Queen vs full mattress

Six inches of width and five of length. For two people, that's the difference that counts.

A couple relaxes on a queen bed with a book and coffee while a cat naps beside them in a sunny, lived-in bedroom

Short answer: a queen (60 × 80 in) is 6 in wider and 5 in longer than a full (54 × 75 in).^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]} A full suits one adult under 6 ft; a queen suits couples and taller sleepers.^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}

	Full	Queen
Size	54 × 75 in^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}	60 × 80 in^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}
Centimeters	137 × 191 cm	152 × 203 cm
Surface area	4,050 sq in^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}	4,800 sq in^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}
Width per person, two sleepers	27 in	30 in
One maker's minimum room	9′ × 10′^{[2 · Oct 29, 2026]}	10′ × 10′^{[2 · Oct 29, 2026]}

Per-person widths are our arithmetic: the mattress width split in two.

Choose a full if

You sleep alone, are under 6 ft and want more room than a twin.^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}
You share with a pet but not a partner.^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}
It's for a guest room or a smaller bedroom; one maker puts the minimum room at 9′ × 10′.^{[2 · Oct 29, 2026]}

Choose a queen if

Two people share the bed. A full can sleep a couple only in a pinch.^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}
You're near or over 6 ft: the extra 5 in of length matters.^{[1 2 · Oct 29, 2026]}
You want the easiest sheets and frames to find. Queen is the most common size.^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]}

A note on "full" widths: most size guides list a full at 54 in wide,^{[1 · Oct 29, 2026]} but at least one maker lists it at 53 in.^{[2 · Oct 29, 2026]} If a full frame or alcove is tight, check the exact model.

Sources: 1. Sleep Foundation, Mattress sizes and dimensions guide. 2. Casper, Queen size bed dimensions: size, room fit, and how it compares. Checked Oct 29, 2026. Trademarks belong to their owners; figures are restated in our own words and tables, not reproduced.