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Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches have reviewed more than 150 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing. We assess each bed for support, cooling, firmness, pressure relief, and more.
We’ll be discussing our top picks for the best mattresses for platform beds that have the best compatibility and versatility with this durable bed foundation.
A platform bed is a great way to give your mattress a stronger foundation, keep your sleep surface lifted off the floor, or just spruce up the aesthetic of your bedroom. That being said, some mattresses work better with such a structure than others. That’s why we rounded up a list of the best mattresses for platform beds.
Not only do all of the below products work with an added sleep foundation — many of the brands even have their own platform beds available online, with bundle options frequently available. In addition to compatibility, each mattress has its own unique features and strengths.
Our Verdict: What’s the Best Mattress For Platform Beds?
Our expert reviewers chose the Helix Midnight as the best mattress for platform beds due to its versatility for many sleep positions, affordability, and top-notch cooling capabilities.
Our Top Picks for the Best Mattress for Platform Beds
Our team of Certified Sleep Science Coaches has reviewed more than 600 mattresses, using proprietary analysis and hands-on testing to establish easy-to-understand scores. In addition to an overall score, we measure subscores for support, edge support, cooling, motion transfer, durability, trial period, and warranty.
Hands-on mattress testing in our sleep lab
To find the best mattresses for platform beds, we looked for beds with great overall performance while taking price into consideration. We tested each mattress by placing it directly on a platform base since this type of foundation doesn’t require a box spring. After hundreds of hours of testing, every mattress on this list gets our recommendation for use on a platform bed.
Best Overall Mattress for a Platform Bed – Helix Midnight
Best Overall Mattress
Helix Midnight Mattress
The Helix Midnight creates a blend of comfort and support with its Memory Plus Foam and a layer of individually wrapped coils.
Has a balanced foam feel with superior pressure relief
Excellent motion isolation makes it a good pick for couples
Coil construction promotes airflow and dissipates body heat
Cons of the Helix Midnight
Lacks the support stomach sleepers need
Designed for side sleepers, but may not accommodate those in higher weight ranges
Lacks a slow-moving, plush feel
Our Expert’s Take
All of Helix’s mattresses are hybrid beds constructed with a combination of foam and springs. The Midnight is their most popular model, likely because it falls right in the middle in terms of firmness. With its blend of proprietary Memory Plus Foam, Helix Responsive Foam, and individually wrapped coils, there’s a mix of comfort and support here that’s primed and ready for a platform bed.
What We Love About the Helix
The mattress has impressive cooling abilities. When measured by our thermal gun in the mattress lab, the bed’s surface temperature rose from 72 F to 75.4 F — a minuscule difference — after a tester had napped on the bed.
The balance of comfort and support makes the Helix a great option for both side and back sleepers.
The foam and coil layers give the Helix a balanced feel, so you won’t feel “stuck” or trapped in the mattress.
The Helix dampens motion transfer surprisingly well for a hybrid and offers impressive edge support, so it should work well for couples.
What to Keep in Mind About the Helix
The coils in the Helix mattress mean this isn’t an entirely silent mattress, and light sleepers may notice the occasional creak or squeak.
The mattress has the softness side sleepers need, but that means most stomach sleepers will find it lacks support.
Heavyweight side sleepers will likely find they compress the foam layers too much to properly cradle the hips and shoulders.
Other User Review
The Helix Midnight has over 6,500 reviews and 4.5 out of 5 stars overall. Side sleepers say it’s comfortable and supportive, but some negative reviews say it’s too soft to ensure proper alignment.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Balanced feel thanks to firmer foams in the lower layers
Cons of the Nectar
Not supportive enough for people over 230 pounds
May not be supportive enough for dedicated stomach sleepers
Doesn’t respond quickly and lacks bounce
Our Expert’s Take
Lovers of memory foam tend to appreciate the material’s slow-sinking feeling — a sensation you’re bound to experience on the Nectar. Right away, there’s a thick layer of gel memory foam for contouring and pressure relief, balanced out by firmer foams underneath. You’ll get even more support with a platform bed to give you a slight lift.
What We Love About the Nectar
Plush foam layers give the Nectar the classic feel of slow-moving foam and deliver excellent pressure relief and close contouring for targeted support.
It’s an affordably priced mattress with an expected lifespan of eight to ten years, which makes it a great mattress for the money.
The Nectar has a great balance of support and comfort, and the coil and foam layers can make it a good option for joint pain relief.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nectar
Stomach sleepers may find the Nectar is lacking in necessary support around the midsection, leading to sagging hips and back pain.
The slow-moving foam isn’t a great choice for fans of responsive mattresses or combination sleepers who change positions during the night.
The Nectar mattress is made with gel-infused foam, but especially hot sleepers may find it sleeps too warm.
Other User Reviews
The Nectar mattress has over 50,000 reviews and an overall rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars. Customers rave about the comfort and support as well as the excellent customer service, but negative reviews call the mattress too firm.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Hip Pain
This bed should be comfortable for anyone struggling with hip pain since it contours the hips and keeps them supported.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers, as it provides them support and easy mobility.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Euro-style pillow-top adds softness and pressure relief
Four firmness options
Cons of the WinkBed
Lacks a traditional memory foam feel
Higher price tag
Doesn’t isolate motion well, so it may not work for couples
Our Expert’s Take
A platform bed is going to add support to a mattress. And if you like your sleeping surface extra-supportive, we highly recommend one of the models from WinkBeds. Whether you choose Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, or Plus, you’re getting a hybrid mattress with a classic innerspring feel, thanks to a tall layer of bouncy, individually wrapped coils.
What We Love About the WinkBed
It comes in four firmness options: Softer, Luxury Firm, Firmer, and Plus (for people over 230 lbs), so it works for different sleep positions and body types.
It has the traditional bouncy feel of a classic innerspring, so combination sleepers will find it easy to change positions during the night.
The breathable cover and the airflow-promoting coil construction minimize heat retention, making the Winkbed an excellent option for hot sleepers.
What to Keep in Mind About the WinkBed
The coils in the Winkbed give it a bouncy, responsive feel, but light sleepers who share the bed may find it doesn’t isolate motion well enough.
The WinkBed might be too pricey for some people.
Some people may have a hard time deciding which mattress firmness best suits their sleep style and body type.
Other User Reviews
On the WinkBed website, the mattress has an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars. That’s based on over 8,500 reviews. Positive reviews mention better sleep, reduced aches and pains, and impressive comfort. Some reviews mention problems with the mattress being either too soft or too firm.
Best Firm Mattress for a Platform Bed – DreamCloud
Best Firm Mattress
DreamCloud Original Mattress
This luxury hybrid’s combination of individually wrapped coils and two comfort layers creates a firmer-than-average mattress that’s ideal for back sleepers.
High-quality mattress that’s still budget-friendly
Medium-firm feel is likely a good fit for back sleepers
Bouncy and responsive
Cons of the DreamCloud
Doesn’t have the pressure relief side sleepers need
Lacks the slow-moving feel of memory foam
Not supportive enough for heavier sleepers
Our Expert’s Take
If you’re looking for a firm mattress, you might be dreaming of the DreamCloud — a luxury hybrid bed that scores a 7.5/10 on the firmness scale. To give you some context, the industry standard for medium-firm is 6.5. While the firmness and support come from a layer of individually wrapped coils (and potentially the slats of a platform bed!), you should also get some pressure relief from not one, but two comfort layers, with the second made up of soft memory foam.
What We Love About the DreamCloud
This hybrid mattress is priced significantly lower than comparable mattresses, without skimping on material quality.
The breathable cover, airflow-promoting coils, and gel-infused memory foam make it a cool, comfortable mattress, even for hot sleepers.
The DreamCloud has a slightly firmer-than-average feel with a touch of plushness on top, so it’s a great pick for back sleepers.
What to Keep in Mind About the DreamCloud
Side sleepers, especially those with higher body weights, will notice the firmer feel and may find they experience quite a bit of pressure in the hips and shoulders.
The DreamCloud has a bouncy, responsive feel that works well for combination sleepers, but may be too disruptive for couples.
Edge support is lacking in the DreamCloud, which could be an issue for couples who need space to spread out or anyone who has a hard time getting in and out of bed.
Other User Reviews
The DreamCloud mattress earns 4.6 out of 5 stars on the DreamCloud site. Close to 80% of over 8,400 reviews of the DreamCloud on the company website are five stars. Customers call it incredibly comfortable, but some report that the motion transfer was significant.
Best Cooling Mattress for a Platform Bed – Saatva Classic
Best Cooling Mattress
Saatva Mattress
Hot sleepers should have nothing to worry about on this hybrid bed, which has a breathable cover, a comfort layer of memory foam, and dual coil system to promote airflow.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Back Sleepers
This bed’s strong support is ideal for back sleepers because it helps keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Stomach Sleepers
This mattress is ideal for stomach sleepers as its firm support promotes spinal alignment.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Seniors
This bed is perfect for senior sleepers, as it provides them support and easy mobility.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
The dual coil build is one of the most durable out there
Responsive feel works well for combination sleepers
Furnished in multiple firmness options to accommodate all preferences
Cons of the Saatva Classic
Lacks the slow-moving feel of memory foam
A pricier option with less generous sales
Our Expert’s Take
The Saatva Classic isn’t your typical innerspring mattress—it’s more akin to a luxury double-decker bus, with two layers of coils for extra support. The bed’s cooling starts with the cover, made from breathable organic cotton. The cover is also hypoallergenic, with a natural flame barrier that ditches the usual fiberglass. Quilted into the top is a plush, hotel-like Euro pillow top, which feels softer or firmer depending on the firmness you pick. We tested the Luxury Firm model of the Saatva Classic, which offers a nice combination of support and coziness. The comfort layer is also reinforced in the middle to give the lower back some extra love. Underneath, there’s a transition layer of memory foam for added pressure relief, and below that, two layers of steel coils. The first set contours to your body, especially your back, and the second set is super tough to prevent sagging, helping the bed earn a near-perfect edge support score (4.5/5).
What We Love About the Saatva Classic
From its cover to coils, Saatva is made to minimize heat retention, making it a good choice if overheating at night is an issue. Testers gave the Saatva a 4/5 score for its cooling capabilities.
The Saatva has decent bounce (hence the 4.5/5 responsiveness score from testers), so the bed’s surface adapts well if you change sleep positions throughout the night.
The sturdy hybrid construction of the Saatva helped it earn a 4/5 durability score, ensuring the bed can hold up for years to come — we’d say you can expect 10 to 15 years at least.
What to Keep in Mind About the Saatva Classic
That bit of bounce in the Saatva means it doesn’t isolate motion well (3/5), which may be an issue for couples who co-sleep.
The high-density foam means it’s a firmer-than-average mattress, so it’s a better choice for back and stomach sleepers.
Side sleepers in any weight range will likely find the mattress too firm, leading to pain in the shoulder and hip.
Other User Reviews
The Saatva earns 4.8 out of 5 stars on the brand’s website. It has 3,593 reviews, and 3,234 of those are perfect scores. One customer, a self-described hot sleeper, wrote that they “stayed cool all night,” adding that the bed is the “perfect combination of comfort and support.” Another reviewer echoed that, saying the bed is “Not too stiff and not too squishy” and a “great height if you’re using a platform bed.” Some negative reviewers said they experienced shipping and delivery issues, or found the mattress to be too firm.
Read our full Saatva mattress reviewto learn more. If you aren’t interested in the Saatva Classic mattress, check out our list of the best cooling mattresses for more great options!
Nolah’s proprietary AirFoam is responsive and breathable
Excellent motion isolation for those who share the bed
Cons of the Nolah
May lack support for stomach sleepers and heavier people
May sleep slightly warm
On the softer side of average
Our Expert’s Take
As comfortable and eye-pleasing as it is, a platform bed is going to cost you some money. But if you opt for the all-foam Nolah, you’ll have an easier time saving up for the additional cost. That’s because, after discounts, a Queen-size is currently under $1,000. In addition to its cost-effectiveness, the Nolah has a medium firmness that should appeal to back sleepers and side sleepers.
What We Love About the Nolah
The well-priced Nolah mattress is made with AirFoam, a responsive material that relieves pressure and doesn’t retain heat like traditional memory foam.
The mattress is a great balance of soft but supportive, making it a good choice for sleepers dealing with back or hip pain.
AirFoam isolates motion transfer well, but it also responds quickly if you change motions at night.
What to Keep in Mind About the Nolah
Stomach sleepers will likely find their hips sink into the soft top layer, which could lead to low back pain.
Heavyweight sleepers, especially those who sleep on their sides, may sink too deeply into the comfort layers and notice pressure in the hips and shoulders.
While AirFoam doesn’t trap heat the way memory foam can, the mattress lacks the breathability of coils and may not be cool enough for especially hot sleepers.
Other User Reviews
The Nolah Original has 4.9 out of 5 stars on the Nolah website, with happy customers calling it comfortable, supportive, and a great mattress for the money. Some reviewers mention that it sleeps warm.
Classic memory foam is cooling and pressure relieving
Promotes muscle recovery
Eco-friendly materials
Cons of the Bear
May lack support for stomach sleepers
May not be supportive enough for heavier side sleepers
Lacks bounce
Our Expert’s Take
As a brand, Bear appeals to athletes with a cover made of Celliant — a material that some studies show assists with blood flow and recovery. It’s also a very breathable material, meaning that the Bear’s flagship mattress sleeps cool, especially when placed over the airflow-promoting slats of a platform bed.
The eco-friendly Bear mattress has a great balance of comfort and pressure relief, and an optional upgraded cover may improve blood flow for enhanced athletic recovery.
Stable comfort and support layers make this a great option for many back and side sleepers.
It’s designed with gel-infused comfort layers that pull heat away from the body to keep sleepers cool and comfortable.
What to Keep in Mind About the Bear
The upgraded cover, which adds extra cooling benefits and aids in blood circulation and muscle recovery, costs an additional $200.
Edge support is only decent in the Bear mattress, which may be an issue for people who find it hard to get in and out of bed.
The soft, thick foam contours closely, which doesn’t appeal to all sleepers and makes it difficult to change positions.
Other User Reviews
There are over 10,000 reviews of the Bear mattress on the Bear website, with an overall rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Customers describe the mattress as cool and comfortable, and many report improved sleep. Some negative reviews say the Bear mattress is far too firm.
We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:
Hot Sleepers
This bed features extra cooling technology, making it great for hot sleepers.
Back Pain
This bed is a good match for anyone struggling with back pain, as it cushions the lumbar region and has enough support to keep the spine neutrally aligned.
Side Sleepers
This bed offers pressure relief at both the shoulders and hips, making it a great fit for side sleepers.
Financing Options
Financing options are available for this mattress.
Toes a nice line between having a slow-moving feel and bouncy responsiveness
Available to order in multiple firmnesses
Cons of the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
You must pay extra for the sewn-in pillow top
May not be supportive enough for heavier stomach sleepers
Our Expert’s Take
The Aurora Luxe mattress is built with several layers that work in tandem to keep you cool and comfortable. It starts with a cooling cover that feels soft and refreshing, like the cool side of the pillow. If you’re seeking cloud-like cushioning, we suggest adding the Cloud Pillow Top ($300 for a queen), which gives the mattress a plush, hotel-like feel. Beneath that layer, copper-infused foam helps thermoregulate the bed, while a responsive layer keeps you from sinking too deep. The support comes from an 8” coil system that’s firmer in the middle, designed to help with spine alignment.
What We Love About the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
The Aurora Luxe is made with layers of copper-infused memory foam to keep hot sleepers cooler. The bed netted a 4/5 cooling score after our heat gun measured a humble 6-degree F rise in temperature after a tester napped atop the bed.
Couples who are looking for the best mattress for sex may want a mattress that’s bouncy, responsive, and easy to move around on, meaning the Aurora Luxe, with a 4/5 response score from testers, may be a great fit.
Beds with a sewn-in pillow top, like the Aurora Luxe when you add the Cloud Pillow Top, tend to be the priciest type of mattress out there. But this bed stays under $2,000 — a solid price, and it’s in part achievable because Brooklyn Bedding owns and operates all its manufacturing.
What to Keep in Mind About the Brooklyn Bedding Aurora Luxe
People who love a typical slow-moving foam mattress probably won’t enjoy the bouncy, responsive hybrid feel of this mattress, which also leads to less robust motion isolation (rated 3/5 by testers).
The Aurora Luxe collapsed a bit more under the weight of our tester Marten than most comparable luxury hybrids. The 6” sag meant the bed notched a 3.5/5 edge support score.
Other User Reviews
On the brand’s website, the Aurora Luxe earns 4.7 out of 5 stars from nearly 4,000 reviews. One reviewer, a combination side and back sleeper, said that the bed achieved the ideal balance of hugging and responsiveness, “especially with the pillow top.” Some reviewers said the pillow top was too soft, while others praised it but said they weren’t sure it was worth the upcharge.
A platform bed is essentially a flat surface that you can place your mattress on, thus creating an even sleep foundation. This helps give you additional comfort, as well as the proper support for a neutral spinal alignment while you rest.
So what exactly is a platform bed made of? It depends! The term itself has become a sort of catch-all for any flat sleeping surface that doesn’t use a box spring. Let’s go over a few of the most notable constructions and materials.
Solid: A solid platform bed has a square perimeter with a single piece of wood or metal in the middle as a foundation.
Slatted: The more freewheeling cousin to the solid platform bed, the slatted platform bed still has the square frame (usually made of metal or wood). But instead of a solid piece of material as the foundation, it has a series of slats that you can unroll and place over the frame. You then place the mattress on the slats. These slats are also usually made of metal or wood.
Metal: A metal platform can be either solid or slatted. They tend to be lighter-weight than platform beds made entirely of wood.
Wood: Wooden platform beds are known for their durability, although this means that they tend to be heavy and difficult to transport. Like metal beds, they can also be solid or slatted.
Upholstered: An upholstered platform bed usually comes with a headboard (some have a footboard, too), with fabric stitched over the entire frame. They can be solid or slatted, and are a great way to add style and more plushness to your sleeping experience.
Adjustable bases: While adjustable bases are technically a different beast altogether, they’re still an excellent way to create a supportive, even sleeping foundation — one that moves, to boot. Luxurious and high-tech, they often come with additional bells and whistles such as massage functions and charging ports for your devices. Read more about them in our roundup of the Best Adjustable Beds.
Do You Need a Box Spring For a Platform Bed?
The beauty of a platform bed is that you don’t need a box spring. Rather, it’s a more convenient substitute for having to pair your mattress with both a box spring and a bed frame. Think of it as a ready-to-use product, with no additional accessories required.
Once you’ve found the best mattress for a platform bed — and the platform bed to go with it, of course — simply open the box, set up, and get to sleeping!
Another bonus of a platform bed is that it can help your mattress sleep a little bit cooler. All platform beds keep the mattress elevated off the floor — a much more breathable setup than just placing the bed on the ground. And if your platform bed has slats, these create plenty more room for airflow throughout the mattress.
Summary
Here’s a summary of our top picks for the best mattresses for platform beds of 2025:
In short, no. It does, however, create more support for the mattress and anyone who’s lying on it. Remember, firmness and support are two different things. Firmness has to do with the feel of the bed, while support has to do with the foundation — how much of a lift you’re getting, how much weight a mattress can handle, etc. If you’re looking to make your mattress firmer, we recommend looking into a firm mattress topper.
What size mattress works with a platform bed?
Most of the time, a 10″ or 12″ mattress will be a good fit for a platform bed.
Are all types of mattresses compatible with platform beds?
For the most part, yes. It’s rare that you’ll find a mattress type that won’t fit on a platform bed. At the same time, some mattresses are more comfortable on platform beds than others. Anything with a comfort layer of foam in it (i.e. every mattress in this roundup) is going to work especially well, as the softness and pressure relief keep you from feeling the firm surface below. Also, every brand on this list has its own platform bed available, meaning that all of the mattresses are easily paired with an additional sleep foundation.
How far apart should the slats be on a platform bed?
If your platform bed uses slats, you want them to be no more than 2.75″ apart from one another. Also, make sure they all have the same distance between them. This creates an even foundation and leaves plenty of room for airflow.
Does a platform bed need a box spring?
Nope! A platform bed is a more supportive alternative to a box spring — not an addition. Once you’ve set it up, just place your mattress on it and enjoy a good night’s rest!
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Marten Carlson
Lead Mattress Reviewer
About Author
Marten has been writing about mattresses and sleep health for six years. He is the lead reviewer at Mattress Clarity where he tests mattresses, bedding, and sleep accessories.
In his role here, Marten’s reviewed over 500 mattresses and 150 sleep accessories (so you can rest assured that if he recommends a product, it’s been put through the wringer in our Austin studio). In addition, he has written more than 400 articles reviewing the quality of sleep and sleep products as well as sleep health. He’s especially interested in the correlation between sleep and mental health.
Marten’s also got a personal stake in sleep health. After writing dozens of pieces on the dangers of sleep apnea, he decided to get tested for the condition. Realizing he did, in fact, suffer from sleep apnea, he immediately started using a CPAP machine. He knows all too well the importance of a healthy night’s sleep and is passionate about helping others get the healthy, restorative sleep they deserve.
He received his bachelor’s degree in Film Production from Denison University and his master’s degree in Film Studies from Emory University.
