Best Mattresses Under $500

Written by Loren Bullock, Certified Sleep Science Coach

Methodology

Here at Mattress Nerd, we’ve tested hundreds of mattresses to bring you unbiased, expert reviews of the top brands. Learn more.

In This Article

We’ll help you save a buck by providing our favorite mattresses that can be purchased for less than $500.

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Shopping for a mattress on a limited budget can sound like a challenging task. The majority of queen-size mattresses range anywhere from $700 to over $3,000. Lucky for budget-conscious shoppers, the growth of the mattress industry has meant the introduction of lower-cost mattresses that are relatively comfortable, quality beds for their price.

Bottom Line: What’s the Best Mattress under $500?

Our expert mattress testers chose the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid as the Nerd’s Pick for the best mattress under $500 due to overall quality, durable construction, and compatibility for couples. 

Best Mattresses Under $500 

• Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid – Nerd’s Pick
• DreamFoam Essential – Best Cooling Mattress Under $500
• The Allswell – Best King Mattress Under $500
• Siena Original – Best Mattress for Lightweight Side Sleepers Under $500
• Brentwood Home Cypress – Best Affordable Mattress for Back and Joint Pain

Chosen by Experts and Advocates

Despite our team having tested well over 100 mattresses, only five appear on this list. While these mattresses may not have performed as well as the average $1,500 mattress that we bring into our lab, their quality relative to their less-than-$500 price tags make them very much worth considering. To learn more, check out our review process.

Nerd’s Pick: Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid

Pros of the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid

Multiple firmness options

Above average motion isolation for a hybrid

Responsive

Cons of the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid

Not the best edge support

In order to offer a product for what most would consider a budget-friendly price, concessions often have to be made. As the price goes down, so might the quality. In the case of the Signature Hybrid from Brooklyn Bedding, however, this could not be further from the truth.

Available in the Twin size for just $449.25, this mattress has a luxury feel at a bargain price. The Signature Hybrid contains a layer of individually wrapped coils, as well as layers of support and comfort foam. The resulting hybrid construction makes for a bed that caters to all sleeping positions and body types.

Speaking of sleeping positions and body types, the Signature Hybrid comes in three firmness options: soft, medium and firm. All three of which are available at the same price point. Whatever your preference, Brooklyn Bedding has you covered. And don’t worry if you pick a firmness level that you end up not liking; the 120-night sleep trial ensures a risk-free mattress-buying experience.

How We Select Nerd’s Pick

We select our Nerd’s Pick not based on the overall scoring of the mattress, but how well it suits the average sleeper. In making this decision we considered factors specific to budget buyers— such as price, durability, and company policies. We believe that for the widest range of individuals, the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid is the best option; however, we encourage you to read each of these mini-reviews to make sure there isn’t a better mattress for your specific needs.

What our testers say: “You won’t find a more well-rounded mattress at this price point.” – Loren, Lead Mattress Tester

Who Might Like the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress

• Great responsiveness means great ease of movement for combination sleepers who need to switch positions.
• Couples can sleep peacefully thanks to this bed’s ability to minimize motion transfer.

Who Might Not Like the Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid Mattress

• Not the best edge support for those who need a sturdy mattress perimeter.

Other User Reviews

On Brooklyn Bedding’s website, the Brooklyn Signature has 4.7 out of 5 stars. Negative reviews mention the bed feels too soft for them or mention an unpleasant smell upon unboxing the bed. Positive reviews say the bed is comfortable and many say it has relieved troublesome pain.

Read our full Signature Hybrid Mattress Review. Not sure the Brooklyn Signature is for you? Check out our other recommendations for best mattresses to find your perfect fit. 

Best Cooling Mattress Under $500: DreamFoam Essential

Pros of the DreamFoam Essential

Available in five different heights and firmnesses

Some cooling capability

Cons

Not supportive enough for heavyweight people

Sub-par responsiveness

Many mattresses have temperature regulating features, such as copper infusions and gel memory foam. These technologies are meant to keep mattresses, particularly memory foam mattresses, from overheating as you sleep. While often effective, they can raise the price of a mattress significantly. The DreamFoam Essential (formerly known as the DreamFoam Chill) offers such technologies at a very reasonable price.

While it may not sleep as cool as a state-of-the-art hybrid mattress, the DreamFoam Essential keeps relatively cool for the affordable price. The top layer of swirl memory foam has impressed many customers by preventing too much heat from becoming trapped in the mattress.

In addition to the cooling, the DreamFoam Essential is quite a comfortable mattress in general. We found it to perform quite well for lightweight and average-weight back and side sleepers, specifically. Also, the DreamFoam Essential is available in five different thickness levels, so if you’re willing to spend a bit more you can get a more durable version.

What our testers say: “Considering memory foam beds tend to retain body heat, the gel swirl layer of the DreamFoam Essential should mitigate some of that heat. You can also prevent overheating by pairing this bed with cooling sheets, like the Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheets.” – Loren, Lead Mattress Tester

Who Might like the DreamFoam Essential Mattress

• Light to average-weight sleepers of all positions should appreciate the soft and medium firmness options of the DreamFoam Essential.
• The cooling technology present in the DreamFoam Essential should provide much-needed temperature regulation for hot sleepers.

Who Might Not Like the DreamFoam Essential Mattress

• This won’t be the most supportive option for heavyweight body types.
• Did not perform the best in our responsiveness test, so keep that in mind if you’re a combination sleeper.

Other Reviews

On DreamFoam’s website, the DreamFoam Essential earns a 4.4 out of 5 stars. Negative reviews center around people finding the bed too firm for their liking. Positive reviews say the bed is a perfect fit, with most customers using it in their campers or RVs.

Read our full DreamFoam Essential Mattress Review. Not sure DreamFoam Essential is the mattress for you? Check out our other recommendations for best cooling mattresses to stop sleeping hot today.

Best King Mattress Under $500: The Allswell

Pros of the Allswell

Responsive

Good motion isolation

Lumbar support

Cons of the Allswell

Only one firmness level

Some materials imported from China

When considering mattresses under $500 for this list, we prioritized Queen models, since it tends to be the most popular mattress size. However, we would be doing a disservice if we didn’t highlight the fact a King size Allswell mattress can be purchased for only $397. Readers, this is a steal. 

King size mattresses tend to be popular with couples looking for a bed that they can share, and the Allswell has many features that cater to co-sleepers. A layer of couples keeps warm air from becoming trapped in the mattress, so you shouldn’t overheat while lying next to your partner. And the layer of charcoal-infused foam does a solid job of isolating motion on either side of the bed; no more waking up to your partner’s tossing and turning.

What our testers say: “If you’re on a tight budget, the Allswell will be the most affordable King size bed to buy.” – Loren, Lead Mattress Tester

Who Might Like the Allswell Mattress

• Responsive enough for combination sleepers
• Motion isolation was good enough for couples to stay relatively undisturbed by their partners movements
• Good lumbar support for back sleepers of all body types

Who Might Not Like the Allswell Mattress

• Side sleepers might not find the pressure relief they need on the Allswell.

Other User Reviews

The Allswell mattress has an average 4.5 out of 5 stars on the Allswell website. Negative reviews tend to focus on the bed feeling either too soft or too firm for individual needs, or gripes about the bed not fully inflating fast enough out of the box. Otherwise, customers seem happy with what they got at an affordable price.

Read our full Allswell Mattress Review. If you still don’t think the Allswell is for you, check out other recommendations from our experts on the best king size mattresses.

Best Mattress for Lightweight Side Sleepers Under $500: Siena

Pros of the Siena

Excellent motion isolation

Soft for light sleepers

Responsive for an all foam bed

Cons of the Siena

Not great for heavy sleepers

Traps heat

So-so pressure relief

The Siena Original is a value bed that comes from the mattress and bedding brand, Nectar. This all-foam bed features five layers that combine support with comfort. It has an overall soft firmness level and works best for lightweight body types. The top two layers have exceptional pressure relief, which is perfect for side sleepers who need a cushy surface for their shoulders and hips to sink into without any pressure or pain build up. 

Expect an impressionable and engulfing feel from the memory foam layers. Your body will sink into the surface and feel contoured all around. Lightweight body types won’t sink too far into the surface, which will help to maintain proper spinal alignment. 

What our testers say: “The Siena mattress offers great pressure relief, making it one of the best mattresses for side sleepers.” – Loren, Lead Mattress Tester

Who Might Like the Siena Mattress

• The Siena has excellent motion isolation, meaning couples shouldn’t feel their partner tossing and turning
• While this bed doesn’t have perfect pressure relief, the Siena’s all-foam design is a great choice for lighter sleepers, regardless of sleeping position.
• If you’re a combination sleeper looking for easy movement, this mattress could be one of the best all-foam beds on the market for you.

Cons of the Siena Mattress

• For heavier sleepers, the Siena doesn’t offer the most support, nor is it very durable in the long-term.
• If you tend to sleep hot, foam beds, which trap body heat, may not be ideal for you.

Other User Reviews

On the Siena website, this mattress scored approximately a 4.2 out of 5 stars from 1279 reviews. Users praise the support this mattress provides, especially for side sleepers. There were a few complaints of people experiencing back pain due to it being too soft of a mattress.

For more mattress options for side sleepers, check out our best mattress for side sleepers page.

Best Affordable Mattress for Back and Joint Pain: Brentwood Home Cypress

Pros of the Brentwood Home Cypress

Good for all sleeping positions

All-foam and hybrid constructions

Two height options

Cons of the Brentwood Home Cypress

Not great for heavyweight stomach sleepers

It should come as no surprise that the quality of your sleep has an overall effect on your quality of life. A good night’s rest can positively impact your mental and physical health and, for those suffering from back and joint pain, can mitigate or prevent achiness. An affordable mattress that excels in this mitigation of pain is the Brentwood Home Cypress.

This foam bed, with a firmness of 6 out of 10, supports and cushions areas where pain is often experienced, such as the shoulders and hips. And because the medium firmness keeps sleepers from sinking too far into the mattress, your spine should remain in its proper alignment throughout the night. 

A Full size Brentwood Home Cypress can be purchased for $499, so if you’re looking for an affordable mattress that can provide substantial pain relief, this may be the one for you.

What our testers say: “The memory foam layers do a great job at providing the pressure relief you need to feel comfortable and supported.” – Loren, Lead Mattress Tester

Who Might Like the Brentwood Home Cypress Mattress

• All sleeping positions can find the right option for them, thanks to Brentwood’s multiple options: all-foam or hybrid, and 11″ or 13″ height options.
• Those with pain may find relief due to this bed’s cushioning and supportive capabilities.

Who Might Not Like the Brentwood Home Cypress Mattress

• This bed may be too soft for heavyweight stomach sleepers, who need a firmer mattress for optimal spinal alignment.

Other User Reviews

On Brentwood’s site, the Cypress earns a 4.7 out of 5 stars. Negative reviews tend to say that the bed is too firm or too soft for customers’ liking. Reviews are generally positive, including a lot of parents saying that their kids loved it.

Read our full Brentwood Home Mattress Reviews. Not sure the Brentwood Home Mattress will work for you? Check out our other recommendations for best mattresses for back pain. 

How Much Should You Spend on a Mattress?

What Type of Mattress Can You Get Under $500? 

Memory Foam

The best memory foam mattresses typically contain layers of memory foam and a high-density support core. While they typically have a lower lifespan than hybrid and innerspring mattresses, especially at the under $500 price point, they offer the best pressure relief and motion isolation of all mattress styles.

We recommend looking into memory foam mattresses under $500 if comfort, minimal motion transfer, and pressure relief are at the top of your list. Alternatively, if you’re concerned about temperature neutrality, edge support, or durability, other mattress styles may be a better choice for you. Also, memory foam mattresses are the most likely to emit an off-gassing odor when unboxed, but it usually fades within 24 hours. To find out more about off-gassing, check out our article: Is Off-Gassing Dangerous?

Innerspring 

Innerspring mattresses are the most traditional types of mattresses on the market, and they’ve been around the longest. A traditional innerspring mattress combines a grid of coils with a top layer of wool or padding. The spring systems of innerspring mattresses offer a high amount of durability and support, but some complain that the springs aggravate pressure points and are uncomfortable regardless of the amount of cushioning in the top layers. If you like a bouncy, responsive feel and don’t require much pressure point relief, an innerspring mattress could be a good choice for you. Innersprings also tend to be the most inexpensive mattresses on the market, which is an added bonus if you’re purchasing the bed for a temporary living setup or have a very tight budget. For more great innerspring bed options, check out our best innerspring mattresses page.

Hybrid

Hybrid mattresses are among the most expensive mattresses available today—and for good reason. These beds combine comfort foams, transitional layer foams and pocketed innersprings into a single construction, taking from the best of both worlds. The best hybrid mattresses have foams that provide pressure point relief and can create a variety of firmness feels, while the pocketed coils at the bed’s core provide bounce and durability and improve breathability. Despite hybrid models’ costly tendencies, some are available for less than $500.

Latex

Latex mattresses, made from latex sourced from rubber trees, are growing in popularity thanks to their eco-friendliness, breathability and excellent pressure relief. However, it is difficult to find a latex mattress for less than $500 that isn’t made with synthetically produced latex foams. If you do find a latex mattress on a budget, be sure to pay attention to the process through which the latex is made, and discern whether the latex will suit your needs. Dunlop and Talalay latex are the two types of latex, and each type has unique properties. If you like the feeling of “floating” on a mattress, you may enjoy a latex bed. Our best latex mattresses page includes our top picks for beds that use this material.

Best Cheap Mattress for Your Sleeping Position

Stomach sleepers, back sleepers, side sleepers, and combination sleepers each have unique needs when it comes to firmness, pressure point relief, and other mattress qualities. The mattress that’s best for you will depend largely on your sleeping position.

Side Sleepers

If you sleep on your side, you’ll generally want a mattress that’s on the softer side—around 4/10 on the firmness scale. For $500 or under, you’ll likely want to stick to memory foam options, as hybrid mattresses with substantial comfort layers are hard to come by at that price. To learn more, check out our list of the best mattresses for side sleepers.

Back Sleepers

Back sleepers tend to have the easiest time find a mattress that suits their needs. Still, we recommend a middle-of-the-road firmness that will keep you comfortably afloat on the surface of the mattress while still allowing your shoulders and hips to sink in a little bit. Head over to our list of the best mattresses for back sleepers for more info.

Stomach Sleepers

Stomach sleepers need a mattress that keeps them almost entirely on top of the mattress rather than sinking inside of it. This is because even a slight dip in their shoulders or hips can throw their spine out of alignment and lead to bad back pain. Most extra-firm mattresses cost more than $500, but it still might be worth heading to our best mattresses for stomach sleepers page to get a better idea of what you should be looking for.

Other Considerations For Mattress Shopping on a Budget 

When deciding on the best mattress under $500, the type of mattress and your budget are two of the most important considerations. However, there are other factors to consider, which we outline below.

Sleep Trial Period

Most mattresses sold online now come with a sleep trial, which provides customers with a predetermined number of nights to adjust to the new mattress and return it if it isn’t a good fit. This allows you to have several weeks or months (sometimes even up to a year) to decide if the mattress suits your preferences and sleeping style. Most mattresses at average and higher-than-average price points come with sleep trials, but these can be more difficult to find among low-cost mattresses. Still, among the best affordable mattresses shoppers can still discover great policies. We recommend looking for an affordable mattress with a sleep trial period of at least 30 days, given that affordable mattresses are more likely to be made with low-cost materials that may not feel comfortable to every sleeper.

Mattress Warranty

A mattress warranty covers physical defects in the mattress including sagging, coils breaking or popping out of the side, foams on top bunching, and more. Some of the mattresses we’ve listed above come with a 10-year warranty, but we recommend reading the fine print to ensure that what the warranties cover is substantial. That being said, since your mattress will ultimately cost less than $500, a generous warranty period with great coverage shouldn’t be a dealbreaker in your decision like it would be if you were investing in a high-end mattress.

Shipping and Return Policies

When purchasing a bed-in-a-box mattress online, oftentimes shipping is free. This has become the industry standard for most mattress companies and third-party mattress retailers, and this standard is maintained in the under $500 price category. Access to free shipping will vary based on where you live. For example, many companies do not ship free to Alaska and Hawaii, which aren’t considered part of the contiguous U.S. Many returns are free and will come with a full refund minus shipping costs.

We recommend reviewing the company or retailer’s return policy prior to purchase. Make note of whether the mattress company or third-party-retailer will pick up the mattress from your home and re-box it if you decide it isn’t for you.

Sales and Discounts

Even if the mattress you’re purchasing won’t be the most expensive piece of furniture you own, it’s still a several hundred dollar investment. There’s no “best time” to buy a mattress, but well-known shopping and sales seasons can give you an edge on price. Look for discounts and promotions around Christmas, Black Friday, Easter, Presidents’ Day, and July Fourth. Some mattress brands and third-party retailers even offer discounts to first-time buyers.

Durability

Durability is one mattress quality we recommend looking for regardless of the style. How “good” a mattress feels is subjective, but the ability to hold up year after year isn’t. A mattress’ lifespan is determined by its structure, the quality of its materials and how well it is cared for.

Most average-cost mattresses last between 7 to 10 years, but we think a good life expectancy for a mattress under $500 is three to seven years. Also, keep in mind, there are ways to prevent or even fix mattress sagging.

Temperature Neutrality

If you or your partner sleep hot, we recommend looking for mattresses that incorporate materials and designs that improve breathability. For example, most all-foam beds retain heat, but some manufacturers will infuse the top layer with temperature-neutral materials like copper and gel. Hybrid and innerspring mattresses tend to sleep cooler, thanks to the airflow allowed through the mattresses’ springs.

Materials

As we say often here at Mattress Nerd, the construction of a mattress can make or break its feel. The mattress industry is quite diverse, and manufacturers compete to concoct the most unique beds. From cooling gel to hypoallergenic materials and eco-friendly layers, mattresses have come a long way in the last few decades.

Still, some of these mattress products remain more expensive than others, and a $500 budget can preclude many beds that include, say latex foam. Gel memory foam and contouring coils are possible with a $500 mattress, but many beds in this lower price range have an all-foam construction with a simple fabric cover.

Edge Support

What is edge support in a mattress? Edge support refers to the mattress’s ability to maintain its shape when pressure is exerted on the outer edges of the mattress. This is an important feature to consider if you have trouble getting in and out of bed, as sagging edges can make this much more difficult. Edge support can be tested by sitting on the side of the mattress and measuring how much sagging occurs. The best mattresses have thick foam encasements to improve edge support, but some cheaper mattresses have steel rods on their sides.

Firmness Level and Lumbar Support

Finding a mattress under $500 that’s a good fit for you is much easier when you understand mattress firmness level scales and know which firmness level best suits your needs. Mattress firmness refers to how soft or firm the bed feels to an individual sleeper. While subjective, our team ranks mattresses on a scale of 1 to 10, from extremely soft to extremely firm.

The right firmness for you will vary based on your weight, height, preferred sleeping position, and personal preferences for the feel of the bed. Most importantly, shoppers should consider the link between mattress firmness and lumbar support. Stomach and back sleepers tend to need firmer mattresses to help with lumbar support and avoid back pain, while side sleepers need softer beds to keep their spine aligned. Our best mattresses for stomach sleepers article has much more information, as well as our best mattresses for back sleepers and best mattresses for side sleepers pages. If you switch positions often at night, our list of the best mattresses for combination sleepers will come in handy.

Picking the Best Mattress Under $500 for You

Below, we walk you through crucial considerations when it comes to choosing the best mattress under $500 for your unique situation. Use this as a checklist prior to purchasing your budget mattress to ensure you’ve taken the most important factors into consideration.

What’s the mattress intended for? Are you buying it for short-term living accommodation or a permanent space, like a guest bedroom in your home? How often the bed will be used and how long you plan to own it should impact how much money you spend.

Budget: Any mattress under $500 is suited for shoppers with a small budget. If you have a budget of less than $250, you may have trouble finding high-quality, queen-sized mattresses in any style at that price point. If that’s the case, consider an air mattress or a sleeping mat instead, or consider borrowing an unneeded mattress from a friend.

Construction preferences: Have you slept better on memory foam, innerspring or hybrid mattresses in the past? Do you like the feel of memory foam or prefer the bounce and breathability of a hybrid? Your personal preferences may impact the type of mattress you purchase.

Do you sleep hot? If you tend to sweat or sleep warm throughout the night, we recommend looking into mattresses’ qualities that improve breathability and temperature neutrality. These will increase the likelihood that you sleep undisrupted.

Do you sleep with a partner or a pet? If you sleep alone, your mattress choice is completely up to you. If you sleep with a partner, you’ll need to take their weight, size, sleeping position and comfort preferences into account. We also recommend looking for beds that isolate motion well if you or your partner (or pet) toss and turn throughout the night. You can find some great options on our best mattresses for couples list.

Durability: Similar to budget, the importance of the mattress’ longevity is dependent on how often you plan to use it and how long you want the bed to last. If it’s a mattress for a short-term (less than one year) setup, durability shouldn’t be a big factor. If you want it to last you more than two years, durability is essential to consider. To find durability, look for a bed that has good edge support, meaning it doesn’t buckle too much at the edge when you sit down on the perimeter.

Return and trial policies: As mentioned, many of the best online mattress companies and third-party retailers now offer extensive sleep trials that last several months, regardless of how much the bed costs. If you’re the “try it before you buy it” type, look for a mattress with a generous sleep trial period and friendly policies for returns, like white glove pickup and re-boxing.

Make Your Cheap Mattress More Comfortable

Even if your mattress doesn’t have all of the bells and whistles that a $2,000+ mattress might have, that doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve similar comfort through a little bit of accessorizing.

Mattress Topper: A mattress topper can have a significant impact on the quality of sleep that you get on your mattress, and they cost substantially less than a new mattress. Head over to our best mattress toppers page for more information and some great options.

Pillows: Pillows may not affect the feel of your mattress per se, but they are an affordable option for improving your sleep situation overall. You’ll want to pick your new pillow based on several factors, including body type and sleep position. Once you find the perfect pillow for you, you’ll find that you sleep much more comfortably, regardless of your mattress. Check out our best pillow guide for more info.

Sheets: Does your mattress not keep you as cool as you’d like? No problem! A nice set of sheets can do wonders when it comes to temperature regulation. Head over to our article on the best bed sheets to see some great options.

Best Mattresses Under $500 FAQs

What”s the most comfortable cheap mattress?

It depends on your preferences, but we consider the Brooklyn Signature to be the most well-rounded, affordable mattress on this list. 

What is a reasonable price for a mattress?

While you can get a good mattress for under $500, it likely won’t hold a candle to the mattresses you can purchase if you’re willing to spend $1,000 or more. For a high quality mattress that will last you upwards of ten years, you should expect to spend a good deal more than $500. Even if you go up just one price tier, it’ll be much easier for you to find a product that meets all of your needs. Check out our list of the best mattresses under $1,000 for some of these options.

How often should I replace my mattress?

A quality mattress with a solid construction should last you between eight and ten years if properly cared for. If you purchase a mattress from this list, it may not maintain its structural integrity as long as a more expensive mattress would. In short, it’s really up to you how often you replace your mattress. Once you begin to notice sagging or dipping, though, you’ll definitely want to consider purchasing something new. 

Conclusion

Finding a mattress when you have a tight budget is easier than ever thanks to today’s wide variety of options and readily available online retailers. What’s difficult is deciding on the mattress you want to purchase. Use the style of mattress and your budget to steer you in the right direction. From there, use our list of shopping considerations in the buyer’s guide to making your decision. We hope this guide to the best mattress under $500 gets you started off on the right foot in making your budget mattress purchase with confidence!

If you still need guidance in your mattress buying journey, check out our ultimate mattress buying guide and our best mattresses of 2023.

Recap: Best Rated Mattresses Under $500 

Mattress	Award
Brooklyn Bedding Signature Hybrid	Editor’s Pick
DreamFoam Essential	Best Cooling Mattress Under $500
Allswell Mattress	Best King Mattress Under $500
Siena Original	Best Mattress for Lightweight Side Sleepers Under $500
Brentwood Home Cypress	Best Affordable Mattress for Back and Joint Pain