How We Rank Mattresses
SleepRanked is a data-driven mattress comparison platform — not a blog with affiliate deals dressed up as editorial content. Our rankings are generated algorithmically from verified manufacturer specifications, matched to your stated preferences. Here's exactly how it works.
What SleepRanked Is
A comparison platform powered by verified data. Every mattress in our database has been sourced from manufacturer websites, brand press kits, and retailer product pages. Specs are verified, not extrapolated.
Algorithmically ranked.When you take our quiz, your preferences (sleep position, size, budget, concerns) are weighted against each mattress's actual specifications. The top-scoring mattresses rise to the top — not the ones with the highest affiliate payout.
Transparent about our business model.We do earn affiliate commissions when you click through and purchase. That commission is the same for all brands — we do not accept placement fees, sponsored rankings, or “featured” positions.
The Scoring Model
Each mattress receives a raw score against your quiz answers. Scores are then normalized relative to the top-scoring result (highest = 99%). Here's what goes into the score and how each factor is weighted:
Rated excellent / good / fair based on manufacturer materials, foam layer design, and construction. Weighted heavily for side sleepers and anyone with hip or shoulder pain.
Based on cover materials (phase-change, copper, gel), core ventilation (coil count, open-cell foam, latex), and airflow construction. Critical for hot sleepers.
Evaluated from core construction type (foam absorbs more, coils transfer more) and layer density. Key for couples and light sleepers.
Based on perimeter coil reinforcement, high-density foam borders, or hybrid edge systems. Important for partners who sleep near the edge.
Numeric 1–10 scale sourced from manufacturer rating, independently corroborated where possible. Matched to sleep position and body weight range.
Inferred from materials, coil gauge, foam density (ILD/IFD), and warranty length as a proxy for manufacturer confidence.
CertiPUR-US, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, GOLS, and similar third-party certifications verified from manufacturer documentation.
Verified nights (not calendar days) from official brand policy pages. Weighted heavily when user selects long trial as a concern.
Years and type (prorated vs. non-prorated) from official policy. Used as a proxy for long-term confidence in the product.
Queen MSRP compared to feature set. Weighted heavily for budget-friendly priority. Sale prices captured weekly via automated checks.
How Weights Shift Per Your Preferences
The quiz dynamically adjusts which factors are weighted most heavily based on your answers. Some examples:
Where the Data Comes From
- ✓Manufacturer websites: Primary source for specs: construction, materials, certifications, firmness ratings, trial periods, and warranty terms.
- ✓Verified pricing: MSRP and sale prices are sourced from brand and authorized retailer pages. We run automated checks weekly via headless browser (Playwright) to catch price changes and flag stale data.
- ✓Certification databases: CertiPUR-US, OEKO-TEX, GOTS, and GOLS certifications are cross-referenced against their respective public certification lookups where available.
- ✓Confidence scoring: Each mattress entry has a verification confidence level (high / medium-high / medium / low). Only high, medium-high, and medium confidence records are shown in quiz results and ranked lists.
What We Don't Do
How We Verify Pricing
Mattress prices fluctuate significantly — the same model can vary by hundreds of dollars week-to-week. Our price verification process:
- 1Weekly automated checks: headless browser (Playwright) scrapes brand pages and authorized retailers for current MSRP and sale prices.
- 2Shopify JSON endpoints: DTC brands using Shopify expose a /products.json endpoint we use for machine-readable pricing.
- 3Manual verification flag: each entry tracks lastVerified date and a confidence score. Data older than 30 days is flagged and deprioritized.
- 4Sale price display: we show the current lowest verified price. If no sale exists, MSRP is shown without a strikethrough.
Our recommendations are algorithmically generated based on your inputs and verified mattress specifications. SleepRanked earns a commission when you purchase through our links — at no extra cost to you. This commission does not influence rankings, scoring weights, or which mattresses appear in your results. The algorithm treats every brand equally; only the specs and your preferences determine the outcome.