Casper and Purple are two of the most recognizable names in online mattresses, and shoppers constantly cross-shop them. What most comparisons bury is the simplest and most important fact: these two beds do not feel remotely alike. This is not a case of splitting hairs over coil counts. One is a conventional foam mattress; the other uses a proprietary elastic polymer grid that feels genuinely unusual the first time you lie on it. Choosing between them is less about which is "better" and more about which sensation your body wants.
The quick verdict
Pick Casper if you want a familiar, neutral foam feel with gentle contouring and no adjustment period — it is the safer choice for most sleepers, for couples who want quiet motion isolation, and for anyone who has never slept on anything but a standard foam or innerspring bed.
Pick Purple if you run hot, dislike the sinking sensation of memory foam, or need pressure relief at the hips and shoulders without losing the ability to move around. The grid buckles under concentrated pressure and stays supportive everywhere else, which is a real advantage for side sleepers and combination sleepers — but the feel is polarizing, and some people never warm to it.
Side-by-side comparison
| Casper | Purple | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | All-foam in the core lineup; hybrid versions add pocketed coils | Buckling-column gel grid over a foam or pocketed-coil support base |
| Feel & firmness range | Neutral foam with zoned support; most models sit around medium | Distinctive springy, semi-floating feel; medium to medium-firm depending on model |
| Best-suited sleeper | Back and combination sleepers; people who want "normal" foam | Side sleepers, hot sleepers, people who hate the stuck-in-foam sensation |
| Motion isolation | Strong — foam absorbs movement well | Good on all-foam bases, slightly more responsive on hybrid versions |
| Cooling | Average for foam; better on hybrid models with coils | A genuine strength — open air channels in the grid move heat away |
| Edge support | Modest on all-foam models; better on hybrids | Modest on all-foam bases; noticeably better on coil-supported models |
| Typical price tier | Entry-level to mid-range, depending on model | Mid-range to premium |
| Trial & warranty | Extended home trial and multi-year warranty; check current terms at purchase | Extended home trial and multi-year warranty; check current terms at purchase |
| Where to buy | Direct online, plus some third-party retail | Direct online, plus some third-party retail |
Casper on its own terms
Casper effectively wrote the playbook for the bed-in-a-box category, and its strength is exactly that: it is unobjectionable. The construction uses zoned foam — softer under the shoulders, firmer under the hips — so back sleepers get lumbar support without their midsection dropping. Most people lie down on a Casper and immediately understand it. There is no learning curve.
Where it does well: quiet motion transfer, a broadly agreeable medium feel, and a price ladder that starts genuinely affordable. If two people have different body types but similar preferences, a Casper is unlikely to be anyone's least favorite bed in the house.
Where it falls short: heat. All-foam Casper models sleep warmer than a hybrid or a grid-topped mattress, which matters more than people expect in Los Angeles, where a September bedroom can sit in the high seventies overnight. Heavier sleepers and anyone who sits on the edge of the bed to dress will also notice the perimeter compresses more than they'd like on the non-hybrid versions.
Purple on its own terms
Purple's grid is not marketing fluff — it behaves differently from foam in a way you can feel within thirty seconds. The polymer is arranged in a lattice of hollow columns. Under light, distributed weight (your back, your calves) the walls hold firm. Under concentrated pressure (a shoulder, a hip) the columns buckle sideways and let that body part settle in. The practical result is pressure relief in the places you need it while the rest of you stays level.
Where it does well: temperature, above all. Air moves freely through the open grid instead of being trapped in a closed-cell foam surface. It is also responsive — you can roll over without the fight that deep memory foam sometimes puts up, which combination sleepers appreciate.
Where it falls short: the feel is divisive. Some people describe it as sleeping on a firm, springy sheet of jelly, and that description is more accurate than flattering. Purple also runs heavier than a comparable foam mattress, which makes rotating it a two-person job. And the price sits higher than entry-level foam, so it is a harder bed to buy on a hunch.
How to choose between them
If you are a side sleeper
Lean Purple. The buckling grid was more or less designed for the shoulder-and-hip pressure that side sleepers deal with. If you'd rather stay in foam, a softer plush or pillow-top build will get you closer than a standard medium Casper. Our pressure-relief collection is built around exactly this problem.
If you sleep hot
Purple, comfortably. If you want to stay with foam, choose a hybrid construction with coils rather than an all-foam bed — airflow through a coil unit does more for temperature than any gel infusion claim on the label.
If you share the bed
Casper has the slight edge on pure motion isolation, especially the all-foam models. But if your partner runs hot and you don't, that is usually the bigger problem to solve, and Purple wins that one. Couples with genuinely opposite needs should look at a split adjustable setup instead of trying to find one mattress that splits the difference.
If you have back pain
Neither brand has a monopoly here, and be suspicious of anyone who tells you otherwise. What matters is that your spine stays neutral: no hammock sag at the hips, no gap at the lumbar curve. Casper's zoned foam does this well for back sleepers. Purple does it well for side sleepers. A medium-firm build in either family is the usual starting point.
If budget is the deciding factor
Casper's entry models come in lower. But before you buy on price alone, factor in what a mattress you dislike actually costs you — a year of poor sleep and a return shipment. Trying beds in person first is the cheapest form of insurance there is.
What we'd suggest trying in person
Straight answer: LA Mattress Store does not carry Casper or Purple. We stock Tempur-Pedic, Stearns & Foster, Englander, Chattam & Wells, Spring Air and Diamond. That said, most of what people are chasing in these two brands is available in something you can actually lie on before you commit.
If the Casper feel appeals — neutral, contouring foam without much bounce — a mid-firmness memory foam or gel foam model gets you there, and Tempur-Pedic does the contouring version of it better than almost anyone. Browse our memory foam mattresses to see the range.
If what you like about Purple is the cool, responsive, non-sinking feel, a hybrid with pocketed coils and a latex or gel comfort layer is the closest analogue. You get airflow, you get pushback, and you get the pressure relief without the polarizing grid sensation.
Either way, the advantage of shopping in person is the one thing an online trial can't give you: five minutes lying in your actual sleep position before any money changes hands. Our guide to testing a mattress in store covers how to do that properly. And if you're still weighing the online options, we've written honest standalone takes on the Casper and Purple mattresses too.
Frequently asked questions
Are Casper mattresses good?
For their price tier, yes. Casper builds a competent, broadly likeable foam mattress with sensible zoning and good motion isolation. It is not a luxury bed and doesn't pretend to be. The most common complaints are heat retention on the all-foam models and softening at the edges over time.
Are Purple mattresses good?
Also yes, with a caveat: the grid is the whole product, and how you feel about the grid determines how you feel about the mattress. People who like it tend to like it a lot, particularly hot sleepers and side sleepers. People who don't usually know within the first night. There is very little middle ground.
How long do Purple mattresses last?
The grid material itself is durable and resists the permanent body impressions that foam is prone to. The foam or coil base underneath is usually what determines real-world lifespan. Expect a life comparable to other quality mattresses in its price tier — and see our guide on how long mattresses last for what actually drives that number.
How long do Casper mattresses last?
Similar to other all-foam mattresses in the entry-to-mid price range. Foam density is the main variable: lower-density comfort layers soften faster, particularly under heavier sleepers. Rotating the mattress regularly and using a proper foundation both help meaningfully.
Where can I try a Casper or Purple mattress in person?
Both brands have limited third-party retail placement, so availability depends on where you are. In Los Angeles, if you can't find one to test, the practical alternative is to try the feel category rather than the brand — a neutral foam bed for Casper, a cool responsive hybrid for Purple — and buy the one your body actually responds to.
Is Purple worth the extra money over Casper?
Only if you specifically want what the grid does. If you sleep hot, sleep on your side, or dislike sinking into foam, the premium buys you something real. If none of those describe you, you are paying more for a sensation you may not prefer.
Not sure which feel is yours?
The honest shortcut is to stop comparing brands and start identifying the feel your body wants. Our sleep quiz narrows it down in eight questions, or you can come lie on the options at any of our five LA showrooms — with same-day delivery ($100 upgrade, order by 4pm) in most of the area and a 120-night comfort guarantee if you get it home and change your mind.
