Looking for an alternative to the Aura Companion?
The Aura Companion is the only bed in the line built to keep a couple sleeping together when one partner needs care — a true split-king at $12,999. People looking for an alternative are almost always reacting to the price, asking “isn't there a cheaper way to keep sleeping side by side?” It's a fair question with an honest answer.
Quick answer
The honest alternatives to the Companion involve a real trade-off. You can place a single Aura Premium beside an existing bed — cheaper, but mismatched in height and motion. Or, if only one person actually needs the care bed, the Aura Extra Wide may be enough. The Companion costs more because it's the only option that gives one partner full clinical positioning while both keep a single, unified bed.
When the Aura Companion is the right bed
It solves a problem no single bed can. It's the right choice when staying together is non-negotiable:
- A couple wants to keep sleeping side by side, not in separate rooms
- One partner needs full clinical positioning; the other just wants to sleep
- You want independent head and knee per side, with height synced together
- 700 lb capacity across a 78" split-king surface, dignified finish
When a different approach is the better alternative
If the Companion's price is the sticking point, here are the honest alternatives — with the trade-offs named plainly.
Aura Extra Wide 48"
$8,999
If your partner doesn't need an adjustable bed of their own, a single wide Aura may be enough — though it's one occupant, not a shared sleeping surface. The honest cheaper route when only one of you needs the care.
See the Extra Wide →
Aura Premium 39"
$6,999
A single Aura Premium beside your current bed costs less — but the heights won't match, the motion isn't shared, and there's a seam between them. A real alternative, with real compromises the Companion is built to remove.
See the Aura Premium →Frequently asked questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to the Aura Companion?
Two honest ones, each with a trade-off. Placing a single Aura Premium ($6,999) beside your existing bed costs less but leaves mismatched heights and a seam between the beds. If only one partner actually needs a care bed, the Aura Extra Wide ($8,999) may be enough for a single occupant. The Companion costs more because it removes those compromises entirely.
Why is the Aura Companion more expensive than other beds?
It's effectively two coordinated sleeping surfaces in one 78" split-king frame — one side with full clinical positioning, both raising and lowering together, with a 700 lb capacity. You're paying for a unified couples bed that no single bed can replicate.
Can't I just push two beds together instead?
You can, and it's the cheaper route — but two separate beds rarely match in height or motion, leave a gap, and don't move together. The Companion exists precisely because that workaround compromises both comfort and safety.
Is the Aura Extra Wide a substitute for the Companion?
Only if just one person uses the bed. The Extra Wide is a single-occupant 48" bed; the Companion is a 78" split-king for two. If staying side by side matters, the Extra Wide isn't a substitute.
Still weighing SonderCare against other options entirely? See the full picture.
All SonderCare alternativesWant to keep sleeping together without overspending?
There's usually a right answer once we know whether your partner needs their own adjustable bed or just wants to stay beside you. Tell a bed expert your situation and we'll lay out the honest trade-offs — Companion, Extra Wide, or a paired setup.
