Saatva vs. Purple: 11 Mattresses Objectively Compared

Our Testing & Selection Process

This guide highlights the most important factors in determining if Saatva or Purple is the better mattress for you.

In This Comparison
Compare the Models | Performance Tests | Firmness | Support

At NapLab, we put each mattress to the test.

We score each mattress using a series of performance tests. Here is a full comparison of all current models we’ve tested between Purple and Saatva.

This first table shows the factor scoring of all current models that we have tested:

Factor	Purple	Purple Flex	Purple Plus	Purple Restore	Purple Restore Plus	Purple Restore Premier	Saatva Classic	Saatva HD	Saatva Latex Hybrid	Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid	Saatva RX	Zenhaven
Overall Score	8.99	7.69	8.49	8.31	8.88	8.47	9.74	9.28	9.48	9.24	9.16	9.44
Cooling	10	8.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	9.0	10	9.0	9.0	10	9.0	10
Motion Transfer	10	6.5	7.0	6.0	7.2	6.7	9.6	7.1	10	7.7	7.4	10
Response	10	10	10	10	10	10	8.7	9.7	10	9.0	9.8	10
Edge Support	5.1	7.1	7.3	8.9	10	9.9	10	10	10	9.7	9.2	9.2
Sex	8.8	9.1	9.1	9.6	9.9	8.8	9.9	10	9.4	9.7	9.1	8.2
Pressure Relief	9.0	6.0	9.0	8.0	9.0	9.0	10	10	9.0	9.0	10	9.0
Off-Gassing	8.9	8.9	6.9	6.1	7.2	2.8	10	10	10	10	10	9.2
Company	8.5	8.5	8.5	8.5	8.5	8.5	9.4	9.4	9.4	9.4	9.4	9.4

This second table shows the testing data from each test. In many cases, the difference between scores can be minimal, but this table helps to highlight these differences.

Factor	Purple	Purple Flex	Purple Plus	Purple Restore	Purple Restore Plus	Purple Restore Premier	Saatva Classic	Saatva HD	Saatva Latex Hybrid	Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid	Saatva RX	Zenhaven
Price (Queen)	$1,399	$1,095	$1,595	$2,295	$2,595	$3,495	$1,756	$2,745	$1,932	$1,580	$2,801	$2,845
Cooling	Outstanding	Good	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Excellent	Outstanding	Excellent	Excellent	Outstanding	Excellent	Outstanding
Sinkage – Depth	2.24″	1.66″	2.03″	1.90″	1.99″	1.82″	2.40″	1.77″	1.85″	1.88″	2.05″	1.44″
Sinkage – Feel	Moderate	Very Minimal	Moderate	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Deep	Minimal	Minimal	Minimal	Moderate	Very Minimal
Motion Transfer – Acceleration	2.23 m/s²	12.72 m/s²	11.62 m/s²	13.90 m/s²	11.27 m/s²	12.36 m/s²	5.86 m/s²	11.34 m/s²	3.13 m/s²	10.11 m/s²	10.76 m/s²	4.62 m/s²
Response Time – Mostly Recovered	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.4 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.2 sec.	0.2 sec.
Response Time – Fully Recovered	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.3 sec.	0.8 sec.	0.6 sec.	0.3 sec.	1.0 sec.	0.5 sec.	0.3 sec.
Bounce – Height	12.79″	11.29″	11.28″	14.42″	12.20″	9.46″	14.67″	12.50″	10.82″	14.06″	10.28″	8.40″
Bounce – Feel	Very High	High	High	Extremely High	Very High	Moderate	Extremely High	Very High	High	Extremely High	High	Moderate
Edge Support – Sitting	7.75″	4.50″	5.00″	4.00″	2.75″	3.25″	3.00″	2.50″	3.00″	3.50″	3.50″	3.50″
Edge Support – Lying	Mediocre	Mediocre	Fair	Excellent	Outstanding	Outstanding	Outstanding	Outstanding	Outstanding	Outstanding	Excellent	Excellent
Comfort Layer Thickness	5.5″	2.0″	4.0″	3.0″	5.0″	3.0″	4.5″	7.5″	4.0″	2.5″	6.0″	4.0″
Mattress Thickness	9.5″	8.0″	11.0″	11.0″	13.0″	13.0″	11.5″	15.5″	12.0″	11.5″	15.0″	10.0″
Off-Gassing – Smell	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	Strong	None	None	None	None	None	Strong
Off-Gassing – Days	4 days	4 days	11 days	14 days	10 days	26 days	0 days	0 days	0 days	0 days	0 days	3 days
Trial	100 nights	100 nights	100 nights	100 nights	100 nights	100 nights	365 nights	365 nights	365 nights	365 nights	365 nights	365 nights
Warranty	10 years	10 years	10 years	10 years	10 years	10 years	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime

Best Mattress For

Before diving into the specific tests, let’s highlight some of the best models for specific needs. The table below marks some honorable mentions for several factors that may be important to you.

Depending on what exactly you’re looking for, you may find Saatva or Purple to be best suited for your needs.

Factor	Winner	Score
Best Overall	Saatva Classic	9.74
Best Cooling	Purple, Saatva Classic, Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid, Zenhaven	10
Most Sinkage	Saatva Classic	2.40″
Least Sinkage	Zenhaven	1.44″
Lowest Motion Transfer	Purple, Saatva Latex Hybrid, Zenhaven	10
Fastest Response Time	Purple, Purple Flex, Purple Plus, Purple Restore, Purple Restore Plus, Purple Restore Premier, Saatva Latex Hybrid, Zenhaven	10
Most Bounce	Saatva Classic	14.67″
Least Bounce	Zenhaven	8.40″
Best Edge Support	Purple Restore Plus, Saatva Classic, Saatva HD, Saatva Latex Hybrid	10
Best for Sex	Saatva HD	10
Best Pressure Relief	Saatva Classic, Saatva HD, Saatva RX	10
Least Off-Gassing	Saatva Classic, Saatva HD, Saatva Latex Hybrid, Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid, Saatva RX	10
Best Company	Saatva	9.4

We test 10 different factors that impact the comfort and feel of the mattress, as well as assess the company as a whole. Testing categories include:

1. Cooling
2. Sinkage
3. Motion Transfer
4. Response
5. Bounce
6. Edge Support
7. Sex
8. Pressure Relief
9. Off-Gassing
10. Company

Which Mattresses Are We Comparing?

Purple manufactures a mix of foam and hybrid options, all of which include their patented Purple gel pad. In this comparison, we’ll be looking at the following models:

1. Purple Original (foam + Purple gel pad)
2. Purple Restore Plus (hybrid + Purple gel pad)
3. Purple Restore Premier (hybrid + Purple gel pad)

The Purple Original is a foam + Purple gel pad mattress and the Restore mattresses are both hybrids.

Lower-scoring mattresses including the Purple Plus, Purple Restore, and Purple Newday were excluded based on their lower overall performance scores.

Saatva manufactures a wide variety of mattress types, all with a luxury feel and a consistent Euro-top, organic cotton / wool cover. In this comparison, we’ll be comparing:

• Saatva Classic (coil-on-coil)
• Saatva Latex Hybrid
• Saatva RX (hybrid designed for back pain)

These mattresses were selected due to their popularity and good performance in our data tests.

So with that context in mind, let’s get started.

Looking at cooling, both brands have similar scores with Saatva pulling ahead slightly (Purple 9.00 brand average, Saatva 9.50 brand average).

For the absolute best cooling from each brand, your best bet is to stick with the Purple Original or Saatva Classic, both of which scored a perfect 10 out of 10.

Cooling Test	Score	Baseline	Max Temp	Ending Temp
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°
Saatva Classic	10	81.4°	94.0°	90.1°
Saatva Latex Hybrid	9.0	77.9°	91.0°	82.6°
Saatva RX	9.0	82.9°	93.7°	85.5°

• 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.

Both Purple and Saatva have a wide range of sinkage preferences.

For reference, the average level of signage across all mattresses tested to date is 2.16″.

Sinkage Test	Sinkage Feel	Sinkage Depth
Purple	Moderate	2.24″
Purple Restore Plus	Minimal	1.99″
Purple Restore Premier	Minimal	1.82″
Saatva Classic	Deep	2.40″
Saatva Latex Hybrid	Minimal	1.85″
Saatva RX	Moderate	2.05″

For minimal sinkage, check out the Purple Restore Plus, Purple Restore Premier, or the Saatva Latex Hybrid.

For moderate sinkage, the Purple Original or Saatva RX.

For deep sinkage, opt for the Saatva Classic, which has 11% deeper sinkage than average.

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

Many times, deeper sinkage can create a greater sense of contour or hug, a real benefit for side sleepers. Depending on the feel you’re looking for, any of these sinkage levels may be the right option.

Motion transfer levels vary greatly between all mattresses in this comparison. Both brands have mattresses that performed well in this category and those that performed poorly.

Across all mattresses we’ve tested to date, the average motion transfer is 8.56 m/s². Anything below 5.00 m/s² could be considered low motion, but that doesn’t mean that a lower number wouldn’t be better.

Motion Transfer Test	Score	Acc. Range
Purple	10	2.23 m/s²
Purple Restore Plus	7.2	11.27 m/s²
Purple Restore Premier	6.7	12.36 m/s²
Saatva Classic	9.6	5.86 m/s²
Saatva Latex Hybrid	10	3.13 m/s²
Saatva RX	7.4	10.76 m/s²

Of this chart, the Purple Original (2.06 m/s²) and Saatva Latex Hybrid (3.13 m/s²) have the best performance.

The Saatva Classic was not far behind (5.86 m/s²), still having less motion transfer than average.

The Purple Restore Plus (11.27 m/s²), Purple Restore Premier (12.36 m/s²), and Saatva RX (10.76 m/s²) all had significantly more motion transfer than average.

The level of motion transfer on all 6 mattresses in this comparison is shown in the videos below.

Regarding response time, Purple achieved perfect 10 scores across the board, while Saatva mattresses achieved an average score of 9.53. The majority of these mattresses are mostly recovered by 0.2 seconds and fully recovered by 0.3 seconds—incredibly fast.

Response Test	Score	Mostly Recovered	Completely Recovered
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
Saatva Classic	8.7	0.4 seconds	0.8 seconds
Saatva Latex Hybrid	10	0.2 seconds	0.3 seconds
Saatva RX	9.8	0.2 seconds	0.5 seconds

The Purple mattresses are tied as the fastest-responding mattresses we’ve tested to date.

On average, we see a mostly recovered response time of 0.4 seconds and a fully recovered time of 0.8 seconds.

The slowest mattress on this comparison, the Saatva Classic, is still right at the average level, so it is not actually “slow” by any means.

Talking through bounce, it’s important to mention that bounce is largely preferential. Some sleepers will enjoy higher levels of bounce while others are looking for more subdued bounce. There is no right or wrong answer here.

Bounce Test	Bounce Feel	Bounce Height
Purple	Very High	12.79″
Purple Restore Plus	Very High	12.20″
Purple Restore Premier	Moderate	9.46″
Saatva Classic	Extremely High	14.67″
Saatva Latex Hybrid	High	10.82″
Saatva RX	High	10.28″

The average level of bounce across all mattresses tested to date is 9.60″.

Nearly all mattresses in this comparison have above-average levels of bounce (with the one exception being the Purple Restore Premier at 9.46″).

Purple mattresses have either moderate bounce (Purple Restore Premier) or very high bounce (Purple Original and Purple Restore Plus).

The videos below illustrate bounce levels via a ball bouncing on the mattress.

Looking at edge support, both Saatva and Purple had good performers. The Purple Restore Plus, Saatva Classic, and Saatva Latex Hybrid all had perfect 10 out of 10 scores.

The Purple Restore Premier (9.9) and Saatva RX (9.2) were very close also, with above-average performance.

The Purple Original is really the only mattress that struggles in this category, with an edge support score of only 7.1 and 7.75″ of sinkage when seated directly at the edge.

For reference, the average edge support sinkage on all mattresses we’ve tested to date—4.09″.

When it comes to edge support, being average isn’t where you want to be. 4.0″ or less is what I would call great edge support. Much worse than that and it starts to feel less than great when it comes to both support and comfort.

Check out the table below for a full rundown of edge support on the complete collection:

Edge Support Test	Score	Sitting Sinkage	Lying Support
Purple	5.1	7.75″	Mediocre
Purple Restore Plus	10	2.75″	Outstanding
Purple Restore Premier	9.9	3.25″	Outstanding
Saatva Classic	10	3.00″	Outstanding
Saatva Latex Hybrid	10	3.00″	Outstanding
Saatva RX	9.2	3.50″	Excellent

Nearly all of the mattresses in this comparison have better-than-average edge support. A coil unit support layer, like in hybrid mattresses or coil-on-coil mattresses, can help reinforce the edges and improve support.

The Purple Original is the only mattress in this comparison that lacks coils. In our tests, we found it to be significantly worse when it comes to edge support.

Saatva has a sex average of 9.38 and Purple has an average of 9.21 out of 10. Both of these scores are fantastic and represent some of the highest scores we’ve seen across all brands tested to date.

The Purple Restore Plus and Saatva Classic score nearly perfect 9.9 out of 10 scores with the Saatva Latex Hybrid not too far behind with a 9.4 score.

Ultimately, you really can’t go wrong with Purple or Saatva if you’re looking for a great mattress for sex. The only notable weak mattress for sex is Purple Original, due to the poor edge support. And even there, it only looks weak in relation to the other Purple and Saatva mattresses, which are nearly perfect.

The table below shows how performance varies between these two brands.

Sex Test	Sex Score	Bounce	Edge Support	Noise	Pressure Relief	Cooling
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
Saatva Classic	9.9	10	10	8.0	10	10
Saatva Latex Hybrid	9.4	9.3	10	10	9.0	9.0
Saatva RX	9.1	8.9	9.4	10	10	9.0

How Do We Determine Sex Scores?

The best mattresses for sex have high bounce, good edge support, quiet materials, and good pressure relief and cooling.

These 5 factors make up the NapLab sex performance score and from these factors, we can generate a sex score for each mattress.

Pressure relief is good on all of the mattresses in this comparison, but best on the Saatva mattresses—Saatva Classic and Saatva RX scoring a perfect 10 out of 10.

Pressure Relief Test	Score	Comfort Layer	Support Layer
Purple	9.0	5.5″	4.0″
Purple Restore Plus	9.0	5.0″	8.0″
Purple Restore Premier	9.0	3.0″	10.0″
Saatva Classic	10	4.5″	7.0″
Saatva Latex Hybrid	9.0	4.0″	8.0″
Saatva RX	10	6.0″	9.0″

When thinking about the overall pressure relief of a mattress, we consider the thickness of the comfort layer compared to the total thickness of the mattress.

Generally, we want to see at least 3.0″ of comfort material and at least 10″ of mattress thickness. Mattresses with a higher-quality comfort layer (like the Purple Original) can sometimes get away with a thinner total thickness without negatively affecting pressure relief.

But the thicker overall profile and thicker comfort layer on the Saatva mattresses, combined with the plush Euro-top cover, gives Saatva a slight advantage in this category.

The amount of comfort material and total mattress thickness are two of the most important factors when considering pressure relief.

Off-gassing is strong on Purple mattresses can can last up to 26 days. But Saatva mattresses are shipped uncompressed and arrive with no off-gassing odor. If you’re sensitive to strong odors, this could be a big advantage for Saatva.

Off-Gassing Test	Score	Initial Smell	Smell Duration
Purple	8.9	Strong	4 days
Purple Restore Plus	7.2	Strong	10 days
Purple Restore Premier	2.8	Strong	26 days
Saatva Classic	10	None	0 days
Saatva Latex Hybrid	10	None	0 days
Saatva RX	10	None	0 days

For reference, the average off-gassing period is 5 days.

Shipping a mattress uncompressed doesn’t always mean that it will arrive odor-free, but the process of vacuuming and rolling does have an effect.

With rolled mattresses, any necessary off-gassing won’t be able to take place until the mattress has been released from its packaging, whereas uncompressed mattresses can off-gas in transit.

When it comes to company policy, Saatva has a longer trial and warranty than Purple. On Saatva, you have 365 nights to decide if the mattress is the right pick and your purchase is backed by a lifetime warranty.

With Purple, that trial shortens down to 100 nights and is backed by a 10-year warranty.

Shipping and returns are both free as well and both brands manufacture mattresses from within the US.

Company	Purple	Saatva
Score	8.5	9.4
Trial Period	100 nights	365 nights
Warranty	10 years	Lifetime
Shipping	$0	$0
Returns	$0	$99
Trust	Good	Outstanding
Country of Origin	USA	USA

For comparison, the average trial period is 163 nights and the average warranty is 14 years (excluding 25% of all mattresses that offer lifetime warranties.)

Purple and Saatva both offer a range of firmness options. Saatva mattresses range from 4 – 8 and Purple has a firmness range of 4 – 7 (where 10 is the most firm). Between the two brands, Saatva is the better choice if you want a solid “firm” feel.

For a soft feel, the Purple Restore Premier or Saatva Classic, both in the soft version (4 out of 10), would be top picks.

For a firmer feel, the Purple Restore Plus (luxury firm version), or the Saatva Classic (firm version) would be good options.

The Saatva HD is best for heavier-weighted sleepers, as Purple doesn’t really have a good mattress designed specifically for plus-sized sleepers.

All that said, most sleepers prefer a medium-firm feel (which is a 6-6.5 out of 10 on our scale). Mattresses within that range include Purple Newday, Purple Plus, Purple Restore Premier (medium-firm version), Saatva Classic, Saatva Latex Hybrid, Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid, and Saatva RX.

Firmness	Rating	Feel
Purple	5	Medium
Purple Flex	6.5	Medium-Firm
Purple Plus	6	Medium-Firm
Purple Restore	5, 7	Medium, Slightly Firm
Purple Restore Plus	5, 7	Medium, Slightly Firm
Purple Restore Premier	4, 6	Soft, Medium-Firm
Saatva Classic	4, 6, 8	Soft, Medium-Firm, Firm
Saatva HD	7	Slightly Firm
Saatva Latex Hybrid	6.5	Medium-Firm
Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid	6	Medium-Firm
Saatva RX	6	Medium-Firm
Zenhaven	5, 7.5	Medium, Slightly Firm

Not sure which firmness is right for you?

Use the table below to better determine the firmness range that may be best suited for you, based on your personal weight and preferred sleeping position.

Sleeper body weight and sleeping position can both play a role in determining which mattress may be best suited for each individual sleeper.

Lightweight sleepers or side sleepers may benefit from something in the soft, medium soft, or medium range. Those would include the:

• Saatva Classic (soft or medium)
• Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid
• Purple Original
• Purple Restore (soft)
• Purple Restore Plus (soft)
• Purple Restore Premier (soft)

Likewise, heavier-weighted bodies or those who sleep on their back or stomach often benefit from a slightly firm or firm feel. Those mattresses would include:

• Saatva RX
• Saatva Classic (medium or firm)
• Purple Restore (firm)
• Purple Restore Plus (firm)
• Purple Restore Premier (firm)

Design

Both Saatva and Purple offer a mix of mattress types, although Purple is the only brand to include the Purple gel pad.

That being said, the Purple gel pad doesn’t always necessarily mean better performance. The average Purple overall score is 9.38, lower than Saatva’s average overall score.

Here’s a quick overview of the mattresses covered in this comparison:

Design	Type	Mattress Thickness
Purple	Specialty	9.5″
Purple Restore Plus	Specialty	13.0″
Purple Restore Premier	Specialty	13.0″
Saatva Classic	Coil	11.5″
Saatva Latex Hybrid	Latex Hybrid	12.0″
Saatva RX	Hybrid	15.0″

Materials

Here is a breakdown of the insides of Purple vs. Saatva:

Purple vs. Saatva: Which Should You Buy?

So bottom line, between Purple and Saatva, which mattress is right for you? Here is a recap of each mattress score as well as our recommendation.

Purple Mattresses

Purple Mattresses	Score	Best For	Firmness	Check Price
Purple	8.99	Least Expensive (Good) Purple	Medium (5)	Check Price
Purple Flex	7.69	None, buy Purple Original instead.	Medium-Firm (6.5)	Check Price
Purple Plus	8.49	Foam Support Layer, Thicker Than Purple Original	Medium-Firm (6)	Check Price
Purple Restore	8.31	None, buy Purple Restore Plus instead.	Medium (5), Slightly Firm (7)	Check Price
Purple Restore Plus	8.88	Best Performance from Purple, Arguably Best Value	Medium (5), Slightly Firm (7)	Check Price
Purple Restore Premier	8.47	None, buy Purple Restore Plus instead.	Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6)	Check Price

Saatva Mattresses

Saatva Mattresses	Score	Best For	Firmness	Check Price
Saatva Classic	9.74	Overall Performance, Multiple Firmness Options	Soft (4), Medium-Firm (6), Firm (8)	Check Price
Saatva HD	9.28	Hybrid Great For Heavier-Weighted Sleepers	Slightly Firm (7)	Check Price
Saatva Latex Hybrid	9.48	Natural / Organic, High Bounce, Low Motion Transfer	Medium-Firm (6.5)	Check Price
Saatva Memory Foam Hybrid	9.24	Modern Memory Foam Feel	Medium-Firm (6)	Check Price
Saatva RX	9.16	Sleepers with Back Pain, 15″ Thick Profile	Medium-Firm (6)	Check Price
Zenhaven	9.44	Flippable Latex Foam	Medium (5), Slightly Firm (7.5)	Check Price