Best budget mattress under £500 (UK)
Spending less on a mattress doesn't have to mean sleeping worse, but it does mean choosing more carefully. The best budget mattress under £500 is rarely the cheapest one; it's the one where the money goes on support and fair terms rather than a brand name. Prices change a lot by size, so we've used a UK double as the reference throughout. Every pick comes in under £500 in that size at the time of writing.
- Under £500 in a double you can get pocket springs, zoned hybrids and decent memory foam from well-known brands.
- What changes at this price is depth, spring count and, above all, the length of the trial and guarantee.
- Retailers' own brands often give you more springs for the money; the boxed brands give you longer trials.
- A one-year guarantee on a cheap mattress can be a false economy if you're buying for nightly use.
What £500 buys in a UK double
Mattress prices run from under £100 to several thousand pounds, and the stretch below £500 covers more than you might expect. At the lower end you'll mostly find foam and open coil mattresses, which suit guest rooms and children's beds well. Move towards the middle of the budget and pocket springs appear, often from retailers' own brands. The top of the range brings in the boxed brands' core hybrids and memory foam mattresses, usually with long trials attached.
The big difference from pricier mattresses isn't always comfort. It's depth, the amount of material in the comfort layers, and how long the maker is prepared to stand behind it. Our foam vs spring comparison is a good place to start if you haven't settled on a construction yet.
The best budget mattresses under £500
We chose these by comparing construction, depth, trial and guarantee terms and price position across the UK market, keeping to mattresses under £500 in a UK double. We haven't slept on them. The picks are based on each manufacturer's or retailer's specification, verified owner reviews where they exist, and how each compares with similar mattresses. You can read more about how we assess mattresses.
| Mattress | Construction | Firmness | Depth | Trial | Guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Original | Hybrid, five-zone springs | Medium to medium firm | 25cm | 200 nights | 10 years |
| Nectar Memory Foam | Memory foam, seven-zone base | Medium firm | 25cm | 365 nights | Forever warranty |
| Silentnight Memory 800 Pocket | Hybrid, 800 pocket springs | Medium | 24cm | 60 nights | 5 years |
| Spring King Grand Ortho 2000 | 2,000 pocket springs | Firm | 28cm | Varies by retailer | 1 year |
| Mattress Online Memory Zone 1000 | Hybrid, 1,000 pocket springs | Medium firm | 20cm | 100 nights | 5 years |
| MattressNextDay Value Memory Foam | Memory foam over recycled foam base | Medium firm | 15cm | Varies by retailer | 5 years |
Emma Original: the all-rounder
The Emma Original is a hybrid with a five-zone pocket spring core, so your hips can sink slightly while your shoulders stay cushioned. A foam edge firms up the perimeter, making the full width usable, and the cover comes off to wash. It's 25cm deep, sits around the middle of the firmness scale, and Emma backs it with a 200-night trial and a 10-year guarantee.
Owner reviews on Emma's own site are consistently positive, with couples in particular reporting little partner disturbance. If you want a distinctly soft, sink-in feel, it may be too supportive, and larger sizes climb above this budget. See the Emma Original
Nectar Memory Foam: the longest trial
Nectar's all-foam mattress pairs pressure-relieving memory foam with a seven-zone base that firms up where your body is heaviest. The cover is designed to help hot sleepers, and open-cell foam encourages airflow. It's 25cm deep with a medium-firm feel, and it sits near the top of this budget in a double.
The terms are the real draw: a 365-night trial and Nectar's Forever Warranty, which has no expiry date. Across owner reviews on Nectar's site, comfort and support across different sleeping positions come up again and again. It's a memory foam feel through and through, so fans of a springy, traditional mattress should look elsewhere. See the Nectar Memory Foam
Silentnight Memory 800 Pocket: a classic hybrid from a big UK maker
Silentnight's Memory 800 combines a memory foam comfort layer with 800 pocket springs that move independently, so a partner shifting in the night disturbs you less. It's rated medium and 24cm deep, a safe middle ground for back and side sleepers.
The spec is simpler than pricier hybrids, and Silentnight's own terms are a 60-night trial and a 5-year guarantee, shorter than the boxed brands. Memory foam can hold warmth, so hot sleepers may prefer a spring-only or natural-fibre mattress. See the Silentnight Memory 800 Pocket
Spring King Grand Ortho 2000: the most springs for the money
If support per pound is what matters, this is the standout. Sold through MattressNextDay, the Grand Ortho packs 2,000 pocket springs into a 28cm mattress at a budget price, with durable fibre fillings rather than plush foam. It's firm, which suits back and front sleepers, and across owner reviews on MattressNextDay buyers praise the support, though some found it firmer than expected.
The catch is the guarantee: one year, which is short for a mattress you'll sleep on every night. Lightweight side sleepers may also find it presses on the shoulder and hip. See the Spring King Grand Ortho 2000
Mattress Online Memory Zone 1000: a simple hybrid with a proper trial
Mattress Online's own Memory Zone 1000 puts a memory foam layer over 1,000 pocket springs, handmade in the UK and vegan-friendly. It's medium firm with a 100-night trial and a 5-year guarantee, and owner reviews on Mattress Online describe comfortable sleep and support that isn't overly hard.
At 20cm it's one of the shallower picks, so heavier sleepers should look deeper, and some owners mention the edges softening over time. See the Mattress Online Memory Zone 1000
MattressNextDay Value Memory Foam: for the spare room
This is the cheapest pick here, and it's honest about what it is. A thin memory foam layer sits over a recycled foam base, the cover is removable and washable, and the whole thing is hypoallergenic and vegan-friendly. Owner reviews on MattressNextDay praise the value and comfort for the price. It comes with a 5-year guarantee.
At 15cm, with only a couple of centimetres of memory foam, it's best for a guest room, a first flat or a lighter sleeper. Heavier sleepers may press through the comfort layer, and it won't feel like a deep, plush mattress. See the MattressNextDay Value Memory Foam
What you give up at this price
Budget mattresses cut costs in predictable places, and knowing where helps you decide which compromises you can live with.
- Depth. Cheaper mattresses are often 15 to 22cm deep, which is fine for lighter sleepers but reaches the support core sooner under more weight.
- Comfort layers. Thinner foam or fibre on top means less cushioning at the shoulder and hip, which side sleepers notice most.
- Spring count. Budget pocket springs usually run from around 600 to 1,000 in a double, though the Spring King shows that isn't a rule.
- Terms. Guarantees at this price range from one year to ten or more, and trials from none to a full year. The small print varies far more than the comfort does.
Of these, the terms are the one to watch. A mattress with a long trial lets you find out whether the compromises matter to you; one without leaves you guessing.
Retailers' own brands vs big names
Mattress Online, MattressNextDay and similar retailers sell their own brands alongside the names you'll recognise. Their own ranges often give you more springs or more depth for the money, because there's no separate brand margin, and several of the picks above come from them. The trade-off is usually a shorter guarantee.
The boxed brands, such as Emma and Nectar, tend to lead on trials and guarantees instead, and their core mattresses fall inside this budget in a double. If you're unsure what you want, the longer trial is worth paying a little more for. For a wider view of the brands, see our top 10 mattress brands guide.
Getting a better price without falling for fake urgency
Mattress sales run almost constantly, so a countdown timer is rarely a reason to rush. A "was" price only means something if the mattress genuinely sold at that price for a reasonable period, and UK consumer protection rules expect a genuine reference price. The more reliable test is today's price across several retailers, which each model page shows.
Buying a boxed mattress can also save on delivery and makes it easier to get into a flat or up a narrow staircase. Our guide to buying a mattress in a box covers what to expect. If you have back pain, the best mattress for back pain guide includes a zoned budget option, and the mattress buying guide covers the rest of the decision.
The Mattress Unboxed verdict
Under £500, the trial and guarantee separate the good buys from the false economies more than the comfort does. The Emma Original is the best all-rounder, with zoned springs and ten years of cover. The Nectar Memory Foam is the safest bet if you want a full year to decide. If support per pound matters most and you can live with a short guarantee, the Spring King Grand Ortho 2000 gives you more springs than anything else here. Whichever you choose, check the price in the size you need, because a bargain double can become an expensive king.
Compare pocket sprung mattresses or see live prices on the picks above.
Frequently asked questions
Buying a mattress on a budget.
Are cheap mattresses worth it?
Many are, particularly for guest rooms, children's beds or lighter sleepers. For a mattress you'll sleep on every night, look beyond the price at depth, construction and the trial and guarantee, because those decide whether a cheap mattress stays comfortable.
How much should I spend on a mattress?
There's no single right figure, but under £500 in a double you can get pocket springs, zoned hybrids and decent memory foam from well-known brands. Spending more usually buys deeper comfort layers, natural fillings and longer guarantees rather than a different kind of support.
Is a pocket sprung or memory foam mattress better on a budget?
Pocket springs tend to give more support and airflow for the money, while memory foam gives closer pressure relief and absorbs movement better. Hot sleepers and heavier sleepers often do better with springs; side sleepers often prefer foam.
When are mattresses cheapest?
Mattress sales run through most of the year, with bigger events around Black Friday, Boxing Day and bank holidays. A genuine saving shows up when you compare today's price across retailers, rather than trusting a countdown timer.
How long does a budget mattress last?
It varies with depth and materials. A thin budget mattress may soften within a few years of nightly use, while a deeper pocket-sprung or hybrid model can last much longer. The guarantee length is a useful clue to how long the maker expects it to last.