Small Futon vs Sofa Bed: Your Comparison Guide
If you are not sure whether a small futon or a sofa bed is the best option for you, this comparison guide can help. Click on each category to learn more.
If you are looking for a high quality small futon at a price you can afford, contact us.
Small Futon vs Sofa Bed
1. Difference Between Futons and Sofa Beds

Futon:
A futon has a frame that is made of either metal or wood. The
futon mattress sits on top of this frame. The futon mattress serves multiple purposes including:
- Couch cushion when it's in a seating position
- Back support when it's in a seating position
- Sleeping mattress when it's expanded to be used as a bed

Sofa Bed:
A sofa bed, on the other hand, has its mattress hidden underneath the frame of the sofa when you are using it as a couch.
It comes with separate seat cushions that you use when you want to want to sit on it and that you remove when you pull out the the mattress and frame to use it as a bed.
Photo by Maniago, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
2. Price Points
The price you pay for a small futon or sofa bed will depend on a several factors including:
- The quality of the materials
- The quality of the artistry
- The size you want
- The style you choose
- The manufacturer
Futons:
A small futon will usually cost somewhere between $600 to $800 for the frame and mattress where a larger one made of hardwood could cost up to $1,500.
Sofa Beds:
In general, you will probably pay more for a sofa bed than a small futon. A sofa bed could cost anywhere from $600 to $5,000 or more.

A small futon usually costs between $600 and $800
3. Comfort Level
Futons:
Futons generally have thicker mattresses than sofa beds which make them more comfortable to sleep on. If you are going to use your futon for sleeping regularly, then they are a more comfortable option.
Make sure you choose a quality mattress such as one made from memory foam. This type of futon mattress can be just as comfortable as a regular bed.
Sofa Beds:
Because the sofa bed mattress has to be able to fold up and hide within its frame when it's not being used as a bed, the mattresses need to be thinner and quite flexible. This often means that they are not very comfortable to sleep on.
If you are purchasing a sofa bed, it's a good idea to test out the mattress to make sure it is thick and firm enough and that you can't feel the springs through it.

Choose a small futon with a comfortable mattress
4. Available Sizes
Both futons and sofa beds come in a full range of sizes including:
- Single
- Double
- Queen
- King
If you are looking for a small futon or sofa bed, then selecting a style without arms will give more sleeping space without the extra width of arm rests on either side. Some styles of futons are designed with arms that fold down so that you can have the best of both worlds.
If you are really wanting to cut down on the space that your small futon or sofa bed takes up, then remember that a sofa bed has the extra back that doesn't fold down. This means that it will stick out from the wall further than the same size of futon will. That's because the back of your futon folds down and becomes a part of your frame.

The back of your futon folds down so it takes up less space
5. Ease of Operation
Futons:
A modern and well-made small futon is generally very easy operate and convert from a seating position to a sleeping position and vice versa. For many models, you simply need to press the back of the futon down or lift the front of the futon up to turn it into a bed. To bring it back into a sofa position, simply lift the back up or push the front down.
Sofa Beds:
A sofa bed requires a few more steps to set up than a futon. First, you need to remove all of the cushions and store them away. Then you need to pull the frame up and out to unfold it.
The frame is usually made of metal can be quit heavy to pull out. You are essentially lifting the frame and a mattress at the same time. When you wake up from sleeping, you fold the frame inside the sofa and put the seat cushions back in place
Watch how easy it is to operate this futon
6. Uses
A small futon or sofa bed has many great uses. Here are just a few.
Small apartments:
Small futons and sofa beds are a good choice for small apartments, bachelor apartments, and studio apartments. They can help you make the most of your limited space as they can be used during the day for sitting and at night for sleeping. They also can turn a one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom if you have one in your living room.
Multi-purpose spaces:
A small futon or sofa bed is great for multi-purpose rooms like dens, game rooms, or family rooms. Because they are multi-purpose furniture, they are a great way to optimize the space in your multifunctional areas.
Small bedrooms:
If a king or queen-size bed takes up too much space in your bedroom so that you have no room to move around during the day, but you do not want to settle for a single or double bed, then why not invest in a small futon or sofa bed.
Choose one without arms to maximize the space even further. You can have a queen or king-size futon that will give you all the room you need to sleep comfortably every night and then when you wake up, you can simply convert it to a sofa to give you all the space you need to walk around during the day.
Home offices:
A small futon or sofa bed tucked away into a corner of your office won't take up a lot of precious space and it will be ready to use if you need to use your office as an extra guest bedroom. In addition, it is the perfect spot for a mid-afternoon nap to get your creative juices running again.

Futons are great for multi-functional spaces
For the Best Quality and Best Price for Your Futon, Choose The Futon Shop
If you are looking for the best quality futons at the best price, contact The Futon Shop. At The Futon Shop, we know how amazing our futons are because we are both the manufacturer and the retailer! Since 1984 we have been manufacturing our line of high-quality futons in a wide variety of styles and sizes. If you prefer, we can also make a custom size to meet your exact requirements.
All of our futons are crafted right here in Canada at our Burlington Ontario location, so you can be sure that you are getting a quality product that will last. We are the largest futon manufacturer in Canada and we even build our line of high-quality futon mattresses. You can come to see our incredible lineup at our Burlington location or you can shop for all of our products online. We ship all across Canada.
Looking for a small futon? Here are a few options to choose from. Click here to see our full gallery.



"We purchased from here instead of getting something shipped from Amazon because we were hoping for better quality & better customer service, not to mention supporting local, and we were not disappointed. Everyone we spoke with was super kind & helpful, our order was ready quickly and they fully loaded it into our vehicle, and when we had a slight issue with our order they were extremely quick to resolve it. The futon looks great and the mattress is really comfy. We did go with the tahoe pine frame which is not the best quality wood, but that’s to be expected in our price range - opt for better if you can afford it. Overall, worth the extra drive to Burlington (or the shipping cost if you get delivery).
."
- Kathleen Pacheco
The Futon Shop Burlington Showroom Business Hours
Tuesday - Friday: 10:00am - 4:00pm | Saturday: 10:00am - 3:00pm Sunday - Monday: Closed
5205 Harvester Rd, Burlington, L7L, ON, Canada




