Best sleeper sofa for Airbnb.
A sleeper sofa is the cheapest way to add two guests to a listing, and the most common way to lose a star. The sofa is rarely the problem; the mattress is. We compared four sleepers across the three types that matter for rentals, scored on sleeping comfort, how the upholstery survives guests, how it looks in the listing photo, and cost per added guest. Not adding capacity? See our regular sofa picks.
STRKit Editorial
Updated September 2026
Based on editorial research, expert reviews, and host community feedback. How we choose →
Our top pick
Lucy Performance Sleeper Sofa · $1,800–$2,400
The absolute best balance of design, durability, and sleeping comfort. Performance fabric ensures it survives heavy Airbnb use.
Read the full reviewTorn between the top two? Read the head-to-head: Joybird Lucy vs IKEA Friheten →
Disclosure: We may earn a commission when you buy through our links, at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, STRKit earns from qualifying purchases.
The verdict
Lucy Performance Sleeper Sofa
Joybird · $1,800–$2,400
The absolute best balance of design, durability, and sleeping comfort. Performance fabric ensures it survives heavy Airbnb use.
FRIHETEN Sleeper Sectional
IKEA · $700–$850
The quintessential Airbnb budget sleeper. It's cheap, features hidden storage for sheets, and converts to a bed easily.
The capacity math.
Airbnb shows a listing only to searches for as many guests as it sleeps. A one-bedroom with a queen bed sleeps two, so a family of four searching the same dates never sees it. Add a queen sleeper and the same apartment sleeps four.
That is the real return on a sleeper: more searches, not a bigger nightly rate. You can also set an extra-guest fee in your pricing settings so the third and fourth guests pay for the extra linens and cleaning time.
Worked example
- Queen sleeper and topper$1,000
- Extra-guest fee$20 per night
- Nights the fee applies60 per year
- Fee revenue alone$1,200 per year
Illustrative numbers; plug in your own fee and occupancy. The bigger gain is usually the bookings from larger groups that could not book before, which this does not count.
Three types of sofa bed.
| Type | Sleeps | Good for | Watch out for | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pull-out | 2 adults | A real queen or full mattress; looks like a normal sofa | Thin mattress over a metal bar; add a topper | Joybird Lucy, Ashley Darcy |
| Slide-out sectional | 2 adults | Flat bed with no bar; storage in the chaise | Needs floor space; seat cushions become the mattress | IKEA Friheten |
| Click-clack | 1 adult or 2 kids | Small rooms; converts in seconds | Firm and narrow; lighter frame | Novogratz Brittany |
What to check before you buy.
Measure the path, not just the room
Doorways, stair turns, and the elevator. Sleepers are heavier and deeper than regular sofas; sectionals and click-clacks ship in pieces.
Match the bed to the guests
Two adults need a queen or full pull-out or a slide-out sectional. A click-clack is for one adult or kids. Say which in the listing.
Budget for the topper
A 3-inch memory foam topper is the difference between "the sofa bed was fine" and a comment about the bar. Put it in the budget from day one.
Wipeable or washable upholstery
Performance fabric, microfiber, or removable covers, in a mid-tone color. A sleeper gets sat on, slept on, and eaten on.
Store the make-up kit next to it
Protector, sheets, pillows, and a duvet in a labeled bin in the nearest closet. Guests set it up; the cleaner only strips it.
Test the mechanism every turnover
Pull-outs jam when guests force them. One open-and-close on the turnover checklist catches it before the next group arrives.
Side by side.
| Product | Price | Best For | Overall | Durability | Value | Guest Delight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lucy Performance Sleeper Sofa Joybird | $1,800–$2,400 | Adding 2 guests to capacity, Design-forward properties | 9.0 | 9.5 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
FRIHETEN Sleeper Sectional IKEA | $700–$850 | Budget properties, Properties where the sleeper is rarely used | 7.5 | 6.0 | 9.0 | 6.5 |
Signature Design by Ashley Darcy Queen Sofa Sleeper Signature Design by Ashley | Approx. $800–$1,100 | 1-bedroom listings adding two guests, Living rooms that need a real queen bed | 8.2 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 7.5 |
Novogratz Brittany Sleeper Sofa Novogratz | Approx. $300–$450 | Studios and small apartments, An extra sleeping spot for kids | 7.6 | 6.5 | 9.5 | 7.0 |
Detailed reviews.
Lucy Performance Sleeper Sofa
Best OverallJoybird · $1,800–$2,400 · Limited Lifetime
Our Verdict
The absolute best balance of design, durability, and sleeping comfort. Performance fabric ensures it survives heavy Airbnb use.
Why This Matters for Short-Term Rentals
Sleeper sofas are notorious for being uncomfortable as both couches and beds. The Lucy solves both, but more importantly, it's available in heavy-duty performance fabrics that resist stains and hold up to suitcases dragging against the front panel.
- +Actually comfortable memory foam mattress
- +Commercial-grade performance fabrics available
- +Mid-century aesthetic photographs beautifully
- +Sturdy pull-out mechanism
- −Very heavy (hard to move upstairs)
- −Long lead times for custom fabrics
- −Premium price point
Best For
- ✓ Adding 2 guests to capacity
- ✓ Design-forward properties
- ✓ Properties with high occupancy
Avoid If
- ✗ Budget properties
- ✗ Narrow staircases
Overall Score
9.0/10
Replace Every
10 years
Warranty
Limited Lifetime
As an Amazon Associate, STRKit earns from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you.
FRIHETEN Sleeper Sectional
Best ValueIKEA · $700–$850 · 10-year limited
Our Verdict
The quintessential Airbnb budget sleeper. It's cheap, features hidden storage for sheets, and converts to a bed easily.
Why This Matters for Short-Term Rentals
This is the most common sleeper sofa in Airbnbs globally. It's inexpensive, the chaise holds the extra bedding, and the pull-out mechanism is intuitive for guests. The trade-off is durability and sleeping comfort — you must buy a thick mattress topper for it.
- +Unbeatable price for a sleeper sectional
- +Built-in storage for pillows and sheets
- +Very easy for guests to convert
- −Firm and uncomfortable as a bed (requires a topper)
- −Fabric wears out and pills quickly
- −Difficult to deep clean
Best For
- ✓ Budget properties
- ✓ Properties where the sleeper is rarely used
Avoid If
- ✗ Luxury listings
- ✗ Properties where adults sleep on it regularly
Overall Score
7.5/10
Replace Every
3 years
Warranty
10-year limited
As an Amazon Associate, STRKit earns from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you.
Signature Design by Ashley Darcy Queen Sofa Sleeper
Best Queen Pull-OutSignature Design by Ashley · Approx. $800–$1,100 · 1-year limited
Our Verdict
The classic queen pull-out, from a brand furniture stores have sold for decades. A real queen mattress for two adults, a sofa that reads as a sofa, and a price in the middle of the range. Add a topper and it stops being the bed guests complain about.
Why This Matters for Short-Term Rentals
A queen pull-out is what most listings mean by "sofa bed": a full-size sofa by day and a queen bed with its own mattress by night, so two adults can share it. The trade-off is the one every pull-out has: a thin mattress over a metal frame. A 3-inch memory foam topper solves most of that for under $100 and is the single purchase that turns sleeper complaints into sleeper compliments. Microfiber upholstery wipes clean; choose a mid-tone color.
- +Queen bed sleeps two adults
- +Looks like a regular sofa by day
- +Microfiber wipes clean
- +Widely available with home delivery
- −Pull-out mattress is thin; budget for a topper
- −Heavy; plan delivery and doorways
- −Cushions are not removable-cover washable
Best For
- ✓ 1-bedroom listings adding two guests
- ✓ Living rooms that need a real queen bed
- ✓ Standard-tier budgets
Avoid If
- ✗ You will not add a topper
- ✗ Stairwells or doors under 32 inches
Overall Score
8.2/10
Replace Every
5 years
Warranty
1-year limited
As an Amazon Associate, STRKit earns from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you.
Novogratz Brittany Sleeper Sofa
Best BudgetNovogratz · Approx. $300–$450 · 1-year limited
Our Verdict
The budget sleeper for small spaces. The back folds down flat into a bed with no bar and no pull-out mechanism, it fits through any apartment door, and it costs less than two nights in most markets.
Why This Matters for Short-Term Rentals
Click-clack sleepers like the Brittany convert by lowering the back until the sofa lies flat, so there is no metal bar across the sleeper's back and nothing to jam. That makes it the right choice for a studio or a small living room where the extra sleeping spot will be used by a child or one adult. It is a lighter-duty piece than a pull-out, so treat it as a three-year purchase.
- +Folds flat with no bar or pull-out mechanism
- +Fits small spaces and narrow doors
- +Converts in seconds; guests figure it out
- +Low enough in price to replace, not repair
- −Sleeps one adult comfortably, two tightly
- −Firm; add a topper for adults
- −Lighter frame than a full sofa
Best For
- ✓ Studios and small apartments
- ✓ An extra sleeping spot for kids
- ✓ Entry-tier budgets
Avoid If
- ✗ Two adults will share it every stay
- ✗ You need a sofa that reads premium in photos
Overall Score
7.6/10
Replace Every
3 years
Warranty
1-year limited
As an Amazon Associate, STRKit earns from qualifying purchases. This comes at no additional cost to you.
The sofa bed make-up kit.
Whatever sleeper you buy, these turn it into a bed guests will not mention in a review. The topper matters most.
3-inch memory foam topper in the sleeper size
The single fix for the bar-in-the-back complaint every pull-out gets. Full or queen to match the sleeper mattress; it rolls up and stores in the closet.
Waterproof protector sized to the sleeper mattress
Pull-out mattresses cannot be flipped or washed. The protector is the only thing between a spill and a replacement.
Two sets of fitted sheets in the sleeper size
Full or queen, matching the other beds. White, so they bleach with everything else.
Two pillows and a duvet in a labeled bin
Guests make it up themselves when the booking needs it. The bin keeps it clean between uses.
Complete the living room.
The rest of what this room needs, at the tier we recommend. Worth adding to the same order.
Minut M3 Sensor
$150–$200
Yale Assure Lock 2
$200–$280
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
Approx. $40–$60
IKEA EKTORP 3-Seat Slipcovered Sofa
$650–$900
Setting up the whole listing? The Airbnb starter kit covers every room, and the stocking checklist lists every staple with one pick each.
Frequently asked questions.
What is the best sleeper sofa for an Airbnb?
For most rentals, the Joybird Lucy if the living room is part of the listing's appeal, and the IKEA Friheten if cost per added guest matters most. On Amazon, the Ashley Darcy queen pull-out is the standard-tier choice for two adults, and the Novogratz Brittany is the budget pick for a studio or a child. Whatever you buy, add a 3-inch memory foam topper.
Is a sleeper sofa worth it for an Airbnb?
Usually, yes. Each sleeper adds two to the number of guests the listing sleeps, which puts it in searches for larger groups and lets you charge an extra-guest fee. A one-bedroom that sleeps four competes for bookings a one-bedroom that sleeps two never sees. The cost is a slightly more expensive sofa and a make-up kit in the closet.
Pull-out, click-clack, or sectional: which sofa bed type is best for a rental?
A queen pull-out when two adults will share it, because it is the only type with a full-size mattress. A sectional that slides out flat, like the IKEA Friheten, when you want a bed with no bar across the back. A click-clack when the room is small and the sleeper is one adult or a child. Avoid futons with a thin mattress; guests rate them as a floor.
How do I make a sofa bed comfortable for guests?
Put a 3-inch memory foam topper on the sleeper mattress, cover it with a waterproof protector, and use real sheets in the right size, not a spare flat sheet. Leave two pillows and a duvet in a labeled bin in the closet so guests can make it up themselves, and describe it honestly in the listing.
Should I list a sofa bed as a bed on Airbnb?
Yes. Airbnb's sleeping arrangements include a sofa bed option, and listing it lets the platform show the higher guest count. Say in the description which room it is in and whether it is a queen pull-out or a smaller sleeper, so a group of four adults knows what to expect.