Murphy beds solve a real problem: they let a single room double as a bedroom and a living space. But the wall-mounted install, the cost of a quality unit, and the fact that most apartment leases won’t let you drill into a wall for one make Murphy bed alternatives worth a serious look in 2026. The good news is that sofa beds, trundle daybeds, and folding guest beds have all improved enough that you don’t have to sacrifice much comfort to skip the carpentry.
Top Murphy Bed Alternatives Worth Buying
Novogratz Vintage Tufted Sofa Sleeper (Futon)
- Converts in one motion, no tools
- Doubles as daily seating
- Multiple colors to match small spaces
- Foam cushion is firmer than a mattress
- Not ideal for nightly full-time sleeping
DHP Emily Convertible Futon Sofa Bed
- Very affordable
- Split-back recline for multiple positions
- Compact footprint
- Thin mattress needs a topper for regular use
- Assembly instructions are minimal
Honbay Convertible Sectional Sleeper Sofa
- Reversible chaise fits either side of a room
- Doubles seating capacity
- Removable, washable covers on most versions
- Larger footprint than a single sofa bed
- Heavier to move once assembled
DHP Cambridge Daybed with Trundle
- Sleeps two without extra floor space
- Metal frame is sturdy and easy to wipe clean
- Works with standard twin mattresses
- Trundle mattress usually sold separately
- Rolling trundle out needs some floor clearance
Novogratz Brittany Sofa Sleeper with Memory Foam Mattress
- Memory foam mattress included
- Classic sofa look fits most living rooms
- Easy two-person pull-out mechanism
- Bulkier when folded than a slim futon
- Frame is heavy to reposition
Zinus Shalini Metal Folding Guest Bed
- Folds flat and rolls away on casters
- No wall mounting or installation
- Comes with its own mattress
- Mattress is basic, best for occasional use
- Not a daily-driver sleep surface
Walker Edison Modern Storage Daybed
- Built-in storage drawers or shelving
- Works as a couch-style seat by day
- Solid wood construction options available
- No trundle, so it sleeps one
- Heavier and pricier than a basic daybed
Why Look for a Murphy Bed Alternative in the First Place
A true Murphy bed is a wall-anchored mechanism, which means professional installation, a load-bearing wall or reinforced frame, and a price tag that often starts north of $1,000 before the mattress. Renters usually can’t install one at all, and even homeowners sometimes decide the payoff isn’t worth the wall space it permanently claims. Every alternative on this list solves the same core problem — a room that needs to be a bedroom sometimes and something else the rest of the time — without touching drywall or committing to a single-purpose piece of furniture.
Matching the Alternative to the Room
Studio Apartments and Home Offices
If the room needs to look like a living space or office during the day and disappear into a bedroom at night, a futon-style sofa bed or a storage daybed is usually the better fit. Both keep a low profile against a wall and don’t require anyone to physically pull a heavy frame down from vertical storage.
Guest Rooms Used a Few Nights a Month
For rooms that mostly function as something else — a craft room, gym, or office — and only need a bed a handful of nights a year, a trundle daybed or a folding rollaway guest bed makes more sense than a full sofa bed. You get a dedicated sleep surface that tucks away completely rather than a hybrid piece you’re compromising on daily.
Living Rooms That Need to Sleep Overnight Guests
Here a sectional sleeper or a memory-foam sofa bed earns its keep, since it’s doing double duty as your everyday seating, not just an occasional guest solution. Comfort matters more in this category because the piece is used constantly, not just when company stays over.
Comparing the Main Types of Murphy Bed Alternatives
| Alternative | Install Effort | Sleeps | Best Room Type | Typical Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Futon sofa bed | None, ready out of the box | 1 | Studio, small living room | $ |
| Sectional sleeper sofa | Assembly only | 1-2 | Living room, family room | $$ |
| Trundle daybed | Assembly only | 2 | Guest room, shared bedroom | $$ |
| Folding rollaway guest bed | None, folds flat | 1 | Closet-stored, occasional guests | $ |
| Storage daybed | Assembly only | 1 | Home office, guest room | $$ |
| Murphy bed (for reference) | Professional wall install | 1-2 | Dedicated multi-use room | $$$ |
What to Check Before You Buy
Mattress Quality Inside the Piece
The biggest complaint with sofa beds and folding guest beds isn’t the mechanism, it’s the thin mattress that ships with it. If the alternative you pick is going to host guests for more than a night or two, budget for a supportive topper or plan to swap the included pad for a proper twin or full mattress once the frame is in place.
Frame Weight and How Often You’ll Move It
Sectional sleepers and storage daybeds are heavier once assembled, which is great for stability but a pain if you need to rearrange the room often. Futons and folding rollaway beds trade some sturdiness for the ability to actually move or tuck the piece away.
Footprint When Folded Out
Measure the room with the bed fully extended, not just its size when closed. A trundle daybed, for instance, needs clearance on the side it rolls out from, and a sectional needs enough floor space for the chaise to unfold without blocking a doorway.
Related Buying Guides
- Browse the full sofa beds hub
- Best day sofa beds for everyday lounging
- Trundle sofa beds for two sleepers
- Bed frames with built-in storage
- Low-profile platform bed frames
- Mattresses under $500 for guest rooms
- Bed sizes and dimensions guide
- How we test beds and mattresses
Not sure which alternative fits your room?
Compare top-rated sofa beds and space-saving frames before you buy.
Check price on AmazonAre sofa beds as comfortable as Murphy beds?
It depends on the mattress inside each. A quality memory foam sofa bed insert can be just as comfortable as a basic Murphy bed mattress, though dedicated Murphy bed mattresses are sometimes thicker since they don’t need to fold.
Do Murphy bed alternatives save the same amount of space?
Not always to the same degree. A Murphy bed disappears completely into the wall, while alternatives like sofa beds and daybeds still occupy floor space, just less than a standalone bed frame would.
Can renters install a Murphy bed at all?
Most leases prohibit the wall anchoring a Murphy bed requires, which is exactly why sofa beds, daybeds, and folding guest beds are the go-to options for apartment dwellers.
Which alternative is best for nightly sleeping rather than occasional guests?
A sofa sleeper with an upgraded memory foam mattress or a storage daybed with a full-size mattress will hold up better to nightly use than a basic futon or folding rollaway bed.
How much floor clearance do trundle daybeds need?
Plan for at least the width of a twin mattress, roughly 39 inches, of clear floor space on the side the trundle rolls out from.
Are folding rollaway beds durable enough for regular use?
They’re built for occasional guest use rather than nightly sleeping. The frames are lighter-duty than a standing bed frame, so they’re best reserved for a few nights a month.
Do sectional sleeper sofas work in small living rooms?
They can, but measure carefully first. Reversible chaise sections help you fit the piece into corners, though sectionals generally need more square footage than a single sofa bed or daybed.
What’s the price difference between a Murphy bed and these alternatives?
A basic Murphy bed unit plus installation often starts around $1,000-$2,000, while sofa beds, daybeds, and folding guest beds typically range from about $150 to $600.
Sophie Laurent
Sophie Laurent is TalkBeds' Beds & Bedroom Editor. With more than ten years covering home and furniture, she leads everything on the site that isn't the mattress itself: bed frames, platform beds, headboards, bunk and kids' beds, sizing, and the interiors decisions… Full profile & sources →