Best Pillows for Neck Pain in 2026

An adjustable design, breathable construction, and durable materials set the Saatva Latex Pillow apart from much of the competition. People with neck pain should get the relief they need regardless of which sleep position they primarily use.

How It Performed

You can choose between using the inner pillow and the core together or using just the inner pillow. Stomach sleepers on our team who prefer flatter models enjoyed using the inner pillow, which has a 2-inch loft and a softer feel. If you sleep on your side, we recommend using both pillows. This configuration has an 8-inch loft that helps keep a side sleeper’s head and neck aligned with other areas along the spine.

A thick gusset helps the pillow maintain a full shape, earning it high marks in our shape retention tests. Thanks to this feature, you shouldn’t need to fluff it very often. Latex and cotton are both naturally breathable materials, so the internal components didn’t retain too much body heat and the pillow slept fairly cool during our tests.

What It’s Made Of

The core contains shredded Talalay latex that feels soft and responsive in equal measure. Down alternative microdenier fiber cushion the inner pillow to enhance the plushness without compromising support. The outer cover is made of breathable organic cotton. As a bonus for owners, both the cover and microdenier pillow can be laundered at home, allowing you to avoid inconvenient hand washing or dry cleaning bills. Queen and king sizes are available.

As part of your purchase, you may include two sateen pillowcases for an added charge. Saatva provides free shipping to all customers in the contiguous U.S. The pillow is backed by a 45-night sleep trial and 1-year warranty.

Some pillows run cool while others excel at relieving neck pain, but the Layla BioCrystal checks both boxes for anyone hoping to reduce discomfort and minimize heat retention while they sleep. The innovative design incorporates 16 types of healing crystals intended to promote relaxation and inner-peace while you’re winding down for bed.

How It Performed

Like many other adjustable pillows our team has tested, the Layla BioCrystal earned strong ratings across the board — but we disagreed on the ideal number of foam inserts to use. Side sleepers preferred three or four inserts for maximum loft, back sleepers were content with two inserts and a mid-range profile, and stomach sleepers used one insert to prevent undue neck strain. The foam inserts don’t absorb much heat and the cover is highly breathable, so the pillow is a great match for hot sleepers. Since the inserts consist of solid foam, you also won’t need to fluff the pillow too often to maintain a full shape.

What It’s Made Of

The pillow comes with four inserts, all containing solid adaptive foam. This material is meant to contour around your head and neck like traditional memory foam, but without retaining the same amount of body heat. You can unzip the stretch-nylon cover to add or remove the inserts. The more inserts you use, the firmer the pillow feels.

Layla offers free ground shipping to customers in the contiguous U.S. The BioCrystal Pillow comes with a 30-night sleep trial. If you decide to keep the pillow after the return period comes to an end, your purchase is also covered under a 5-year warranty.

If you’re a combination sleepers, you may need a pillow to accommodate the various positions you use over the course of a single night. Helix’s aptly named ComfortAdjust Cooling Pillow allows full customization for firmness and loft, with fill you can add or remove to change the overall feel, and side zippers that can be closed and opened to alter the pillow’s thickness. 

How It Performed

After concluding hands-on tests of the Helix ComfortAdjust Cooling Pillow, our team can confidently recommend it to most people no matter which position they prefer. Adjustable loft and firmness let you expand the pillow’s shape for side sleeping, flatten the profile when sleeping on your stomach, and find a happy mid-loft balance for sleeping on your back. Side zippers and an inner fill pouch make customizing these settings a hassle-free process.

The GlacioTex cover is a notable feature because the fabric is engineered to capture and release body heat when it comes into contact with your skin. This should appeal to hot sleepers and people who are prone to night sweats. Cushy fill and a soft cover also make the pillow quite moldable and snuggly, and the shell is removable and machine-washable for easy care.

What It’s Made Of

The ComfortAdjust Cooling Pillow contains a proprietary fill blend of shredded memory foam and down alternative clusters. These materials create a surface that feels both supersoft and adaptive, so you’ll get a nice contour for your head and neck without too much sinkage beneath these areas. Adding more fill can expand the shape further without sacrificing support.

The cover is composed of GlacioTex, a fabric engineered to dissipate body heat on contact. Zippers on both sides may be opened to increase the pillow’s loft, or closed to reduce thickness and create a lower profile. The ComfortAdjust Cooling Pillow is competitively priced, and Helix offers free ground shipping and a 30-night sleep trial for all orders within the contiguous U.S.

The Eli & Elm Side-Sleeper Pillow has an unconventional shape with a recessed bottom to accommodate your shoulder while you sleep on your side. This ergonomic design also provides the necessary support to reduce neck pain.

How It Performed

The pillow has a relatively high loft that our side-sleeping testers thoroughly enjoyed. This thickness helps keep your head and neck aligned with the rest of your body while sleeping on your side. Although the pillow is specifically designed for side sleepers, our team’s back sleepers weighing up to 230 pounds also enjoyed this model’s mid-range feel.

Latex has a more responsive feel, and this prevented the pillow from sinking beneath the weight of our testers’ heads. Thanks to the use of breathable materials like cotton and latex, the pillow excelled in our temperature neutrality tests. We recommend this model if you tend to run hot or sweat at night.

What It’s Made Of

The filling is a blend of latex and polyester fiber that provides enough resistance to hold your head aloft. Latex is a naturally breathable material, and the filling features gel infusions for enhanced cooling. Filling can be added or removed to adjust the loft, which also had an impact on the firmness during our tests. You can also purchase additional fill if you prefer an even thicker profile. The pillow has a breathable cover made of an organic cotton and polyester blend, which you can machine wash for easy care.

The Eli & Elm Organic Cotton Side-Sleeper Pillow is offered in just one size, suitable for a queen or a king mattress. Shipping is free to the contiguous U.S. The pillow comes with a 45-day return policy and a 5-year warranty.

This pillow from Brooklyn Bedding contains a solid latex core that cushions sore spots with just enough springiness to settle the head and neck. Two firmness options are available – we found that most back sleepers prefer the low-profile design, while side sleepers get the support they need from the high-loft pillow.

How It Performed

Our side sleepers felt most comfortable on the high-loft pillow. This design provides plenty of padding to fill the space between your head and downward-facing shoulder, which is crucial for proper spinal alignment and less neck pain when lying in the side position. Some of our back sleepers also preferred the high-loft pillow, but others found the lower-loft pillow better suited to their needs. The pillow will probably be too thick for stomach sleepers regardless of loft selection.

Temperature control was a testing highlight. The latex is ventilated with small holes to promote air circulation and the cover is highly breathable, so the pillow should sleep noticeably cooler than competing models with memory foam cores. Our tests also show the pillow excels at shape retention, even after prolonged use.

What It’s Made Of

The pillow’s core consists of solid Talalay latex, a material known for natural springiness and durability. A soft Tencel cover encases the latex. You may remove and machine wash the cover whenever a cleaning is needed. The pillow is available in lofts of 4 and 5 inches. Customers can also choose between queen and king sizes.

The Talalay Latex Pillow is affordably priced compared to many competing models made from the same materials, and Brooklyn Bedding offers free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. Your purchase comes with a 30-night trial period. If you decide to keep the pillow, it’s also covered under a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

The Silk & Snow Pillow offers deep cushioning to cradle the neck and reduce pressure while delivering moderate support. An adjustable design allows you to customize for firmness and loft, so the pillow is suitable for any sleep position, and a breathable, machine-washable cotton shell makes for cool nights and easy maintenance.

How It Performed

Given the adjustable design, the Silk & Snow was compatible with most of our testers’ sleep positions. Even stomach sleepers on our team, who typically have a harder time finding suitable pillows, found this pillow comfortable. If you sleep on your stomach, you often require low-loft pillows to keep your head aligned with your spine. This pillow allows you to remove large amounts of foam in order to achieve this low loft.

The plush fill and memory foam together offer excellent contouring for your head and neck, which goes a long way toward relieving aches and pains. At the same time, we found the pillow retains a medium feel that prevented our testers’ heads from sinking deep into the pillow.

What It’s Made Of

The pillow features a core made of shredded memory foam that helps lift the head while remaining quite moldable. The foam core is surrounded by a chamber of microfiber fill that mimics the plush feel of down, offering cushioning for the head and neck. A breathable cotton shell encases the pillow. This cover is also removable and machine-washable for easy care. Silk & Snow recommends you wash on a cold cycle and dry on a low setting.

Silk & Snow offers a 100-night sleep trial, during which you can test the mattress and return it after a mandatory 30-day break-in period. The pillow is also backed by a 3-year warranty. Shipping within the contiguous U.S. and all Canadian provinces is free.

Finding a high-quality pillow with a reasonable price-point can be somewhat challenging. The Sweet Zzz Plant-Based Pillow is constructed with fill and cover materials that our testers found both breathable and long-lasting. Our testing team gave the pillow high marks for durability and affordability, making it a great option for shoppers with limited budgets.

How It Performed

The medium feel offered a comfortable balance of cushioning and support that most of our team enjoyed. Our testing found back sleepers particularly appreciated the mid-range feel, which helped keep their bodies on an even plane while relieving pressure in the neck. You may also enjoy the pillow if you tend to sleep hot because the fibers retain less heat than traditional down. The cover is naturally moisture-wicking, making it a great option if you often sweat at night.

What It’s Made Of

Natural cotton makes up the pillow shell, which is breathable and moisture-wicking. The pillow core features two layers of plant-based fibers. The outer layer contains plush fibers that add great cushioning for the head and neck, while the inner layer has firmer, denser fibers for extra support. The pillow is fully washable in household machines. Simply wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle, and tumble dry it on low heat.

Two sizes are available: standard and king. Along with the competitive price-point, you’re eligible for free shipping if you live in the contiguous U.S, and Sweet Zzz offers a 50-night sleep trial. Plant-Based Pillow purchases are backed by 1-year warranties that cover structural defects.

The Layla Kapok Pillow offers exceptional value for budget shoppers. A customizable design lets you adjust the loft and firmness based on your sleep position, and the blend of shredded foam and downy kapok fibers gives the pillow a plush, cushy feel no matter how much fill you use – but the sticker price falls well below average compared to the competition.

How It Performed

Since the Layla Kapok Pillow offers adjustable loft, our testers evaluated multiple profiles. The stomach sleepers on our team preferred a mid-level profile with roughly half of the fill removed. For our back sleepers, three-quarters of the fill provided enough loft without elevating the head too much, while our side sleepers preferred the pillow’s fill at full volume.

Breathability proved to be one of the pillow’s biggest strengths during our tests. The shredded fill promotes steady airflow, and the cover is both breathable and moisture-wicking. We also found the pillow quite moldable and snuggly. If the Kapok Pillow feels uncomfortable at first, try removing some of the fill to lower the profile.

What It’s Made Of

The fill consists of shredded memory foam and kapok fibers. This blend provides even contouring and exceptional softness, making this pillow the best of both worlds for people who need pressure relief and support. A cover made of poly-viscose encases the fill. The cover fabric is infused with copper for extra cooling. You can machine wash the cover, but first you should separate it from the inner pouch containing the fill. Queen and king sizes are available.

The Kapok Pillow is competitively priced and Layla offers free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. Each purchase includes a 30-night sleep trial. If you decide to keep the pillow, you’ll also receive a 5-year manufacturer’s warranty.

If you’re losing sleep due to sharp pressure points during the night, an ergonomically designed pillow like the Original Groove can be a game-changer. This model contains a single piece of memory foam that’s been cut and shaped to align with the natural curves of your head, neck, and shoulders. This allows you to lie comfortably on your side or back without feeling pressure in these areas due to lack of support.

How It Performed

Most of the side and back sleepers on our team were greatly impressed with the Original Groove, and it stands to reason that combination sleepers who use both of these positions will also be satisfied. Since the pillow is designed to align with the natural curves and contours of your head and neck, you should receive the right amount of support in different areas. The foam is dense but adaptive, so there’s some moderate conforming without the “hug” many people dislike about solid memory foam. Stomach sleepers probably won’t find the shape as comfortable.

Like many other solid pillows we’ve evaluated, the Original Groove maintains a full shape without fluffing or primping. We also found that it sleeps fairly cool. There’s some noticeable heat retention, but not as much as we’ve encountered with other similarly constructed pillows—we’ve attributed the above-average thermoregulation to bamboo-derived gel and charcoal infusions in the foam.

What It’s Made Of

The Original Groove Pillow’s core contains a single piece of dense, solid memory foam. This foam is infused with bamboo-derived gel and charcoal to reduce heat absorption and provide antimicrobial protection. With the ergonomic shape, you’ll notice a small groove to elevate your neck and a soft recessed area for your head to rest. Lateral risers at both ends provide additional support when you’re lying on either side.

A scuba-knit cover encases the foam to make the pillow’s outer surface feel soft and breathable. You can remove and machine-wash the cover, but putting it back on can be a hassle due to the pillow’s irregular shape.

The Original Groove is competitively priced, especially compared to other ergonomic pillows on the market, and you’ll receive a discount of up to 55% per item when you order two or more pillows with your purchase. Groove offers reasonable flat-rate ground shipping and a 100-night trial for the pillow.

Just because a pillow is soft does not necessarily mean it will reduce neck pain. That said, the Serta Nightstar is a prime example of a plush, adaptive pillow that excels at pain and pressure relief. The key to this balance is a core made of polyfoam, which molds to your head and neck without the complete hug you’d get from a memory foam pillow. A breathable cover also helps to offset heat retention for warm sleepers.

How It Performed

The Serta Nightstar Pillow should appeal to any sleeper who wants some cushioning, but not a full hug from their pillow. Among our testing team, side and back sleepers gave the pillow its highest ratings. The 5-inch loft is mid-range, so side sleepers get the padding they need to cushion their head and downward shoulder while back sleepers can lie comfortably without feeling strain at the base of their necks.

Temperature control is another strength our team observed during hands-on tests. The foam has an open-cell composition, which promotes more airflow throughout the pillow’s interior, while the breathable polyester-nylon cover helps maintain a cool surface. We were also impressed with the shape retention — like a lot of other solid foam pillows we’ve tested, this one bounces back to full volume rather quickly and should maintain a full shape over time with minimal fluffing needed.

What It’s Made Of

The pillow’s core contains a solid block of open-cell polyfoam. This cushy, breathable material is a popular alternative to memory foam because it doesn’t retain as much heat or mold to your skin as closely. A cover made of polyester and nylon encases the foam. You can remove and machine-wash the pillow whenever a cleaning is needed. Queen and king sizes are available.

Approachable pricing and free ground shipping throughout the contiguous U.S. make the Serta Nightstar Pillow a solid choice for shoppers on a budget. Each order also comes with a 100-night sleep trial, and defects in the pillow are covered under a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty.

Customization is a key strength of the Noble Head Pillow. If you’re a finicky sleeper with neck pain who wants options, you can adjust the firmness thanks to its nine-chamber design and calibration feature to inflate or deflate the loft. This is the ultimate “your way” pillow design.

How It Performed

The pillow has a unique nine-chamber design that allows you to customize each chamber with the fill of your choice. You may add or remove fill as needed to achieve a calibration of loft and support that works for you. Our product testers have encountered very few pillows with this degree of customization, so we recommend it for sleepers seeking a highly adjustable pillow to alleviate neck pain or discomfort.

What It’s Made Of

You may choose from three different fill options, each with different performance features and firmness levels. The shredded memory foam fill has a medium soft feel, the shredded latex fill has a medium firm feel, and the wool fill has the firmest feel of all three. Latex and wool are both breathable materials that retain little heat, so hot sleepers may gravitate toward these fill materials. Foam retains more heat but excels at pressure relief, offering the deepest cradling of all three fill materials.

The pillow cover is composed of breathable cotton with GOTS certification to ensure it’s been organically sourced. The wool is GOTS-certified, as well, and the latex has GOLS certification. You’ll receive one bag of extra fill with your pillow, and you may order additional fill free of charge within 30 days. All pillows come with a GOTS-certified organic cotton pillowcase.

Noble Pillow offers free shipping to addresses in the U.S and Canada. The pillow comes with a 30-day sleep trial and 5-year warranty.