The Purple mattress and the Nectar mattress are each the flagship models of popular online bed-in–a-box mattress brands, both made in the U.S. In this mattress comparison, we provide everything you need to know to find out which memory foam mattress will be best for you.
Purple vs. Nectar Mattress Comparison
Comparing Purple & Nectar Mattresses
The Nectar mattress is a much softer memory foam bed compared to the Purple Original mattress. The Nectar is ideal for lightweight and average-weight side sleepers. While the Purple mattress includes a waffle-like proprietary grid as a comfort layer, the Nectar is a more traditional memory foam mattress.
So, how is a person to choose between these two great brands? Thankfully, there’s an easy answer: The Nectar Original is a softer mattress with a classic memory foam feel, which is especially good for side sleepers. The original Purple mattress features a more bouncy, responsive feel, thanks to its Purple Grid. It’s especially good for back sleepers and hot sleepers looking for a cooling mattress.
Differences
- While both mattresses have a memory foam construction, the Purple Grid comfort layer has a unique feel and is patented with the Purple brand.
- The differences in firmness levels create very different feels. The Nectar will have the traditional sinking memory foam feel, while the Purple will have more of a bouncy, responsive feel.
Similarities
- Both the Nectar and the Purple are memory foam mattresses that isolate motion well and are good options for couples.
- Both mattresses work to cool sleepers through a breathable top layer.
- Both mattresses offer pressure relief in a second layer of adaptive memory foam with contouring capabilities.
The original Purple mattress is an innovative mattress with a feel unlike that of traditional foam or innerspring beds. The unique feel is excellent for back and side sleepers who weigh under 230 pounds. The original Purple mattress is an innovative mattress with a feel unlike that of traditional foam or innerspring beds. The unique feel is excellent for back and side sleepers who weigh under 230 pounds. The original Purple mattress is an innovative mattress with a feel unlike that of traditional foam or innerspring beds. The unique feel is excellent for back and side sleepers who weigh under 230 pounds.
Purple Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Hybrid
Trial Period
100 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Warranty
10-year warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Purple Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Hybrid
Warranty
10-year warranty
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
100 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Purple Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Hybrid
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Trial Period
100 nights
Warranty
10-year warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Who the Purple Original Mattress is Best For
Best For…
- Sleepers seeking a firmer bed that conforms more closely to the joints while keeping the body supported atop the bed’s comfort layer.
- Average-weight and heavyweight sleepers with a need for support. Check out our other choices for the best mattresses for heavy people here.
- Hot sleepers who need breathable materials that keep body heat away.
May Not be Best For…
- Memory foam purists who want a traditional, balanced foam feel.
- Stomach sleepers who need adequate support to achieve proper spinal alignment.
Read our full Purple Mattress Review or Purple Mattress Comparison to learn more!
The Nectar mattress combines the hugging feel of memory foam with cooling gel. Because the Nectar is a medium-firm mattress with contouring layers, average-weight side sleepers and lighter back sleepers should feel supported. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Nectar mattress combines the hugging feel of memory foam with cooling gel. Because the Nectar is a medium-firm mattress with contouring layers, average-weight side sleepers and lighter back sleepers should feel supported. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress. The Nectar mattress combines the hugging feel of memory foam with cooling gel. Because the Nectar is a medium-firm mattress with contouring layers, average-weight side sleepers and lighter back sleepers should feel supported. We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types: Financing options are available for this mattress.
Nectar Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Foam
Trial Period
365 nights
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Financing Options
Nectar Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Foam
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Trial Period
365 nights
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Financing Options
Nectar Mattress
Read Full Review
Material
Foam
Firmness
Soft: 6/10
Trial Period
365 nights
Warranty
Lifetime warranty
Shipping Method
Free shipping
Price Range
$$$$$
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Joint Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from joint pain.
Hip Pain
This bed is perfect for anyone suffering from hip pain.
Financing Options
Who the Nectar Original Mattress is Best For
Best For…
- Side sleepers who enjoy a softer mattress that moderately cradles the joints and allows them to sleep “in” the bed rather than sleeping “on” it.
- Couples who need a bed that isolates motion at the source and reduces disturbances.
- Those seeking pressure relief or who have chronic pain in their back, neck or hips. For more pain-relief options, check out our list of the best mattresses for hip pain.
May Not be Best For…
- Lightweight sleepers, because the mattress may feel too firm.
- Those who want a responsive feel; people who don’t enjoy the cradling feel of memory foam.
- Heavyweight combination sleepers who move around and change sleep positions often.
Read our full Nectar Mattress Review to learn more!
Deciding Between the Purple & Nectar Mattress
Firmness / Feel
At Mattress Nerd we rate mattresses on a firmness scale of 1 to 10, with one being the softest and 10 the firmest.
The Purple’s grid structure and more supportive base make it feel more responsive than the Nectar, at a 7/10 firmness level. The Nectar’s traditional sinking feel and cradling found in memory foam make it closer to a 6/10. Both mattresses can be considered medium-firm, but the overall feel of the smart comfort grid and the memory foam differ.
While both mattresses can accommodate a variety of sleeping positions, the firmer Purple will provide a better surface for back, stomach and combination sleepers. The Nectar is better suited for side sleepers and lightweight sleepers.
Motion Isolation
Motion isolation is an important quality to consider if you sleep with a partner, pet or child. If you wake easily to movement or noise throughout the night, a bed with great motion isolation will be essential to achieve a great night’s sleep.
Both the Nectar and the Purple beds have minimal motion transfer and produce minimal noise, though we think the Nectar is slightly superior in this category due to the double-layer foam comfort portion of the mattress.
The memory foam layers of each of these mattresses will absorb motion between partners better than traditional hybrid mattresses. To read more about the differences in mattress construction, check out our Memory Foam vs. Hybrid article.
Edge Support
If you have trouble getting in and out of bed or are concerned with a mattress’s durability, edge support is something to consider. Edge support is the degree to which the perimeter of a mattress supports body weight.
While memory foam mattresses may absorb motion better, they often lack the reinforced edge support of coils present in hybrid mattresses. Both the Purple and Nectar show significant sinkage when the edges of the bed are compressed. While neither are the best mattress for edge support, that shouldn’t matter much to sleepers who lie in the middle of their bed.
Pressure Relief
Pressure relief is important for all sleep positions and depends on a sleeper’s body weight. The Purple Comfort Grid provides pressure point relief for most sleepers who are lightweight or average-weight and sleep on their sides or backs.
As for the Nectar, pressure relief is one of its primary strengths. Its two memory foam comfort layers absorb and cradle the body, conforming to different areas and distributing weight evenly. All in all, the Nectar outpaces Purple slightly in this area, but it will come down to preference. If you like the feeling of sleeping “in” a bed, you may prefer the Nectar. If you like the feeling of sleeping “on” a bed, we suggest the Purple.
Spine Alignment
Maintaining proper spinal alignment is essential to achieving a great night’s sleep and improving or maintaining your overall health. When your spine is thrown out of alignment throughout the night, it can create long-lasting back and neck pain.
The Purple mattress provides great spinal alignment for side, back and combination sleepers, but we think the grid sinks too much to provide support for heavier stomach sleepers. Alternately, the Nectar will keep lightweight sleepers and some average-weight side sleepers’ spines aligned on the mattress.
Durability
A new mattress is an investment, so it’s key to ensure your purchase will last at least several years. Both Purple and Resident (Nectar’s brand) are relatively young companies, but customer reviews and the quality of the mattresses’ construction indicates that they will last roughly seven to eight years, which is average in the mattress industry. As always, rotating all-foam mattresses every three to six months is recommended to prevent body impressions from forming.
Temperature
If you sleep hot or live in a warm climate, it’s essential to find a bed that’s breathable and will help you achieve a cool night’s sleep. As an all-foam mattress, the Nectar will trap some heat throughout the night, but it is slightly cooler than other memory foam mattresses. Its gel memory foam upper layer works to combat heat entrapment in the dense memory foam layers.
Alternatively, the Purple’s Comfort Grid helps it sleep much cooler than other all-foam models, promoting steady airflow to keep the surface temperature-neutral at worst and actively cool at best. Between the two, the Purple mattress is the top choice for hot sleepers.
For a complete list of beds that won’t cause you to overheat, check out our list of the best cooling mattresses.
| Cover | Soft Flex Knit cover: breathable and stretchable to accommodate more than one type of sleeper |
| Comfort Layer | 2” Purple Grid: balance of support and pressure relief, creating a balanced feel overall |
| Transitional Layer | 3.5” 1.8 PCF high-density polyfoam: softer, more responsive comfort layer |
| Support Layer | 4” 2.0 PCF high-density polyfoam: supportive base layer |
| Mattress Thickness | 9.5” |
The Purple mattress, also known as the Original Purple, consists of a cover, a comfort layer, a transitional layer and base layers. Altogether, the mattress measures 9.5 inches thick. It’s important to note that this height profile is slightly thinner than average, and the transitional and support layers make up much of the mattress. This bed has a more supportive and firmer feel relative to other mixed-foam mattresses.
Nectar Construction
| Cover | Quilted poly-blend fabric |
| Comfort Layer | Gel memory foam: cooling surface that distributes weight across the mattress |
| Transitional Layer | Adaptive Hi-Core memory foam: supports and adapts to body to prevent sinking |
| Support Layer | Memory foam base layer: supports and stabilizes other layers |
| Mattress Thickness | 12” |
The Nectar mattress consists of four layers: a cover, a comfort section with two layers of memory foam, a transitional layer of high-density memory foam, and a support core of high-density polyfoam. These layers total 12 inches: 2.5 inches thicker than the Purple.
The densities of these memory foams allow the bed to conform closely to the body without allowing too much sinking. They also sleep cooler than higher-density memory foams. For its signature balanced feel, the Nectar’s comfort layer distributes weight evenly and consistently while providing a nice hug to alleviate aches and pains.
Sizing & Price Comparisons
| Mattress Size | Nectar Price | Purple Price |
| Twin | $798 | $599 |
| Twin XL | $ 868 | $799 |
| Full | $ 1,098 | $999 |
| Queen | $ 1,198 | $1,149 |
| King | $1,398 | $1,449 |
| California King | $1,398 | $1,449 |
To see if these mattresses are within your budget, check out our Purple Mattress Coupons article and our Nectar Mattress Coupons article.
Shipping and Returns for Nectar & Purple
Nectar Mattress
Nectar offers free shipping to the contiguous U.S. and can also ship to Puerto Rico. For a flat fee, Nectar also offers white glove delivery, meaning professionals will deliver your new mattress and remove an old mattress from your home.
You’ll have 365 nights (one year) to decide to return the Nectar if it’s not right for you. But the company has a mandatory 30-day break-in period before free returns are eligible. Here at Mattress Nerd, we agree with that policy. On average, it can take the body up to 30 days to adjust to a new mattress.
If you decide to return your Nectar, the company will cover all shipping and handling expenses and coordinate mattress pickup on your behalf. Even better, each mattress comes with Nectar’s Lifetime warranty.
Purple Mattress
Purple also offers free shipping to the contiguous U.S., and the company can ship anywhere in the U.S. and in Canada. The Purple mattress is shipped to your door via FedEx, but the two advanced versions of the Purple mattress (the Purple Hybrid and the Purple Hybrid Premier) each include the option for in-home delivery.
Unlike Nectar’s year-long sleep trial period, Purple’s return policy will allow you 100 nights to decide if you want to return the mattress. The company does not have a mandatory break-in period, although they recommend testing the mattress for 30 nights prior to making your decision. If you decide to return your Purple Original, the company will cover all shipping and handling expenses. Furthermore, Purple’s 10-year warranty protects the original owner of the mattress.
Purple Hybrid
While the Purple mattress is classified as an all-foam bed, the Purple Hybrid elevates that model with a layer of individually-wrapped coils.
See our full Purple Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.
Purple Hybrid Premier
In this luxurious version of the Purple mattress, shoppers can choose between a 3” or 4” layer of the Purple Hyper-Elastic Polymer Grid.
See our full Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Review to learn more.
More Nectar Mattresses
Nectar Premier
This 13" memory foam mattress has five layers that are branded as "life-changing comfort." Featuring dual-action cooling and premier support elements, the Nectar Premier could be the right choice for you. It is a good option for hot sleepers, couples and strict side sleepers.
See our full Nectar Premier Mattress Review to learn more.
Nectar Premier Copper
The Nectar Premier Copper is a luxury foam mattress infused with special cooling materials such as gel, copper, and Phase Change Material. This mattress is a great option for back sleepers who love all-foam beds.
See our full Nectar Premier Copper Mattress Review to learn more.
Haven’t made a decision yet? Check out these other comparisons:
- Nectar vs. Casper
- Nectar vs. DreamCloud Premier
- Nectar vs. GhostBed
- Nectar vs. Layla
- Nectar vs. Leesa
- Nectar vs. Loom & Leaf
- Nectar vs. Lull
- Nectar vs. Nolah
- Nectar vs. Puffy
- Nectar vs. Tuft & Needle
- Nectar vs. WinkBeds
- Purple Mattress Comparison
- Purple Alternatives
- Purple vs. Amerisleep
- Purple vs. Bear
- Purple vs. Casper
- Purple vs. GhostBed
- Purple vs. Helix
- Purple vs. Layla
- Purple vs. Leesa
- Purple vs. Lull
- Purple vs. Tuft & Needle
- Purple vs. Tempur-Pedic
- Purple vs. Puffy
- Purple vs. Saatva
- Purple vs. WinkBeds
- Purple vs. Nolah
Our Final Take
The Nectar Original and Purple Original are both excellent, moderately priced, mixed-foam mattresses that work well for a variety of sleepers with different preferences. The beds vary relatively little in price, so the mattress that’s best for you will mostly come down to your desired firmness level, need for temperature regulation and primary sleeping position.
If you enjoy the traditional, cradling feel of memory foam, we think you’ll love the Nectar. If you want a mattress with more responsiveness and enjoy sleeping “on” your mattress rather than sinking “in” it, we recommend the Purple Original.
