Nolah vs Helix: Which Should You Choose?

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Nolah and Helix are online mattress companies with very different offerings. Nolah sells only one all-foam flagship mattress, while Helix has a variety of offerings that incorporate springs. Depending on what type of sleeper someone is, they might prefer one over the other.

In this Nolah vs Helix mattress comparison, I’ll go over the similarities and differences here to help people better understand how they compare!

Product
Firmness
Score
Nolah Original 10" Mattress
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
4.2/5
Helix Midnight Mattress
Medium-firm: 7/10
4.1/5
Product
Nolah Original 10" Mattress
Firmness
Medium-firm: 6.5/10
Score
4.2/5
Product
Helix Midnight Mattress
Firmness
Medium-firm: 7/10
Score
4.1/5

Nolah vs Helix: Top Similarities

  • All options have a dense foam base layer.
  • Both offer soft options.
  • Both use a special formulation of foam.
  • Both are good options for couples.
  • All options are 10 inches thick.
  • The mattresses fall in similar price ranges. 
  • Both offer free shipping.

Nolah vs Helix: Key Differences

  • Helix personalizes its mattresses for customers based on customer answers to a quiz.
  • Helix allows customers to design mattresses with different constructions on each side to accommodate couples with different sleep styles and needs.
  • Nolah can only be found online, while Helix has a showroom in New York City.
  • Nolah is more temperature neutral, though Helix also has different construction options intended to ensure cool sleeping.
  • Nolah offers a 120-night trial, while Helix offers only a 100-night trial.

Nolah Construction

Look at the illustration to see how the construction comes together.

  • Thin, soft, breathable viscose is used in the cover.
  • On top is a 2-inch layer of a proprietary “AirFoam” that sleeps cool and relieves pressure.
  • Next is a 1-inch layer of latex-like Avena foam, which gives the mattress good bounce and makes it more responsive.
  • A 7-inch layer of high density poly foam sits at the base, similar to most foam mattresses.

 

Nolah Original 10" Mattress

The Nolah Original 10" mattress works especially well for side sleepers, and it's sold at a value price.

Clarity Score 4.2/5

Material

Foam

Trial Period

120 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5

Nolah Original 10" Mattress

The Nolah Original 10" mattress works especially well for side sleepers, and it's sold at a value price.

Clarity Score 4.2/5

Material

Foam

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Trial Period

120 nights

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5

Nolah Original 10" Mattress

The Nolah Original 10" mattress works especially well for side sleepers, and it's sold at a value price.

Clarity Score 4.2/5

Material

Foam

Firmness

Medium-firm: 6.5/10

Trial Period

120 nights

Warranty

Lifetime warranty

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.8/5

Helix Construction

  • While Helix mattresses differ based on customer personalization, they generally include three similar layers.
  • The top of these layers is around 2 inches of Helix Dynamic Foam. This is a latex-like foam that doesn’t actually contain latex, so it won’t trigger an allergic reaction.
  • In the middle there’s usually a 2.4 inch layer of pocket coils that give the mattress some spring to it.
  • There’s also a 2 inch layer of comfort polyfoam and 4 inch base layer of dense polyfoam for support.

Helix Midnight Mattress

The Helix Midnight is the brand's most popular model. It has a balance of comfort and support and should be an excellent match for back sleepers.

Clarity Score 4.1/5

Material

Hybrid

Trial Period

100 nights

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Warranty

10-year warranty

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review

Helix Midnight Mattress

The Helix Midnight is the brand's most popular model. It has a balance of comfort and support and should be an excellent match for back sleepers.

Clarity Score 4.1/5

Material

Hybrid

Warranty

10-year warranty

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Trial Period

100 nights

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review

Helix Midnight Mattress

The Helix Midnight is the brand's most popular model. It has a balance of comfort and support and should be an excellent match for back sleepers.

Clarity Score 4.1/5

Material

Hybrid

Firmness

Medium-firm: 7/10

Trial Period

100 nights

Warranty

10-year warranty

Shipping Method

Free shipping

Price Range

$$$$$

We recommend this mattress for the following sleeper types:

Couples
This bed has great motion isolation so you will not feel your partner tossing and turning at night.
Back Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight back sleepers.
Side Sleeping
Ideal for lightweight and average weight side sleepers.

Financing Options

Financing options are available for this mattress.

Average Customer Rating
4.5/5
Watch Our Video Review

Construction Differences and Notes

  • Helix has more options for how mattresses can be constructed.
  • Helix uses micro coils.
  • Neither mattress uses memory foam, but instead they both use something like memory foam but that is supposed to be unique to each respective company.
  • Nolah is more temperature neutral throughout, though Helix also has options meant to provide comfort to customers concerned about sleeping hot.

Firmness Differences and Notes

Nolah is a remarkably soft mattress, while different Helix models offer different degrees of firmness. Watch the videos below to see a demonstration of Nolah’s softness and learn more about Helix mattresses.

 

Motion Transfer Differences

Nolah isolates motion very well, as demonstrated in the video below. Helix mattresses vary in their isolation of motion, and how well a Helix mattress succeeds at this really depends on the specific construction. Both options are good for couples — Nolah for how it isolates motion well, Helix because it lets people split the mattress into two constructions to meet the needs of both sleepers.

 

Pick Nolah If:

  • You sleep on your side — The Nolah conforms well to contours, making it better at relieving pressure than Helix regardless of how someone’s Helix is constructed.
  • You worry about temperature — Nolah is truly temperature neutral. While Helix makes efforts to solve for hot sleeping problems, Nolah has an edge here.

Pick Helix If:

  • You need options — If you don’t know what you want, Helix will help you figure it out and you’re likely to be reasonably satisfied.
  • Your partner has different needs — Not a lot of mattresses will let you personalize for two different sleepers, but Helix will. Definitely consider getting a Helix mattress if you and your partner have very different sleep styles and needs.

Top Mattress Picks

Overall

I hope this post has helped people better understand which option may be better for them. Make sure to also check out our other popular mattress comparisons like Nolah vs Saatva and  Helix vs Amerisleep. If someone has any specific questions, they should ask them in the comments. 

Joe Auer

Joe Auer

Joe Auer is the editor of Mattress Clarity. He mainly focuses on mattress reviews and oversees the content across the site. He likes things simple and takes a straightforward, objective approach to his reviews. Joe has personally tested nearly 250 mattresses and always recommends people do their research before buying a new bed. He has been testing mattresses for over 5 years now, so he knows a thing or two when it comes to mattress selection. He has been cited as an authority in the industry by a number of large publications. When he isn't testing sleep products, he enjoys working out, reading both fiction and non-fiction, and playing classical piano. He enjoys traveling as well, and not just to test out hotel mattresses! Joe has an undergraduate degree from Wake Forest University and an MBA from Columbia University.