We often don’t realize how long we are asleep or the quality of sleep we acquire every night. In fact, the CDC states between 50 and 70 million Americans live with chronic sleep disorders. When it comes to our sleeping habits, sleep-tracking apps paint a bigger picture. We can track how many hours we sleep, the quality of our sleep, and other important data.
Most premium smartwatches have sleep tracking features, but not everyone owns one. Fortunately, there are plenty of smartphone apps that can track your sleep. Our list includes apps that measure various domains associated with sleep quality and provide insights you can share with your physician.
Best smartwatches for sleep tracking in 2024
Picking the best smartwatch to track your sleep can be a little daunting – our recommendations will help
1 Sleep Cycle
An easily accessible personalized smart alarm
In-app purchases |
✅ $0.99 – $59.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Jun 16, 2014 |
Having a sleep-tracking app that follows your sleep cycle is this app’s specialty (hence the name Sleep Cycle). Sleep Cycle gives you more insight into your sleep patterns; the app includes measurements and information on sleep quality, duration, and time spent in deep, light, and REM sleep. The smart alarm is one of the app’s most intriguing features; you can set it up during your light sleep phase within a custom time window.
You can freely access the Sleep Cycle app’s core features. Subscribing unlocks personalized coaching and in-depth sleep reports and removes the limits on your sleep-tracking history.
2 Sleep as Android
Sleep tracking app that values privacy
In-app purchases |
✅ $0.99 – $49.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Oct 24, 2010 |
Sleep as Android is a reliable sleep-tracking app. The app uses sonar contactless tracking and snore detection to record your sleeping patterns. You can also set a smart alarm to synchronize your wake-up alarms with gradual noises and calming sounds. The best part of this app is how it prioritizes user privacy; you do not need to worry about creating an account to access its features. Additionally, the app allows you to opt out of the analytics to avoid personalized ads and tracking.
Sleep as Android includes free and paid options. The free version includes sleep tracking, but you can receive sleep reports, more in-depth sleep cycle analysis (some extra statistics), and smart (gadget) integrations..
3 BetterSleep
How to set up Digital Wellbeing on your Android phone
Sometimes too much of a good thing can cause distractions
Best all-in-one sleep app
In-app purchases |
✅ $2.99 – $299.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Dec 21, 2011 |
When you’re looking for a generalist sleep health app with a decent sleep tracker at its core, BetterSleep is a great choice. Inside the BetterSleep app, you can set the sleep tracker to measure your sleep cycle (including the different sleep stages and wake time) and record all your sleep activity to gain insight into what occurs during the night. The app includes resources to learn more about sleep science while giving you relaxing sounds and stories to improve your sleep. A good night’s sleep goes a long way; BetterSleep has all the tools you need to help you get there.
4 ShutEye
Impressive selection of sleep sounds
In-app purchases |
✅ $1.49 – $79.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
❌ No |
Publish date |
May 19, 2019 |
ShutEye is a sleeping tracking app that includes everything you want: sleep tracking (duration, sorted by the various sleep stages), sleep analysis and goals, reminders, and custom sounds. But what’s great about the ShutEye app is its tools to improve your sleep; you can listen to relaxing notes (ocean waves and rain, for example) and meditations to help you fall asleep while waking up to other pleasant sounds.
When you load the ShutEye app, you will be asked to complete a survey regarding sleep quality and any diagnosed sleep disorders; this information is used to generate an initial sleep report to guide you through improving your habits. The app also offers a premium subscription option. Unlocking the premium plan will grant you access to more sleep sounds, sleep analysis, snore recording, and a smart alarm. But the free features cover everything you want from a sleep-tracking app.
5 SnoreLab
Specializing in snore detection
In-app purchases |
✅ $2.99 – $29.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Sep 21, 2015 |
Some people struggle to sleep due to sleep apnea. You may not realize you have it if you’re a solo sleeper. This is where apps like SnoreLab can help. SnoreLab provides automatic sleep tracking and snore detection while compiling all your sleeping activities into a report. The app includes a snore score and highlights, so you know exactly how often and how much you snore (it even logs details on frequency and intensity). If you’re concerned about your snoring habits, the app also has remedies and tips for managing it.
6 Sleep Monitor
A handy sleep tracking app for offline use
In-app purchases |
✅ $0.99 – $199.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Sep 13, 2019 |
Sleep Monitor offers basic sleep-tracking features without feeling pressured to go premium. You can use Sleep Monitor to acquire a sleep score, sleep trend chart, and sleep records (only the recent seven get saved in the free version). You can also use the app to record notes, listen to lullabies, and set a smart alarm. If you’re also uneasy about permitting microphone permissions, you can opt into using your phone’s accelerator sensors for sleep tracking. The best part of the app is that it works offline, so you don’t have to worry about losing any data during an outage.
7 Sleepwave: Smart Alarm Clock
Brilliant use of motion sensing technology
In-app purchases |
✅ $1.00 – $29.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
✅ Yes |
Publish date |
Aug 3, 2022 |
Sleepwave is a sleep-tracking and alarm app combined into one. The app doesn’t rely on recording to track your sleep; it uses motion-sensing technology as an alternative. Sleepwave uses PureTone motion to produce a low-powered ultrasonic sound wave through your device’s speakers. Any disruptions it picks up (such as movement) are used to measure your activity. The only downside of using this tech is that your phone requires being laid on a flat surface 2m away from your bed (while most sleep trackers will work fine next to a pillow). Otherwise, the setup works well to record your nighttime activities.
Outside sleep tracking, it offers calming soundscapes and a well-attuned smart alarm. The app also features a daily “Wavescape” (pattern-filled puzzles) to refocus your mind — sometimes, that’s all we need to do to calm our minds for a good night’s rest.
8 Pokémon Sleep
A great distraction to your sleeping anxiety
In-app purchases |
✅ $1.19 – $97.99 per item |
Subscription |
✅ Yes |
Free trial |
❌ No |
Publish date |
Jul 18, 2023 |
It can be demoralizing to learn that your sleeping habits are poor. The added stress starts up a vicious cycle. But what about trying out an app that turns sleep tracking into a bit of a game to help relieve some stress? Surprisingly, Pokémon Sleep is consistent at sleep tracking, even if it’s a game first and a sleep-tracking app second.
The idea behind Pokémon Sleep is to track your sleep while providing an infographic of your habits. The app incentivizes sleeping to find more Pokémon — to fill your sleep Pokédex. Pokémon Sleep also includes the essentials you want in a sleep-tracking app, such as relaxing sounds, smart alarms, and audio playback of your sleeping. If Pokémon Go can get more people active outdoors, maybe Pokémon Sleep can work its magic with your sleeping schedule.
A good night’s sleep is essential
While most mobile sleep-tracking apps may not yield perfect accuracy, they still give us insight. Some apps, like Oura, require external accessories to measure sleep tracking, which defeats the purpose of previewing an app before making a decision; at the end of the day, no sleep tracker will give you the exact measurements, but it’s important to see if the mobile app (or accessory) can chart consistent results.