Helix vs. Purple Mattress Comparison

Mattress shopping can be the opposite of restful, so we want to help make your decision easier. In this comparison, we’re taking a closer look at 3 Helix mattresses and 3 Purple mattresses to help you determine whether or not a Helix Sleep or Purple mattress is the best new bed for your needs.

Helix vs. Purple Quick Look

Key Similarities

• Sleep Trial: Helix and Purple both give their customers a 100-night sleep trial and free returns during the trial period. 
• Pressure Relief: All of the Helix and Purple mattresses provide excellent pressure relief to shoulders and hips.
• Cooling: Both mattress brands utilize breathable materials and cooling technologies to keep the temperature of your mattress in a comfortable range.

Key Differences

• Construction: The Purple mattress models are all topped with the signature Purple Grid, made from hyper elastic polymer. The support layers are either foam or a foam/coil combo. Helix mattresses are all constructed with memory foam and coil layers.
• Delivery: Helix and Purple offer bed-in-a-box delivery, but Purple provides free white glove delivery for their Purple Hybrid Premier. 
• Warranty: The Purple mattress warranty lasts 10 years, while Helix mattress warranties are 10-25 years long. 

Helix Midnight vs Purple Original

Helix Midnight Review Highlights

• Fan Favorite: The Helix Midnight is the most popular Helix mattress, thanks to its medium firmness. Back sleepers and stomach sleepers are well supported, while side sleepers get adequate cushion for sensitive pressure points. Related: What is the Best Sleeping Position?
• Breathability: The Midnight earned top marks for breathability, thanks to the breathable mattress cover and airflow through the coil layer. Your body heat is able to travel out of the mattress, so it doesn’t stick around causing you to sweat and kick off the covers. 
• Edge Support: The Helix Midnight is an all-around supportive mattress, and that support is felt from edge to edge. The coil system features reinforced edge support, so you can sit or lie down near the edge of the bed without sliding off.
• Motion Transfer: The Helix Midnight earned a remarkably high score for motion transfer. Our testers were impressed with the Midnight’s ability to isolate motion, especially with a partner in the bed.

Purple Review Highlights

• Spinal Alignment: The Purple Original mattress earned close to a perfect score for spinal alignment. It keeps your back in a neutral position while you sleep, which translates into less back pain and stiffness when you wake. 
• Pressure Relief: The Purple Grid that makes up the comfort layer of all Purple mattresses is designed to relieve pressure on your shoulders and hips. It scored well in this category, with very little stress on our testers’ pressure points.
• Cooling: The Purple mattress features a hyper elastic polymer grid that has similar cooling properties to gel. It’s also designed with a waffle-like shape that creates thousands of channels for airflow.
• Durability: Beneath the Purple Grid, two layers of high density foam improve the lifespan of the mattress.

Compare Mattress Build

The Helix Midnight and Purple Original are both technically hybrid mattresses, but they have very different constructions. The Midnight is a blend of memory foam and pocket coils, while the Purple pairs their proprietary hyper elastic polymer Smart Grid with high density foams. The Purple has a firmer feel than the Midnight, although both range in the medium – medium firm category.

The top layer in the Helix Midnight has a medium firmness that cushions pressure points. The transition layer is also relatively soft while preventing you from feeling the hundreds of pocket coils at the mattress base. The entire bed rests on a layer of durable support foam and is covered with soft, breathable fabric.

The Purple Original mattress is topped with the Smart Grid, which is shaped like a waffle and has the soft, cooling feel of gel. It’s designed to evenly distribute your body weight and provide superior pressure relief. Beneath the Smart Grid, a layer of soft comfort foam is both responsive and cushioning. A final layer of high density polyfoam keeps the mattress durable and stable for years, and an extra stretchy mattress cover allows you to sink into the mattress surface.

Compare Costs

The Helix Midnight and Purple Original mattress have similar price points, and the Purple is never more than $150 more than the Midnight. Additionally, Purple offers financing through Affirm and SplitIt, and Helix offers financing through Klarna and Katapult for orders $499-$2,400.

Birch Mattress vs Purple Hybrid Mattress

Birch Mattress Review Highlights

• Motion Isolation: If you sleep with anyone else, you may be sensitive to their movements across the mattress surface. The Birch mattress does a great job of isolating motion at its source, so you are disrupted if sleeping partners get up or move around.
• All Natural: Birch is an all-natural bedding brand by Helix. The mattress is made with natural materials, such as: GREENGUARD Gold certified foam, New Zealand organic wool. We even voted the Birch one of the Best Natural Organic Mattresses of 2020.
• Durable: All Birch mattresses are hand crafted with high quality materials. They are built to last, which is why they are also protected against defects by a 25-year warranty.
• Spinal Alignment: Good posture has an impact on health across your whole body, including your nervous system, digestion, and energy levels. The Birch mattress keeps your spine in a healthy neutral position all night long by evenly distributing your weight.

Purple Hybrid Mattress Review Highlights

• Cooling: The Purple Hybrid mattress pairs the hyper elastic polymer Smart Grid with a coil layer. The result is an overall cool, breathable mattress and a more comfortable night’s sleep.
• Durability: Hyper elastic polymer is one of the most durable mattress materials around, and it’s paired with sturdy coils in the Purple Hybrid. This mattress supports even plus-sized sleepers for years and years.
• Pressure Relief: The Purple Smart Grid lifts pressure off of your shoulders and hips without the sinking feeling of traditional memory foam.
• Responsiveness: A layer of bouncy coils sits at the base of the Purple Hybrid. These coils enable the mattress to keep up with your changes in position.

Compare Mattress Build

The Birch and Purple Hybrid mattresses are quite different, despite both being medium firm mattresses (7/10 on the firmness scale). For starters, the Birch is constructed with all-natural materials, such as wool, latex, and organic cotton, while the Purple Hybrid is made with the hyper elastic polymer Smart Grid and polyfoam. The Purple sleeps decidedly cooler than the Birch, but the Birch provides slightly better motion isolation.

The Birch mattress has a certified organic cotton cover and wool-rayon fire retardant layer. Beneath the cover, a layer of soft Birch wool provides cushion to pressure points and resists body impressions. The transitional Talalay latex layer is cooling and responsive, and the steel coil support layer helps to isolate motion. An extra layer of wool batting forms a durable base layer.

The Purple Hybrid is covered with an extra-stretchy viscose-polyester-lycra fabric blend. The hyper elastic polymer Smart Grid is breathable, durable, and pressure relieving. A thin layer of transitional polyfoam sits between the Grid and the bouncy pocket coils. A final layer of high density foam sits at the mattress base.

Compare Cost

Both of these mattresses are durable investments that cost a minimum of $1,000+. The Purple Hybrid runs $200-$300 more than the Birch, but financing is offered by both companies. Also note that the Purple Hybrid is offered in every size except Twin.

Helix Midnight Luxe vs Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress

Helix Midnight Luxe Review Highlights

• Pressure Relief: The Helix Midnight Luxe performs especially well in the area of pressure relief, which is vital for side sleepers and enhances comfort for every sleeper. 
• Responsiveness: We gave the Midnight Luxe a high score for responsiveness because our testers had such an easy time getting comfortable when changing their sleeping position. This is an especially important feature for combo sleepers.
• Spinal Alignment: A properly aligned spine – aka good posture – keeps you free of back pain, so it’s good news that the Luxe does a great job of maintaining healthy spinal alignment. 
• Temperature Regulation: The Midnight Luxe is an extra cool mattress, designed with hot sleepers in mind. The mattress cover is made with phase change material that keeps the mattress surface at a neutral temperature. Plus the coil system improves airflow.

Purple Hybrid Premier Mattress Review Highlights

• Firmness Options: The Purple Hybrid Premier has the same construction as the Purple Hybrid, but it is offered with a 3” or 4” Purple Grid layer. It has a much softer feel than both the Purple Original and Purple Hybrid. 
• Spinal Alignment: The Hybrid Premier earned a 9.5/10 for spine alignment. You can count on minimal stiffness and no back pain after a good night’s sleep.
• Cooling: The Hybrid Premier is made with very little foam, so there isn’t much to absorb body heat. Additionally, the coil layer creates lots of space for airflow, so it keeps you cool while you sleep.
• White Glove Delivery: Purple offers free white glove delivery with all Hybrid Premier purchases, so you don’t have to worry about moving the mattress into your home or setting it up on your bed frame.

Compare Mattress Build

The Helix Midnight Luxe and Purple Hybrid Premier are both luxury mattresses with hybrid constructions. The key difference is firmness level – the Midnight Luxe has a medium feel, and the Hybrid Premier is far more plush. Additionally, you can choose between a 3” and 4” comfort layer for the Hybrid Premier, depending on your preference and body type.

The Helix Midnight Luxe is wrapped in a temperature regulating fabric that is infused with phase change material. The material absorbs or releases heat, depending on what is needed to maintain a neutral temperature. The mattress is topped with a quilted pillow top and 2 pressure relieving memory foam layers. It’s supported by over 1,000 pocket coils and durable base foam. 

The Purple Hybrid Premier is covered with Premium StretchMax fabric that enables you to experience the full pressure relieving properties of the Smart Grid. In other words, you won’t feel suspended in the fabric above the 3” or 4” Smart Grid comfort layer. Next, a layer of memory foam absorbs motion and transitions your body into the pocket coil layer, which is designed to add responsiveness and stability to the mattress.

Compare Cost

Both of these luxury mattresses have higher price points, but keep in mind that you can finance either. The Purple Hybrid Premier is on average $600 more than the Midnight Luxe. It’s also not available in Twin size, so you’ll get extra length on the Twin XL.

Compare Helix vs Purple Sizes

The Helix and Purple mattresses have the same dimensions, except the Birch mattress Twin and Twin XL sizes are 1” wider than the Purple, and the Purple Full size is 1” longer than the Helix. Additionally, Purple mattresses have a lower profile than Helix mattresses. The Original Purple mattress is only 9.25” thick.

Learn more about mattress sizes.

Trial Periods Explained

Both Helix and Purple customers get 100 nights to trial their new mattresses, plus free shipping and returns. Helix customers need to sleep on their mattress for at least 30 days before requesting a return, and Purple customers need to keep their new bed for at least 21 days. This is called the mattress break-in period, and it allows your body to fully adjust to the new sleeping surface before you make a final decision.

Additionally, Helix will ship you a free mattress topper during the sleep trial if you want to adjust the firmness of your bed. And don’t forget that Purple provides free white glove delivery for their Hybrid Premier mattresses.

Warranties Explained

Purple mattresses are protected against defects like sagging for a period of 10 years. Helix mattresses are covered for 10-25 years (Helix Midnight – 10 years, Midnight Luxe and Plus – 15 years, Birch – 25 years).

Which Is the Best Mattress Brand for You?

You’re going to get excellent pressure relief on all of these beds, but Helix beds provide better motion isolation and responsiveness. Purple mattresses are more consistently cooling and are also a bit more expensive, but you can try before you buy at retail partners across the country.

So which is the right mattress for you? Here are a handful of our specialized recommendations.

• Best for side sleepers: The Original Purple mattress has the best combo of pressure relief and spine alignment that side sleepers need.
• Best for stomach sleepers: The Helix Midnight Luxe perfectly supports stomach sleepers’ lower backs and cushions their shoulders, ribs, and hips.
• Best for plus-sized sleepers: The Purple Hybrid has a firm feel that will support heavier sleepers. It’s also extra durable.
• Best for budget shoppers: The Original Purple and Helix Midnight are the best budget buys, ringing up at $599-$600.
• Best for couples: The Helix Midnight and Birch mattresses both earned near-perfect scores for motion isolation.
• Best for combo sleepers: The Helix Midnight and Midnight Luxe earned the highest scores for responsiveness, meaning they do the best job of adjusting to your changes in position.
• Best for hot sleepers: The Helix Midnight Luxe is the coolest mattress of the bunch.
• Best for all-natural shoppers: Shoppers looking for an all-natural mattress will appreciate the eco-friendly, organic, and consciously sourced materials in the Birch mattress.