Twin vs. Twin XL Mattress

You may be in the market for a twin sized bed if you have a dorm room, a studio apartment, a kid’s room, or a multipurpose room. The question is, do you need a twin or a twin XL? While the twin mattress and the twin XL mattress are the same width, the XL is several inches longer than the twin. A few inches of extra length may not seem like much, but it could impact everything from your sleeping comfort to the amount of clearance you have between your bed and other furniture.

Below, we’ll go over the differences between the twin and the twin XL—their dimensions, the best room sizes for them, their prices, and which could be the best mattress for you.

Twin Size Mattress

Coming in at a modest 38 by 75 inches, the standard twin or single bed is the smallest bed size suitable for adults. (Although, it’s not big enough for taller adults.)

But don’t let its small size fool you.

Though the twin mattress is comparatively tiny, it still makes a great bed for adults as well as kids. Most adults under 6 feet tall find twins perfectly adequate, so if you want to spend more money on a quality mattress like a memory foam or a pocketed coil hybrid but still want to keep the bed price down, a standard twin may be the answer.

Pros and Cons of a Twin Size Mattress

Pros

Since the twin is the smallest adult-sized bed, it’s also normally the cheapest. The XL usually isn’t too much pricier than the regular twin, but if you’re looking for the most budget-friendly option, the twin is definitely it.

Twins also are the most compact bed to move. Their small size means they’re easy to lift, maneuver around corners, and haul upstairs. In fact, twins are so compact it sometimes doesn’t even take more than one person to move them. If you spend a lot of time on the road—like if you move back and forth to your college dorm room every year—the twin might be for you.

Cons

The twin mattress size is only 6 feet 3 inches long, so if you’re over 6 feet tall, the twin’s paltry 75 inches may not provide enough legroom for you. Remember, you’re going to need a few extra inches above your head for your pillow, and another few below your feet to allow for movement. If you’re on the taller side, it may be best to opt for a twin XL.

Ideal Room Dimensions for a Twin Bed

A twin bed is perfect for tiny rooms, leaving plenty of space for play, work, and storage in even the smallest of bedrooms. Since the twin is only a little over 3 feet wide and just over 6 feet long, it can fit in a room as small as 7 by 8 feet—leaving 2 feet of space on both sides and another 2 feet at the foot of the bed. Depending on the amount of furniture you want, you may need a larger room to fit a twin bed. But the good news is a twin bed will give you plenty of space to combine your guest room with an office or studio.

Twin Mattress Cost

If you skimp on quality, you can pay as little as $100 for a twin mattress. However, you should really only buy a mattress that cheap if it’s not going to see much use. If you’re purchasing a mattress for daily use, you can expect to pay $400 to $1,500. Usually, if a twin is on the more expensive end of this range, it’s because it’s a higher-end mattress with extra sleep technologies that increase the cost of manufacture. If you just want a quality mattress without the bells and whistles, you can easily get a well-made twin for under $1,000.

Twin XL Size Mattress

While they’re still 38 inches wide, twin XL beds boast an extra 5 inches of length, bringing their total dimensions to 38 by 80 inches. Twin XL mattresses are the same length as queen and king mattresses. (In fact, a split king is nothing more than a king bed frame with two twin XL mattresses placed within.)

Pros and Cons of a Twin XL Size Mattress

Pros

The twin XL mattress size is a much better option for anyone over 6 feet tall, offering taller sleepers sufficient space to stretch out without letting their feet dangle.

The twin XL may also be the best choice for children’s rooms if you don’t want to have to replace your kids’ beds once they hit their teen years. Since only the California king mattress is longer than the 6.6-foot twin XL, most kids will never outgrow their twin XL bed.

Cons

The twin XL is not quite as easy on the budget as the twin, and if you’ve got a tiny room, the XL will take up a bit more space than the regular. Also, the twin XL’s extra length makes it harder to move around corners and through stairwells than the standard twin.

Ideal Room Dimensions for a Twin XL Bed

Since the XL is longer than the twin, you’ll need a room no less than 7 by 9 feet to achieve around 2 feet of clearance on 3 sides of the bed. Again, if you’re going to be putting other furniture in the room, it may need to be closer to 8 by 10 feet or more.

Twin XL Mattress Cost

Most of the time, the twin XL shouldn’t be too much more expensive than the standard twin. Most manufacturers will charge between $50 to $200 more for an XL of the same model. You should expect to pay between $300 for a lower-quality twin XL to $2,000 for a luxury twin XL with state-of-the-art sleep technologies.

FAQs

What are the other standard bed dimensions?

Besides the twin and the twin XL, there are 4 other standard mattress sizes that pretty much every mattress manufacturer will make and every mattress store will sell. They are:

• Full or Double Bed—54 inches wide by 75 inches long
• Queen—60 inches wide by 80 inches long
• King—76 inches wide by 80 inches long
• California King—72 inches wide by 84 inches long

What size are bunk beds?

You can actually get bunk beds in a few different sizes. While a typical bunk bed for a child’s room features 2 standard twin mattresses, you can also get twin XL or even full size bunk bed frames. The size you choose depends on what’s the best thing to accommodate your needs and how long you think your kids will be using the bunk bed setup.

Do I need to upgrade to a full size bed?

Maybe. It depends on your sleep position, height, and how much you move around at night. If your feet are hanging over your standard twin mattress, or you feel like adjusting your position during sleep is too difficult on a twin, it may be time to consider sizing up to a full or a queen. If you want to learn more about these two larger sizes, check out our full vs. queen mattress guide.

What’s the best mattress material for a twin?

Size doesn’t have much of an impact on what kind of material is best for you. If you like memory foam mattresses, you’re probably going to like them in every size mattress, whether it’s a twin or a king.

The same goes for innerspring and latex mattresses. Regardless of size, you’re going to want to purchase a mattress made of high-quality material.

Which size goes in a split king?

In order to set up a split king bed, you’ll have to use two twin XL mattresses, as the king bed frame is built to accommodate a standard king mattress with dimensions of 76 by 80 inches. If you use regular twin mattresses, they’ll be too short for the king bed frame.

Can I use a twin mattress in a crib?

No. A standard baby’s crib dimensions are 27 inches wide by 51 inches long—much shorter and narrower than the 38 by 75-inch twin. If you need a crib, it’s going to have to have a crib mattress. Fortunately, there are plenty of high-quality, budget-friendly options for those parents concerned about how fast their baby will grow out of the crib.

Bottom Line

Probably the main deciding factor, when you’re choosing between a twin and a twin XL, is the height of the sleeper who’s going to be using it (or their potential height). If the sleeper is under 6 feet tall and they’re going to stay that way, a 75-inch long standard twin should work just fine. However, anyone over 6 feet is going to need a twin XL in order to sleep better and wake up refreshed.