updated February 2023

Bear vs Leesa Mattress Comparison

Bear vs Leesa Mattress Comparison

Can’t decide between Leesa vs Bear mattresses? Read our head-to-head comparison and recommendations.

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Bear and Leesa are two bed-in-a-box mattress companies that make their bedding in the USA. Bear specifically constructs their mattresses with athletes in mind. They include technology that improves blood flow and have several professional athletes who stand behind their product. Leesa is a socially committed business with one of the highest-scoring beds on Mattress Advisor. 

So which mattress is right for you? In this comparison, we’ll cover highlights, prices, dimensions, inner construction, and the results of our comprehensive lab evaluation. We also conclude with recommendations for different considerations when searching for the perfect mattress.


Bear vs Leesa: A Brief Overview

Customer Rating
MA Score
Summary
Firmness
Type
Trial Period
Warranty
Customer Rating
MA Score

8.6/10

Summary

Known to help relieve pressure points and aid in muscle recovery

Firmness

Medium firm: 6.5/10

Type

Memory foam with graphite gel

Trial Period

120 days

Warranty

Lifetime limited warranty

Customer Rating
MA Score

9.1/10

Summary

Foam blend mattress that's ideal for the average sleeper

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6/10

Type

Foam combo

Trial Period

100 days

Warranty

10-year limited warranty

bear mattress 1
Leesa Original mattress in emerald colored room

Bear

Leesa

Customer Rating

MA Score

8.6/10

9.1/10

Summary

Known to help relieve pressure points and aid in muscle recovery

Foam blend mattress that's ideal for the average sleeper

Firmness

Medium firm: 6.5/10

Medium-firm: 6/10

Type

Memory foam with graphite gel

Foam combo

Trial Period

120 days

100 days

Warranty

Lifetime limited warranty

10-year limited warranty

Key Similarities:

  • Both beds are constructed of all-foam layers.
  • The Bear and Leesa mattresses each have a firmness level of 6.5/10.

Key Differences:

  • The Bear mattress uses Celliant yarn and graphite to provide a cool, rejuvenating sleep experience, while the Leesa mattress keeps its foam layers simple.
  • Leesa’s bed outperforms Bear’s for pressure relief, with an 8.5/10 score compared to Bear’s 7/10.
  • Bear’s mattresses are $100-$225 cheaper than Leesa’s.
  • Bear offers its customers a 120-night sleep trial and lifetime warranty while Leesa only offers a 100-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty.
bear mattress 1

Bear Mattress Review Highlights

  • Celliant Technology: Bear combines minerals and proprietary ingredients into the yarn that makes up their cover. This Celliant effect turns body heat into infrared energy that improves circulation, muscle recovery time, and overall wellness.
  • Graphite-Gel Memory Foam: The graphite in Bear’s gel foam is high in thermal conductivity, meaning it helps regulate temperature. You can expect an especially cool sleep experience on this bed.
  • Responsiveness: The original Bear mattress provides a memory foam feel with the responsiveness typically associated with hybrid mattresses. The foam layers quickly respond to your changes of position, keeping you supported in all sleep positions.
  • Spinal Alignment: We gave the Bear mattress a high score for spinal alignment. The all-foam construction maintains a healthy sleeping posture, which prevents or relieves back pain.
  • Cooling: The Bear is one of the most comfortable mattresses for hot sleepers due to its cooling technologies. This is especially unique for a memory foam mattress, which typically runs warm.

Check out Bear’s other mattress: Bear Hybrid.

leesa mattress 1 1

Leesa Mattress Review Highlights

  • Top-Rated: The Leesa mattress topped our charts in every single category of our lab assessment, totalling 9.3/10—one of the highest scores on Mattress Advisor! 
  • Responsiveness: We gave in 9.5/10 for responsiveness, which is remarkable for an all-foam mattress and perfect for sleepers that tend to move around the bed at night.
  • Motion Transfer: The Leesa bed also scored high for motion isolation with 9/10. You can count on uninterrupted rest when you sleep on a Leesa mattress with a partner, pet, or child.  
  • Spinal Alignment: Proper posture during sleep is instrumental in preventing back pain. Leesa’s mattress keeps your spine straight from head to tailbone in all sleeping positions
  • Pressure Relief: Leesa’s all-foam layers provide contouring to your sensitive pressure points. Side sleepers will fare especially well on this bed. 
  • Social Impact: Leesa has a “One Good Bed Promise,” where they donate a mattress to a child in need for every 10 mattresses sold.

Visit our reviews for Leesa’s other models: Leesa Hybrid, Leesa Legend, and Leesa Studio.


Compare Mattress Sizes and Heights

Check out how Leesa and Bear compare in thickness, width, and length. 

Bear Leesa
Thickness 10” 10”
Twin 39″ x 75″ 39″ x 75″
Twin XL 39″ x 80″ 39” x 80”
Full 54″ x 75″ 53” x 75”
Queen 60″ x 80″ 60” x 80”
King 76″ x 80″ 76” x 80”
Cal King 72″ x 84″ 72” x 84”
Split King 76″ x 80″ N/A

Learn more about mattress sizes.


Compare Bear and Leesa Price Points

See if the Bear or Leesa mattress best fits your budget. 

Bear Leesa
Twin $748 $849
Twin XL $811 $899
Full $873 $1,099
Queen $998 $1,199
King $1,248 $1,399
Cal King $1,248 $1,399
Split King $1,622 N/A

Learn What’s Inside

Learn more about the inner construction of the Bear and Leesa mattresses.

inside bear

Inside the Bear Mattress

  • Celliant Yarn Cover: Bear’s soft woven cover features Celliant technology that doesn’t wear out or wash out.
  • Graphite-Infused Foam: This open-cell foam is cool to the touch and temperature regulating. It also cushions sensitive pressure points
  • Transition Foam: The transition layer provides extra bounce and responsiveness. Bear has labeled this their “hybrid foam.”
  • High Density Support Foam: A durable base layer that prevents you from sinking into the body of the mattress and prevents premature sagging.
AllNewLeesa 6 e1591378412847

Inside the Leesa Mattress

  • Twill Fabric Cover: The Leesa mattress cover is designed to look as good as it feels, with a sleek lined pattern and seamless edges.
  • Memory Foam: A cushy top layer of memory foam alleviates stress on pressure points. The breathable construction helps to keep you cool by improving airflow through the foam. 
  • Responsive Foam: The second layer of memory foam provides additional pressure relief by contouring to your body’s curves. It also does a great job at isolation motion across the mattress surface.
  • Support Foam: This support layer of dense foam keeps your body weight from causing premature sagging and improves the overall durability of the mattress.

Compare Personal Test Scores

Take a look at how the Bear and Leesa compared in our comprehensive lab evaluation. 

Bear Leesa
Shipping 10 10
Trial Period 9 9
Return Policy 10 10
Warranty 9 9
Set-Up Test 7 8.5
Motion Transfer Test 7.75 9
Edge Support Test 8.5 8.5
Pressure Relief Test 7 9
Spinal Alignment Test 8.5 9
Responsiveness Test 9 9.5
Cooling Evaluation 9 8.5
Durability Evaluation 8 9
Customer Service Score 9 9
Social Impact Score 6 10
TOTAL SCORE 8.6/10 9.1/10

Sleeping Position

Both of these mattresses are medium-firm on the firmness scale. The Leesa is the clear choice for side sleepers, who need extra pressure point relief. The Bear mattress is the better choice for back sleepers or stomach sleepers. Both mattresses scored really high in responsiveness, so either one suits combination sleepers. 

Budget

Bear is the better budget mattress, ranging between $100-$225 cheaper than Leesa. Both companies offer financing through Affirm.

Sleep Environment

Hot sleepers will fare well with either of these high-scoring memory foam beds, but the Bear outperforms the Leesa. Between the Celliant cover and graphite-infused layers of foam, it regulates your temperature and directs heat away from your body. 

The Leesa is the clear choice for couples and light sleepers. It scored a full point higher than the Bear mattress for motion isolation

Buying Experience

The Bear and Leesa mattresses have almost identical buying experiences. They both offer:

  • A sleep trial
  • Fast free shipping
  • A full refund for returns (minus original shipping costs for Bear customers and a $100 return fee for Leesa customers in Alaska and Hawaii)

The only difference in buying experience is that you can try out a Leesa mattress in one of 88+ West Elm stores across the USA. Visit Leesa’s website to find the store nearest you.


Final Decision: Which Is the Best Mattress?

Still can’t decide which is the best memory foam mattress for you? Reflect on which one works best for your sleeping position, budget, sleep environment, and ideal buying experience. Whichever you choose for your new mattress, we don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

More Comparisons Featuring Bear and Leesa:

iStock 695263328

Still Deciding?

If you're stuck between multiple mattresses, we can help you compare your options. Check out our comparison tool to evaluate features, ratings, and more!