GhostBed and Nectar show up on the same shortlists constantly, and for good reason: both ship compressed in a box, both sell mostly online, and both sit in the affordable end of the market. Lie on them back to back, though, and they are not remotely the same mattress. One is built around a springy, cool-sleeping top layer. The other is built around deep, slow memory foam. Picking correctly comes down to whether you want to sleep on your mattress or in it.
The quick verdict
Choose GhostBed if you sleep hot, change positions during the night, or want a firmer surface that is easy to move around on. Its latex-like comfort layer gives it a responsive, buoyant feel that does not trap you.
Choose Nectar if you are a side sleeper who wants noticeable pressure relief at the shoulder and hip, if you share a bed with a restless partner, or if the lowest sticker price matters most. Its memory foam sinks slowly and absorbs movement extremely well.
GhostBed vs Nectar at a glance
| GhostBed | Nectar | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | All-foam core models with a synthetic latex comfort layer over gel memory foam; hybrid and cooling models with pocketed coils sit higher in the range | All-foam memory foam core models; hybrid versions with pocketed coils available higher in the range |
| Feel and firmness | Responsive and buoyant, generally on the firmer side of medium-firm | Slow-responding memory foam hug, generally medium-firm with more sink |
| Best suited sleeper | Back and stomach sleepers, combination sleepers, heavier sleepers who bottom out on soft foam | Side sleepers, lighter sleepers, anyone who likes a cradled feel |
| Motion isolation | Good, but the springier top layer transmits a little more movement | Excellent, one of the strongest points of dense memory foam |
| Cooling | A core strength; the latex-style top layer breathes better than dense memory foam, and upper-tier models add cooling covers | Base models can sleep warm; the cooling-focused tiers address this with phase change covers |
| Edge support | Modest on all-foam models, better on the hybrid builds | Modest on all-foam models, better on the hybrid builds |
| Typical price tier | Entry-level to mid-range, with premium cooling and hybrid models above that | Entry-level, one of the most aggressively priced major brands, with mid-range tiers above |
| Trial and warranty | Long home trial and a lengthy warranty; confirm current terms at purchase | Long home trial and a lengthy warranty; confirm current terms at purchase |
| Where to buy | Mostly direct to consumer online, limited physical retail | Mostly direct to consumer online, limited physical retail |
GhostBed on its own terms
GhostBed’s signature move is putting a synthetic latex layer on top instead of leading with memory foam. Latex-style foam pushes back. It recovers its shape almost immediately when you lift off it, so rolling over does not involve climbing out of a crater. That responsiveness is why combination sleepers tend to get along with it, and why it feels less claustrophobic than a deep memory foam bed.
The same layer helps with heat. Open-cell latex-style foam moves air better than dense viscoelastic foam, and GhostBed builds its marketing around that. If you have owned a memory foam mattress that felt like a warm bath by 3 a.m., this is the structural difference worth caring about.
Where it falls short: the firmer surface is genuinely firm for a lot of side sleepers. If you weigh less and sleep on your shoulder, the comfort layer may not let your shoulder drop far enough, and you will feel it as a pressure point rather than as support. Edge support on the all-foam builds is average, so sitting on the perimeter to put shoes on is not its strength.
Nectar on its own terms
Nectar is a straightforward, well-executed memory foam mattress at a price that is hard to argue with. The foam responds slowly, so your hips and shoulders settle in over a few seconds and the mattress conforms around them. That is exactly what a side sleeper with hip or shoulder pressure usually wants, and it is why Nectar has been a default recommendation for budget shoppers for years.
It is also excellent at motion isolation. Dense memory foam absorbs movement instead of transferring it, so a partner getting up at 5 a.m. barely registers on your side of the bed. If that is your daily reality, this matters more than any spec sheet number.
Where it falls short: heat. Base-tier memory foam holds body warmth, and while Nectar’s higher tiers add cooling covers, the entry model is not a hot sleeper’s first pick. The slow response can also feel like work for combination sleepers who shift positions six times a night. And stomach sleepers, particularly heavier ones, can sink enough at the hips to put the lower back into a slight arch.
How to choose between them
If you are a side sleeper
Nectar, most of the time. You want the shoulder and hip to sink and the waist to stay supported, and slow memory foam does that naturally. Look at mattresses built for side sleepers if you want to compare the feel against other options.
If you sleep hot
GhostBed, or one of Nectar’s cooling tiers rather than the base model. Los Angeles bedrooms without central air stay warm well into October, so this is not a minor consideration here.
If you share the bed
Nectar for motion isolation. If one of you is hot and the other is not, though, a hybrid with pocketed coils usually splits the difference better than either all-foam bed. Our hybrid mattresses are worth a look for exactly that reason.
If you have back pain
Neither brand is a medical solution, and be skeptical of anyone who tells you otherwise. In general, back and stomach sleepers with low back pain do better on the firmer, more supportive surface, which points to GhostBed. Side sleepers with hip pain usually do better with more contouring, which points to Nectar.
If budget is the deciding factor
Nectar typically lands lower. Just weigh that against how long you plan to keep the bed. Entry-tier all-foam mattresses generally soften sooner than hybrids, and replacing a cheap mattress in five years is not cheaper than buying a better one once.
The part most comparisons skip: try before you commit
Both of these are online brands, which means the standard advice is to order one, sleep on it for a few months, and start a return if it is wrong. That works, but returning a king-size mattress is a genuinely annoying process, and a home trial only tells you about the one mattress you picked.
The useful shortcut is to lie on comparable beds first. LA Mattress Store carries online-native brands you can actually test in our showrooms, so you can calibrate what a firm responsive foam feels like versus a deep memory foam hug before you spend anything:
- Helix and Brooklyn Bedding cover the same bed-in-a-box territory as GhostBed and Nectar, with firmness options across the range, and you can lie on them in person rather than guessing from a website.
- Birch is the natural pick if the latex-style responsiveness of GhostBed is what appeals to you, since it is built around natural latex and wool.
- Tempur-Pedic and Stearns & Foster are where to go if you try Nectar’s contouring and want that feel executed at a much higher level of material quality.
All five of our LA showrooms are set up for this. Bring your pillow, lie down in your actual sleeping position for at least ten minutes per bed, and see our guide on how to test a mattress in store before you go. Every mattress we sell is backed by our 120-night comfort guarantee, and we deliver same day across most of Los Angeles.
Frequently asked questions
Is GhostBed a good mattress?
It is a solid mattress for the right sleeper. The latex-style comfort layer gives it a cooler, more responsive feel than most foam beds in its price range, which suits back sleepers, stomach sleepers and people who overheat. Side sleepers who want deep pressure relief often find it too firm.
Are Nectar mattresses good?
For the price, yes. Nectar delivers reliable memory foam contouring and very good motion isolation at an entry-level cost. The trade-offs are heat retention on the base model and a slower, more sink-in feel that not everyone likes.
Where can I try a Nectar mattress in person?
Nectar sells mostly online with limited retail presence, so trying one before buying is difficult in most cities. If you want to test a comparable medium-firm memory foam feel in Los Angeles, come lie on our Helix and Brooklyn Bedding models, or browse our memory foam mattresses and try several side by side.
How long do Nectar mattresses last?
Expect roughly six to eight years from an entry-level all-foam mattress with normal use, less if a heavier sleeper uses the same spot every night. Hybrids and higher-density foams generally last longer. Our guide on how long mattresses last covers what actually drives lifespan.
Does GhostBed or Nectar need a box spring?
Neither one needs a traditional box spring, and a sagging old box spring will void most warranties. What they do need is a flat, continuous surface: a solid platform, a bunkie board, or slats spaced no more than about three inches apart. A compatible adjustable base works as well. See what a mattress foundation does if you are unsure what you have.
Do GhostBed or Nectar mattresses contain fiberglass?
Both brands state that their current covers do not use fiberglass as a flame barrier, but material specifications vary by model and change over time. Check the law tag and the manufacturer’s current materials disclosure for the exact model you are considering, and as a general rule never unzip a mattress cover.
Still not sure?
The fastest way to settle this is to stop reading spec sheets and lie down. Take our sleep quiz for a shortlist based on your sleeping position, body type and temperature, then come test the results in person at any of our Los Angeles showrooms. If you want more background on how boxed mattresses compare to traditional ones first, start with our complete bed in a box guide.
