Nolah Vs Casper- Which Should You Choose?

Nolah and Casper are both popular online sellers of foam mattresses. Casper, probably the best known online mattress seller, offers three mattress options but its namesake flagship is still its most popular. Nolah is a lesser known but still popular brand with only one mattress design. To help you decide which one is best for you, I’m going to break down the key similarities and differences. Keep reading our Nolah vs Casper mattress comparison to learn which is the best fit for you.

Nolah vs. Casper

Product

Firmness

Score

Product

Nolah Original 10″ Mattress

Firmness

Soft: 6/10

Score

4.2 / 5

Check Price

Read Nolah Original 10″ Mattress Review

Product

Casper Original Mattress

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Score

3.7 / 5

Check Price

Read Casper Original Mattress Review

Key Similarities

• Both are all-foam mattresses that are 10 inches thick.
• Both offer cooling solutions and should be fairly breathable.
• Both use a proprietary foam for comfort.
• Similar price range.
• Both offer free shipping and generous sleep trials.

Key Differences

• Nolah is softer than the Casper by a noticeable amount.
• Nolah has 3 foam layers, while Casper has 4.
• Nolah has a thicker support layer.
• Casper has a transition layer between its two top comfort layers and its base layer.
• Casper has a layer of memory foam for added pressure relief and body contouring.
• Nolah offers a longer trial period of 120 days, compared to Casper’s 100 days.

Nolah Construction

The picture below shows how the Nolah mattress is constructed. Here’s a breakdown:

• The cover is a thin, very soft and breathable viscose that doesn’t affect the overall feel of the mattress significantly.
• The top layer is 2 inches of a proprietary “AirFoam,” which is said to relieve pressure better than memory foam while also ensuring people will sleep cool.
• Below the AirFoam is is 1 inch of latex-like Avena foam, which is highly durable and provides some bounce.
• The base support layer is 7 inches of 1.8 lb. density poly foam, which is a pretty typical base layer for foam mattresses.

Casper Construction

• A lightweight premium fabric makes for a stretchy, breathable cover that also doesn’t noticeably affect the feel of the mattress.
• The top layer is 1.5 inches of a latex-like specialty polyfoam the company. This material has small holes for breathability — Casper describes the material as “open-cell” — and has good bounce.
• The next layer is 1.5 inches of 3.5 lb. density memory foam, which helps the mattress conform well to the curves of your body. This layer provides good pressure relief and helps the mattress contour to the precise curves of the body.
• The third layer is a “transition layer” of 1.5 inches of polyfoam with a 2.5 lb. density. This layer is supposed to help ensure even weight distribution and ease the transition from the comfort layers to the firm support layer.
• The base layer is 5 inches of polyfoam with a 1.8 lb. density, the same used in many other bed-in-a-box mattresses.

Construction Differences/Notes

• I expect the durability of the mattresses to be about equal, but I would perhaps give Nolah the slight edge.
• Nolah has a softer top layer with more give, and is softer overall than Casper.
• Casper has a transition layer on top of a thinner base layer.
• Both mattresses should be breathable and sleep cool throughout the night.
• Casper will have more bounce than the Nolah.

RELATED: Best Mattress Picks

Firmness/Feel Differences

Casper is a little firmer than average, but you can push into it about as much as you can the Nolah if you put enough pressure. But Casper springs back more quickly and forcefully. Watch the videos below to see the similarities and differences illustrated.  Overall, I would say the Nolah is softer than the Casper.

Motion Transfer Differences

Both absorb pressure well, meaning they don’t easily transfer motion. That makes each a good option for couples. Nolah has a bit of an edge here, though, because it sinks so much that it doesn’t really transfer motion at all. If you bounce around enough on the Casper, the person next to you will feel it a bit. Watch these videos to see for yourself.

Pick Nolah If:

• You are a side sleeper — Nolah’s softness make it great at absorbing pressure so you can sleep comfortably on your side.
• You like sinking into your mattress — Nolah has a quicksand-feel to it, meaning is has a lot of give, so you’ll sleep “in” it more than “on” it

Pick Casper If:

• You are a stomach or back sleeper — Casper’s firmness and zoned support construction make it a good option for people who sleep on their stomach or back.
• You prefer established companies — Casper has weathered a good amount of press attention and redesigned its flagship mattress a few times. If you prefer a company that has a more developed track record, go with Casper.

Overall

I hope this comparison helped you with your mattress search. Make sure to check out our other popular mattress reviews like Nolah vs Helix and Casper vs Nectar. Still have questions about the Nolah or Casper mattress? Please leave them in the comments.