Purple vs. Nolah Mattress Comparison
The Nolah Original 10” mattress is an all-foam bed made from three layers of special proprietary foams. The original Purple mattress is made from foam paired with a gel-like grid that creates a floating feel.
The Nolah mattress is a good option for back sleepers and people who enjoy the contouring feel of foam mattresses. Thanks to the motion isolation properties of foam, the Nolah is terrific for couples. The Purple mattress is excellent for hot sleepers, lightweight sleepers, and side and back sleepers who weigh less than 230 lbs. See which bed suits you best in this mattress comparison.
For your reference, we test and review all of our mattresses using our testing methodology.
Purple vs. Nolah Overview
The Nolah Original is an all-foam mattress, while the Purple is a hybrid mattress. Both are popular bed-in-a-box mattress options.
| Purple is best for… | Nolah is best for… |
| Hot sleepers | All sleeping positions |
| Back and side sleepers | Couples |
| People with back pain | People with back pain |
Who Should Choose the Purple Mattress?
- Hot sleepers: People who find all-foam and memory foam mattresses too hot will appreciate the Purple’s grid-like top layer. It creates a temperature-neutral sleeping experience.
- Back and side sleepers: Lightweight and average-weight people who sleep on their back, side, or combination of the two will benefit from how the Purple Grid gently collapses under areas of high pressure.
- People with back pain: The weightless feel and spinal alignment of the Purple may ease aches, especially for people with back pain.
Who Should Choose the Nolah Mattress?
- All sleeping positions: Side, back, and stomach sleepers are all a good fit for the Nolah thanks to supportive and pressure-relieving foams—depending on your body type. Combination sleepers also enjoy the Nolah because it has a responsive surface and works for every sleep position.
- Couples: The three foam layers minimize motion transfer, which is excellent for couples who don’t want to be disrupted by each other’s movements.
- People with back pain: People with back pain may find relief on the Nolah. Nolah’s proprietary foams perform well in tests that examine spine alignment.
Purple vs. Nolah: Top Similarities
- Responsiveness: Both Nolah and Purple balance pressure relief with responsive support that’s excellent for combination sleepers.
- Body weight compatibility: Both mattresses properly support lightweight and average-weight people. Neither offers the level of cushion or support required by heavyweight people.
- Spinal alignment: Both Nolah and Purple do an excellent job supporting healthy spinal alignment, especially for people who weigh less than 230 lbs.
Purple vs. Nolah: Top Differences
- Feel: The Purple’s proprietary comfort grid creates a floating sensation, while Nolah’s all-foam construction feels more cushioning.
- Temperature: The Purple’s gel grid top layer supports greater airflow than Nolah’s foam comfort layer. As such, Purple is better than Nolah for hot sleepers.
- Performance: The Purple Grid offers sturdier edge support, while the proprietary foams in the Nolah provide superior motion transfer.
Purple vs. Nolah: Firmness & Feel Differences
In this section, we’ll go into detail about the Purple and Nolah Original feel and performance when it comes to providing a comfy night’s sleep.
What’s the Firmness Of the Purple & Nolah Mattresses?
The Purple mattress feels unlike any other bed on the market because of its proprietary gel grid top layer. Expect this layer to buckle at heavy body parts and gently support lighter areas, creating a floating sensation and medium-firm feel. While this firmness works for every sleeping position, we believe this bed is best for side and back sleepers who weigh less than 230 lbs.
The Nolah Original’s medium-firmness is a touch softer than the Purple. Because it’s made entirely from polyfoam, it has a balanced foam feel that hugs the body while supporting ease-of-movement. It best supports average-weight and lightweight sleepers of every sleeping position.
What Do the Purple & Nolah Mattresses Feel Like?
The Purple Grid has a gel top layer that regulates temperature, which helps keep you cool and fresh all through the night. Its gel layer also does a fantastic job at responding to movement and pressure changes, quickly snapping back to place. When sleeping on the mattress, it feels like you’re “floating” on it instead of being on it.
Though foam mattresses aren’t known for their breathability, the Nolah Original compensates for this by having a lightweight and airy TENCEL cover. We find Nolah’s top layer, which is made from their proprietary AirFoam, to be very responsive to movement, springing back to shape after pressure is removed. The Nolah also feels like you’re sleeping “on ” it instead of “in” it, which is usually the case for foam mattresses.
What’s It Like to Sleep On the Purple & Nolah Mattresses?
The Nolah Original should feel comfortable for most sleepers weighing less than 230 lbs. However, we feel like it’ll be most comfortable for side sleepers since it’s soft enough to be comfy but firm enough to provide the right joint support. Most back and stomach sleepers should sleep comfortably enough, but we think that some may be better off with a more firmer mattress. The best mattresses for combination sleepers are responsive to tossing and turning, and it just so happens that the Nolah mattress does a great job at that.
Similar to the Nolah, the Purple is also best for side sleepers, especially those under 230 lbs. Back sleepers will also sleep well since its body-conforming gel top layer provides excellent support. However, if you’re above 230 lbs, we don’t really recommend the Purple Grid as you’ll probably feel like it’s too soft and sinking to give your spine enough support.
The Purple vs. Nolah Mattresses By Body Type
Purple Performance By Body Type & Sleeping Position:
| Body Type: | BACK SLEEPERS | STOMACH SLEEPERS | SIDE SLEEPERS |
| Lightweight (< 130 lbs): | 5 | 3 | 4 |
| Average-weight (130–230 lbs): | 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Heavyweight (> 230 lbs): | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Nolah Performance By Body Type & Sleeping Position:
| Body Type: | BACK SLEEPERS | STOMACH SLEEPERS | SIDE SLEEPERS |
| Lightweight (< 130 lbs): | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Average-weight (130–230 lbs): | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| Heavyweight (> 230 lbs): | 3 | 2 | 4 |
1 = Very poor, 2 = Not good, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent
Average-Weight Sleepers (130–230 lbs)
Average weight back sleepers will probably be comfortable with either mattress. The Nolah Original and the Purple Mattress both have a medium-firm feel that provides enough spinal support and contours to the natural curves of the body.
Both mattresses also provide enough joint support and cushion to give average weight side sleepers a good night’s sleep. However, the slightly softer Nolah may be the better choice.
The Nolah and Purple mattresses are both medium-firm, so we don’t really recommend them for average weight stomach sleepers. Stomach sleepers will find the Nolah too soft and the Purple mattress lacking in spinal support.
Average weight combination sleepers will have no problems with either mattress, assuming that you don’t spend too much time on your stomach. Both mattresses react very well to movement changes, so you won’t have any problems tossing and turning at night.
Heavyweight Sleepers (> 230 lbs)
Heavyweight back sleepers may find both mattresses to be a tad bit uncomfortable. Both mattresses lack the firm support needed to keep a neutral spinal position that back sleepers need.
We also don’t recommend either mattress to heavyweight side sleepers, as they don’t give enough cushion and support. We recommend mattresses with thicker comfort systems, like the mattresses we included in our best mattresses for side sleepers list.
The Nolah and Purple mattresses will have trouble providing proper hip support for heavyweight stomach sleepers. We recommended mattresses that are soft enough for comfort but firm enough to keep stomach sleepers’ hips elevated, similar to our picks of the best mattresses for stomach sleepers.
Depending on their dominant sleeping position, some heavyweight combination sleepers may sleep comfortably on both mattresses. However, both mattresses have a slight sink-in feel that may hinder heavier folks from changing positions easily.
Lightweight Sleepers (< 130 lbs)
We think that lightweight back sleepers will comfortably sleep on both mattresses. Their medium-firm feel helps a lot in maintaining a healthy, neutral spine alignment.
Lightweight side sleepers will also probably fare well with either mattress, but we’re giving more points to the slightly softer Nolah Original for extra cushion.
The Nolah Original will give enough support for lightweight stomach sleepers, but the Purple mattress may struggle a bit because of its Hyper-Elastic Polymer material that might sink in at the hips, putting your lower back out of proper alignment.
Lightweight combination sleepers will sleep comfortably on both mattresses, as they do an excellent job at responding to sudden movement.
Differences In Mattress Construction
The Nolah Original has an all-foam build that’s made of three foam layers, while the original Purple is a hybrid mattress constructed from gel and polyfoam layers. The Nolah stands 10″ thick, slightly taller than the 9.5″ Purple. Here’s a thorough look at each mattress’s layers.
| Purple Mattress Materials | Nolah Mattress Materials |
| Viscose, Polyester, & Lycra Blend Cover | TENCEL Mattress Cover |
| 2” Purple Smart Grid | 2” AirFoam |
| 3.5” Soft Polyfoam Transition Layer | 1” High-Resilience Foam |
| 4” High-Density Polyfoam Base + Non-Slip Bottom Cover | 7” High-Density Base Foam |
Cover
The original Purple has a cover made from a blend of polyester, viscose, and Lycra, which results in a stretchy, breathable material that promotes airflow and temperature neutrality. The Nolah cover is made from TENCEL, an eco-friendly and sustainable material that’s known for its breathability, soft feel, and ability to sleep cool.
Comfort Layers
The Purple has a unique top layer made from their proprietary Hyper-Elastix Polymer gel material that responds to body weight—sinking at heavier areas for pressure relief and provides supportive features for lighter zones. The Nolah comfort layer is constructed with their patented AirFoam technology, which has air pockets that promote pressure relief, excellent airflow, and body-contouring features.
Support Layers
The Purple has a 4” polyfoam base with a non-slip bottom cover, while the Nolah has a thicker 7” high-density base foam.
Purple vs. Nolah Pricing
| Size | Purple Prices | Nolah Prices |
| Twin | $ | $ |
| Twin XL | $ | $ |
| Full | $ | $ |
| Queen | $ | $ |
| King | $ | $ |
| California King | $ | $ |
For exclusive discounts on both beds see our Purple mattress coupons and Nolah mattress coupons.
Purple vs. Nolah Mattress Performance Ratings & Differences
Here’s how Purple and Nolah perform against each other when it comes to different aspects that can affect your sleep quality.
Temperature
Both mattresses are cooler than the average foam bed. However, Purple’s ultra-breathable gel grid creates a better sleeping environment for hot sleepers.
Motion Transfer
People who share their mattress with a partner, child, or furry family member tend to sleep best on a bed that dampens motion. Foam is the best material for motion isolation. Because Nolah is an all-foam mattress, it minimizes motion transfer better than the Purple mattress.
Edge Support
Sturdy edges are something that most of us don’t miss until they’re gone. Solid edges mean you can sleep on the entire mattress surface, something that’s important for most couples who share a Queen-size mattress or smaller. Furthermore, many people sit along the mattress perimeter while others use the edges for support when getting into bed.
For people who share the bed and those who like to use the edges for support, the Purple mattress is the better option. Its edges are impressively sturdy, while the Nolah’s have more sinkage.
Pressure Relief
Side sleepers need a mattress that cradles the hips and shoulders to avoid aches and pains. Both the Nolah and Purple provide above-average cushioning for the pressure points for lightweight and average-weight sleepers, though the Purple outperforms the Nolah in this category. Neither has a thick enough top layer for heavyweight side sleepers.
Pain Relief
A mattress’s pain-relieving feature depends heavily on the sleeper’s body type and sleeping position.
Generally, we found both mattresses to be supportive and cushioning enough for most sleepers under 230 lbs. Heavier folks will probably find both mattresses to be lacking when it comes to support.
We think both mattresses are great for back sleepers with lower back pain, but stomach sleepers with lower back pain should think twice. Also, being the softer of the two, we think the Nolah Original offers better pain relief for side sleepers than Purple.
Durability
The Purple mattress is more durable than the Nolah. While both beds have high-density polyfoam base layers that boost longevity, the Purple Grid top layer is resistant to body indentations. The softer Nolah top layer is more prone to developing surface indentations over the mattress’s lifespan.
Shipping, Returns, & Warranties
Purple
Purple offers free shipping across the contiguous U.S. and paid shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada. Each Purple mattress also comes with a 100-day sleep trial and a 10-year warranty that covers material and workmanship defects.
Nolah
Each Nolah Original mattress comes with free shipping in the contiguous U.S. You also get a 120-day sleep trial that comes with free returns and a full refund after the 30th night. And finally, Nolah offers a Lifetime warranty that offers complete coverage for 15 years and prorated repair costs from thereon after.
Other Purple Models Available
This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.
This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.
This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.
Other Nolah Models Available
This mattress is no longer available for purchase. To help you find your next mattress, check out our list of the best mattresses available on the market now.
Haven’t made a decision yet? Check out these other comparisons:
Our Final Take
The Nolah Original and Purple mattresses are best for lightweight and average-weight sleepers. The Nolah’s all-foam build has a softer feel that suits foam mattress lovers and side sleepers. Also, it better minimizes motion transfer, so we recommend it over Purple for couples.
The Purple Grid creates a cooler surface and a unique floating sensation that make it the better choice for hot sleepers and those with joint pain. Both beds are suitable for back and combination sleepers. They also each come with generous trial periods, so you can give them a proper test run at home.
Purple & Nolah FAQs
How Firm is a Nolah Mattress?
Nolah scores a 7/10 (1 being the softest and 10 being the firmest) on our firmness scale, which means that it has a medium-firm feel. Its firmness can mostly be attributed to its patented adaptive AirFoam layer.
What Are The Cons of a Purple Mattress?
We’ve heard some customer complaints about Purple mattresses sagging early, poor customer service, and being hard to move in. However, know that customer experience varies greatly due to a lot of factors.
Do Purple Beds Smell?
As Purple mattresses are made from elastic polymers and foam, you may notice a particular product smell as soon as it’s out of the box. However, the smell will eventually fade, especially with proper room ventilation.
