Nectar Vs. Purple: Head-to head Comparison
TLDR;
Here, we’ll compare Nectar and Purple, highlighting each brand’s features and offerings.
Although consumers have more choices than ever when it comes to mattresses, the expansive selection means it’s tough to figure out what’s best for you. Fortunately, we’ve done the research to provide you with side-by-side comparisons of popular brands, so you can pick the best fit for your sleep needs.
We help you narrow down the options based on comparisons on topics like price, firmness, comfort, and more. Here we’ll break down the differences between Nectar and Purple mattresses.
Read on for more about both brands and their respective collections, or skip to the summary section, if you’re in a hurry.
Purple uses innovative house-designed technology for reducing pressure points and enhancing comfort on their two mattress collections. Nectar only offers one mattress option, but its extensive trial period and longevity in the online mattress retailing world prove the company knows what it’s doing. Here’s more on how these two options compare.
Who Is It For?
Between the two Purple collections—the Original and the New—you can choose a firmness level between soft, medium, and firm to suit individual sleep needs. Therefore, Purple will suit a range of sleep needs at varying price points.
Nectar mattresses are all mid-firmness, delivering support with an adaptive memory foam core and plushness with the pillow-top upper layer. They’re known for being a bit bouncier than regular memory foam mattresses, too.
Apart from firmness preferences, though, there’s a lot to like about both mattresses. Read on for more details on how the two stack up.
The Collection
Purple has two mattress collections, Original and New, with a range of price points among them. Here we’ll break down the pricing structure per collection, with the variations for firmness levels. Note that while Nectar offers a Twin size mattress, Purple only has Twin XL and larger sizes.The Original Purple mattress is the company’s first “no-pressure” mattress, while the newer version uses a larger Smart Comfort Grid to enhance the support.| Size | Original Purple Price | New Purple Soft | New Purple Medium | New Purple Firm | Nectar Price |
| Twin | NA | NA | NA | NA | $524 |
| Twin XL | $699 | $2,499 | $1,899 | $1,299 | $594 |
| Full | $899 | $2,699 | $2,099 | $1,499 | $724 |
| Queen | $999 | $2,799 | $2,199 | $1,599 | $824 |
| King | $1,299 | $3,499 | $2,699 | $1,899 | $1,024 |
| Cal King | $1,299 | $3,499 | $2,699 | $1,899 | $1,024 |
Construction of the Mattress
Both mattresses use memory foam construction, but Purple’s beds also incorporate the company’s trademark Smart Comfort Grid. The technology truly impressed our team, because the inventors of the technology are experts in materials engineering and spent years formulating zero-pressure materials for a variety of uses.
The open-cell construction of the Purple mattresses helps you stay cool, while the Nectar mattress has an open-cell top layer to enhance airflow. Nectar also uses gel memory foam for contouring and support, giving the bed a bit more bounce than most memory foam bed sleepers are used to.
Our team liked the pillow-top surface, which gives a plushness to the otherwise medium-firm mattress. And with the Purple mattresses, it’s easy to choose the firmness you want based on the construction of the bed; the Soft bed has a four-inch deep grid of proprietary “foam.” The Medium has three inches, while the Firm has two inches.
All of Purple’s mattresses incorporate pocketed springs, lending a little bit of bounce that’s comparable to the Nectar. Therefore, the Purple beds aren’t truly memory foam mattresses; rather, they’re hybrid models.
Trial Period & Guarantee
Nectar offers consumers the best trial period out there: a full 365 nights! Our team was really impressed by the company’s commitment to ensuring customers spend enough time working out the kinks and deciding whether this is the right bed for them.
Purple’s trial, however, is an industry minimum 100-night offering. Still, this is a substantial trial period in comparison with most retail store purchases. Purple will also pick up the bed at no fee if you decide you don’t want to keep it. Hang onto it, though, and you’ll have a 10-year warranty to cover manufacturer defects and abnormal wear and tear.
Both mattresses offer exceptional trial periods, something we have come to expect from all online mattress retailers. However, Nectar offers an overwhelming 365-night trial period, while Purple’s lasts only 100 days—slight in comparison.
Nectar will also pick up a returnable mattress, but you won’t receive a refund on any White Glove service charges. Also, the company has a lifetime warranty called the Forever Warranty, which covers the mattress as long as you own it.
Firmness Level
As mentioned, Purple has four different mattress choices thanks to two separate collections. The Original mattress has the highest firmness of them all, while the New mattresses range from Soft and plush to Firm.
Nectar offers lower-level firmness, comparable to Purple’s mid-range offering. The pillowtop makes it feel cozier, but it’s the bounce that makes it feel less firm overall. The company ranks it between 5.5 and 7.5 on the “softness” scale.
Comfort
The Nectar mattress has gel memory foam for contouring plus a Tencel cooling cover which helps circulate air and wick away moisture. Purple’s open cell construction achieves similar cooling.
When it comes to full-body comfort, Purple has more offerings to customize your sleep experience. If your comfort depends on the firmness level more than hot or cold features, Purple has a variety of choices to suit.
Smell Effect
Although Nectar uses non-toxic materials and assures consumers that their mattresses are close to odor free, you might notice a bit of a scent from the vacuum packing process. However, this is more of a “fresh” foam scent than off-gassing, simply due to the foam being brand new when it’s sealed.
Purple’s mattresses may have a new product smell, too, but it’s more woodsy—something that surprised and impressed our team. Also, the materials are 100 percent non-toxic, so you can rest assured that there is no harmful off-gassing happening.
Motion Isolation
Purple has a great reputation for motion isolation, and that’s thanks to the cell construction which both reduces pressure points and gives you a surprisingly steady sleep surface. We were almost surprised by the lack of movement on this bed, especially because it has pocketed springs. The New beds also have support coil bases, but they all ensure zero motion transfer sleep experiences.
Nectar, on the other hand, is “bouncy” because of its gel memory foam, but with less “jiggle” than a standard innerspring mattress. However, for consumers who are concerned with motion isolation, Purple may be the better option in this case thanks to the unique construction of the mattress surface.
The Ordering Process
To purchase your Nectar mattress, you just need to select the size you want and add it to your cart. The company also frequently offers sales and promotions, which can help make the mattresses even more affordable. Shipping is free with Nectar, including any accessories you order.
With Purple, you first need to decide whether the Original or New mattress collection is ideal for you. Then, select the size you want to order. Don’t forget to select the firmness level, too, and note that Purple mattresses are not available in Twin sizes, only Twin XL. This is an important consideration if you are purchasing a new mattress to fit an existing bed you may already have.
Shipping is also free with Purple, and your order will take between one and two weeks.
Delivery and Packaging
Purple mattresses will arrive right to your door in a box that measures 16 inches in diameter and varies in length (depending on mattress size) between 44 and 76 inches. The box can weigh anywhere from 91 to 175 pounds. Residents in the lower 48 states can also receive complimentary white glove delivery service and setup.
Nectar mattresses come in boxes weighing from 45 to 105 pounds. Delivery takes up to eight days, and White Glove service is also available for an extra fee.
Conclusion
So which is the ideal mattress for my needs?
Ever heard the saying that the more choice you have, the harder it is to choose? This might be the case in our comparison of Nectar vs Purple mattress brands.
Nectar offers one mattress option, while Purple has two collections, “Original” and “New”, and three firmness levels – soft, medium and firm. However, it’s important to note that Purple does not offer Twin size mattresses. The smallest size offered by Purple is Twin XL. So if you are in the market for a Twin mattress, you can rule out Purple right away.
Nectar’s foam-only mattress is considered mid-firm, yet offers a bouncier feel and an extra plushness due to its soft gel top. Purple uses a hybrid construction, combining memory foam, Smart Comfort Grid open cell foam plus pocketed springs, which lends it a bouncy feel with some give, similar to Nectar. Generally, however, Nectar’s mattress has a lower level of firmness compared to Purple’s range.
With Purple’s extensive choice of mattresses, you’ve got a wide spectrum to choose from, both in terms of firmness and price, with Nectar positioned as a softer, more affordable mattress option.
Lee Levy
Lee is an experienced reviewer and passionate about trying new products. She is a side sleeper and always looking to ways to avoid back pains in her sleep. Lee is a mom for two little princesses and a devoted wife, living in Brooklyn, NYC.