The short answer: pocket sprung mattresses suit sleepers who want responsive, breathable support and easy movement in bed; memory foam suits those who want close body-contouring and maximum motion isolation. Neither is objectively better — they feel fundamentally different, and the right one depends on how you sleep.
How each works
Pocket sprung: hundreds to thousands of springs, each sewn into its own fabric pocket, compress independently — support follows your body's shape while air moves freely through the spring core. Spring counts (1000, 2000) indicate how finely the surface responds.
Memory foam: a viscoelastic foam layer softens with body heat and moulds to your exact shape, spreading pressure across the whole contact area and absorbing nearly all movement.
Head to head
| Pocket sprung | Memory foam | |
|---|---|---|
| Feel | Supportive, responsive, slight bounce | Contouring, cradling, slow response |
| Temperature | Cooler — open spring core breathes | Warmer — foam retains heat |
| Partner disturbance | Low (independent springs) | Lowest (foam absorbs motion) |
| Ease of movement | Easy to change position | Can feel 'held' when turning |
| Pressure relief | Good, improves with spring count | Excellent for side sleepers |
| Typical price | Mid-range | Budget to premium |
Who suits which?
Choose pocket sprung if you sleep warm, change position through the night, or want that classic supported feel — our Pocket Master 1000 and 2000 cover the standard and high-count options.
Choose memory foam if you're a side sleeper with pressure points, share a bed with a restless partner, or love the cradled sensation.
Want both? Hybrid designs layer memory comfort over a sprung core — our memory-topped open coil and 1000 pocket sprung pillow-top mattresses take this approach at two price points.
One more factor: your bed frame
On an ottoman bed, mattress weight affects the gas lift — pocket sprung models usually hit the ideal weight range. Full details in our ottoman mattress guide.
