How Much Does an SUV Sleeping Platform Cost?

November 2, 2026

Using our own lineup and the real cost of building one yourself: a DIY plywood platform runs about $200 to $600 in materials, a bed-only aluminum platform starts at $799, and a vehicle-specific kit with drawers runs $1,599 to $1,899, all before shipping. Shipping, a mattress and your own time decide the real total. Here is what each price gets you.

The Short Version

DIY plywood platform: about $200 to $600 in materials depending on the vehicle and whether you build drawers, plus $100 to $200 in tools if you do not own them, plus 20 to 40 hours.
Bed-only aluminum platform: $799 to $899 for our Minimalist bed platform, $1,199 for the Crosstrek sleeping platform.
Low-profile platform with pull-out tables: $1,149 to $1,399.
Full camper kit with drawers: $1,599 to $1,749 for the one-person Solo kit, $1,649 to $1,899 for two-drawer kits, depending on the vehicle.
Shipping: $250 flat for bed-only platforms, $300 for drawer kits and the Low-Profile Platform, anywhere in the lower 48. Local pickup in Bend, Oregon is free.
Mattress: our precision-fit mattresses run $520 to $600, take 5 to 6 weeks to make and ship separately. A tri-fold foam mattress sized to your bed also works.

What You Get at Each Price

Under $1,000: a bed-only platform

The Minimalist bed platform is $799 to $899 depending on the vehicle. You get an aluminum frame, a 3/4 inch plywood deck, a bed extension and a flip-over headrest, without drawers. The space under the bed stays open for your own bins and duffels, and the whole thing weighs about 45 pounds. It is the right pick if you want a flat bed now and already have a storage system you like. It fits the Subaru Outback, Forester and Ascent, Toyota RAV4, 4Runner and FJ Cruiser, Ford Escape, Toyota Prius V and Honda CR-V, by model year.

With $250 freight, the total starts at $1,049. Pick it up in Bend and it stays under $1,000, fully assembled and installed for you.

$1,149 to $1,399: a low-profile platform

The Low-Profile Platform sits only 4.5 inches tall, which leaves more headroom to sit up. Two full-extension pull-out tables slide out underneath for cooking. It fits the Subaru Outback, Forester and Ascent and the Toyota RAV4.

$1,599 to $1,899: a full camper kit

This is what most people mean by a camper conversion kit: the platform plus drawers on heavy-duty locking slides, so your kitchen and clothes live under the bed instead of in the front seats. The Solo kit ($1,599 to $1,749) is built for one sleeper with extra headroom, with a storage drawer and a full-size pull-out table. The Crosstrek version has no drawer, because its bed sits flush with the tailgate lip.

Two-drawer kits ($1,649 to $1,899) are built for specific vehicles: RAV4, Outback, Forester, 4Runner, Crosstrek, Impreza, Ascent, FJ Cruiser and Ford Escape. The Select Your Vehicle kit covers more vehicles, including the Honda CR-V and Pilot and the Toyota Sequoia and Prius V.

Add-ons

Options like a 60/40 split bed extension, a Hex Ply deck, a slide-out or lift-up table and custom drawer faces run $60 to $300 each. A second top drawer is $300. Headrest support straps are $20.

What the Money Pays For

The measuring. Every kit is cut to a specific model year from a physical vehicle, so there is no test fit and no second trip to the hardware store. This is the part DIY builds get wrong most: the seat slope, the wheel well cutouts and the extension over the footwell gap.
No drilling. The platform anchors to the factory tie-down points with turnbuckles and comes out in minutes, so the vehicle stays stock for resale. Here is how it installs.
Aluminum instead of lumber. An aluminum frame does not warp, creak or gain weight in the rain.
Slides that last. Locking slides rated for 250 to 300 pounds fully extended keep drawers working on washboard roads, with about 50 pounds in each drawer. They cost $89 to $114 a pair on their own.
It arrives built. Every kit ships fully assembled by freight, strapped to a pallet. Nothing to put together.

The Real Cost of Building Your Own

A DIY plywood platform is the cheapest route, and a good one if you enjoy the project. Materials run about $200 to $600 depending on the vehicle and whether you build drawers. Add $100 to $200 in tools if you do not own them. Most first builds take 20 to 40 hours across two or three weekends, and the result weighs 80 to 120 pounds. Never drill the floor to anchor it; strap it to the factory tie-downs instead. Our 4Runner camper build guide walks through a real plan and its costs.

Is a Kit Worth It?

Build it yourself if you enjoy the project, own the tools, want a layout no kit offers, or the budget genuinely stops at $500.

Buy a kit if your weekends are worth more than the difference, or you want it out of the vehicle in minutes. A kit also moves to your next vehicle if that vehicle takes the same kit option.

Shop Pay installments are available at checkout if you would rather spread the cost out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there an SUV sleeping platform under $1,000?

Yes, with free pickup in Bend: the Minimalist bed platform is $799 to $899 depending on the vehicle. Shipped, it comes to $1,049 to $1,149 with the $250 freight.

How much does shipping cost?

$250 flat for bed-only platforms and $300 flat for drawer kits and the Low-Profile Platform, anywhere in the lower 48. Every kit ships fully assembled by freight.

What is the cheapest way to sleep flat in an SUV?

Folding the seats and adding a thick foam mattress costs $100 to $300, but you still sleep on the seat slope. A DIY platform is the cheapest way to get truly flat. Our lowest-priced way to get flat without building anything is the Minimalist, from $799.

Do I need to buy a mattress too?

You need something to sleep on, but it does not have to be ours. A tri-fold foam mattress sized to your bed works. Ours are cut to fit most of our platforms, take 5 to 6 weeks to make and ship separately.