Our Nectar vs. Purple Bed Comparison for 2024

After recognizing Nectar’s bold value and falling in love with Purple’s innovative design, we were curious to see the results of a Nectar vs. Purple comparison. Can Purple’s new materials and head-turning raw egg demonstration (where eggs remain uncracked on its Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ under weights) compare to Nectar’s construction that has bed owners writing great reviews?

Both beds deliver high-quality performance, comfort, and longevity, so it’s just a matter of choosing which one best meets your needs. Julia joined me to test both the Nectar and Purple as we focused on qualities like construction, sinkage, cooling, bounce, and more. Read along as we share how these beds stacked up against each other.

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Comparing Firmness, Support & Feel

Firmness

We rate mattress firmness on a scale of 1 to 10 to help you understand how each bed feels. According to Julia, the Purple mattress is a 4 out of 10 on our firmness scale, which should feel like medium-soft. 

Nectar, on the other hand, is slightly firmer at a 6.5 out of 10. I think it feels like foam, offering a good balance of support and pressure relief. I found the Nectar allowed me to sink into the bed easily from the top two layers, but still feel plenty of support.

Support

We have found that Nectar’s memory foam construction is amazing as a bed for side sleepers due to its excellent pressure-relieving properties. On the other hand, Purple’s unique grid adds a new twist on support with its grid system. Significantly heavier people may find both of these beds too soft to support the heaviest body parts. 

With its firmer feel compared to the Purple, the Nectar would likely be the better choice support-wise.

Feel

The beds are opposites in regard to their response time. Purple’s grid springs immediately back into place, while Nectar’s slow-sinking memory foam has a slow rise.

Nectar feels like a medium-firm, and for that, I feel like it’s a good Tempur-Pedic dupe. It’s more affordable yet has a similar response time.

The Purple has a bit more bounce in the top layer. Julia likes to compare it to a waterbed, adding it’s “an all-around performer.“

Comparing Sinkage and Bounce

Between both brands, there are differences concerning their sinkage and bounce.

Nectar has a low level of bounce because of its memory materials, which I think is great if you like less bounce and added pressure relief. The memory foam also provides a deeper hug and contouring.

Julia felt the Purple’s Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ layer gives more overall bounce, and people should feel gently cradled by this mattress. However, in the back and stomach sleeping positions, the cells respond differently and cradle sleepers on a shallower level.

Overall, I think Purple’s grid and its elastic properties help it provide increased ease of repositioning.

Comparing Motion Transfer

Although responsiveness is different, motion transfer between the brands is similar.

Those who wake easily from motion transfer need more motion isolation than the average person. Motion isolation will help light sleepers stay undisturbed while partners move about or climb in and out of bed.

We think partners with different sleeping habits should be careful with buying a mattress, ensuring it isolates motion well enough so both of you can get a good night’s sleep. Both brands have strong isolation capabilities, and you should be undisturbed throughout the night. 

However, the Purple has a bit more bounce, but “does a good job of absorbing motion”, shared Julia. I found the Nectar has top-tier motion isolation because it’s made entirely out of foam. Nonetheless, we agree that Purple is a better option for combination sleepers because it combines motion isolation with responsiveness.

Comparing Cooling

Hot sleepers know the struggle of trying to doze off when the bed’s surface is too hot. Trying to find a cool spot on the mattress gets more difficult as time passes, making it harder to fall asleep after a while. 

Although both Nectar and Purple are all-foam mattresses, they have cooling features that prevent them from getting too hot. The Nectar has a breathable cover and cooling gel in its memory foam layer. On the other hand, the Purple has a proprietary Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ grid, which is temperature neutral.

Comparing Construction (Materials & Quality)

Nectar Construction

As an online memory bed, Nectar is shipped in a box. However, white glove service is available for those who want it. The brand can be used with nearly every foundation, including an adjustable base.

The cover has a breathable poly-blend material. This is Nectar’s signature cover, and it’s designed to keep excess body heat away by using heat-absorbent polyethylene fibers. In addition, the bed has a shift-resistant lower cover made from polyester. This bottom cover prevents the upper layers from shifting, ensuring the entire mattress stays in place. Together with the layers below, the bed stands at 12 inches in height.

• The first layer has a 2-inch memory foam infused with gel that offers greater contouring and pressure relief.
• The second layer has 3 inches of soft conventional foam and serves as a support layer.
• The base layer has a standard conventional foam that is 7 inches thick and provides the bed with durability.

Purple Construction

Purple has a unique construction of foam with a polymer grid on top. Like Nectar, it is shipped rolled up and compressed. Foundations of almost every kind are usable with this brand.

At 9.5 inches thick, its strong zip-off cover is made of polyester, viscose, and lycra materials. The 2019 refresh updated the cover a touch to make it more complementary to the unique feel of the comfort grid.

• The top layer has a gel-like grid made of 2 inches of Hyper-Elastic Polymer™ that stays temperature neutral. The structure buckles and bends depending on the position, providing support and pressure relief as needed. There is also edge support that, according to Julia, is “trash.” She goes on to say, “If you are a senior or like to sleep near the edge, Purple is not gonna be your chosen one.”
• The second layer consists of 3.5-inch polyurethane foam that transitions from the grid to the base level and adds extra comfort.
• The base layer is made of 4 inches of polyurethane that supports and gives durability to the bed.

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Comparing Company Policies & Price

• Warranty – Nectar comes with a forever warranty, whereas Purple has a 10-year warranty.
• Shipping – Purple ships this mattress to the United States and Canada, while Nectar ships to the U.S. only. However, Nectar also offers White Glove Delivery.
• Trial Period – This Nectar mattress comes with a 365-night trial, and Purple gives you 100 nights to test their bed.
• Returns – Nectar accepts returns for free within the contiguous United States. Purple also accepts returns and offers a full refund.
• Price – You can easily spot the price difference between the Purple and the Nectar. The Purple mattress is around 300 dollars more expensive than the Nectar.

Size	Nectar Price (w/o discount)	Purple Price (w/o discount)
Twin	$599	$799
Twin XL	$769	$999
Full	$899	$1,199
Queen	$999	$1,399
King	$1,299	$1,799
Cali King	$1,299	$1,799
Split King	$1,538	$1,998