The 8 Best Pillows for Neck Pain, Tested by Editors

While most contoured pillows simply offer a cut-out for your neck, this alternative from EPABO relies on a gentle, ergonomic slope to cradle your neck and head. It's perfect for keeping your head, neck, and back aligned to minimize neck pain (and other common aches).

The contour is designed to be "just right" for all types of sleepers, but we would most recommend it for anyone who likes to snooze on their side or, to a lesser degree, their back. Like many of the best memory foam pillows, this model is hypoallergenic and includes a free pillowcase that's removable and machine-washable. We like that it's available in three different sizes: Standard, Queen, and "Near King" (that's a new one on us).

With more than 27,000 Amazon reviews—including 16,000 five-star ratings—this is one of the best neck pain pillows on Amazon. Some reviews note the typical "memory foam chemical smell" immediately after opening the package. But, for less than $50, we think this model is worth a look for any neck pain sufferer.

As we’ve said before, stomach sleepers have unique needs—namely, thinner pillows that don’t strain the neck during the night. The Belly Sleep Gel Infused Memory Foam Pillow is thin but supportive, with a cooling gel that’ll keep you from overheating while facedown in it.

While it lacks the defined cutout or crescent shape of other neck-support pillows, this option instead offers a 2.5-inch, low-profile design. It's the perfect height for back and stomach sleepers who need a little less support in a way that doesn't force their head into an awkward position too far away from their mattress. This pillow is stuffed with a polyurethane foam infused with a cooling gel designed to draw heat away from the body and regulate your temperature throughout the night.

The thinner design is versatile for hybrid sleepers (those who like more than one sleep position), too. One Amazon reviewer recommends folding it up if you switch positions during the night, as many stomach sleepers do. Bonus: It's surprisingly well-priced at just under $50 with a free cover, and Belly Sleep even throws in a "forever" lifetime warranty to boot.

Like stomach sleepers, back sleepers need special consideration when it comes to neck pain. For back sleepers with neck pain, Core Products' D-Core Cervical Support Pillow offers a supportive cradle—almost like a medical neck pillow—that keeps the head stable and properly aligned overnight.

The unique, divot-like design is unlike any other in our roundup. But this is no ordinary neck pillow. It's designed for maximum support to alleviate neck pain. One side of the pillow features a larger neck roll, while the other is smaller, so dialing in your preferred comfort level is just a matter of rotating the bedding. It's a solid option for chronic neck pain sufferers or anyone who lives with neck spasms, tension headaches, and more. With two available sizes (Full and Midsize), it's easier to opt for the pillow that's just the right size and shape to fit your body type.

It may take time to adjust, but the shape can offer serious relief for back sleepers when traditional pillows aren’t cutting it. Plus, at around $40, it's more budget-friendly than almost any other neck pain pillow in our roundup. The only real downside? No warranty.

Yes, we said fill material doesn’t matter. And that’s generally true—for relieving neck pain, support is what matters most. But Layla’s pillow combines kapok (a light and airy natural fiber) with memory foam to provide adjustable support that’s also extremely breathable, as well as keeping your head cool.

Like most of the bedding in Layla's catalog, the Kapok Pillow looks and feels like a premium product. It's plush, airy, and lofty (trust us, that's a thing). The hybrid fill provides a "best of both worlds" construction with the pressure-relieving support of memory foam and the cooling, temperature-regulating bliss of kapok. It's arguably the best cooling neck pain relief pillow on our list, too. The polyester/viscose blend cover is super soft, and we especially love the unique hexagon pattern stitching that sets it apart from every other pillow.

At north of $100, this is a premium pillow option. But it's still more affordable than the most luxurious pillows we've seen this year, which can cost more than $250. Plus, Layla frequently offers BOGO (buy one, get one free) pricing, so you can score a set of two for closer to $50 each.

We do love us some Purple bedding. From its mattresses to its sheets to its pillows, it's all good. The OG Purple Pillow is still among our favorites for just about any sleep style, but it's especially good for neck support and neck pain sufferers, too.

The secret sauce with this pillow is in the GelFlex Grid, a gel foam that's designed to be infinitely adaptable to your body shape and sleep position, so it literally moves and flexes with you throughout the night. This makes it great for supporting your head and neck, and alleviating chronic neck pain too. It's firmer than traditional pillows, so it doesn't feel "fluffy" like a traditional pillow, either. But if you're looking for maximum neck support, that's a good thing. Plus, the included mesh cover is washable, breathable, and cooling to boot.

We love everything about this pillow. But there's no getting around the fact that it is pricey. At roughly $250 (retail), it's among the most expensive pillows—for neck pain or otherwise—that we tested this year. Still, if you're a chronic neck pain sufferer and only the best will do, this gets our stamp of approval.

People with neck pain who like a firmer pillow should consider the many memory foam options. But if you want something even more firm and supportive, the Therapeutica pillow is worth considering. It might look weird, but the unique shape is designed to cradle your head whether you’re a side or back sleeper.

We get it: This pillow probably doesn't look super comfortable at first glance. But trust us, this one is purpose-built for serious neck support. The molded foam construction is much firmer than traditional memory foam, making this more like a hospital-worthy sleep aid than an "ordinary" neck support pillow. The central cavity gently cradles your head, providing neutral spinal alignment and preventing the "wobble" you might find in lesser pillows. Plus, the elevated sides accommodate your shoulders, too, ensuring they're properly supported to prevent arm numbness.

This neck pain pillow is available in four distinct sizes, from Petite to X-Large, so you can find the right one to fit your body (and neck/head) shape. All sizes include a removable cotton/poly cover, making washing and maintenance a breeze. Plus, it's priced right at just under $100, which seems like a bargain for a pillow that promises maximum neck support.