Best Mattress Toppers for Back Pain (2025) 

Saatva is a brand synonymous with luxury, and the Graphite Memory Foam Topper is no different. This 3-inch memory foam topper provides dense support and sumptuous pressure relief in equal measure, the perfect combination for an aching back. The graphite infusions offset the foam’s natural heat-trapping instinct, helping to keep things cool and comfortable. My colleague Matt Schickling was most impressed by this topper’s craftsmanship, awarding it a perfect score for materials and a 4/5 for support.

Matt thought this topper was great, “if you’re looking to add some plush support to your bed.” It has a traditional memory foam feel, so you’ll sink gently into the surface and enjoy contouring where you need it most.

“Since it’s memory foam, it’s not going to be the most responsive thing in the world,” Matt added. “But when you change positions or get up off the bed, it does retain its original shape pretty quickly.” The dense nature of the memory foam also provides a modicum of motion absorption, which can be helpful if you’re sharing your bed with a restless partner. Matt noted that it didn’t have exceptional motion isolation, so light sleepers may still want something that scored higher (like the Nolah Topper).

Despite the foam’s dense, cushy feel, Matt was surprised to find that the topper felt cooler than expected. “I was lying on my stomach for about 15 minutes, and it didn’t really heat up,” he said. “I’d say the cooling is pretty good for memory foam.” Matt awarded the topper a 4/5 score for cooling.

Matt could see the quality of the mattress topper not just in its performance, but also in its construction. “The materials feel very high-quality compared to other toppers we’ve tested,” he explained. “The organic cotton cover is really nice and breathable, and there’s no notable pilling, weird stretching, or bad stitching.”

A queen-size Saatva topper will run you about $295, which Matt called “good value.” He said, “The quality justifies the expense.” If you’re ready to buy, this topper also comes with a 180-night sleep trial and a year-long warranty. To find out more, you can read our full Saatva Graphite Memory Foam Mattress Topper review.

If you’re a side sleeper trying to find comfort on a too-firm mattress, consider adding the Nolah Mattress Topper to rejuvenate your sleep experience. This super-dense foam mattress topper comes in two firmnesses, but the Plush will be your best bet for pressure relief. My colleague Kenny Timper heartily recommended this topper for side sleepers since it provides “extra cushioning around the shoulders and hips.” Because of its dense feel, he awarded it 5/5 scores for materials and motion transfer.

The Nolah topper is 2” thick and composed entirely of the brand’s AirFoam HD, which is a dense, open-celled foam that’s geared toward breathability and durability. It also features an organic cotton cover and thick corner straps to prevent the topper from shifting on the mattress surface, which is a plus for restless sleepers.

 “I’d say this feels really nice overall, thanks to the soft cover and super-cushiony foam,” Kenny said. Even with this softness, Kenny expected the topper to comfortably last over 5 years—though he added that some heavyweight sleepers might notice some impressions earlier on.

Since the topper has a primarily slow-moving feel, Kenny wasn’t surprised that it did so well in our motion transfer tests. “When my testing partner was in bed beside me, I could sense some movement, but there wasn’t any jostling,” he said. “The topper really absorbs motion, so I don’t think light sleepers will have any issues sleeping alongside a rowdy bedmate.” 

Although the deep sinkage is comfortable for side sleepers, if you switch between multiple positions, it could pose a problem. Kenny thought that you needed to put a bit more effort into rolling around on the surface, but he never felt truly “stuck.” If you’re looking for a more responsive feel from a topper, check out the Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil topper.

A queen-size Nolah topper retails for $449 regularly, but you can get it as low as $337 with sales and coupons. Kenny thought the organic cotton was a nice touch, but not enough to justify the price, in his opinion. If you want to take the plunge and see if it’s worth its weight in gold, Nolah offers a 30-night trial. After that, the mattress topper is backed by a very generous 10-year warranty—one of the longest I’ve seen for an accessory.

Maybe your current mattress isn’t as luxurious as you’d like it to be. Before you toss the whole thing out, consider upgrading with the Helix Premium Topper. This mattress topper is like a mini-mattress. It features a miniature coil layer sandwiched between two dense foam layers, providing optimum support for sleepers dealing with pesky back pain. It’s also swaddled in a cooling cover to regulate surface temperature. Impressed by all this topper had to offer, our in-house tester gave it a 5/5 rating for construction, plus high marks for support (4/5) and value (4/5).

When our tester tried this topper in the studio, she noticed the firm feel right away. “I definitely feel more ‘on top’ of this topper, rather than sinking in,” she said. “It definitely adds more support to the mattress underneath, and my back and spine are aligned,” she said. This alignment is crucial for sleepers with back pain.

Our tester also believed this firmness would remain even with repeated use, thanks to the bed’s innovative microcoil construction. “I don’t think there would be sagging after nightly use, especially because of how firm this topper is,” she said. “Alongside the coils, the dense double layers of foam seem like they would hold up well over time.”

With this coil layer, we’d expect to see a bit of bounce from the mattress topper, and therefore a lot of motion transfer, but this wasn’t the case. “Once my partner and I are on the topper, it feels like I am lying alone on the bed,” our tester explained. “I can only really feel the larger position changes, but otherwise, it’s smooth sailing.” She rated motion isolation at a 4/5, and recommended it for easy-to-wake sleepers who may be experiencing motion transfer on their current bed.

The “with Glaciotex” part of this mattress comes into play in the cover. Our tester thought it was “cool to the touch” upon first lying down. She could feel the mattress heating up beneath her, however, which could pose a problem for extra-hot sleepers. “I think someone who moves a lot in their sleep would be okay, because as soon as I got up, I could feel it immediately start to cool down,” she added.

As a luxury product, the Helix Premium Topper initially retails for nearly $500. Sales and coupons can bring it down to as low as $374, but that can still be a hard pill to swallow for budget shoppers. Though our tester thought the quality was worth it, saying, “It’s nice to have that cooling cover and the bands to secure the cover, and the topper has a very fine construction.” If you want to try it for yourself, the topper comes with a 120-night trial and a 1-year warranty, should you fall in love with it.

If you want something cheaper, consider checking out the Bear Pro Topper. Or you can read more about this product in our Helix Premium GlacioTex Mattress Topper review.

Sometimes, a too-soft mattress can lead to improper spinal alignment, which can cause or exacerbate existing back pain. A topper that doesn’t skimp on firmness or support, like the Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil Mattress Topper, could be the solution. As the name suggests, this topper features a layer of microcoils to provide firm, pinpoint support where it’s needed most. My colleague Sosha Lewis was most impressed by how these coils performed. The construction helped this topper earn 5/5 scores for support, responsiveness, and materials.

Sosha thought that the Brooklyn Bedding topper provided “mattress-level support.” She added, “It’s one of the few toppers out there that can actually make a discernible difference in how your bed feels.” 

It makes sense when you consider that the topper is nearly 3.5” thick. The bulk of it is actually made up of high-density foam, which surrounds the coil layer to provide stability and pressure relief. Sosha thought that the topper seemed “well-made and durable,” as a whole.

Sosha also thought that the cover had a nice cool-to-the-touch feel. “ Our thermal gun recorded only a 4-degree increase in the surface temperature after I had lounged around on the topper for a few minutes,” she said. “I think that the coils are definitely helping out with the breathability here and making it a good choice for hot sleepers.”

Couples should also enjoy this topper, as the coils offer plenty of bounce for sex, but they do so without motion traveling across the surface when you’re trying to sleep side-by-side. Sosha thought that the amount of motion transfer she experienced “was hardly problematic.” She said, “As a light sleeper, I don’t think the motion I felt on my side of the topper would be enough to wake me.” This means repositioning during sleep should be easy, and it also shouldn’t disturb your partner.

Since the Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil topper earned high marks across the board, I’d call it a well-rounded, versatile topper that can work for just about anyone. The one thing you’ll have to contend with is its price. It usually retails for about $660 for a queen, with sales bringing it as low as $400. It also comes with a 30-day return policy and a 3-year warranty. 

Sosha called it “pretty good value” at the discount, but if you’re after something a little cheaper, you might like the Helix Premium Topper, which also has microcoils. To find out more about this topper, though, read our full Brooklyn Bedding MicroCoil Mattress Topper review.

Sleepers with back pain need support, and those with hip pain often need more cushioning. If you’re not getting that from your current mattress, you might like the Bear Pro Topper. This foam topper looks deceptively simple, but it has a lot to offer. Our in-house tester found it to be durably constructed (earning a 4/5 for materials), supportive (scoring 4.5/5), and isolates motion like a pro (a perfect 5/5 rating).

The Bear Pro Topper is about 3” thick and pretty hefty, as our tester found out. “It’s heavy with dense memory foam on the inside, so it certainly doesn’t feel cheap,” she said. “The materials are good quality, so I think it’ll hold up for quite some time.”

The dense-feeling memory foam provided a nice mix of support and gentle cushioning. “I felt really supported throughout my shoulders and hips,” our tester explained as she lay down on the bed. “My spine stays aligned, and the thickness of the topper prevents me from feeling the mattress underneath. Honestly, it makes the mattress feel more supportive.” She recommended it for a mattress that’s lacking in the support department, which can be a reason for both back and hip pain.

Our tester also achieved a nice bit of sinkage when she rested on the topper, saying,”I sink down just enough that it’s comfortable, but not enough to feel ‘stuck’ when switching positions.” This also gave it a leg up in motion isolation testing. “I feel little to no movement when someone is on the other side of the topper,” she said. “And I don’t roll towards them or wiggle around when they are moving.” It bodes well for couples who share a bed and are seeking undisturbed sleep.

The Bear Topper features copper infusions to help counteract any excess heat the foam might trap, but our tester found the experience was more “cozy” than “cooling” when resting on it. “I could feel it warming up as I was lying there, but I never felt hot,” she explained. “I think as someone who sleeps hot, this could get uncomfortable throughout the night, but it wasn’t terrible.” She thought it felt “more like a warm blanket than a hot, sweaty towel.” But if you’re looking for a truly cooling mattress topper, you might prefer the Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil Topper.

At $225 on sale for a queen-size topper, the Bear Pro isn’t exorbitantly priced—especially if you’re looking for a durable, high-quality option for the money. Bear offers free returns, as long as you do so within its 30-day trial window, and a generous 3-year warranty. 

The ViscoSoft Active Cooling Copper Topper is a whopping 4 inches thick, made entirely of dense, pressure-relieving memory foam. This foam is also infused with copper to help ward off excess heat and act as a natural antimicrobial, keeping your sleep surface cool and fresh. Our testers thought it was a luxurious take on your average memory foam topper. My colleague Matt Schickling was particularly impressed by the topper’s construction (which earned a 5/5 score for materials), and its supportive feel (also earning a 4.5/5), which should benefit sleepers with back pain.

Matt called this a “thoughtfully designed topper,” and praised it to the point where he thought it could “improve even a bad bed.” He had no qualms about giving it a perfect score for materials, finding the 4-inch-thick foam durable, the cover soft and well-stitched, and the security straps ensuring the topper doesn’t slide off.

This memory foam topper has a balanced feel that Matt noticed as soon as he lay down on top of it. “I’m a heavyweight sleeper and this has a lot of sink, but it’s also super plush and supportive at the same time,” he said. “I think that sleepers who are looking to soften up a firmer bed will really enjoy the pressure relief and support this gives.”

Matt noted the mattress had a “true memory foam feel,” meaning that it wasn’t very responsive, but it offered plenty of pressure relief and motion absorption. He thought the topper had a fair showing in the motion isolation test: “I could feel that my partner was moving, but I could not tell you what they were doing,” he said, awarding it a 4/5 in this category.

While most memory foam toppers aren’t built for cooling, Matt thought that this topper would be a great fit for hot sleepers—and not just because of its “Active Cooling” moniker. “I lay on it for around 20 minutes, and I didn’t notice any distinct temperature rise,” he said. While copper is infused into the foam, the cover itself also features cooling technology, which Viscosoft reports was modeled after firefighter gear to repel excess heat. Clearly, it works!

If you love a traditional memory foam feel, you’ll likely love the Viscosoft topper. To sweeten the deal, it retails for as low as $239 during sales, and comes with a 90-day trial and 5-year warranty. But if you’re a combination sleeper like me who hates sinking too deeply into the bed, you might want to opt for something bouncier. Check out the Brooklyn Bedding Microcoil Mattress Topper instead.