Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX: Which of these luxury mattresses is the best choice for joint and back pain?

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX: At a glance

Saatva produces handmade luxury mattresses designed for sleepers who struggle with aches and pains. Here, we're comparing the flagship Saatva Classic — with its superb pressure relief and signature lumbar zone quilting — and the premium Saatva RX, made with specialized components to target troublesome areas for those with chronic back and joint ailments.

We rate the Saatva Classic as the best mattress of 2025 for all sleepers, thanks to its near-perfect performance during our thorough testing process. Meanwhile, the Saatva RX tops our guide to the best mattresses for back pain, as it gave our lead tester the right balance of support and comfort to manage her lower back pain and mild scoliosis.

Perhaps the most glaring difference between these two mattresses is price. The Saatva Classic is at the lower end of the premium price bracket, while the Saatva RX is firmly planted at the high end. The good news is that you'll be able to save on either one during monthly Saatva mattress sales.

But before you shop, read our Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX showdown below to help decide which is the best Saatva mattress for your joint and back pain.

• Read more: Saatva Classic vs Saatva Contour5: which luxury mattress should you buy?

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX mattress: Price, trial, warranties

• Queen MSRPs for the Classic and RX are $2,139 and $3,399, respectively
• Saatva regularly offers tired money-off or percent-off savings
• Both come with a 365-night trial and lifetime warranty

Both Saatva mattresses sit in the premium price bracket, although the Saatva Classic is at the lower end. Saatva sales are regular, with the most common discount a tiered saving — the more you pay, the more you'll save.

Even with these discounts, the Classic and RX are still in the premium bracket, but you can track discounts at our Saatva mattress sales page. Peak holidays and shopping events (such as Black Friday) typically yield the biggest discounts.

Notably, the MSRP for most sizes of the Saatva Classic has risen over the last several months. A queen-size Classic previously retailed for $2,099, but now it's $2,139. The largest discount we've seen for it is $400 off, which would drop the price to $1,739 today.

Meanwhile, the Saatva RX still retails for $3,399 in a queen-size. The deal to look for here is 15% off, which takes a larger chunk off RX's final price than Saatva's dollar-off discounts. However, 15% off is only offered during a (rare) flash sale.

Both mattresses come with Saatva's best-in-class amenities: a 365-night mattress trial, a lifetime mattress warranty, and free white glove delivery with optional removal of your pre-existing mattress and foundation.

Saatva Classic: twin was $1,399 now $1.174 at Saatva
The Saatva Classic is the best hybrid mattress on the market right now, available in a choice of two different heights and three different firmness levels. MSRPs have risen for most sizes, with a queen jumping from $2,099 to $2,139. The current Saatva sale cuts $225 to $37 off — but we saw a flat $400 off during Labor Day.

Our review: ★★★★★
User score: ★★★★★ (3,600+ reviews)

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Saatva RX mattress: twin was $1,999 now $1,774 at Saatva
The Saatva RX is much more expensive than the Saatva Classic, but it's still relatively affordable for a specialist mattress for chronic back and joint pain. The queen has an MSRP of $3,399, with the current sale knocking the price to $3,204 after $375 off. Unless you're buying one of the king sizes, which are $425 off, this is a weaker offer than the one we just saw over Labor Day

Our review: ★★★★½
User score: ★★★★½ (180+ reviews)

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Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX mattress: Materials & design

• Both mattresses are luxury hybrid innersprings
• The Saatva Classic has three firmness options and two heights
• The Saatva RX comes in one firmness option and one height

Saatva is the brand behind a suite of quality hybrid mattresses, full of luxury materials to keep you sleeping comfortably through the night. Let’s look at the construction of the Saatva Classic and the Saatva RX.

The Saatva Classic starts with a 3" Euro pillow top made from organic cotton, with zoned quilting in the middle for extra lumbar support. That's complemented by a CertiPUR-US certified gel-infused memory foam strip to help relieve pressure in the lower back.

Next up, a layer of individually wrapped 14.5-gauge recycled steel coils sits on top of a support base made up of 13-gauge tempered steel support coils. This is all wrapped up in a foam encasement around the perimeter to stabilize the whole mattress.

The Saatva Classic comes in two different heights (11.5” and 14.5”) and three different firmness options (Plush Soft, Luxury Firm, and Firm) so you can tailor it to your comfort and space.

The opulent Saatva RX starts with an organic cover along with the same lumbar zone quilting and gel memory foam strip as the Classic. Up next is a layer of 1” micro-coils supported between two slabs of high-density foam for pressure relief and support.

Previously, the Saatva RX used 2” foam modules made from an open-cell foam (similar to latex) to enhance contouring and reduce motion isolation. This has been replaced by a single layer of waved foam with five ergonomic zones for more targeted relief and support. The foam itself is infused with graphite and phase-change material for temperature regulation

For support, there's a layer of individually wrapped 8” coils, with firmer spring coils at the sides for added edge support. (This is another change, as it used to surround the entire perimeter.) The mattress is finished with a non-woven base layer for stability.

The Saatva RX comes in only one firmness level, deemed Supportive Plush (or a 3-4/10 firmness) and a single height of 15".

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX mattress: Comfort & support

• The Saatva Classic has three firmness levels — Luxury Firm suits most
• The Saatva RX comes in 'Supportive Plush' but we found it more firm
• Saatva beds have a more traditional ‘lying on top’ feel so you won’t sink in

The Saatva Classic is available in three firmness options and two heights (the only difference here is the height of the springs). We tested the Luxury Firm in our Saatva Classic Mattress review, which is the brand’s most popular comfort level and, according to Saatva, is designed to suit all sleeping positions. We felt that lightweight side sleepers may find it a little too firm, though.

Starting with the softest option, the Plush Soft is one of the best mattresses for side sleepers who will feel cushioned at their pressure points of hips and shoulders. At the other end of the scale, the Firm mattress is one of the top picks in our best firm mattresses round-up, and is ideally suited to those who enjoy a firm mattress, are of a heavier build, or sleep on their fronts.

In our review, we found that the Luxury Firm Saatva Classic offered great pressure relief, along with a fairly traditional innerspring feel. This is a mattress that you sleep on top of, rather than sinking into. There’s good bounce from the coil system, and the pillow top provides plenty of cushioning comfort. We rate the way this mattress keeps the spine aligned, and you’ll also feel that your pressure points are kept cushioned.

Saatva calls its RX mattress ‘Supportive Plush’, or a 3-4/10 firmness. During our Saatva RX mattress review, our testers found it skewed medium-firm, or around 7.5/10.

Even though it felt firmer than we expected, we thought it did an exceptional job of providing an ideal combo of relief and support for back sleeping, with one of our testers likening it to lying on a pool float ('cushy but without the fear of sinking').

Reactions were mixed among our side sleepers, as one of our lighter testers felt too much pressure buildup in her hips. On the flip side, our average-sized lead tester found much relief from her lower back pain when sleeping on her side, while another one of our average-sized side-sleeping panelists with arthritis in her knees felt comfortable.

Keep in mind that we tested the previous version of the Saatva RX; there's a possibility that the recent design changes will impact the overall bed feel.

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX mattress: Temperature control

• Both mattresses offer great temperature regulation
• Coils and breathable covers on both mattresses promote airflow
• Graphite and PCM-infused foams help the RX sleep cooler

Our testers never felt hot sleeping on either mattress, thanks to the well-spaced coils that promote airflow and breathable organic cotton covers to help wick away sweat and moisture.

There’s also only a small amount of foam in the Saatva Classic mattresses: the memory foam lumbar strip and the dense foam rail. Combined with a dual layer of coils, this design helps prevent heat from getting trapped in the mattress.

The Saatva RX has more foam in its build, but it notably has a layer of graphite and PCM-infused foam to adapt to your body temperature so you're not too warm or cold. It also has a dual coil design, with a layer of support coils and a bed of microcoils. This helps with airflow.

Although both mattresses do a good job of keeping sleepers cool, they’re not specialist cooling mattresses. If you sleep very hot, consider one of our best cooling mattresses recommendations.

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX mattress: Which should you buy?

Buy the Saatva Classic if…

✅ You suffer from general (non-serious) aches and pains: The Saatva Classic does an excellent job of keeping the spine perfectly aligned while alleviating pressure in your joints.

✅ You want to customize your mattress: With three different firmness ratings and two heights, the Saatva Classic allows sleepers to choose the mattress that’s right for their specific sleeping style.

✅ You’re on a smaller budget: The Saatva Classic is still a luxury option, but it’s far cheaper than the Saatva RX. So, if you’ve got money to spend but can’t stretch to the higher price of the RX, the Classic is the option to go with.

Buy the Saatva RX if…

✅ You suffer from severe and chronic back and joint conditions: The Saatva RX is specifically designed for chronic conditions such as sciatica and arthritis and is designed to give you maximum support and relief.

✅ You want a slightly plusher top: Although you won’t sink into either mattress, the top of the RX feels slightly cushier than that of the Classic, with a little more give around the hips and shoulders.

✅ You've got a bigger budget: If money is no option and you suffer from serious back issues, the Saatva RX is worth the extra for its very specifically designed support.

Saatva Classic vs Saatva RX: The bottom line

The Saatva Classic is our number one-rated mattress for a reason. The flexibility in firmness levels, along with its outstanding all-around performance, can benefit sleepers who deal with occasional, non-serious aches and pains.

But if you want an orthopedic bed that doesn't look like one, the Saatva RX will be your best bet, granted you have the cash to splash. Customization is limited, and we wonder about its perceived softness, but there's no question that it's an excellent choice for sleepers with severe pain who need specialized care.