The best sleep tracker apps for Android and iPhone
This article was first published on 1 March 2022 and updated on 11 November 2024.
One third of everyone’s life is spent sleeping. But unfortunately, millions of Swiss suffer from poor sleep. Poor sleep makes you sick, unhappy and leads to performance losses. Sleep tracker apps are an important first step towards better sleep hygiene.
These types of sleep tracker apps are available
As different as the sleep problems are, so are the apps and their solutions.
Sleep aids
For those who take a long time to fall asleep but get out of bed quickly in the morning, apps that help you snooze with nature sounds, mindfulness exercises, or bedtime stories are ideal.
Smart alarm clocks
For those who have trouble getting out of bed in the morning and have to set hundreds of alarm clocks, sleep phase alarm clock apps can be considered to gently bring you back from slumberland. These apps use a microphone to record your sleep phases (deep sleep, REM sleep, light sleep) and only wake you up when you are in a light sleep phase. The sudden howling of your alarm clock is a thing of the past.
Help with nightmares
On the other hand, for those who are plagued by nightmares, dream interpretation and dream diary apps can be helpful. However, we’ll focus on sleep and sleep tracker apps here. Many of the apps have this functionality on board.
A sleep app is no substitute for a doctor
A good sleep app is an important building block towards better sleep – but it can’t work miracles. It won’t replace a sagging mattress, it won’t improve your dust allergies, and it won’t stop you from indulging in greasy fast food right before bed. But they can raise your awareness of these things. They are a support, not a solution. So if you have sleep problems, you should also consult your family doctor.
By the way, if you’re worried about mobile phone radiation, here’s a look at the list of low-radiation smartphones.
Take a look at your operating system’s health app!
Many users don’t know that operating system manufacturers also offer a health app. While it doesn’t have the same functionality as the apps on this list, it does have some features like smart alarms and sleep tracking. Just search for Health on iOS or Google Fit on Android.
All of the apps on this list bring support for iOS Health or Google Fit and sync data with them. This is especially helpful if you use other health and sports apps. This way you have everything nice and organized in one place and can show them to your doctor in case of an emergency. And as useful as mobile phones are: It is advisable to put your smartphone to one side every now and then. Because mobile phones also cause stress. The correct use of mobile phones is therefore essential for a healthy balance in life and therefore also for restful sleep.
The best sleep tracking apps
Sleep Cycle: Sleep Recorder
Sleep Cycle is used by millions of people worldwide, and for good reason: from falling asleep to waking up, the app includes all the features it takes to get a good night’s sleep. Use sleep sounds and stories to move more quickly into the realm of dreams, wake up gently with smart alarms, and analyze how often and for how long you’ve been snoring after you get up. Support for Apple Watch is also there.
However, most of the features Sleep Cycle hides behind a paywall. For CHF 32.99, you can, among other things, increase the wake-up window from 0 minutes to up to 90 minutes, record sleep sounds like snoring and mumbling, access long-term trends, and track the impact of midnight snacks, workouts, and weather on your sleep.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Download for Android | Download for HarmonyOS |
Calm – Meditate, Sleep, Relax
If you can do without sleep tracking and only have problems falling asleep, you should take a look at this app. Calm was originally designed as a meditation app, but the breathing and relaxation exercises are also suitable for falling asleep. Over 100 bedtime stories and numerous selectable nature sounds help you fall asleep. If you want to access all the functions, you have to take out an in-app subscription of CHF 12 per month or CHF 60 per year.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Download for Android | Download for HarmonyOS |
Headspace: Mindful Meditation
Like Calm, Headspace is primarily suitable for meditation, but can also be used as a sleep aid. An important step towards better sleep is mindfulness, and this is exactly where the app comes in. Sleep meditations, soothing music and sleep stories and guides accompany you to sleep. But we’ve also thought about waking up: Inspiring videos and animations help you start the day. Headspace is therefore particularly suitable for people who struggle with spiralling thoughts when falling asleep.
Unfortunately, much of the content is only available after purchasing an in-app subscription of about CHF 12 per month or about CHF 64 per year. However, you can try the app for free for seven days. And a Headspace series on Netflix is also available 😉 .
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Download for Android | Download for HarmonyOS |
Pillow Sleep Tracker
If you are exclusively at home in the Apple cosmos, you should take a look at the Pillow sleep tracker app. The app unfolds its full potential especially in combination with an Apple Watch. If you have one, the app also tracks your respiration and heart rate, your blood oxygen, and ambient sounds. You don’t even need to open the app to do this, because the app can automatically track when you’re asleep – and the tracking means the app wakes you up at just the right moment. Pillow sleep tracker is also suitable for small power naps during the day.
If you want features like sleep trends, sound recordings and valuable tips, you can subscribe to an in-app subscription for CHF 9 per month. Here you can also pay per quarter or per year and thus save money.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Not available for Android | Not available for HarmonyOS |
Sleep as Android: Smart alarm
The Android alternative for Pillow sleep tracker is called Sleep as Android and is one of the most successful sleep tracker apps with over 10 million downloads. If you own an Android smartwatch or fitness tracker, you can let it wake you up in the morning, because Sleep as Android supports all common smartwatches. Alternatively, numerous natural wake-up sounds and playlists are available.
Unlike other sleep apps, the app does not use the microphone, but ultrasound to measure your sleep. The CAPTCHA wake-up tasks that prevent you from falling asleep again are also clever. This way, the alarm clock only goes off when you have completed certain tasks such as calculating, shaking the phone or scanning the QR code. Recording sleep sounds and conversations is also part of this app’s repertoire.
If you want to have the complete experience right away, you can go straight for the CHF 9.90 app.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 (Free-Version) | Not available for iOS | Download for Android | Not available for HarmonyOS |
 (Pro-Version) | Not available for iOS | Download for Android | Not available for HarmonyOS |
Sleep Monitor: Sleep Cycle Track, Analysis, Music
Sleep Monitor, like Sleep Cycle, is available for both iOS and Android and has over 5 million downloads on Android alone. That’s because the app has all the features you’d expect from a sleep app. Not only does it record any snoring and dreaming conversations, it also gives you an overview of your sleep habits and how they affect your sleep. Weekly and monthly sleep trends and statistics should help you out. Sleep Monitor also brings soothing lullaby songs and sounds and will gently wake you up in the morning.
The free version of the app is ad-supported. If you want to hide the ads and unlock the full feature set, you can upgrade to the Pro version, which costs between CHF 1 and CHF 110.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Download for Android | Not available for HarmonyOS |
SnoreLab: Record Your Snoring
If your sleep problem is that you snore a lot, you should take a look at the SnoreLab app. It is especially suitable for snorers, because the goal of the app is to improve your snoring. This is done on the one hand by recording during the night, but also by displaying snoring factors. Users can log the effectiveness of aids such as nose clips, snoring splints or more, thus giving the doctor a helping hand. After getting up, a snoring score is then available to show the snoring intensity. SnoreLab also allows to listen to the sound files and to send them via e-mail – for example to the doctor.
If you want the full range of functions, you have to take out an in-app subscription of about CHF 12. However, this is then valid for the entire year.
| Apple App Store | Google Play Store | Huawei AppGallery | |
 | Download for iOS | Download for Android | Download for HarmonyOS |
Potential Reason for Increased Data Consumption: Sleep Tracking Apps
Are you surprised that your mobile data volume is used up so early? The explanation could lie in an app that is acting in secret. Sleep tracking apps in particular could play a role. Check your mobile data settings to find out which app is responsible for the increased data consumption.
By being more aware of your data usage, you can use your mobile phone plan more effectively and avoid unexpected costs.
At alao, we know how important it is to stay connected without breaking the budget. That’s why we always strive to find the best deals on mobile data in Switzerland.
Our wide selection includes:
This wide range of options allows you to choose the tariff that best suits your needs. This way you can enjoy smooth mobile data usage without straining your finances.
Bottom line: find your sleep problem area(s)
We already wrote it above: A sleep app can’t provide professional sleep analysis, but it can give you valuable information about your sleep patterns. Sleep problems are as varied as their solutions. While bedtime stories are enough for some, others need the complete solution with sleep sounds, sleep recording and smart alarm clocks. So try them out. Almost all apps on this list can be tested for free. Here’s to a restful night!
You can find more smartphone apps on our page for the best apps!
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