Lull and Purple are both direct-to-consumer mattresses that arrive compressed in a box, and they sit at opposite ends of the bed-in-a-box spectrum. Lull is a straightforward foam mattress built to a budget. Purple is built around a stretchy gel grid that behaves unlike any foam on the market. Choosing between them is really a choice between a familiar feel at a low price and an unusual feel that solves specific problems.
Quick verdict
Pick Lull if you want a conventional, cradling foam feel for the least money, you sleep alone or with a partner of similar size, and you are furnishing a guest room, a kid's room or a first apartment. Pick Purple if you run hot, you want pressure relief at the hips and shoulders without the sinking sensation of memory foam, or you are a heavier sleeper who needs more support than a budget all-foam bed provides. If you want premium contouring that holds up for a decade, neither is really the answer, and the last section of this guide covers what is.
Side by side
| Lull | Purple | |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | All-foam: a gel-infused memory foam comfort layer over transition and high-density base foam | A buckling-column gel grid over either foam (all-foam models) or pocketed coils (hybrid models) |
| Feel and firmness | Single medium feel, close to the middle of the firmness scale, with noticeable contouring and slow response | Soft at first contact, firm underneath. The grid collapses under concentrated weight and stays supportive elsewhere. Several firmness options across the line |
| Best-suited sleeper | Average-weight back and side sleepers, guest rooms, budget shoppers | Side sleepers with hip or shoulder pressure, hot sleepers, combination sleepers who shift position |
| Motion isolation | Strong. Foam absorbs movement well | Good on all-foam models, slightly less on hybrid models with coils |
| Cooling | Average. Gel infusion helps, but foam still traps some heat | Strong. The open grid channels air directly under the body |
| Edge support | Soft edges, typical of all-foam beds | Noticeably better on the coil-based hybrid models; softer on the all-foam entry model |
| Price tier | Entry-level | Mid-range to premium depending on the model |
| Trial and warranty | At-home sleep trial plus a multi-year warranty. Terms change, so confirm on the brand's own site | At-home sleep trial plus a multi-year warranty. Terms change, so confirm on the brand's own site |
| Where to buy | Online, with limited retail presence | Online plus a growing number of retail partners |
Lull on its own terms
Lull does one thing and does it cleanly. It is a three-layer foam mattress in a single medium firmness, sold at a price that undercuts almost every national brand. The gel-infused top layer gives you the hug that people associate with memory foam, the middle layer keeps you from bottoming out, and the base holds the whole thing together.
What it does well: motion isolation is genuinely strong, so a restless partner is less disruptive than on a spring bed. It is light enough for two people to carry upstairs. And because there is only one firmness, there is no agonising over options.
Where it falls short: foam-only beds soften over time, and budget foam softens faster. Heavier sleepers, roughly above 230 pounds, tend to sink past the comfort layer and feel the base. Edge support is weak, which matters if you sit on the side of the bed to put your shoes on. And a single medium firmness is a compromise that fits a lot of people adequately and nobody perfectly.
Purple on its own terms
Purple's hyper-elastic polymer grid is the real differentiator, and it is not marketing fluff. The grid is a lattice of walls that buckle under concentrated pressure, such as a hip or a shoulder, while staying rigid under lighter areas like the lower back. The practical result is pressure relief without the enveloped, slow-to-respond sensation that some people dislike about memory foam. Because the grid is open, air moves through it, which is why Purple consistently sleeps cooler than a comparable foam bed.
What it does well: cooling, pressure relief at the joints, and easy repositioning. Combination sleepers who roll from side to back several times a night often prefer it, because there is no crater to climb out of.
Where it falls short: the feel is polarising. Some people describe it as sleeping on a firm surface with a soft skin, and they either love it immediately or never adjust. The grid adds real weight, so moving a Purple is a two-person job. The entry all-foam model has the same soft-edge problem as Lull. And the hybrid models climb into premium pricing, where they compete with established mattresses that have longer durability records.
How to choose between them
If you are a side sleeper
Purple has the advantage. The grid relieves hip and shoulder pressure without forcing your spine out of line, and that is the exact failure mode side sleepers hit on cheap foam. A medium Lull works if you are lighter than average, but heavier side sleepers will feel the base.
If you sleep hot
Purple, clearly. Los Angeles bedrooms stay warm well into October, and an open grid moves air in a way that gel-infused foam cannot match. If you are set on foam, plan on cooling sheets and a breathable protector.
If you share the bed
Lull wins on pure motion isolation, since foam deadens movement better than coils. But Purple's grid is close behind, and if you and your partner differ in weight by more than 50 pounds, Purple's support holds up better across both of you. Our guide to queen mattresses for couples goes deeper on this trade-off.
If you have back pain
Neither is a medical solution, but the logic differs. Back pain that comes from pressure points and poor alignment often responds to Purple's grid. Back pain that comes from a bed that is simply too soft is likely to get worse on a budget all-foam mattress as it breaks down.
If budget is the deciding factor
Lull, without much debate. It is one of the least expensive ways to get a full-size or queen foam mattress that is not actively bad. Just set expectations on lifespan: budget foam is a five-year purchase, not a fifteen-year one.
What we would actually put you on
We do not carry Lull or Purple, so there is no sales angle here. But the two feels they represent are both available in brands we stock, and you can lie on them before you commit instead of guessing from a website.
If the Purple grid appeals because you want cooling and pressure relief without the memory foam sink, start with Helix and Brooklyn Bedding. Both are online-native brands with pocketed-coil hybrids across the firmness range, and both are on our showroom floors, so you can compare a firm and a medium back to back in ten minutes. If the organic angle matters, Birch uses natural latex over coils, and latex gives you the responsive, non-sinking feel people often want from Purple with better long-term resilience.
If the Lull foam feel is what you are after but you want it to last, step up to Tempur-Pedic. It is the same category of cradling contour, engineered to hold its shape far longer than budget foam. For luxury innerspring comfort with a plush top, Stearns & Foster is the one to try. Both are in our memory foam collection and hybrid collection.
If you are comparing other bed-in-a-box brands, our Casper vs Purple breakdown and our memory foam vs hybrid guide cover the same ground from different angles.
Frequently asked questions
Are Lull mattresses good?
For the price, yes, with caveats. A Lull is a competent medium-feel foam mattress that beats a worn-out spring bed by a wide margin. It is not built to the durability standard of a premium mattress, and heavier sleepers will outgrow its support faster. Judge it as a value purchase, not a long-term one.
How long do Purple mattresses last?
The polymer grid is the most durable part of the bed and resists the permanent impressions that foam develops. The foam or coil layers underneath are what usually determine the end of its useful life. Treat any mattress showing a visible body impression or new morning stiffness as due for replacement, and see our guide to the signs you need a new mattress.
Do Lull or Purple mattresses contain fiberglass?
Both brands state that their mattresses do not use fiberglass in the fire barrier. Fiberglass is most often found in very inexpensive imported foam mattresses. If this matters to you, ask for the law tag and flammability details in writing before you buy, from any brand, and never remove a mattress cover with an unknown barrier underneath.
Can you put a Lull or Purple mattress on a box spring?
It is not ideal. Both are designed for a solid or closely slatted surface, and a traditional sagging box spring will let the mattress flex where it should not. If your slats are more than about three inches apart, add a bunkie board or move to a proper foundation. Our box spring explainer covers what works with what.
Is a Purple mattress worth it?
If you specifically need cooling plus joint pressure relief, and you have tried the feel and liked it, the answer is often yes. If you have never lain on the grid, do not order one on reputation alone. The feel divides people more sharply than any other mattress we know of, which is the strongest possible argument for trying it, or something like it, in person.
Try both feels before you decide
Reading comparisons only gets you so far on a product you spend a third of your life on. We have five showrooms across Los Angeles with Helix, Brooklyn Bedding, Birch, Tempur-Pedic and Stearns & Foster set up side by side, same-day delivery across most of the metro, and a free 120-night comfort guarantee if you get it home and change your mind. Not sure which direction to start in? Take our sleep quiz and we will narrow it to two or three beds before you walk in.
