Click Clack vs Pull-Out vs Corner Sofa Beds: Which Is Most Comfortable?

Last updated 2 November 2026. Prices checked on the day of writing.

The short answer: a click clack sofa bed is the quickest and most compact choice, ideal for occasional guests, small rooms and budgets from about £250 to £670. A pull-out (fold-out) sofa bed with a sprung mattress is the most comfortable for regular sleeping, but it costs more and needs more floor space. A corner sofa bed gives the biggest bed, often 150cm wide or more, plus storage, for living rooms that can take an L-shape. If guests stay a few nights a year, buy for the sofa; if someone sleeps on it every week, buy for the mattress.

With Christmas visitors on the way, “click clack sofa bed”, “clic clac sofa bed” and “sofa bed with mattress” are among the most searched furniture questions we see. Below we explain how each type works, what it is like to sleep on, how much room it needs and which models we sell in each group, with real measurements.

Click clack, pull-out and corner sofa beds at a glance

What is a click clack sofa bed?

A click clack (also written clic clac or click-clack) is a sofa whose backrest hinges flat. You lift the front of the seat until it clicks, then lower the back so that the seat and back form one flat surface. Most click clacks also have a halfway, reclined position for lounging. There is no frame or mattress hidden inside, which is why they are slim, light and usually cheaper than other sofa beds.

Are click clack sofa beds comfortable to sleep on?

For a night or a long weekend, yes. You are sleeping on the same foam that you sit on, so comfort depends on the depth of the padding and how flat the join between seat and back lies. Tufted or quilted designs, like the Lux and the Cloud, spread the padding more evenly. For a week or more, or for someone with a heavier build, add a 5 to 8cm mattress topper, or choose a pull-out with a proper mattress.

Click clack sofa beds we sell

On a tight budget, the Carter (£253.99) is a foam fold-out sofa bed with no metal action to lift, for rooms that need a sofa most of the time and a bed now and then.

What is a pull-out (fold-out) sofa bed?

A pull-out sofa bed hides a folding metal action and a separate mattress under the seat cushions. You take the seat cushions off (on most models), pull the front rail and the bed unfolds onto its own legs. Some UK makers call this a fold-out, roll-out or “metal action” sofa bed. Because the mattress is a real mattress, a good pull-out is the closest thing to sleeping in a bed.

What mattress should a pull-out sofa bed have?

Mattresses in pull-outs range from thin foam to sprung and pocket sprung. Foam is lighter and cheaper. Sprung and pocket sprung mattresses give more even support and are the better choice if the sofa bed is someone’s main bed. Look for the mattress type in the product name or specification, not only “comfortable”.

Pull-out and fold-out sofa beds we sell

• Jay-Be, made in Britain: the Elegance 2 seater (£1,996.99) has a wool-topped Deep e-Sprung mattress on a fold-out action. The Linea 4 seater (£2,879.99) opens into two single beds, which suits families with two children staying. For a lower price with a pocket sprung mattress, see the Urban 2 seater (£1,014.99) and the Heritage 2 seater (£1,047.99).
• Made to order, with a choice of mattress: the Harper sofa bed (from £538.99) and the Redford (from £538.99) come in several widths and fabrics, and you choose the mattress. Allow 4 to 6 weeks.
• A full UK double: the Miller roll-out sofa bed (£883.99) unfolds on its own metal base with its own mattress to a 137 x 190cm sleeping area, the same as a standard double. It is currently on back order, so check the date on the product page.
• Compact two-seater: the Blaire 2 seater (£626.99) has a pull-out mechanism in a velvet sofa that suits a smaller lounge.

What is a corner sofa bed?

A corner sofa bed is an L-shaped sofa where the main seat pulls forward, or a hidden platform pops up, to sit level with the chaise. The result is a large, wide bed made from the sofa itself, and many have a lift-up storage box in the chaise for the duvet and pillows. Some use a click clack back as well, so the backrest lowers to add width.

Corner sofa beds we sell

The Clara and Cloud corner give the widest beds, wider than a UK king (150cm), so two adults have room to spread out. The Hampton gives the longest bed at 202cm, which matters for tall guests. See all corner sofa beds.

Which type is most comfortable?

1. Pull-out with a sprung or pocket sprung mattress: the most bed-like, because you sleep on a real mattress, not on seat cushions. Best for nightly or weekly use.
2. Corner sofa bed: large, flat and roomy for two; comfort depends on the seat foam, so check reviews and the build.
3. Click clack: comfortable for short stays, especially tufted or deeply padded designs. A topper turns a good click clack into a good guest bed.

Comfort is personal, so think about who will sleep on it, how often and for how long. A teenager who uses it every night needs a different sofa bed from grandparents who visit twice a year.

How much space do you need?

Measure the room with the bed open, not just the sofa. As a rule of thumb:

• Click clack: the opened bed is roughly the sofa’s width by 115 to 141cm deep. Leave 5 to 10cm behind for the back to lower.
• Pull-out: allow the length of the mattress (about 190cm) plus the sofa’s own depth, so often 2.1m or more from the wall, plus a path to walk around it.
• Corner: the bed fills the inside of the L, so you mostly need clear floor in front of the main seat.

Also check door widths and stairwells: corner sofas arrive in sections, click clacks usually come in one box.

Click clack or folding bed for Christmas guests?

If you don’t need an extra sofa, a folding guest bed can be the better buy. Jay-Be folding beds come with proper mattresses and fold away into a cupboard or under the stairs: the GP120 Grand small double (£276.99), the Supreme small double (£296.99) and the J-Bed small double (£454.99). Our guest bed guide compares sofa beds, folding beds and air beds side by side, and the full range is under folding and travel beds.

Our quick recommendations

• Studio or small flat, occasional guests: Lux or Berkeley.
• Two adults, short stays, small budget: Cloud click clack, the widest click clack bed at 141cm.
• Family lounge with Christmas visitors: Clara or Cloud corner for width; Hampton for length and storage.
• Someone sleeps on it every night: a Jay-Be pull-out with a sprung mattress, such as the Elegance or Urban.
• Your own fabric and mattress: the made-to-order Harper.

Delivery before Christmas

Every sofa bed on Apley Beds is delivered free to mainland England and Wales, including Anglesey. We do not deliver to Scotland, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Wight or the Isles of Scilly. In-stock models usually arrive well before made-to-order ones, so if you need a bed for Christmas, check the lead time on the product page and our delivery page before you order. You can spread the cost with Klarna.

Frequently asked questions

Is a click clack or a pull-out sofa bed better?

A click clack is better for small rooms, quick changes and occasional guests, and it costs less. A pull-out with a sprung mattress is better for regular sleeping, because you sleep on a real mattress rather than the seat cushions.

Can you sleep on a click clack sofa bed every night?

You can, but most people find a sofa bed with a separate sprung mattress more comfortable night after night. If you do use a click clack daily, add a mattress topper and choose a deeply padded model.

What size bed does a click clack sofa bed make?

Ours range from 115cm to 141cm wide and 183.5cm to 189cm long. A UK small double is 120 x 190cm and a double is 135 x 190cm, so most click clacks sleep one comfortably or two for a short stay.

Is “clic clac” the same as “click clack”?

Yes. Clic clac, click clack and click-clack all describe the same mechanism: the back lowers flat with a click to make the bed.

Which corner sofa bed has the biggest bed?

Of the corner sofa beds we sell, the Clara opens to 156 x 218cm and the Cloud corner to 155.5 x 191.5cm. Both are wider than a UK king-size bed.