The apps in a little more detail
BetterSleep
A full sleep app: sounds, stories and a sleep tracker. The mixer is the most generous here at up to 15 sounds. It's subscription-only since 2025, and its help centre says it doesn't work with Google Home or other voice speakers.
Calm
The best known name, but mainly a meditation and sleep-story app rather than a sound mixer. It's also the most expensive of the group. It supports Chromecast and AirPlay.
myNoise
A favourite for people who like to fine-tune: each soundscape has sliders for its frequency bands, and the website is free. Good for tinnitus-masking and focus as well as sleep.
White Noise (TMSOFT)
A long-running app with one-time pricing and broad platform support, from Android TV to Windows. The free Lite version has ads. It's the closest to nive on features, including recording your own sounds.
Noisli
Aimed at focus and productivity rather than sleep. The free plan is limited to 1.5 hours a day. We couldn't find a current Android app.
Rain Rain
A simple, mostly free sleep sounds app with a fade-out timer included at no cost. On Android you can mix up to three sounds at once.
Where nive is weaker
- No iPhone app yet. nive is on Android now; iOS is coming soon.
- No free tier. After the 7-day trial it’s $2.99 a month or $19.99 a year. One-time apps like White Noise or myNoise cost less over time.
- Fewer layers. nive mixes up to 6 sounds; BetterSleep allows 15 and myNoise 10.
- Alexa isn’t live yet. myNoise and White Noise already have Alexa skills.
- New. nive has just launched, so it doesn’t have the years of reviews these apps have.
Where nive stands out
- A long, gentle fade. Sleep Mode lowers the volume a little every minute over 30 minutes to 8 hours, so it never cuts out and wakes you.
- Placed layers. Each of up to six sounds can sit left, centre or right.
- Your own sounds. Record rain on your balcony or your voice and add it to a mix.
- Speakers. Google Cast and AirPlay now, with Alexa on the way.
Want to try the sounds first? Play rain sounds or white, pink and brown noise free in your browser.
How we compared
We checked each app’s official website, help centre and US App Store or Google Play listing on 5 October 2026. We didn’t use user reviews as evidence. Apps change often, so check the current listing before you buy, and tell us at hello@niveapp.com if something here is out of date.
Sources
- bettersleep.com/support/en/articles/15602562-is-bettersleep-free
- bettersleep.com/support/en/articles/5371738-how-much-does-bettersleep-cost
- bettersleep.com/support/en/articles/5412939-how-do-i-create-a-mix
- bettersleep.com/support/en/articles/5373830-can-i-use-bettersleep-in-offline-mode
- bettersleep.com/support/en/articles/5432887-is-the-app-compatible-with-voice-activated-speakers
- apps.apple.com/us/app/bettersleep-relax-and-sleep/id314498713
Questions
What is the best free sleep sounds app?
For a fully free option, myNoise in the browser and Rain Rain (with a small ad) are the strongest of the apps we compared. White Noise Lite is free with ads, and Noisli's free plan is capped at 1.5 hours a day.
Which sleep sounds apps fade out instead of stopping suddenly?
nive, White Noise (TMSOFT), Rain Rain and Noisli on iOS all state that their timers fade the sound out. nive lets you set the fade over 30 minutes to 8 hours. BetterSleep, Calm and myNoise have timers, but we couldn't confirm a gradual fade.
Can I play sleep sounds on Chromecast, AirPlay or Alexa?
Calm, White Noise (TMSOFT) and nive support Chromecast or Google Cast plus AirPlay. myNoise and White Noise have Alexa skills, and nive's Alexa skill is coming soon. BetterSleep says it doesn't work with voice speakers.
Is a one-time purchase better than a subscription?
Over a few years, one-time apps like White Noise ($2.99) or the myNoise app ($19.99) cost less. Subscriptions like nive, Calm or BetterSleep fund ongoing new sounds and features. If you only want a few sounds, a one-time app is the cheaper choice.
Is this comparison biased toward nive?
We make nive, so we've tried hard to be fair: every fact about another app links to its own site or store listing, we list where nive is weaker, and we picked other apps as the best choice for several needs. If something is out of date, email hello@niveapp.com and we'll fix it.
Try nive free for 7 days
Mix up to six sounds, fade them to silence over the night, and play them on your speakers. Then $2.99 a month or $19.99 a year. On Android now, coming soon to iPhone.
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