Tuft & Needle vs. GhostBed Comparison

Comparing GhostBed and Tuft & Needle Mattress

The GhostBed is a three-layer, mixed-foam mattress that has latex and memory foam comfort layers and a medium-firm feel. The Tuft & Needle is a simply designed, two-layer, all-foam mattress with a medium-firm setting and a very affordable price point. At first glance, these beds may seem confusingly similar: they’re both made primarily with foam, have medium-firm settings, are appropriate for a wide variety of sleeping positions, and have similar policies when it comes to shipping, warranty coverage, and returns.

Deciding between these two mattresses will likely come down to two things: price and feel. If you’re trying to stick to a strict budget, the Tuft & Needle is undoubtedly the more affordable of the two. In terms of feel, both will be comfortable, but the GhostBed’s incorporation of latex allows it to have a slightly more responsive sensation when pressure is applied. Keep reading to learn more about each bed’s pros and cons, construction, and more in this mattress comparison review.

Differences

• The GhostBed has a mixed foam feel, while the Tuft & Needle has a truly neutral foam feel.
• The Tuft & Needle is made of two layers, compared to three layers of the GhostBed, and is the less expensive option. 
• The GhostBed consists of gel memory foam and latex layers that cradle around the body and relieve pressure. The Tuft & Needle is denser, graphite foam that absorbs motion well.

Similarities

• Both beds have a medium to medium-firm firmness setting that should feel balanced for sleepers of most sizes on the mattress. 
• Both mattresses best suit back and side sleepers, especially those of average weight, but can support stomach or combination sleepers.
• The GhostBed and Tuft & Needle are pretty basic mattress constructions with few additions or luxury touches. 
• The latex of the GhostBed will make it both responsive and bouncy as you adjust positions and the Tuft & Needle’s slightly firmer feel will provide bounce for easy movement.

Who the GhostBed Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Couples who prioritize motion isolation, noise reduction and edge support, all of which are provided by the combination of latex and memory foam.
• Most lightweight, all average weight, and some heavyweight sleepers. The bed may be too firm for some lightweight side sleepers and may sink too much for heavyweight body types.
• All sleeping positions for people in the average weight categories.
• People who like a neutral foam feel with a little more responsiveness, which is provided by the latex comfort layer.

May Not be Best For…

• Heavier stomach sleepers who will sink too far into the base layer and develop pressure in their hips.
• Shoppers on a very strict budget, as the GhostBed costs more than $1,000 in King and California King sizes.

Read our full GhostBed mattress review to learn more! 

Who the Tuft & Needle Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Value shoppers looking for a simple but relatively high-quality bed for less than $1,000.
• Sleepers who prefer a  neutral, accommodating soft foam feel, which is provided by the bed’s simple use of high- and low-density polyfoam.
• Lightweight and average weight back sleepers, as not enough support is provided for heavyweight sleepers.
• Couples who prioritize motion isolation and noise reduction.

May Not be Best For…

• Sleepers who like responsive mattresses. The T&N lacks significant bounce due to its all-polyfoam construction and may not be the best mattress for combination sleepers.
• Side sleepers who may find pressure build up around their hips and shoulders as they push into the dense base layer.
• Heavyweight sleepers, who typically sleep best on very supportive, breathable mattress style and a mattress with better edge support.

Read our full Tuft & Needle mattress review to learn more! 

Deciding Between GhostBed and Tuft & Needle

Firmness / Feel

Here at Mattress Nerd, we rate mattresses on a 1 to 10 firmness scale, with one being ‘very soft’ and 10 being ‘very firm’. Both mattresses are about a 6/10, so they’re just a touch firmer than a true medium setting. This is a great feature of both beds because it makes them appropriate for a wide variety of sleeping styles and body types.

However, it’s important to note that two beds that share the same firmness setting may not feel exactly alike. They both have a neutral foam feel relative to other all-foam mattresses, meaning they’ll feel comfortably soft to practically anyone. But the latex top layer in the GhostBed gives it a little more responsiveness and bounce, while the Tuft & Needle feels like laying on a soft, thick slab of foam. The GhostBed may provide enough pressure relief and balanced support to be a great mattress for stomach sleepers, more so than the Tuft & Needle.

Motion Isolation

All-foam beds are well known for providing superior motion isolation when compared to beds with springs. Motion transfer is typically a personal preference, but it becomes more of an essential quality when two people are sleeping on one mattress. Most mattresses deaden motion with thick foam layers that make it easy for one partner to change positions without disturbing the other.

Typically, mattresses that incorporate memory foam are more motion isolating than polyfoam. This is because polyfoam is slightly more responsive than memory foam. Because of that, one might assume that the GhostBed is slightly more motion isolating than the Tuft & Needle, but they’re actually about equal in this performance category. The incorporation of latex into the GhostBed’s top layer, which is more responsive than memory foam, brings down the GhostBed’s motion isolating qualities to about the level of the T&N. See our picks on the best mattress for couples for mattresses that absorb motion better.

Edge Support

Edge support is measured by sitting on the edge of the bed and examining how much the perimeter of the mattress compresses. It’s an important quality for couples on smaller mattresses, like a full size, who need to use the entire surface area of the bed to sleep comfortably.

Foam mattresses are known for struggling in this category simply because foam isn’t as supportive as springs, which are found in innerspring and hybrid beds. The GhostBed offers better edge support because of its thickness and the responsiveness of the latex layer. Unfortunately, the Tuft & Needle sinks significantly at the edges.

Pressure Relief 

There isn’t a clear winner in this category, as both the T&N and the GhostBed mattress provide above-average pressure relief compared to innerspring, hybrid, latex and other styles. Sleepers should feel nice cradling in any sleeping position if they’re not heavyweight. The only exception is lightweight side sleepers on the firmer Tuft & Needle, who may not sink as deeply into the mattress’ memory foam layers and not receive enough cradling around pressure points. The best side sleeper mattress will contour around the body and better cradle the pressure points.

Spine Alignment 

Achieving spinal alignment and proper support on any mattress depends heavily on your body type and preferred sleeping position. With middle-of-the-road firmness settings, both mattresses should provide healthy spinal alignment throughout the night for a wide variety of sleeper types. 

Heavyweight sleepers, who require more support, may want to look at a hybrid or innerspring style instead. Either bed will work just fine for average weight sleepers of all types. The GhostBed may be slightly softer and better at contouring around the body for combination or side sleepers. The Tuft & Needle will keep stomach and back sleepers’ spines aligned well, making it one of the best mattresses for back sleepers who need firm support.

Durability 

Most all-foam beds last between 7 to 10 years, and both mattresses will probably last somewhere in that range. That being said, the GhostBed has a slight edge on the Tuft & Needle in terms of support and long-term durability simply because it has more layers. The GhostBed is also one inch thicker, and latex foam is regarded as a more durable foam, giving the mattress additional advantages over the Tuft & Needle with regard to durability.

Temperature 

The aerated latex layer in the GhostBed and the gel-infusion in the T&N may help temper heat retention from the other foams, but it won’t do much with regard to cooling. People who don’t sleep hot on foam beds should do fine on either mattress. However, if you sleep noticeably hot, we recommend looking for a mattress that has more active cooling technology or that has a pocketed coil core, which will promote airflow throughout the night.

GhostBed vs. Tuft & Needle Mattress Construction

GhostBed Construction

The GhostBed is a three-layer, mixed-foam mattress that measures 11” tall and has a medium-firm feel setting.

The GhostBed mattress cover is made from viscose and polyester and has a stretchy feel. It’s not removable but can be spot-cleaned with detergent and cold water. The top comfort layer is one of the main things that differentiates the GhostBed from the Tuft & Needle. It’s made from 1.5” of aerated Dunlop latex, a material that gives the bed a slightly more responsive feel than the T&N. The foam’s aerated quality helps it draw heat away from sleepers.

The second layer in the GhostBed is 2” of medium-density gel memory foam, enabling it to provide both pressure relief and support for all sleep positions. The gel infusion helps it sleep cooler than traditional memory foam.

Finally, the GhostBed has a 7.5” high-density foam base. This base layer is denser than competing all-foam mattresses, which may give the GhostBed a longer lifespan than other mixed-foam beds. Its density also improves the bed’s edge support, which can make it attractive to couples who need to spread out or individuals who like to sit at the edge of the bed.

Learn more about the brand on our GhostBed Mattress Comparison page. 

Tuft & Needle Construction

The Tuft & Needle is a simply designed, two-layer, all-foam bed that’s medium-firm and measures 10” tall.

The cover on the Tuft & Needle is made from a blend of polyester and polyamide. It has a soft, breathable feel that’s similar to jersey and, like the GhostBed, can be spot-cleaned with water and detergent.

The first and only comfort layer in the T&N is 3” of polyfoam. This lower-than-average-density polyfoam is designed to absorb less body heat and sleep cooler than other top foams. It’s also infused with gel and graphite, further enhancing the layer’s breathability.

The support foam layer of the T&N is 7” of high-density polyfoam. This layer stabilizes the bed to help it create an even surface for all sleeper types. Unfortunately, this foam isn’t dense enough to provide consistent edge support, which may prove to be an issue for couples or individuals who like to spread out across the bed. Of the two mattresses, the Tuft & Needle will be a better mattress for combination sleepers, with foam layers that are easy to move around on.

Sizing & Price Comparisons 

Check out our GhostBed Coupons and Tuft & Needle Coupons pages. 

Shipping and Returns for GhostBed and Tuft & Needle

These are bed-in-a-box mattresses, so they’ll ship rolled and compressed in a box. The unboxing process is the same for both: unbox and unwrap the mattress, and the bed will expand in front of you. It takes about 24 hours for each mattress to fully inflate.

GhostBed ships free to the contiguous U.S., but a shipping fee is charged for customers in Alaska and Hawaii. White Glove delivery is available for a $199 fee and includes old mattress removal, in-home setup and packaging removal. You’ll have 101 nights to try out the GhostBed, and you’ll need to sleep on it for at least 30 nights (the break-in period) prior to initiating a return if you decide you don’t like it.

Tuft & Needle also ships free in the contiguous U.S., and shipping costs to Hawaii and Alaska are roughly $150 to $200 per mattress. White Glove delivery is available for $150. The T&N comes with a sleep trial that’s only one day shorter than GhostBed’s, and there’s no break-in period. This means that you can return your Tuft & Needle for a full refund at any point during the sleep trial period if you decide it isn’t right for you.

Other Models Available

See GhostBed 3D Matrix Mattress Review to learn more.

See our GhostBed Flex Mattress Review to learn more. 

More Tuft & Needle Mattresses

See our Tuft & Needle Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

Check out our full Tuft & Needle Mint Mattress Review to learn more. 

Still haven’t made a decision? Check out these other comparisons:

• Tuft & Needle vs Nectar
• Tuft & Needle vs Casper
• Tuft & Needle vs Leesa
• Tuft & Needle vs Purple
• Tuft & Needle vs. Layla
• GhostBed vs Purple
• GhostBed vs Casper
• GhostBed vs Leesa
• GhostBed vs. Nectar

Our Final Take

Medium-firm settings, all-foam constructions, great policies—there’s a lot to love about both of these popular bed-in-a-box options. When it comes down to it, one isn’t really better than the other in a general sense. Here’s the bottom line: If you’re on a tight budget or want a supportive, neutral foam feel, we recommend the Tuft & Needle. If you don’t mind spending a little bit more to get a third foam layer and like the slightly more responsive feel of latex, go with the GhostBed.