Custom Pillow · Tool

Pillow height calculator.

Four inputs — sleep position, mattress firmness, shoulder width, and any current pillow problem — and the calculator returns the height you need in millimeters, plus the matched profile in our lineup.

Pillow Height Calculator

Tell us four things.

The result updates as you go — submit when you're happy with the answers.

Sleep position
Mattress firmness
Shoulder width
Anything wrong with your current pillow?

What pillow height actually means

Loft is what most product pages publish. Loft-under-load is what your head feels.

Pillow loft is the height of the pillow when nothing is on it. It's easy to measure and easy to publish, but it's rarely the height you actually experience. Most pillows compress to 50–70% of their uncompressed loft once your head is on them.

Maple specs every pillow at four load points — 20 N, 40 N, 50 N, and 80 N — at both 60 and 300 seconds of compression. The number this calculator targets is the 50 N / 60 s load point, which is roughly the weight of an average adult head.

Loft-under-load tells you what your head will feel when you first lie down. Loft after 300 seconds tells you what it'll feel like by minute five — and that 300 s number is a better predictor of overnight comfort than the first-touch feel.

How the recommendation changes

What each input does to the math.

Input

Sleep position

Sets the base loft. Side sleepers start ~22 mm taller than stomach sleepers.

Input

Mattress firmness

Soft → −8 mm. Firm → +6 mm. The shoulder-sink effect.

Input

Shoulder width

For side sleepers: narrow → −8 mm, broad → +10 mm.

Input

Current pillow problem

Too tall → −8 mm. Too low or arm-under → +6 to +8 mm.

Frequently asked

Pillow height questions, answered.

What is pillow height?

Pillow height (or loft) is the vertical thickness of the pillow when nothing is on it. The number that matters more for fit is loft-under-load — the height once your head is on it. The two can differ significantly: a 150 mm uncompressed pillow might compress to 80–100 mm under your head depending on its firmness.

How do I measure pillow height for my sleep position?

Most people don't need to measure their existing pillow — the calculator works from sleep position, mattress firmness, shoulder width, and any current pillow problem. It outputs the recommended height-under-load in millimeters, plus the matched pillow profile in our lineup.

Why does mattress firmness matter for pillow height?

On a soft mattress, the shoulder sinks more than the head, which raises the head relative to the spine. You need less pillow loft to keep alignment. On a firm mattress, the shoulder doesn't sink — the gap stays wide and you need more pillow loft. The calculator adjusts the recommended height by ±8 mm depending on mattress firmness.

What pillow height is best for side sleepers?

Most average-shouldered side sleepers need 100–110 mm of measured loft under a 50 N load. Broader shoulders or firmer mattresses push that range up to 118–125 mm. Narrower shoulders or softer mattresses pull it down to 90–100 mm.

What pillow height is best for back sleepers?

Most back sleepers land between 85–105 mm. Long-necked sleepers benefit from another 4 mm. Soft mattresses subtract about 8 mm because the shoulders sink with the head.

What pillow height is best for stomach sleepers?

70–85 mm — the lowest range Maple builds. Anything taller forces the cervical spine into rotation. The Drift Low profile is built specifically for this range.

How accurate is this calculator?

The calculator uses the same fit logic as Maple's full quiz, but with four inputs instead of eight. Expect the recommended height to be within 5–10 mm of what the full quiz produces. For a more refined match, take the full fit quiz at /fit.

Want a more refined match?

The full fit quiz adds neck length, body frame, and turn frequency.

Take the full fit quizBrowse all profiles