To study the effect of mesh density on the properties of metal mesh foil conical bearings (MMFCBs), the bearing performance with different relative densities is studied. To improve the performance, a novel MMFCB using the metal mesh as flexible components was proposed, fabricated and studied. Based on the finite element method (FEM), a previous stiffness and damping model considering dry-friction for the mesh and a plate model for top foil were adopted. Using the finite difference method (FDM), the Reynolds equation and the foil deformation were calculated coupled, and the static characteristics were gained. The effect of mesh density on the supporting performance and dynamic characteristics of novel MMFCB were analyzed. The metal mesh structure with larger density has a higher stiffness and damping effect. The mesh density greatly affects the static and dynamic characteristics of MMFCB. The radial and axial load capacity both increase when there is a larger relative density, while the attitude angle and friction torque are also enhanced. In addition, the higher density will increase the dynamic stiffness and damping coefficients of MMFCB, which will improve the stability. The relative density of metal mesh is an important parameter for MMFCB and has a great effect on the characteristics of bearing used in aerospace.