Best Murphy Beds and Wall Beds for Small Apartments in 2026

A Murphy bed turns a home office or living room back into a bedroom in seconds, which makes it one of the highest-value purchases for anyone renting a studio or a one-bedroom that needs to pull double duty. This guide covers five picks from roughly $400 to $1,800, ranging from bare-bones panel frames you attach to an existing wall to full cabinet systems with built-in shelving.

Mounting type is the first decision to make. A vertical wall bed folds up along the headboard side and needs less floor clearance in front, which suits narrow rooms, while a horizontal mount folds up along the long side and works better in wider rooms with limited wall height. Mattress compatibility also varies by model — some Murphy bed mechanisms are rated only for memory foam or hybrid mattresses under a certain weight, so checking the maximum mattress thickness and weight rating before ordering saves a returned mattress later.

Installation complexity is worth weighing honestly. Panel bed kits that mount to a stud wall are the cheapest option but require real carpentry skill or a handyman visit, while pre-assembled cabinet systems cost more but arrive largely ready to bolt into place. Buyers in rented apartments should also confirm their lease allows wall-mounted fixtures before buying a kit that requires drilling into studs.

1. Bestar Pur Wall Bed Kit — best budget vertical panel bed

Bestar’s Pur kit is a stripped-down vertical Murphy bed panel designed for buyers who want the space-saving mechanism without cabinet doors or side storage. Street price runs $450–$650.

• Why it’s a good buy: it’s the least expensive way into a genuine wall bed mechanism, and the panel-only design fits into rooms where a full cabinet system would feel too bulky
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Target

2. Novogratz Concord Wall Bed — best for renters on a budget

Novogratz’s Concord line is built around a simpler hinge mechanism that keeps the price down while still folding flush against the wall when not in use. Street price runs $400–$600.

• Why it’s a good buy: it’s one of the most affordable full-size wall beds available new, making it a low-risk first Murphy bed for renters who aren’t sure how long they’ll stay in a space
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart, Target

3. Atlantic Furniture Cabinet Murphy Bed — best with built-in storage

Atlantic’s cabinet system pairs the fold-away mechanism with side towers that double as bookshelves or closet space when the bed is down. Street price runs $900–$1,300.

• Why it’s a good buy: the built-in storage towers make this a genuine furniture replacement rather than just a bed, which matters most in a true studio where every wall needs to earn its keep
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart

4. Bestar Pur Full Wall Bed with Storage Unit — best horizontal mount

This Bestar variant mounts horizontally and includes a side storage unit, aimed at wider rooms with lower ceiling clearance where a vertical fold isn’t practical. Street price runs $1,100–$1,500.

• Why it’s a good buy: the horizontal mount opens up floor plans a vertical bed can’t fit into, and the matching storage unit keeps the whole setup looking like intentional furniture rather than a retrofit
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart

5. Prepac Queen Murphy Bed Cabinet — best queen-size cabinet system

Prepac’s queen cabinet system scales the same fold-away concept up to a full queen mattress, aimed at couples in a one-bedroom who still want the room to convert to an office by day. Street price runs $1,400–$1,800.

• Why it’s a good buy: it’s one of the few widely available queen-size Murphy systems that ships pre-assembled into cabinet panels, cutting installation time significantly versus a build-from-studs kit
• Where to buy: Amazon, Walmart

How to get the best price

• Set a price-tracking alert, since Murphy bed kits rarely go on flash sale but do drop during major online furniture events several times a year. Patience over a few months can mean a meaningfully lower price.
• Buy during the January and September furniture reset windows, when retailers clear older cabinet finishes to make room for new lines.
• Check for freight-shipping damage insurance at checkout. Cabinet systems ship in large, heavy boxes, and a damaged corner is a common enough issue that the extra coverage is usually worth the small added cost.
• Compare the mattress separately rather than buying a bundled set. Bundled mattress-and-bed packages are rarely the cheapest way to get either piece.

The takeaway: the Bestar Pur panel kit is the easiest entry point for renters testing whether a wall bed fits their routine, while the Atlantic cabinet system is the better long-term buy for anyone who wants the storage built in from day one. Couples should budget for the Prepac queen system, since it’s one of the few pre-assembled options sized for two.