A futon can be folded and stored away during the day time.
A sofa is a piece of furniture that does not have the functionality of lowering the back end for sleeping. Whereas, a futon, flattens out entirely to form a bed.
The process of folding a futon into a sofa may depend upon what type of futon it is. Typically, a futon will be pushed up or down in a certain spot, allowing it to come down into the form of a sofa.
One can browse and shop for futon sofa beds at most major retailers including Walmart and Kmart. One could also find futon sofa beds in furniture stores.
One major trend in the sofa bed industry is the futon. A futon can be a sofa, and then when it is time to go to sleep it is a bed. This can save space in a room.
If possible try it out and see if it's comfortable. There are more tips here http://hubpages.com/hub/Futon-Sofa-Beds-What-You-Should-Know-Before-Buying-A-Futon-Sofa-Bed
A futon would be better as it can double as a sofa.
Guest Bed, Futon, Mattress, Sleepers Sofa....
You can find a used futon or sofa bed from Nextag, basically anywhere, either online or from flea market, or from garage sale, check your neighbourhood for the weekend sale in your area.
I recently purchased a brand new futon and I am so disappointed. I tried sleeping on it and it was so uncomfortable, I could not even fall asleep. It made my back hurt. I would recommend trying to find a store where you can sit or lay on the futon first before actually buying.
Yes, a loveseat sofa beat would be safer, as a futon has nothing to keep someone from rolling off. Also, a loveseat sofa bed normally takes up less space.
Sofa beds at Ikea range in prices depending on the style. For a futon type of sofa bed, the price is $279.00. For the type with the bed tucked inside the sofa, the price is $479.00 to $1079.00.
A day bed is more formal than a futon. Both offer a mixed use in bedrooms or living rooms.