Helix vs. Purple: 28 Mattresses Objectively Compared

In This Comparison
Which Mattress Should You Buy? | Compare the Mattresses | Performance Tests

Which Mattress Should You Buy?

The mattresses earning the title for “best overall” from each brand have the highest overall performance. Overall performance is determined by scores from 8 different categories including cooling, motion transfer, response time, edge support, sex performance, pressure relief, off-gassing, and company.

Sinkage and bounce are also taken into consideration, but they are not direct scoring factors.

Between Helix and Purple, the two top recommendations are Helix Midnight Luxe and Purple.

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Purple mattresses are quite different in many ways.

First, their designs are polar opposites. The Midnight Luxe is a hybrid that uses a pocketed coil unit with 4 distinct layers of foam to provide additional support and comfort. Topped with a thick pillow top cover, the mattress measures 14″ in total.

The Purple mattress is 4.5″ thinner, does not have a coil unit, and relies heavily on the hyper-elastic Purple grid layer for comfort. Both mattresses offer 10/10 pressure relief, but this is most likely limited to lightweight sleepers on the Purple, as it doesn’t have sufficient material for heavier bodies.

The Purple has two major performance drawbacks in edge support and company. When it comes to edge support, we measured a near-complete collapse of material, which makes it unreliable for sitting, lying, or amorous activities. The Midnight Luxe earned a 10/10 score for edge support.

The two advantages the Purple has over the Helix Midnight Luxe are its lower price and livelier surface. It is approximately $400 less expensive and has much quicker responding materials, along with a higher bounce. This means it’s also better for sex.

Ultimately, the Helix Midnight Luxe will be the better option for most sleepers, but there is a percentage of people who may prefer the feel that Purple’s specialty design offers.

Best Mattress by Category

Before we get into the gritty details, let’s honor some specific mattresses first. The mattresses featured below performed exceptionally well when considering each individual category listed.

Best For	Helix	Purple
Overall	Helix Midnight Luxe	Purple
Side Sleepers	Helix Midnight Elite	Purple
Stomach or Back Sleepers	Helix Dusk Luxe	Purple Restore Plus
Heavy People	Helix Plus Elite	Purple Restore Plus
Cooling	Helix Midnight Luxe	Purple
Affordable	Helix Midnight	Purple Flex
Back Pain	Helix Midnight Luxe	Purple Restore Plus
Sex	Helix Dusk	Purple Restore Plus
Soft Mattress	Helix Moonlight Elite	N/A
Medium-Firm Mattress	Helix Midnight Luxe	Purple Plus
Firm Mattress	Helix Twilight Elite	N/A

The table below shows the overall performance score of every mattress we’ve tested from each brand. In total, 28 mattresses were tested for this comparison.

After comparing 21 Helix mattresses, the brand’s average score is 9.05. After comparing 7 Purple mattresses, the brand’s average is 8.31.

Between the two, Helix has a higher performance, and Helix has a lower average price. The average price for a Helix mattress is $1,971 and the average price for a Purple mattress is $2,199 (for a queen).

In Purple’s case, it’s hard to compare with other mattresses, because its special grid material is unique. However, it’s hard not to feel like you’re paying a premium for it if you consider such a higher average price tag. Still, some sleepers are willing to pay it.

Helix mattresses are also more expensive, but their consistently above-average performance would seem to justify it. They also offer a full 7 mattress options near the $1,000 price point. Here’s a quick cheat sheet:

Model	Who’s It For (According to Helix)
Dawn	Firm Feel; Back/Stomach Sleepers
Dusk	Medium Feel; Back/Stomach Sleepers
Midnight	Medium Feel; Side Sleepers
Moonlight	Soft Feel; Back/Stomach Sleepers
Plus	Medium-Firm Feel; Heavier Sleepers
Sunset	Soft; Side Sleepers
Twilight	Firm; Side Sleepers

All Helix Mattresses Tested

Helix Mattresses	Score	Mattress Type	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dawn	8.66	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dawn Luxe	8.94	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dawn Elite	9.09	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dusk	8.90	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dusk Luxe	9.32	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Dusk Elite	9.18	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Midnight	8.73	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Midnight Luxe	9.43	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Midnight Elite	9.21	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Moonlight	8.87	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Moonlight Luxe	9.05	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Moonlight Elite	9.15	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Plus	8.66	Plus-Sized	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Plus Luxe	9.14	Plus-Sized	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Plus Elite	9.31	Plus-Sized	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Sunset	9.13	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Sunset Luxe	9.07	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Sunset Elite	9.05	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Twilight	9.04	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Twilight Luxe	9.00	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price
Helix Twilight Elite	9.22	Hybrid	Read Review	Check Price

All Purple Mattresses Tested

Purple Mattresses	Score	Mattress Type	Read Review	Check Price
Purple	8.88	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Flex	7.58	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Plus	8.38	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Renew	8.14	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Restore	8.16	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Restore Plus	8.73	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price
Purple Restore Premier	8.32	Specialty	Read Review	Check Price

Moving on, let’s talk about specific performance categories. Depending on what factors are most important to you, individual mattresses may rise above others. The table below looks at 10 testing categories and highlights the top-performing mattresses in those particular tests.

Factor	Winner	Score
Best Overall	Helix Midnight Luxe	9.43
Best Cooling	Helix Dawn Elite, Helix Dusk Elite, Helix Dusk Luxe, Helix Midnight Elite, Helix Midnight Luxe, Helix Moonlight Elite, Helix Plus Elite, Helix Sunset, Helix Sunset Elite, Helix Twilight Elite, Purple	10
Most Sinkage	Helix Moonlight Elite, Helix Sunset	3.04″
Least Sinkage	Purple Flex	1.66″
Lowest Motion Transfer	Helix Dusk Luxe, Purple	10
Fastest Response Time	Purple, Purple Flex, Purple Plus, Purple Renew, Purple Restore, Purple Restore Plus, Purple Restore Premier	10
Most Bounce	Purple Restore	14.42″
Least Bounce	Helix Sunset Elite	6.39″
Best Edge Support	Helix Dusk Luxe, Helix Midnight Luxe, Helix Moonlight Luxe, Helix Plus Elite, Helix Plus Luxe, Helix Twilight, Helix Twilight Luxe, Purple Restore Plus	10
Best for Sex	Purple Restore Plus	9.9
Best Pressure Relief	Helix Dawn Elite, Helix Dusk Elite, Helix Midnight Elite, Helix Midnight Luxe, Helix Moonlight Elite, Helix Plus Elite, Helix Sunset, Helix Sunset Elite, Helix Sunset Luxe, Helix Twilight Elite	10
Least Off-Gassing	Helix Dawn Luxe, Helix Midnight Elite, Purple, Purple Flex	8.9
Best Company	Helix	9.4

Looking at all available mattresses we’ve tested, Helix ranges in firmness from 4 to 8 out of 10 and Purple mattresses range from 5 to 6.5 out of 10.

Because of the sheer number of options, Helix is going to be the better pick for sleepers who want more specialized firmness levels.

Purple’s range of 5-6.5 will still be suitable for the vast majority of sleepers.

Check the table below to see the details of each mattress.

Firmness	Rating	Feel
Helix Dawn	8	Firm
Helix Dawn Luxe	8	Firm
Helix Dawn Elite	7	Slightly Firm
Helix Dusk	7	Slightly Firm
Helix Dusk Luxe	7	Slightly Firm
Helix Dusk Elite	5.5	Medium
Helix Midnight	6	Medium-Firm
Helix Midnight Luxe	6	Medium-Firm
Helix Midnight Elite	5.5	Medium
Helix Moonlight	4	Soft
Helix Moonlight Luxe	7	Slightly Firm
Helix Moonlight Elite	4	Soft
Helix Plus	6	Medium-Firm
Helix Plus Luxe	7	Slightly Firm
Helix Plus Elite	6.5	Medium-Firm
Helix Sunset	4	Soft
Helix Sunset Luxe	4	Soft
Helix Sunset Elite	4	Soft
Helix Twilight	8	Firm
Helix Twilight Luxe	8	Firm
Helix Twilight Elite	8	Firm
Purple	5	Medium
Purple Flex	6.5	Medium-Firm
Purple Plus	6	Medium-Firm
Purple Renew	6	Medium-Firm
Purple Restore	5	Medium
Purple Restore Plus	5	Medium
Purple Restore Premier	6	Medium-Firm

Not sure which firmness you need? Your ideal mattress firmness depends on two major factors—sleeping position and body weight. With the right firmness, your body and spine will maintain proper alignment when sleeping.

Lightweight sleepers or those who sleep on their side tend to need a softer mattress. By comparison, heavier sleepers or those who sleep on their back or stomach tend to need more support and a firmer feel.

Below, we have a deep-dive comparison on 6 popular mattresses — 3 from Helix and 3 from Purple.

Helix Mattresses

• Helix Midnight
• Helix Midnight Luxe
• Helix Midnight Elite

Purple Mattresses

• Purple
• Purple Restore Plus
• Purple Restore Premier

The table below shows overall scores as well as scores from the individual testing categories.

Factor	Helix Midnight	Helix Midnight Luxe	Helix Midnight Elite	Purple	Purple Restore Plus	Purple Restore Premier
Overall Score	8.73	9.43	9.21	8.88	8.73	8.32
Cooling	9.0	10	10	10	9.0	9.0
Motion Transfer	8.5	9.7	9.2	10	7.2	6.7
Response	7.3	8.4	7.6	10	10	10
Edge Support	9.5	10	9.1	5.1	10	9.9
Sex	8.3	7.9	7.7	8.8	9.9	8.8
Pressure Relief	9.0	10	10	9.0	9.0	9.0
Off-Gassing	8.1	8.1	8.9	8.9	7.2	2.8
Company	9.4	9.4	9.4	7.4	7.0	7.0

This second table shows the data from each test we analyze. We use this data to compare each mattress to others within the brand as well as to compare with over 390+ mattresses we’ve tested to date.

Factor	Helix Midnight	Helix Midnight Luxe	Helix Midnight Elite	Purple	Purple Restore Plus	Purple Restore Premier
Price (Queen)	$999	$1,899	$2,999	$1,499	$2,999	$3,699
Cooling	Excellent	Outstanding	Outstanding	Outstanding	Excellent	Excellent
Sinkage – Depth	2.20″	2.03″	2.57″	2.24″	1.99″	1.82″
Sinkage – Feel	Moderate	Moderate	Deep	Moderate	Minimal	Minimal
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	8.33 m/s²	5.76 m/s²	6.84 m/s²	2.23 m/s²	11.27 m/s²	12.36 m/s²
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.6 sec.	0.4 sec.	0.5 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	1.4 sec.	1.2 sec.	1.5 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.
Bounce – Height	8.21″	6.74″	6.86″	12.79″	12.20″	9.46″
Bounce – Feel	Moderate	Low	Low	Very High	Very High	Moderate
Edge Support – Sitting	3.00″	2.75″	3.75″	7.75″	2.75″	3.25″
Edge Support – Lying	Excellent	Outstanding	Excellent	Mediocre	Outstanding	Outstanding
Comfort Layer Thickness	4.00″	5.00″	6.00″	5.50″	5.00″	3.00″
Mattress Thickness	12.00″	14.00″	15.50″	9.50″	13.00″	13.00″
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Moderate	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	7 days	7 days	4 days	4 days	10 days	26 days
Trial	120 nights	120 nights	120 nights	100 nights	100 nights	100 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	10 years	10 years	10 years

When it comes to cooling performance, both brands do an excellent job of breathing well and dissipating heat. However, Helix takes the win for best cooling over Purple by a small margin.

The 3 levels of the Helix Midnight averaged a cooling score of 9.7, with the range from 9.0 to 10.

Purple averaged a slightly lower cooling score of 9.3 across their 3 mattresses, with the same range of 9.0.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding cooling.

Cooling Test	Score	Baseline	Max. Temp.	Ending Temp.
Helix Midnight	9.0	75.4°	89.9°	78.2°
Helix Midnight Luxe	10	76.1°	89.3°	80.0°
Helix Midnight Elite	10	76.4°	89.0°	79.1°
Purple	10	79.7°	89.2°	84.0°
Purple Restore Plus	9.0	81.7°	91.7°	84.7°
Purple Restore Premier	9.0	83.0°	91.3°	86.2°

• Baseline Temperature – the temperature of the mattress before anyone lies on it
• Maximum Temperature (0 minute) – the temperature of the mattress after lying on it for 15 minutes
• Ending Temperature (after 5 minutes) – the temperature of the mattress after being lied upon and having no one on it for 5 minutes

Below, you can watch a video of how the heat dissipates on each mattress during our cooling test. For this test, we lie on the mattress for 15 minutes, get off the mattress, and then take periodic surface-level temperature measurements.

The average cooling score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.6. Therefore, every mattress on this list is better than average at keeping sleepers cool during the night.

The standouts from each brand include the Helix Midnight Luxe, Helix Midnight Elite, and the Purple mattress.

In the case of these higher-tier Helix mattresses, they both use a special cooling cover called “GlacioTex” that resists heat buildup and is cool to the touch. The Purple mattress uses a thin cover over its special Purple grid, which is much more resistant to heat than foam material. The grid pattern also breathes extremely well, too.

Helix and Purple take different approaches, but the end result is the same—fantastic cooling performance.

Sinkage is a preferential factor that informs the feel of the mattress. There’s no score, because there is no objectively better measurement for all sleepers.

What we can say is that Helix has deeper average sinkage than Purple. Across its 3 mattresses, they had an average sinkage measurement of 2.27″, with a range from 2.03″ to 2.57″.

The 3 Purple mattresses measured an average of 2.02″ of sinkage, with a range from 1.82 to 2.24.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding sinkage.

Sinkage Test	Sinkage Feel	Sinkage Depth
Helix Midnight	Moderate	2.20″
Helix Midnight Luxe	Moderate	2.03″
Helix Midnight Elite	Deep	2.57″
Purple	Moderate	2.24″
Purple Restore Plus	Minimal	1.99″
Purple Restore Premier	Minimal	1.82″

The level of sinkage for each mattress is documented in the images below.

The average sinkage depth across all mattresses tested to date is 2.23″.

Back and stomach sleepers usually prefer less sinkage, which better maintains proper alignment of their spine. The Helix Midnight (2.2″), Helix Midnight Luxe (2.03″), Purple Restore Plus (1.99″), Purple Restore Premier (1.82″) all have less sinkage than average.

Generally, side sleepers enjoy a deeper level of sinkage, as that typically translates to better pressure relief and contour. For deeper sinkage, opt for the Helix Midnight Elite (2.57″), the Purple mattress (2.24″), or the Helix Midnight (2.20″), which is also ideal for side sleeping.

It’s worth noting that while the Purple mattress has deeper sinkage, it’s ultimately limited by its thin design. Sinking too deeply will cause sleepers to hit the less comfortable support foam below its grid.

Heavier bodies would certainly benefit from the Purple Restore Plus or the Restore Premier models. Or the Helix Plus line is specifically designed for heavier bodies and would offer the right comfort and support dynamic.

For motion transfer, our tests aim to determine how intensely a sleeper might experience motion from movements made on the opposite side of the mattress. Here, Helix is the better brand.

In our tests, the 3 Helix mattress earned an average motion transfer score of 9.1, with a range of measurements from 5.76 m/s² to 8.33 m/s²

The 3 Purple mattresses earned an average motion transfer score of 8.0, with a range of measurements from 2.23 m/s² to 12.36 m/s².

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding motion transfer.

Motion Transfer Test	Score	Acc. Range
Helix Midnight	8.5	8.33 m/s²
Helix Midnight Luxe	9.7	5.76 m/s²
Helix Midnight Elite	9.2	6.84 m/s²
Purple	10	2.23 m/s²
Purple Restore Plus	7.2	11.27 m/s²
Purple Restore Premier	6.7	12.36 m/s²

The level of motion transfer on each mattress is also documented in the videos below.

The average motion transfer score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.2. Based on this, Purple’s 8.1 score isn’t so uncommon.

Furthermore, the Purple mattress was the best individual mattress when it comes to low motion transfer. The combination of its cover, Purple grid, and two foam layers creates Goldilocks conditions for isolating motion and/or dispersing energy. The two Purple models that use coil units create a ton of motion that transfers across the mattress.

Even the base Helix model beat this site-wide average of 8.2 motion transfer score. Helix uses memory foam that is also good at keeping motion to a minimum. The Helix Midnight Luxe and Midnight Elite models add even more memory foam to further reduce motion, receiving scores of 9.2 and 9.7, respectively.

Ultimately, Helix takes the win as a brand. However, the Purple Original is the best individual mattress among these 2 brands.

When it comes to response time, we measure the time it takes for a mattress to reform back into its original shape, once a weighted ball (stand-in for human body) is removed from the mattress. Purple is unquestionably the faster mattress brand when it comes to response time.

The 3 Helix mattresses earned an average response time score of 7.8, with scores ranging from 7.3 to 8.4.

Purple mattress universally scored the highest score of 10/10, demonstrating the fastest response times we can measure.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding response.

Response Test	Score	Mostly Recovered	Completely Recovered
Helix Midnight	7.3	0.6 seconds	1.4 seconds
Helix Midnight Luxe	8.4	0.4 seconds	1.2 seconds
Helix Midnight Elite	7.6	0.5 seconds	1.5 seconds
Purple	10	0.2 seconds	0.3 seconds
Purple Restore Plus	10	0.2 seconds	0.3 seconds
Purple Restore Premier	10	0.2 seconds	0.3 seconds

The level of responsiveness for each mattress is documented in the videos below.

The average response score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.8. By this measure, even the best helix model, the Helix Midnight Luxe, was slower than average.

The same memory foams that are a benefit in other performance categories are a considerable disadvantage when it comes to response time.

In Purple’s case, their patented hyper-elastic polymer material is exactly that – hyper elastic. Regardless of the variations to the design from the Purple Original, Purple Restore Plus, and Purple Restore Premier, the GelFlex grid is simply top-tier when it comes to response time.

This is a category that perfectly showcases the difference in feel between Helix and Purple, as well as highlighting the strength of Purple mattresses. If you want a more cozy, dead feeling mattress, Helix is slower to respond without quite reaching that “stuck” feeling memory foam can create. If you want a lively mattress with lightning-fast response, Purple is the brand for you.

Bounce, like sinkage, is a preferential factor. This is similar to response time, but on a bigger scale. Purple is by far the bouncier mattress brand, between the two.

From the 3 Helix models in this mini-comparison, we measured an average bounce height of 7.3″, ranging from 6.74″ to 8.21″.

For Purple, we measured an average bounce height of 11.5″, ranging from 9.46″ to 12.79″.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding bounce.

Bounce Test	Bounce Feel	Bounce Height
Helix Midnight	Moderate	8.21″
Helix Midnight Luxe	Low	6.74″
Helix Midnight Elite	Low	6.86″
Purple	Very High	12.79″
Purple Restore Plus	Very High	12.20″
Purple Restore Premier	Moderate	9.46″

The level of bounce for each mattress is documented in the videos below.

The average bounce across all mattresses tested to date is 8.77″, more bounce than any of the three Helix mattresses covered in this comparison. The Helix Midnight is only 12″ thick and lacks the additional foam layers seen in the Luxe and Elite models, so bounce is higher (moderate compared to low on Luxe + Elite).

This can often be considered a trade-off with having low motion transfer, as having less bounce will typically mean lower motion. This is exactly what we see with these Helix models.

Meanwhile, we found higher-than-average bounce on all 3 Purple mattresses: the Purple Original, Purple Restore Plus, and Purple Restore Premier.

Mattresses with more bounce are better for ease of movement and increase sex performance. However, higher bounce also typically creates a higher level of motion transfer. So there are pros and cons when it comes to bounce.

Next, let’s compare edge support across the two brands. On average, Helix is significantly better than Purple, when it comes to edge support.

From the 3 Helix models, they earned an edge support performance score of 9.5, with a range of scores from 9.1 to 10.

Purple had a much lower average score of 8.3. However, their range is from 5.1 to 10.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding edge support.

Edge Support Test	Score	Sitting Sinkage	Lying Support
Helix Midnight	9.5	3.00″	Excellent
Helix Midnight Luxe	10	2.75″	Outstanding
Helix Midnight Elite	9.1	3.75″	Excellent
Purple	5.1	7.75″	Mediocre
Purple Restore Plus	10	2.75″	Outstanding
Purple Restore Premier	9.9	3.25″	Outstanding

The level of edge support is documented in the images below.

The average edge support score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.7. By this measure, only the Purple Original earned a below-average score.

This is one of several categories that tells two different stories for Purple mattresses, based on the difference between their all-foam and hybrid designs. The more expensive Purple Restore Plus and Purple Restore Premier both use pocketed coil units and reinforced perimeter foam. Ultimately, they were among the best in this category.

Helix mattresses follow a similar trend, with the more expensive models performing better than their base Midnight model. However, the sweet spot for edge support appears to be the Helix Midnight Luxe, with it earning the highest score. The Midnight Elite model has more foam in its comfort layer that will compress at the edge.

In the end, we can safely say both Helix and Purple make mattresses with fantastic edge support. However, you will need to pay higher amounts to get better performance.

When it comes to our sex performance score, we use a weighted formula that draws from 5 individual factors: bounce, edge support, noise, pressure relief, and cooling. Here, Purple is decidedly the better mattress when it comes to sex.

The Helix models earned an average sex performance score of 8.0, with scores ranging from 7.7 to 8.3.

The Purple models earned an average sex performance score of 9.2, with scores ranging from 8.8 to 9.9.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding sex.

Sex Test	Sex Score	Bounce	Edge Support	Noise	Pressure Relief	Cooling
Helix Midnight	8.3	7.6	10	10	9.0	9.0
Helix Midnight Luxe	7.9	6.7	10	10	10	10
Helix Midnight Elite	7.7	6.8	9.1	10	10	10
Purple	8.8	10	4.1	10	9.0	10
Purple Restore Plus	9.9	10	10	10	9.0	9.0
Purple Restore Premier	8.8	8.4	9.7	10	9.0	9.0

The average sex score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.2.

By this measure, the Helix Midnight is the only mattress from Helix with above-average performance when it comes to sex. With less foam, you’re getting more spring/bounce from the coil unit. The thicker Helix models’ bounce potential is compromised by their extra layers, which noticeably reduce the rebound.

In this comparison, the Purple Restore Plus is the best mattress when it comes to sex. It has extremely high bounce, near-perfect edge support, and good scores in the lesser-weighted categories.

The best Helix for sex is the Helix Midnight. Ultimately, the Luxe and Elite models have too thick of comfort layers and too low of bounce to generate enough pushback in this category.

Next, let’s compare pressure relief performance between Helix and Purple mattresses. In this comparison, Helix takes the win for the best pressure relief.

The 3 Helix models earned an average pressure relief score of 9.7, with scores ranging from 9.0 to 10. This is nearly perfect, but for that single 9.0 score.

For Purple, the 3 models in this comparison all earned 9.0 scores.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding pressure relief.

Pressure Relief Test	Score	Comfort Layer	Support Layer
Helix Midnight	9.0	4.00″	8.00″
Helix Midnight Luxe	10	5.00″	9.00″
Helix Midnight Elite	10	6.00″	9.50″
Purple	9.0	5.50″	4.00″
Purple Restore Plus	9.0	5.00″	8.00″
Purple Restore Premier	9.0	3.00″	10.00″

The average pressure relief score across all mattresses tested to date is 8.6.

Based on this average, every one of these models between Helix and Purple is better than the average mattress.

In our Purple mattress tests for pressure relief, it didn’t seem to matter what variation of materials was used in the full design. The GelFlex grid somewhat locked them into excellent (9.0) performance, no more and no less.

Even on the models with extra material, the pushback from the grid creates a more “floating-on-top” sensation that limits how much contour, hug, and pressure relief sleepers can experience.

The materials included in each mattress are documented in the images below.

Helix mattresses are substantially more complex in their design, and this goes a long way to explain how they reached top scores for pressure relief. The base Helix Midnight didn’t quite have enough material, but it still performed at an excellent level.

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Helix Midnight Elite both use complex layering of poly foam and memory with varying densities to provide a nuanced transition from comfort to support. Furthermore, their extra material simply gives bodies more room to comfortably sink into to find optimal spinal alignment.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely anyone will dislike the pressure relief on the Purple mattresses. But when you pay the amount those top two models are charging, you might be a little disappointed.

While not cheap either, the Helix Luxe and Elite models deliver the highest level of pressure relief, 10/10 in our tests.

For off-gassing, we measure the intensity and duration of any odors once a mattress is unboxed. This is another category where Helix has a significant lead over Purple.

The 3 Helix models had an average smell duration of 6 days, with a range of 4 to 7 days, and smell intensity from moderate to strong.

The 3 Purple models had an average smell duration of 13.3 days, with a range of from 4 to 26 days. All had an intense initial smell.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding off-gassing.

Off-Gassing Test	Score	Initial Smell	Smell Duration
Helix Midnight	8.1	Strong	7 days
Helix Midnight Luxe	8.1	Moderate	7 days
Helix Midnight Elite	8.9	Strong	4 days
Purple	8.9	Strong	4 days
Purple Restore Plus	7.2	Strong	10 days
Purple Restore Premier	2.8	Strong	26 days

The average smell duration across all mattresses tested to date is 7.13 days.

Based on this number, the Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe models are just average. The Helix Midnight Elite had the shortest off-gassing duration, possibly due to the enhanced breathable design elements and a cover that separates layers.

The Purple Original mattress also had a short smell duration of 4 days. The thinner design is certainly a benefit here. However, the thicker models produced a noticeable synthetic smell that was perceptible for up to 26 days.

Ultimately, neither brand is amazing when it comes to off-gassing. The best-case scenario from both Helix and Purple is that sleepers will have to wait or put up with odors for at least 4 days.

Finally, let’s discuss the most important company policies from each brand. In this last category, Helix takes the win by a large margin for its consumer-friendly offerings.

Helix has a trial period of 100 nights, a lifetime warranty, free shipping, and free returns. They also make their beds in the USA, if that’s an important factor for you.

Purple also offers a 100-night trial period and free shipping. From there, they only have a 10-year warranty, and they charge a return fee of $150 – $350, based on the model. Technically, it gets as high as $350 for the Rejuvenate line, which we have not reviewed yet.

Check out the table below to see how each mattress compares regarding company policies.

Company	Helix	Purple
Score	9.4	7.2
Trial Period	100 nights	100 nights
Warranty	Lifetime	10 years
Shipping	$0	$0
Returns	$0	$150- $350
Country of Origin	USA	USA

To date, we have tested 391+ mattresses from 104 different brands. The average trial length is 175 nights and the average warranty is 13 years, excluding 42% of mattresses that offer lifetime warranties.

Ultimately, Purple’s policies are still pretty good. However, the return fee on top of an already above-average mattress price doesn’t feel great from a consumer standpoint. At that level, you would assume fees like that were built into the business model.

Furthermore, 77% of the 390+ mattresses that we’ve tested to date have free returns. For this reason and the longer warranty period, Helix definitely has better company policies for consumers.

Helix vs. Purple Testing Data

Mattress Name	Overall Score	Cooling Score	Motion Transfer Score	Response Time Score	Edge Support Score	Sex Score	Pressure Relief Score	Off-Gassing Score	Company Score	Type	Thickness	Firmness	Sinkage	Bounce	Trial (days)	Ships To	Price (Queen)	Read Review
Helix Midnight Luxe	9.43	10	9.7	8.4	10	7.9	10	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	14.00"	Medium-Firm	2.03"	6.74"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Helix Dusk Luxe	9.32	10	10	7.9	10	8.6	9.0	8.6	9.4	Hybrid	13.50"	Slightly Firm	2.08"	8.74"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Helix Plus Elite	9.31	10	8.7	8.6	10	7.9	10	8.3	9.4	Plus-Sized	15.50"	Medium-Firm	2.64"	6.98"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Twilight Elite	9.22	10	9.1	7.6	9.6	7.9	10	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Firm	2.63"	7.17"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Midnight Elite	9.21	10	9.2	7.6	9.1	7.7	10	8.9	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Medium	2.57"	6.86"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Dusk Elite	9.18	10	9.1	7.7	9.1	7.9	10	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Medium	2.73"	7.92"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Moonlight Elite	9.15	10	8.8	8.2	8.7	7.9	10	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Soft	3.04"	7.56"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Plus Luxe	9.14	9.0	9.5	9	10	8.8	9.0	7.8	9.4	Plus-Sized	13.50"	Slightly Firm	2.35"	9.24"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,893	Review
Helix Sunset	9.13	10	8.4	8.6	8.1	8.5	10	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	12.50"	Soft	3.04"	9.30"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Helix Dawn Elite	9.09	10	7.4	8.4	9.7	8.1	10	8.3	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Slightly Firm	2.59"	7.62"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Sunset Luxe	9.07	9.0	9.3	6.8	9.9	8.3	10	8.6	9.4	Hybrid	13.50"	Soft	2.44"	8.22"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Helix Moonlight Luxe	9.05	9.0	8.9	9.4	10	8.2	9.0	8.3	9.4	Hybrid	13.50"	Slightly Firm	1.93"	7.83"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Helix Sunset Elite	9.05	10	8.9	7.7	8.7	7.4	10	7.8	9.4	Hybrid	15.50"	Soft	2.60"	6.39"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Twilight	9.04	9.0	8.3	9.8	10	8.6	9.0	8.3	9.4	Hybrid	12.00"	Firm	2.34"	8.89"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Helix Twilight Luxe	9.00	9.0	9.5	7.9	10	8.3	9.0	8.3	9.4	Hybrid	13.50"	Firm	2.03"	7.99"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Helix Dawn Luxe	8.94	9.0	8.4	8.6	9.6	8.7	9.0	8.9	9.4	Hybrid	13.50"	Firm	2.54"	9.53"	100 nights	USA	$1,899	Review
Helix Dusk	8.90	9.0	7.8	9.6	9.5	9.4	9.0	6.7	9.4	Hybrid	12.00"	Slightly Firm	1.83"	10.81"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Purple	8.88	10	10	10	5.1	8.8	9.0	8.9	7.4	Specialty	9.50"	Medium	2.24"	12.79"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,499	Review
Helix Moonlight	8.87	9.0	7.5	9.8	9.2	8.7	9.0	8.6	9.4	Hybrid	12.00"	Soft	2.50"	9.40"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Helix Midnight	8.73	9.0	8.5	7.3	9.5	8.3	9.0	8.1	9.4	Hybrid	12.00"	Medium-Firm	2.20"	8.21"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Purple Restore Plus	8.73	9.0	7.2	10	10	9.9	9.0	7.2	7	Specialty	13.00"	Medium	1.99"	12.20"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,999	Review
Helix Dawn	8.66	9.0	7.7	8.9	9.6	9	8	8.3	9.4	Hybrid	11.50"	Firm	2.05"	10.23"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review
Helix Plus	8.66	9.0	8.3	8.5	9.1	9.1	8.0	8.1	9.4	Plus-Sized	11.50"	Medium-Firm	2.15"	10.97"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,124	Review
Purple Plus	8.38	9.0	7	10	7.3	9.1	9.0	6.9	7.4	Specialty	11.00"	Medium-Firm	2.03"	11.28"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$1,899	Review
Purple Restore Premier	8.32	9.0	6.7	10	9.9	8.8	9.0	2.8	7	Specialty	13.00"	Medium-Firm	1.82"	9.46"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$3,699	Review
Purple Restore	8.16	9.0	6	10	8.9	9.6	8.0	6.1	7	Specialty	11.00"	Medium	1.90"	14.42"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$2,399	Review
Purple Renew	8.14	9.0	8.5	10	7	7.9	7.0	8.6	7.4	Specialty	11.00"	Medium-Firm	1.98"	8.87"	100 nights	USA	$1,899	Review
Purple Flex	7.58	8.0	6.5	10	7.1	9.1	6.0	8.9	7.4	Specialty	8.00"	Medium-Firm	1.66"	11.29"	100 nights	USA, Canada	$999	Review