Memory Foam vs Spring Mattress: Which Is Better in 2026?

Last updated: August 2026

Memory foam and spring mattresses support your body in two different ways. Foam moulds around you, springs push back. Which one is better depends on how you sleep, how warm you get and whether you share the bed.

What is the difference between a memory foam and a spring mattress?

The difference is in the support core: memory foam supports you with layers of foam, while a spring mattress supports you with a core of steel springs. Everything else, from heat to bounce to partner disturbance, follows from that.

A memory foam mattress is a mattress built entirely from foam layers, with a viscoelastic top layer that softens with body heat and moulds to your shape. Its density, commonly between 40 and 80 kg per cubic metre in UK mattresses, tells you more about durability than its thickness does.

A spring mattress is a mattress supported by a core of steel springs, topped with a comfort layer of foam, fibre or wool. An open coil mattress uses one connected wire frame, so the whole surface moves together. A pocket sprung mattress uses hundreds of individual springs, each sewn into its own fabric pocket, so each responds separately to the weight above it.

Who should buy a memory foam mattress?

Buy memory foam if you sleep on your side, share a bed with a restless partner, or wake with sore hips and shoulders. Those are the three things foam does better than springs.

Side sleepers put most of their weight through the shoulder and hip. Memory foam lets those points sink in while the waist stays supported, which keeps the spine level. The Sleep Foundation notes that foam is the type most often preferred by side sleepers for exactly this reason.

Foam also absorbs movement almost completely. If your partner turns over or gets up at 5 am, very little of that travels across the bed. And because there are no springs, there is no creak or squeak as the mattress ages.

The trade-offs are heat and response. Closed-cell memory foam holds warmth against your body, and the moulding that feels supportive at 11 pm can feel like a hollow when you try to turn at 3 am. New foam also releases a factory smell for one to three days after unboxing, according to the Sleep Foundation.

If you want the pressure relief without the heat, look for open-cell foam or a hybrid instead of all foam.

Who should buy a spring mattress?

Buy a spring mattress if you sleep hot, sleep on your back or front, weigh more than average, or simply prefer a bed that pushes back rather than wraps around you.

Springs leave open space inside the mattress, so air moves through the core every time you shift. That makes a spring mattress the cooler choice by default, before any cooling fabric or gel is added on top.

The springs also give a firmer, more responsive surface. Back and front sleepers tend to need that, because a surface that lets the hips sink too far tips the lower back out of line. Heavier sleepers get more consistent support from steel than from foam, which compresses more under load.

Pick pocket springs over open coil if you share the bed. An open coil unit moves as one piece, so every turn is felt on the other side, which is why the pocket sprung design has largely replaced it in mid-range UK beds. The main drawback of any spring mattress is a thin comfort layer, so a cheap one can feel hard at the shoulders and hips.

Which is better for back pain, memory foam or spring?

For back pain, the firmness matters more than whether the support comes from foam or springs. The best evidence points to a medium-firm surface rather than the firmest one you can find.

A randomised trial of 313 adults with chronic low back pain, published in The Lancet in 2003 (Kovacs and colleagues), found that people who slept on a medium-firm mattress for 90 days reported less pain in bed and less disability than those on a firm mattress. That result is why most UK sleep advice now says medium-firm rather than "as hard as possible".

Memory foam can deliver medium-firm support, but only if the base foam is dense enough to stop you sinking through the comfort layer. A pocket spring core holds its shape more reliably over the years, and combining the two is the most direct route to a stable medium-firm surface with pressure relief on top, as our guide to pocket springs vs foam for back support explains. If your back pain is persistent or severe, see a GP before buying a mattress to fix it.

Where REM-Fit fits

REM-Fit does not make a pure memory foam or a pure spring mattress. Every mattress in the hybrid mattress range is a hybrid, meaning a mattress that combines a pocket spring base with one or more foam comfort layers, which is the third option if neither of the two above feels like the whole answer.

The like-for-like against an entry-level spring or foam mattress is the Pocket 1000. It uses 1000 full-height pocket springs that run the full 20 cm depth of the mattress, with an open-cell memory foam comfort layer on top. It is medium-firm at 7 out of 10, has reinforced edges, is made in the UK and was a Good Housekeeping Winner in 2026.

REM-Fit Pocket 1000 Hybrid Mattress

1000 full-height pocket springs under open-cell memory foam: the airflow of a spring mattress with the pressure relief of foam, at a medium-firm 7 out of 10.

Shop the Pocket 1000

✓ 100-night trial (200 with a protector)✓ 15-year guarantee✓ Free UK delivery✓ 0% finance

If you were leaning towards memory foam for its contouring, the 3000 Supreme is the closer match: 3000 dual-layer pocket springs at a medium 6 out of 10, built for side sleepers. If you were leaning towards springs for firmness, the 4000 Ortho Elite is a firm 9 out of 10 with 4000 dual-layer springs, rated for sleepers up to 20 stone. The mattress firmness guide explains how to choose between them.

Memory foam vs spring: which is better value?

A spring mattress is usually the cheaper way into a bed, memory foam costs more for the same size, and a hybrid sits at the top of the three. What you get for that difference is what matters, so compare the specifics rather than the ticket price.

Look at how much of the mattress is doing the work: the pocket spring count for a king size, the depth and density of the comfort foam, and whether the edges are reinforced. Open coil mattresses and low-density foams are the two types most likely to sag first.

Then look at what the retailer will stand behind. A trial that covers the two to four weeks a new mattress takes to settle, and a guarantee measured in years, are the clearest signals the maker expects it to last. Our guide on how often to replace a mattress lists the signs that it has not.

Memory foam vs spring mattress FAQs

Last updated: August 2026

What are the disadvantages of a memory foam mattress?

Memory foam retains heat, can feel slow to move on, and releases a factory smell for one to three days after unboxing. Low-density foam also softens and dips at the hips within a few years. Open-cell foam and hybrid designs address the heat and the slow response.

What are the disadvantages of a spring mattress?

Spring mattresses transfer more movement between partners, especially open coil designs where the whole unit moves together. The comfort layer is thin, so cheaper spring mattresses can feel hard at the shoulders and hips, and open coil units tend to sag in the middle over time.

Is memory foam or spring better for back pain?

Neither material wins on its own; a medium-firm surface does. A 2003 Lancet trial of 313 adults found medium-firm mattresses reduced pain in bed and disability more than firm ones over 90 days. A pocket spring core with a memory foam top is the most reliable way to get that feel.

Why are people no longer buying memory foam mattresses?

Memory foam still sells widely, but many buyers have moved to hybrids because pure foam sleeps warm and can feel like sinking into a hollow. A hybrid keeps the pressure relief of foam and adds a spring core for airflow and a more responsive feel.

What is the healthiest type of mattress to sleep on?

The healthiest mattress is the one that keeps your spine level in your usual sleeping position, which for most adults means medium-firm. Beyond that, a breathable build and a washable mattress protector do more for your health than the choice between foam and springs.

Do spring mattresses last longer than memory foam?

A good pocket spring core usually holds its shape longer than low-density foam, but a high-density foam can outlast a cheap open coil unit. Quality within the type matters more than the type itself; expect seven to ten years from either when well made.

Sources: Sleep Foundation, Foam vs Spring Mattresses; Kovacs FM et al., Effect of firmness of mattress on chronic non-specific low-back pain, The Lancet, 2003; REM-Fit product specifications, August 2026.