The Difference Between Foam, Spring & Hybrid Mattresses

Nayam SleepDecember 9, 2025

When choosing a mattress for your bed, you have to take into account several things, like the level of comfort, motion isolation, bounce, and breathability. There are three main mattress types out there, including the memory, spring, and hybrid mattresses.

Choosing quality beds and mattresses ensures you are able to enjoy better sleep without risking your posture or health in any way. This blog highlights what makes memory, spring, and hybrid mattresses different from each other.

So, if you are about to buy a mattress for yourself, keep on reading till the end to make a better decision.

Key Takeaways

Foam mattresses, owing to their contouring features, mold to the shape of your body, which leads to reduced motion transfer and enhanced comfort.
Spring mattresses come with an interconnected system of steel spring coils, which leads to greater bounce, firmness, and better airflow.
A hybrid mattress consists of an innerspring core, which is surrounded by high-density foams that give you the best comfort, support, and breathability.
Foam mattresses are ideal for budget-conscious side sleepers and couples.
Spring mattresses are ideal for people who look for better airflow and bounce in their mattresses.
Hybrid mattresses are perfect for restless sleepers, hot sleepers, and couples.

Comparison Between Foam Mattress, Spring Mattress, and Hybrid Mattress

Here is a quick comparison between the main types of mattresses that are common in households.

Foam Mattress	Spring Mattress	Hybrid Mattress
It consists of layers of foam.	It comes with metal coils or springs, often with thin foam padding.	This mattress is made from foam comfort layers with coil spring cores.
This form offers greater comfort and pressure relief.	The comfort and pressure relief vary based on the spring firmness.	This mattress gives you balanced comfort and pressure relief as it has springs for support and cushion layers for body contouring.
It absorbs movements, giving you better motion isolation.	Motion isolation is less in spring mattresses.	It gives you sufficiently good motion isolation.
It has a low bounce and a more hugging feel.	It gives good bounce and easy position changes.	The bounce in these mattresses is moderate.
These foams trap and retain body heat.	These offer better airflow and cooling.	These also give you better airflow, which makes them cooler.
These are budget-friendly.	These are also generally affordable.	More complex construction makes these more expensive.

Here is what you will find in this blog.

What is a Foam Mattress?
What is a Spring Mattress?
What is a Hybrid Mattress?
Foam VS Spring VS Hybrid Mattresses: Key Differences
Construction
Feel
Performance
Durability
Uses

What is a Foam Mattress?

Foam mattresses consist of multiple layers of foam that offer maximum contouring and pressure relief. These foams adjust to the shape of your body, which reduces motion transfer, promotes better sleep, and alleviates joint pain.

These foams are available in different firmness levels, which makes them perfect for side sleepers and people who suffer from back pain.

What is a Spring Mattress?

A spring mattress consists of a system of metal coils that serve as the main support structure. These traditional mattresses come with pocketed coils, which give you better motion control and support.

These responsive mattresses come with good airflow and breathability. A spring mattress is ideal for back or stomach sleepers and for people who need enhanced support and movement freedom while sleeping.

What is a Hybrid Mattress?

A hybrid mattress is a combination of pocketed spring support and multiple high-density foam layers. These hybrid mattresses give you contouring, better airflow, reduced motion transfer, and enhanced durability. These soft and breathable mattresses are ideal for a wide range of sleepers.

Foam VS Spring VS Hybrid Mattresses: Key Differences

The following are a few key differences between foam, spring, and hybrid mattresses that you need to know.

1. Construction

A foam mattress consists of three layers. A high-density foam as a base layer, a medium-density foam for a responsive transition layer, and a memory or latex foam for cushioning and contouring. Some foams also come with perforations and cooling gels to give temperature regulation.

Spring mattresses come with a support core that consists of a bonnel, continuous, offset, or pocket spring system. This core is covered with a foam, latex, or fiber padding. These foams also come with edge support, which consists of thicker coils on the perimeter.

Hybrid mattresses are composed of pocketed coils covered with a foam or latex transition layer. This layer is further covered with a memory, latex, or polyfoam layer to give you sufficient body contouring.

2. Feel

Foam mattresses give your body a hugging sensation. They create a slow, sinking feel by absorbing your every movement.

Spring mattresses are bouncy and supportive. These mattresses do not create a sinking feel, and they tend to be cooler than foam or hybrid mattresses.

Hybrid mattresses give you a balanced feel. These mattresses create a perfect combination of bounce and body contouring, which makes them perfect for people with different sleeping positions.

3. Performance

Foam mattresses give you joint pressure relief, motion isolation, and full body contouring, which promotes comfort. This mattress can trap heat unless infused with cooling materials.

Spring mattresses give you motion relief, back and stomach support, better airflow, and odor prevention, which promotes better sleep every single day.

Hybrid mattresses give you motion isolation, cooling features, pressure relief, and full body support thanks to their sturdy coil structure and thick foams.

4. Durability

The durability of foam mattresses depends on the quality and thickness of the foam. High-quality latex mattresses do not sag or loose even after regular use.

Spring mattresses can sag or lose over time due to the wear of the springs.

Hybrid mattresses are more durable than foam and spring mattresses due to the use of thick foams and durable springs.

5. Uses

Foam mattresses are perfect for side sleepers, people with back pain, restless couples, and people who prefer a hugging feel while sleeping.

Spring mattresses are ideal for hot sleepers, back and stomach sleepers, and people who dislike a sinking feel while sleeping.

A hybrid mattress is the top priority for combination sleepers, heavier individuals, couples who need greater motion control, and people who want moderate contouring.

Visit us at Nayam Sleep today to check out our exclusive range of foam, spring, and hybrid mattresses to get the best sleep every single day.

FAQs

Which mattress is cooler, foam or spring?

Spring mattresses give you more breathability and airflow, which makes them cooler than foam mattresses that can trap body heat.

Which type of mattress lasts longer?

Foam mattresses tend to have the longest lifespan.

Which mattress is best for your health?

Memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses are good for your health as they provide better support, relieve pressure points, and promote spinal alignment.

Can spring mattresses relieve back pain?

Spring mattresses provide targeted support, which promotes spinal alignment and reduces back pain.

What mattress type do you need to avoid?

Experts recommend that you need to avoid low-quality memory and soybean foam mattresses as they lack durability and comfort.