trial Period
- 10 Years Warranty
- Made in USA
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.
Review team
Dillon Lopez
Combo Sleeper
Dillon Payne
Combo Sleeper
Jack Reynoso
Combo Sleeper
JD Christison
Combo Sleeper
Company Policies
Now that you’ve read all of the juicy information about the mattresses, it’s important we cover all the little details that often go overlooked. The industry standard when it comes to all these company policies is free shipping, free returns, a 100-night trial period, and a 10-year warranty. Below, we’ll cover how Nectar and Purple stack up against the industry and each other.
Purple and standard Hybrid mattresses ship for free and arrive rolled-up and compressed in a protective bag. From there, Purple gives you 100 nights to test out the bed. If for any reason you decide you don’t like the mattress during the trial period, just give customer service a call, and they will arrange for someone to come to your house or apartment to pick up the mattress and issue you a full refund. The whole return process shouldn’t take more than 10-14 days.
Purple also backs their mattresses with a 10-year warranty. The one thing you might want to note, though, is that the company offers free white glove delivery and set-up with their Purple Hybrid Premier models. These beds are extremely heavy and can’t be rolled up, so it’s nice that someone else will do the heavy lifting for you.
Nectar, on the other hand, definitely has some of the more customer-friendly policies in the industry. Their bed ships for free, and it too arrives rolled-up and compressed in a protective bag. From there, Nectar gives you 365 nights to test out the bed. Yes, for a full year, you can sleep on this bed and truly decide whether you want to keep it.
Nectar also backs their mattresses with what they call a Forever Warranty. Basically, in years 1-10, they’ll replace the mattress, no questions asked if any defects are found. In years 10+, they’ll repair or re-cover it if any manufacturing defects or material failures are discovered.
