Best soft mattress: every plush and medium soft model we sell, compared
Hi, we’re John and Mimi. Some people text us “I want to sink in” or “every bed I try feels like a board.” For them a soft mattress is the right call, as long as there’s real support under the plush top. Here’s what soft and plush really mean, who they suit (and who should skip them), and every soft mattress we sell at today’s prices.
The short answer
- Soft or plush means the top layers let you sink in and feel cushioned. Medium soft is one step firmer: still cushioned, with more support underneath.
- It usually suits side sleepers, lighter sleepers, and anyone who finds most mattresses too hard.
- It usually isn’t the best pick for mostly stomach sleepers or heavier back sleepers, who tend to do better on medium firm or firm.
- Want soft with the most support and bounce? Pick a soft hybrid: 12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe, 14" ActiveAlign Zoned Hybrid, 14" Allureluxe Classic Hybrid, 14" Hybrid Copper-Gel Plush.
- Want the classic sink-in memory foam feel? Pick an all-foam model: 12" Essentials Plush, 14" Ananda Pearl & Gel Plush, 12" Gel Plush.
- Today: 7 plush and medium soft mattresses in stock, queens from $679, all with free FedEx shipping.
Soft vs plush vs medium soft: what the words mean
There’s no official firmness standard, and stores use “soft” and “plush” almost interchangeably. Most describe firmness on a rough 1 (very soft) to 10 (very firm) scale, where soft or plush usually lands around 2 to 3 and medium soft around 4 to 5. On our own five-step scale (plush, medium soft, medium, medium firm, firm), plush is the first step and medium soft the second.
Your weight changes how any mattress feels: a lighter person barely compresses a plush top, so it feels less soft to them, while a heavier person sinks further. The full scale, by sleeping position and body weight, is in our mattress firmness guide.
One pattern in our catalog: every soft model we sell is 12" to 14" tall. A soft feel usually comes from thicker comfort layers sitting on a support core, which is hard to fit into a 6" or 8" mattress. More on height in how thick should a mattress be.
Who a soft mattress is best for
- Side sleepers: your shoulder and hip need to sink in a little so your spine stays straight. Medium soft is the usual sweet spot; see best mattress for side sleepers.
- Lighter and petite sleepers: roughly under 130 lbs, a plush or medium soft bed feels closer to “medium” for you. See best mattress for petite and lightweight sleepers.
- People who find every mattress too hard: start with medium soft rather than jumping straight to the softest model.
- Couples who disagree: a flippable mattress (below) or two Twin XL mattresses on a split king lets each of you choose. More in best mattress for couples.
Who should think twice
- Mostly stomach sleepers: a very soft bed can let the hips sink lower than the shoulders. Look at our best firm mattress guide.
- Back sleepers: most do better on medium to medium firm.
- Heavier sleepers: if you want soft, pick a medium soft hybrid with coils rather than an all-foam plush. See best mattress for heavy and plus-size sleepers.
General shopping information, not medical advice. If you have back, shoulder or hip pain or a health condition that affects your sleep, ask your doctor what to look for.
Every soft mattress we sell, at today’s prices
Read live from our catalog, cheapest queen first (models with no queen in stock right now are listed last). A dash means that size is sold out right now; the last column shows the lowest-priced size in stock.
| Mattress | Feel, type and height | What stands out (from the listing) | Queen | King | Lowest in stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12" Essentials Plush | Plush, all foam, 12" | 3.5" gel-infused air foam over 2.5" ridge foam and a 6" Air Channel base | $679 | $799 | $569 Twin XL |
| 14" Ananda Pearl & Gel Plush | Plush, all foam, 14" | Gel and crushed pearls blended into the memory foam, cooling-fiber cover | $729 | $809 | $609 Twin XL |
| 12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe | Medium soft, hybrid, 12" | 2" soy-based air foam and 2" plush gel memory foam over 6" edge-to-edge pocketed coils | $799 | $919 | $599 Twin XL |
| 14" ActiveAlign Zoned Hybrid | Medium soft, hybrid, 14" | Zoned layer (plush gel under the upper torso, plush memory foam at the hips) over 8" foam-encased pocketed coils | $889 | $995 | $749 Twin XL |
| 14" Allureluxe Classic Hybrid | Plush, hybrid, 14" | Graphite Lumi Bands, bamboo charcoal and gel plush foams over 7" foam-encased pocketed coils | $1,049 | $1,119 | $799 Twin XL |
| 12" Gel Plush | Plush, all foam, 12" | Two 2" gel memory foam layers, 5.5" Flex-Air Channel base | — | — | $589 Twin XL |
| 14" Hybrid Copper-Gel Plush | Plush, hybrid, 14" | 3" copper-gel memory foam over 8" foam-encased coils | — | $979 | $839 Full |
Prices include free FedEx shipping. Every size is on each product page, and every model is side by side in the mattress comparison chart.
Not sure you want soft? Two flippables
- 12" iSwitch Flippable (queen $769 today): One side medium soft, the other medium firm, with gel memory foam on both sides.
- 12" BioPosture iSwitch (queen $909 today): Medium soft on one side and medium firm on the other; flip it whenever you want a change.
Soft but still supportive: what to look for
Softness is how the top feels; support is how well the core keeps you level. The one to avoid is a mattress that is soft all the way down. Three things on a listing tell you there’s support under the plush:
- A real support core. Coils, or a thick base foam layer, under the soft comfort layers.
- Edge support. Soft tops can feel mushy at the sides when you sit down. Listings that mention a patented edge support system: 12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe, 14" ActiveAlign Zoned Hybrid, 14" Allureluxe Classic Hybrid, 12" Gel Plush, 14" Hybrid Copper-Gel Plush.
- Zoning. The 14" ActiveAlign Zoned Hybrid uses support foam at the head and feet, plush cooling gel under the upper torso and plush memory foam at the hips. More in how zoning works.
If a soft bed starts to dip, that’s a different problem from “too soft”; our break-in guide covers both.
Soft memory foam or soft hybrid?
- All foam (3 in stock today) gives the deepest, most hugging feel and soaks up movement, so you feel less of a partner turning over.
- Hybrid (4 in stock today) puts pocketed or foam-encased coils under the plush layers. You still get a soft top, but with more bounce, easier movement, and coil support underneath. Our hybrid listings say the coils add breathability, and most say they reduce motion transfer.
More in memory foam vs hybrid, best memory foam mattress and best hybrid mattress.
Do soft mattresses sleep hot?
They can feel warmer, simply because you sink further into the foam and less of you is touching the air. Every soft model we sell has some cooling feature on its listing (gel, copper-gel, graphite bands, a cooling-fiber cover or ventilated foam), and coils add airflow under the top. If you sleep warm, the 14" Allureluxe Classic Hybrid (queen $1,049 today) is the plush model built around cooling. Compare them all in our best cooling mattress guide.
Pick by situation
- Lowest-priced soft queen: 12" Essentials Plush (queen $679 today). See also best affordable mattress.
- Soft with coils, not too soft: 12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe (queen $799 today), medium plush with 6" edge-to-edge pocketed coils.
- Side sleeper who wants zoning: 14" ActiveAlign Zoned Hybrid (queen $889 today), medium soft, with a reactive foam top the listing calls “latex-like bounce back.”
- Sleeps warm: 14" Allureluxe Classic Hybrid.
- Deep, all-foam plush: 14" Ananda Pearl & Gel Plush (queen $729 today), the plush, extra-thick version of our 12" Ananda.
- Can’t decide: a flippable iSwitch gives you a medium soft side and a medium firm side.
On an adjustable base?
Soft mattresses bend easily with an adjustable base, and the setup instructions on every one of ours list an adjustable base as a proper surface. Because raising the head or using zero gravity shifts where your weight sits, many people on an adjustable base go a touch softer than they would on a flat bed. Our e3 adjustable base (queen $499 today) has head and foot lift, a zero-gravity preset and a wireless remote. More in best mattress for an adjustable base.
Tips before and after you buy
- Give it a few weeks. Foam is at its firmest when new and in a cool room, so a soft mattress can feel firmer than you expect on night one. See how to break in a new mattress.
- Check what’s underneath. Our setup instructions call for a solid surface, an adjustable base, or slats no more than 2" apart. See what to put under a memory foam mattress.
- Thick mattress, deep sheets. Most of these are 12" to 14", so check the pocket depth on sheets and protectors; see do you need a mattress protector.
- Rotate it. Every listing says to rotate the mattress for even wear, which matters more on a soft top.
Order the right one the first time
Our mattresses ship vacuum-compressed straight from the factory, so per our Purchase Policy & Warranty we can’t accept returns once an order has shipped, and there’s no sleep trial. You can change the size or model, or cancel, any time before it ships: just text John. If you’re torn between plush and medium soft, tell us how you sleep and roughly what you weigh before you order.
12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe Soy Foam & Pocket Coil Mattress - Medium Soft Plush
A medium plush hybrid: a soft gel and soy-based foam top with edge-to-edge pocketed coils underneath.
- 2" bio-based air foam made with soy, 2" plush gel memory foam
- 6" edge-to-edge pocketed coils
- Patented edge support system
- Zip-off machine-washable cooling cover
From $599 (Twin XL) · Queen $799 · See sizes & details
12" Essentials Plush & Soft Memory Foam Mattress - 12ESS
Soft and simple: an all-foam plush mattress with a thick gel-infused top layer.
- 3.5" gel-infused air foam on top
- 2.5" ridge transition foam, 6" Air Channel base
- Compatible with an adjustable base
- Zip-off machine-washable cooling cover
From $569 (Twin XL) · Queen $679 · See sizes & details
Shop this guide
Start with the feel you want, then add a protector in the same size.
- 12" Essentials Plush & Soft Memory Foam Mattress - 12ESS, from $569. 12" plush all-foam, soft and simple.
- 12" EcoCore Hybrid Deluxe Soy Foam & Pocket Coil Mattress - Medium Soft Plush, from $599. 12" medium plush hybrid with pocketed coils.
- 14" ActiveAlign Reactive Copper Zoned Hybrid Pocket Coil Mattress - Plush Medium Soft, from $749. 14" medium soft zoned hybrid for side sleepers.
- 14" Allureluxe Classic Cooling Hybrid Mattress with Lumi Bands - Plush, from $799. 14" plush hybrid built around cooling.
Questions we hear a lot
What is the difference between a soft and a plush mattress?
Usually nothing: most stores use soft and plush for the same feel, where the top layers let you sink in and feel cushioned. Medium soft is one step firmer, still cushioned but with more support underneath. There is no official firmness standard, so compare the layers, not just the label.
Who should buy a soft mattress?
Soft and medium soft mattresses usually suit side sleepers, lighter sleepers, and people who find most beds too hard. Mostly stomach sleepers and heavier back sleepers usually do better on medium firm or firm.
Is a soft mattress bad for your back?
Not by itself. What matters is support under the soft top, like coils or a thick base foam, so your spine stays fairly straight. A mattress that is soft all the way down can let the hips sink too far. This is general shopping information, not medical advice; if you have back pain, ask your doctor what to look for.
Is a soft hybrid or soft memory foam mattress better?
Soft memory foam gives the deepest, most hugging feel and absorbs motion. A soft hybrid adds coils under the plush layers for more bounce, easier movement and airflow. We sell both, and the guide lists each with live prices.
Can I return a soft mattress if it feels too soft?
Our mattresses ship vacuum-compressed from the factory, so we cannot accept returns once an order has shipped and there is no sleep trial. You can change the model or size, or cancel, any time before it ships; text John how you sleep before you order.
Questions? Text John
Tell John how you sleep and what felt wrong about your last mattress, and he’ll tell you honestly whether plush or medium soft is right. Text or call 818-924-3744, 6 AM to 9 PM Pacific, take the 60-second mattress quiz, or use Help me choose.
Written by John & Mimi Venti, MimiJohn. Layer and feature details are from our product listings; feel ratings are our own scale; prices and stock are read live from our catalog and update automatically. General shopping information, not medical advice.