Tempur-Pedic vs. Purple Comparison

Purple and Tempur-Pedic are two wildly different mattress companies with the same goal: giving customers the best night’s sleep possible. The original Purple mattress (like all the Purple mattress models) accomplishes this by cushioning your sensitive pressure points with a gel-like material—called hyper-elastic polymer—molded into a pressure-relieving grid. The Tempur-Cloud is a memory foam mattress that supports your curves with high-quality Tempur material.

The Purple is best for hot sleepers who want a temperature-neutral mattress. Not only does the Purple Grid improve airflow, but it also resists heat retention almost as well as an innerspring mattress. Back sleepers or side sleepers with a lightweight or average-weight body type get just the right amount of support on this mattress. The Tempur-Cloud is an ideal choice for lightweight stomach sleepers as well as back and side sleepers, especially those with lower back pain.

Comparing the Tempur-Cloud and Purple Mattresses

Differences

• The dense memory foam layers on top of the Tempur-Cloud do a better job of absorbing motion transfer.
• The Purple mattress sleeps much cooler than the Tempur-Cloud, thanks to a naturally cooling, breathable construction.
• The Tempur-Cloud has a traditional memory foam feel, while the Purple has a unique gel-like comfort grid that is soft and supportive when it collapses under pressure.

Similarities

• The Purple and Tempur-Cloud mattresses both keep your spine in a neutral position, which helps to prevent mattress-related back pain.
• Both mattresses are medium-firm on the firmness scale. Medium-firm beds range from 5.5–7/10, and the Purple and Tempur-Cloud are both 7/10.

Who the Purple Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Lightweight and average-weight back sleepers will sink just far enough into the Purple’s comfort layers to provide a blend of pressure relief and back support.
• Average-weight side sleepers benefit from the pressure-relieving Purple Grid.
• Hot sleepers stay much cooler on the breathable, temperature-neutral hyper elastic polymer top layer.

May Not be Best For…

• Heavyweight sleepers may find that they sink too far into the mattress to get enough support and cushioning.
• Those who like a traditional mattress feel probably won’t want to invest in a mattress with unique features like the Purple Grid.

Read our full Purple Mattress Review to learn more! 

Who the Tempur-Cloud Mattress is Best For 

Best For…

• Lightweight and average-weight side sleepers will experience close contouring around inverted curves and pressure relief around shoulders and hips.
• Back sleepers get a comfortable balance of whole body support and cushioning. See our full best mattresses for back sleepers list for other beds like this.
• Those with shoulder pain will benefit from the cushioning effect of the memory foam layers.

May Not be Best For…

• Hot sleepers may get too warm on the Tempur-Cloud, since memory foam has a tendency to trap body heat.
• Combination sleepers will probably want a mattress that responds more quickly to their changes in position.
• Average-weight or heavy-weight stomach sleepers need a slightly firmer mattress to get the lower back support that they need.

Read our full Tempur-Cloud Mattress Review to learn more! 

What to Consider When Picking a Mattress

Firmness / Feel

The Purple and Tempur-Cloud mattresses are both medium-firm and fall at 7/10 on the firmness scale. With that said, they feel really different. The Tempur-Cloud has a classic memory foam feel—slow sinking and body contouring. The Purple has a grid texture that is initially distinct, but immediately collapses in response to pressure. You really only feel the grid when you first touch the mattress surface, then it melts together like gel.

Overall, the Purple mattress is best suited to lightweight or average-weight sleepers. Heavyweight sleepers will probably sink through the shallow comfort layer to the firmer layers below. The Tempur-Cloud works for all body types, though heavyweight sleepers may have an issue with sinkage and some lightweight sleepers may find the mattress to be too firm.

Purple Performance By Sleeping Position:

Tempur-Cloud Performance By Sleeping Position:

1 = Very poor, 2 = Not good, 3 = Fair, 4 = Good, 5 = Excellent

Motion Isolation

If you sleep with a partner or pet, you probably want a mattress that effectively reduces motion transfer, otherwise, you may be woken by movement on the other side of the bed. Neither mattress performs poorly in this category, but the high density memory foam in the Tempur-Cloud reduces motion transfer better than the foam and hyper-elastic polymer in the Purple.

For more beds that work well for people who sleep with a partner, see the best mattresses for couples.

Edge Support

Edge support is often overlooked, but it’s important if you find yourself sitting or sleeping near the edges of the bed. Both of these mattresses provide above-average edge support, but the Purple has a high-density foam perimeter that provides better edge support than the Tempur material across the Tempur-Cloud.

Pressure Relief 

Pressure relief is a favorite category for side sleepers, who need to avoid putting excess weight on their shoulders and hips. The Purple Grid relaxes in response to pressure, so your inverted curves are supported and your pressure points are cushioned. 

The same is true for Tempur material, though it has a more conforming feel—sort of like being hugged by the mattress. We think the Tempur-Cloud provides a little better pressure relief.

Spine Alignment 

Spinal alignment is just a fancy way of saying that you have good sleeping posture. It’s vital to preventing or relieving back pain in the same way that good waking posture prevents “tech neck.” A mattress that supports good spinal alignment keeps your back in a neutral position by evenly supporting the length of your body—providing more or less support where it’s needed.

Both the Purple and Tempur-Cloud mattresses do an excellent job in this category, though we think the Purple slightly outperforms the Tempur-Cloud for spinal alignment.

Read More: Best Mattresses for Back Pain

Durability 

Mattress durability depends on materials and frequency of use. Typically, memory foam lasts for around six to seven years and up to a decade. The hyper-elastic polymer material used in the Purple mattress is designed never to break down. With that said, regular use may cause shallow indentations to form on either material. Fortunately, both mattresses are protected by a 10-year warranty.

Temperature 

Temperature plays a big role in mattress comfort, especially for memory foam, since it gets firmer in colder temperatures. Once it’s warmed up, the memory foam in the Tempur-Cloud retains quite a bit of heat. In contrast, the Purple mattress sleeps decidedly cooler between the two. The Purple Grid naturally improves airflow, especially as you move around on the mattress. For even cooler options, see our list of the best cooling mattresses.

Purple Mattress Construction

The original Purple mattress has three layers: the hyper-elastic polymer Purple Grid, a polyfoam transition layer, and a polyfoam base layer. The Purple Grid is 2” thick and has a waffle-like construction. The individual hollow cubes collapse in on themselves in response to pressure, which gives the mattress a gel-like feel. 

While the top layer is soft, the polyfoam layers are fairly dense. They do a great job of supporting back sleepers and lightweight or average-weight side sleepers. The firmness level also works for stomach sleepers, though some find the grid construction to be awkward against the front of the body.

Tempur-Cloud Construction

The Tempur-Cloud mattress has a simple three layer construction. The top layer of dense memory foam contours to your body pretty quickly. It has a classic memory foam feel that fills in all of the curves of your body. The second layer of memory foam is a little firmer, which transitions your weight down so it doesn’t hit the high-density base foam layer. 

The mattress has a firmness level that is ideal for back sleepers, but also works for average-weight side sleepers and lightweight stomach sleepers. As a memory foam mattress, it’s also going to retain more heat, so it’s not the best choice for those who get particularly warm at night.

Sizing & Price Comparisons 

If you want Purple at a discounted price, check out our Purple mattress coupons.

Shipping and Returns

Purple Mattress

All of the Purple mattress models are shipped for free within the contiguous U.S. Deliveries to Alaska or Hawaii incur an extra shipping fee. Customers receive a 100-night in-home sleep trial and free returns after 21 days (no returns outside of the lower 48 states). After the trial period ends, defective Purple mattresses are eligible for repairs or replacements during the 10-year Purple mattress warranty period.

See: Purple Return Policy Breakdown

Tempur-Cloud Mattress

The Tempur-Cloud mattress is the only Tempur-Pedic model to be delivered as a “bed-in-a-box.” Shipping is free in the contiguous U.S., and there is an extra fee for deliveries to Alaska and Hawaii. Customers receive a 90-night trial period, free returns and a 10-year warranty. 

Note: Other Tempur-Pedic models are eligible for free white glove delivery and old mattress removal.

More Purple Mattresses

See Purple Hybrid Mattress Review to learn more.

See Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Review to learn more.

More Tempur-Pedic Mattresses

See Tempur-Adapt Mattress Reviews to learn more.

See Tempur-breeze Mattress Reviews to learn more.

Haven’t made a decision yet? Check out these other comparisons:

• 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. Nectar
• Purple vs. Puffy
• Purple vs. Tuft & Needle
• Tempur-Pedic Alternatives
• Tempur-Pedic vs. Amerisleep
• Tempur-Pedic vs. Casper
• Tempur-Pedic vs. Nectar
• Tempur-Pedic ProAdapt vs. Leesa
• Tempur-Pedic vs. Sleep Number

Our Final Take

The Tempur-Cloud is our choice for side sleepers and those with back pain. Hot sleepers and combination sleepers fare better on the Purple, and back sleepers can take their pick of the two. Couples will get better motion isolation on the Tempur-Cloud but better edge support on the Purple. As for pricing, the original Purple is more budget-friendly. 

Both mattresses have devoted fans and critics, but they each come with standard mattress industry trial periods, so you can see for yourself in the comfort of your own home.