We Tested More Than 100 Pillows—These 11 Are the Best for Neck Pain

Best Overall

Helix GlacioTex Cooling Memory Foam Pillow

View on Helix

Why We Like It

The Helix GlacioTex Cooling Memory Foam Pillow "revolutionized" our sleep. After dealing with an achy, stiff neck night after night, the Helix GlacioTex Pillow almost immediately fixed the neck pain we'd dealt with from a combination of tech neck and past poor pillows.

Even as a stomach sleeper, our tester described this pillow as "unreal" at temperature regulation and felt a cool-to-the-touch feeling—"like a spring breeze through a cracked window"—all night. Plus, the pillow never lost its shape throughout testing and was ready to spring back up for full support every morning.

The pillow is available in a low loft—4.75 inches, great for back and stomach sleepers—or a high loft of 5.25 inches, more ideal for side sleepers. With a copper-infused memory foam core, the pillow draws heat away while supporting your head and neck with a solid middle. It's topped off with Helix's GlacioTex fabric, a honeycomb fabric pattern designed to pull additional heat away from your body while sleeping.

It's Worth Noting

This pillow is on the expensive side, but our tester—who had never previously given much thought to pillows—thought this pick was definitely a worthwhile investment in better, more supportive sleep.

The GlacioTex fabric is only available on the topside of the pillow, something to keep in mind if you like to flip your pillows.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Memory foam
• Loft: Low (4.75) or high (5.25)
• Firmness: Medium
• Sizes: Standard, King
• Trial or guarantee: 100-night trial

Best Overall, Runner-up Pillow for Neck Pain

Casper Hybrid Pillow with Snow Technology

$179 $150 at Amazon $150 at Target $149 at Nordstrom

Why We Like It

According to our tester, who is a side and stomach sleeper, the Casper Hybrid Pillow is extremely comfortable and supportive—she said it feels like a foam brick that molds to your head and shoulders, providing ample support and eliminating any neck pain after a good night’s sleep on it. She also noted that the pillow holds its shape impeccably, even after sleeping on it night after night. 

That’s because this pillow is made from an innovative foam and fiber inner, one of the most supportive and resilient materials. Most foam pillows also run hot, but Casper’s blended materials, breathable design, and Snow Technology—a breathable foam layer—make the Casper Hybrid an exception: Our tester said she’s never felt a pillow that’s so cool to the touch all the time, and that she could even feel the coolness through her pillowcase.

This pillow’s support, comfort, and consistent cooling are why the Casper Hybrid Pillow with Snow Technology is our best overall pillow to help with neck pain for most people.

Plus, our tester found the pillowcase exceptionally easy to remove, clean, and put back on—a small win, but one that will save you regular frustration. Lastly, Casper offers a 30-night sleep trial and has great customer service if you’re not happy with your purchase. Even better, this pillow is backed by a one-year warranty.

It’s Worth Noting 

This pillow is definitely pricey. And while support and cooling work together to justify the price tag for many, its lack of heat retention may not be an issue worth a $150 solution for everyone.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Foam and fiber
• Loft: Low, medium, high
• Firmness: Medium
• Sizes: Standard, King
• Trial or guarantee: 30-day return
  

Best Cervical Pillow for Neck Pain

The Company Store Neck Support Memory Foam Pillow

$95 at The Company Store $119 $89 at Home Depot

Why We Like It

Cervical pillows, designed with a raised edge and lower center, cradle the head and support the neck while sleeping on your back and are more supportive than a traditional flat pillow, Lees explains. 

Thanks to its material, The Company Store Neck Support Memory Foam Pillow is excellent at keeping its shape and providing consistent support, which held up when we tried it out. Our tester, a combo sleeper, said this pillow allowed her neck to feel so rested and offered relief from her constantly stiff neck. 

At $83, that relief is a steal. 

Our experts do note that a cervical pillow’s extra support can be too much for some people and lead to more soreness. While the brand recommends giving your body time to adjust, we love that The Company Store accepts returns within 30 days in case this pillow is too supportive for you in the end.

It’s Worth Noting 

Due to cervical pillows’ unique shape, they typically work best for back sleepers. They won’t be comfortable for stomach sleepers, and most cervical pillows aren’t designed for side or combination sleepers. A cervical pillow may take time for your body to adjust; try alternating with a traditional pillow every other night for two weeks.

Also, The Company Store Neck Support Memory Foam Pillow is a unique size that won’t fit a standard pillowcase. It does come with two machine-washable covers, but not matching the rest of your bedding may be a (minor) con for some.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Memory foam
• Loft: 5 inches
• Firmness: Firm
• Sizes: Non-standard (24.75 inches x 15 inches)
• Trial or guarantee: 30-day return
  

Best Splurge Pillow for Neck Pain

Kanuda Primo Air Pillow

View on Kanudausa.com

Why We Like It

Designed with doctors and sleep experts, Kanuda created their entire line of pillows specifically to promote proper spine alignment and combat neck pain. The Kanuda Primo Air is made with wider and higher sides to support side sleepers and comes with a height adjustment insert to fully customize the pillow to the height that suits you best in your preferred sleep position. It's made with perforated foam to get the benefits of a cooling, supportive pillow—neck-supporting contouring, solid airflow, and temperature regulation.

This pillow is on the firmer side for total support but still comfortable, and its higher sides and low-loft center make it useful for back and side sleepers. As a cooling bonus, it comes with a breathable cover.

While the Kanuda Primo Air is an expensive pillow, the brand says it was designed to replicate physical therapy sessions. It targets the Occipital Cranial Base Release (OCBR) and CV4 therapy for compression of the fourth ventricle, which is meant to help with nervous system function.

It’s Worth Noting 

This pillow has a polyurethane foam inner, which can trigger allergies in some sleepers.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Foam
• Loft: Standard cervical, comes with an adjustable insert
• Firmness: Firm
• Sizes: Standard
• Trial or guarantee: 45-day return, 1-year limited warranty

Best Pillow for Combination Sleepers with Neck Pain

Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow

View on Amazon $119 $96 at Nest Bedding

Why We Like It

Sleep position is critical in determining what loft (height) you need in a pillow to keep your neck in line with your spine—which means those of us who flip back and forth between our stomach, back, and side have a difficult time picking a pillow. Adjustable pillows are great as you can add or remove fill to adjust the loft to the level that feels best for you personally, no matter how you sleep.

One thing that all three of our experts made clear: There isn’t a one-size-fits-all best pillow for people with neck pain. Your body shape, sleep position, and personal pain points all come into play for what will be comfortable for you—which is why an adjustable pillow with customization is the safest purchase if you aren’t sure what loft you want or you’re trying to change your sleep position.

The Nest Easy Breather Pillow is made with shredded CertiPUR-US certified medium-firm foam fill, will naturally conform to your body, and is hypoallergenic. 

This pillow felt extremely luxurious during testing, and when adjusted to our preferred loft, it felt very supportive—like a posturepedic pillow even without being full—and stayed cool throughout the night.

It’s Worth Noting 

Our tester reported this pillow smelled a little funny directly out of the box, but that dissipated quickly and left no residual smell.

Also, this pillow is on the pricier side, but the adjustability means it will continue to serve you even if your pain points or sleep position change over time.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Foam and polyester fiber
• Loft: Adjustable
• Firmness: Medium-firm
• Sizes: Standard/Queen, King, Side Sleeper
• Trial or guarantee: 30-night sleep trial; 2-year warranty

Best Pillow for Stomach Sleepers with Neck Pain

Purple Harmony Pillow

$199 at Amazon View on Purple $199 at Wayfair

Why We Like It

A hypoallergenic pillow like the Purple Harmony Pillow is designed to alleviate neck pain and not irritate allergies. It has a unique internal grid structure optimized for head and neck support and a hypoallergenic Talalay latex core that offers all the contouring and cooling properties without the irritation of a natural rubber latex. Together, these allow this pillow to support your head and neck in any sleeping position. 

We particularly like that it comes in a Low loft (among three height options) for stomach sleepers to score all the benefits of this pillow at a lower height, better aligning their neck and spine. During testing, our stomach- and side-sleeper immediately noticed the Purple Harmony Pillow’s quality and comfort, noting the soft and breathable cover and describing the inner material as feeling like “memory jello” (that is, like memory foam, but the most comfortable jello). They noted that the pillow always maintained its shape and sprung right back up in the morning—something that’s hard to maintain in a low-loft pillow ideal for stomach sleepers. 

It’s Worth Noting 

This pillow is the most expensive on our list, but considering the benefits—and the company’s 100-night trial period—it’s worth the investment.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Talalay latex
• Loft: Low, medium, high
• Firmness: Medium
• Sizes: Standard, King
• Trial or guarantee: 100-night sleep trial

Best Firm Pillow for Neck Pain

Avocado Molded Latex Pillow

$149 $134 at Avocadogreenmattress.com

Why We Like It

Firmer pillows keep their shape better throughout the night and provide more support, says Dr. Lin, making them a great choice for side sleepers and those with severe neck pain.

Avocado makes its mattresses and pillows—including the Molded Latex Support Pillow—with Greenguard Gold Certified organic latex. Latex is a great sleep material thanks to its support and shape retention, which means it won't sag or deflate with use. While the Avocado Molded Latex Support Pillow took a little bit of adjusting over the first few nights, we found that it significantly reduced our neck pain and had us waking up pain-free. We also found it great for temperature regulation and breathability, thanks to its charcoal infusion and drilled holes for added airflow. Its lightweight cover is machine washable.

It’s Worth Noting 

Because this pillow is firm, we needed a few days to get used to it. The latex in this pillow initially had an odor—which sometimes became worse while using it with damp hair—but it did dissipate.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Latex
• Loft: 5 inches
• Firmness: Firm
• Sizes: Standard, Queen, King
• Trial or guarantee: 100-night trial, one-year warranty

Best Latex Pillow for Neck Pain

Brooklyn Bedding Talalay Pillow

$67 at Brooklynbedding.com

Why We Like It

Compared to memory foam, latex fill offers the same great body contour—great for keeping you in a pain-free position once you find one—and maintains its shape over time, but it runs cooler. The only downside, really, is that many people are allergic to natural rubber latex. But this Brooklyn Bedding pillow offers all the perks in a hypoallergenic alternative: Talalay latex.

After three months of sleeping with this pillow, our tester reported that it cradles the neck incredibly well when sleeping on your back or side and that she liked how responsive and supportive it was to her movement while she slept. Overall, she said the pain in her neck and shoulders isn’t as frequent after using this pillow night after night. The pillow's design kept it breathable and not hot, and the removable cover was easy to wash and get back on.

We also love that it comes in two lofts: low, which is great for back sleepers, or high, perfect for side sleepers.

It’s Worth Noting 

Our tester reported this pillow is too firm for sleeping on your stomach (even in the low loft option). She also added it took some time to get used to: It was so sturdy that at first, she didn’t like it, but after a few nights, she got used to how firm it was and really valued its pain-relieving properties.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Talalay latex
• Loft: Low, high
• Firmness: Firm
• Sizes: Queen, King
• Trial or guarantee: 30-day return; 3-year warranty

Best Budget Pillow for Neck Pain

Linenspa Memory Foam Pillows

$22 $19 at Amazon

Why We Like It

For $30, you can score two shredded memory foam pillows from Linenspa that we found great at contouring to the head, supporting the neck, and keeping cool despite being memory foam. 

Out of the box, we noted that the pillow's fabric had a soft and (perhaps surprising) luxury feel. The shredded memory foam creates a plush-like feeling that bounces back and after sleeping on this pillow for many nights, we found the pillow firm but comfortable. We found it easy to move from one position to another if you’re a combo sleeper, and the pillow contours seamlessly without a need to adjust it as you roll over.

It’s Worth Noting 

Because the memory foam is shredded on the inside, these pillows won’t have quite the motion-isolation effect that a full memory foam block pillow will. Also, our tester noted that the standard pillow is slightly narrower than the traditional size, leaving a small gap at the top or bottom of the pillowcase—but this isn't a big enough concern to override the affordable price and top quality.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Memory foam, shredded
• Loft: Medium
• Firmness: Medium
• Sizes: Standard, Queen, King
• Trial or guarantee: None

Best Cooling Pillow for Neck Pain

Purple DreamLayer Pillow

$199 $160 at Amazon $199 at Walmart View on Purple

Why We Like It

If you run hot at night, a cooling pillow will help you score a more sound night’s sleep. Using Purple's signature GelFlex grid—the purple grid material that tops all of Purple's mattresses—this pillow was designed to eliminate the heat-trapping issue most foam pillows have. We found that it succeeded. The pillow felt just as cool when we woke up as when we fell asleep; no adjustments required.

The DreamLayer Pillow complements the gel grid with an air-infused foam base and washable, moisture-wicking cover. But the real standout of this pillow was its adjustability for all positions. The DreamLayer comes with two "boosters"—thin, upholstered foam pieces—that insert into the case to suit your height.

All in all, we felt that the DreamLayer Pillow offered a luxe, cooling sleep experience that enabled us to sleep through the night with ease.

It’s Worth Noting 

Like the Helix GlacioTex Pillow, the Purple DreamLayer Pillow's top cooling feature—the GelFlex Grid—is only present on one side. The white moisture-wicking cover was also prone to staining during our test, but it is washable.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Gel and foam 
• Loft: Adjustable
• Firmness: Soft/Medium
• Sizes: Standard
• Trial or guarantee: 100-night sleep trial and one-year warranty

Best Gel Pillow for Neck Pain

Weekender Ventilated Gel Memory Foam Pillow

$32 at Amazon

Why We Like It

Gel and memory foam both have great contouring properties to support your neck in whatever position you may sleep, and this Weekender pillow combines the best of both while ditching the worst of memory foam (heat retention).

Our tester noted this pillow outperformed every gel memory foam she had in the past. She also liked that the Weekender was very firm, supporting her head and neck—while still being extremely comfortable. There were zero adjustments needed to the pillow and, as she shifted positions throughout the night, she never felt the need to re-adjust the pillow. In addition to its firmness, our tester reported the pillow felt snuggly, soft, and sturdy.

It’s Worth Noting 

This pillow may be too firm and too high of a loft for some. Also, our tester noted it is just a tad too long to fully fit inside a Queen pillowcase, which might be annoying to some for aesthetic reasons.

Product Details:

• Pillow Type: Gel memory foam
• Loft: High
• Firmness: Firm
• Sizes: Standard, Queen, King
• Trial or guarantee: None