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Best white noise and sleep sound apps for iPhone: what the free version really does
Eight apps, compared on what you get without paying: how long it plays, whether it keeps going with the screen locked, the timer and the ads.
Checked Oct 17, 2026 against each app's US App Store listing · we make one of these apps (Fall Asleep) and say where it is weaker
Short answer
- Free, no time limit: Rain Rain Sleep Sounds (50+ sounds, mixer, every timer; small banner ad).
- Fan, appliance and noise-color sounds: White Noise Lite (free with ads) or Bedtime Fan for fan sounds only.
- Stories and meditation, not just noise: Calm or BetterSleep (mostly subscription).
- Bedtime and sound in one place: Fall Asleep, ours: a nightly bedtime reminder plus five rooms of nature sounds that fade out. Playing with the screen locked needs Plus.
Side by side: the free version of each app
| App | US ratings | Free version | Sleep timer | Plays with screen locked | Ads (free) | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain Rain Sleep Sounds Tim Gostony | 4.8 ★ 137,226 | 50+ sounds, mixer, no limit on playback time, every fade-out timer | Every fade-out timer option, free | Yes (background audio) | Small image banner only; no audio or video ads | Rain Rain Premium subscription (7-day trial): 60+ more sounds, no ads |
| White Noise Lite TMSOFT | 4.8 ★ 277,410 | 50+ looped sounds (fans, appliances, noise colors, rain), Mix Pad, recording your own sounds | Timer and alarm that fade audio in and out | Yes (background audio) | Yes; an upgrade removes them | In-app upgrade: no ads, Apple TV and Apple Watch support |
| White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds Slumber Studios | 4.8 ★ 209,617 | 30+ free sounds; plays for up to eight hours | Sleep timer | Yes (plays in the background) | Not stated on the listing | $49.99 a year for continuous play and the full library |
| Bedtime Fan, White Noise Baby Slumber Studios | 4.8 ★ 203,358 | 8 fan sounds | Sleep timer with soft fade-out | Yes (keeps running in background) | Yes; the subscription removes them | $19.99 a year: extra scenes and binaural tracks, no ads |
| BetterSleep Ipnos | 4.7 ★ 390,801 | Some sounds and mixes; most content is premium | Timers that stop the app | Not stated on the listing | Not stated on the listing | Auto-renewing subscription for premium sounds, stories, meditations and the sleep tracker |
| Sleep Sounds by Sleep Pillow Ipnos | 4.9 ★ 90,203 | Ambient sounds and mixes; a full version is sold in the app | Sleep timer with slow fade-out, alarm with slow fade-in | Yes (runs while device locked) | Not stated on the listing | Full version (in-app purchase) |
| Calm Calm.com | 4.8 ★ 1,988,117 | Some programs and features free forever | Not stated on the listing | Not stated on the listing | No ads | Subscription for most sleep stories, music and meditations |
| Fall Asleep: Rain Sleep Sounds DozeClock team (ours) | none shown yet | Rain and Beach rooms with 3 sounds each, other sounds as 10-second previews | 15 minutes free; 15 min to 3 h with Plus, sound fades out | Plus only (free stops when the screen goes dark) | Yes in the free version | Plus Yearly (7-day trial) or Plus Lifetime one-time; single rooms sold on their own |
Source: each app's US App Store listing via Apple's iTunes Lookup, Oct 17, 2026. "Not stated" means the listing does not say; it does not mean the app lacks it. Ratings change daily.
Which one fits you
Rain Rain Sleep Sounds
Pick it if you want the most generous free version: no time limit, every timer length and mixing without paying. Skip it if you mind a banner ad, or want an app that is updated often (last update January 2025). iOS 12.0 or later · last updated Jan 22, 2025.
White Noise Lite
Pick it if you want classic machine-style noise: air conditioner, dryer, fan, plus white, pink, brown, blue and violet noise. Skip it if you want nature scenes that look calm on screen; it is built around a sound list and a clock. iOS 14.0 or later · last updated Oct 3, 2026.
White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds
Pick it if you want a very large library (250+ sounds and music) and will pay for it. Skip it if you want something free for good; the free version stops after eight hours and the subscription is the priciest here. iOS 15.0 or later · last updated Sep 25, 2026.
Bedtime Fan, White Noise Baby
Pick it if you sleep with a fan on and want only fan sounds. Skip it if you want rain, waves or a mixer. iOS 15.0 or later · last updated Oct 2, 2026.
BetterSleep
Pick it if you also want sleep stories, guided meditation, a bedtime reminder and a sleep recorder in one app. Skip it if you only want a sound and a timer; most of the app sits behind the subscription. iOS 15.0 or later · last updated Oct 8, 2026.
Sleep Sounds by Sleep Pillow
Pick it if you want a simple sound-plus-alarm app with the highest average rating in this list. Skip it if you want an app still being updated (last update October 2023). iOS 12.0 or later · last updated Oct 30, 2023.
Calm
Pick it if you want sleep stories and meditation more than background noise. Skip it if your iPhone cannot run iOS 18, or you only need a sound machine. iOS 18.0 or later · last updated Oct 8, 2026.
Fall Asleep: Rain Sleep Sounds (ours)
Pick it if you want tonight's bedtime and the sound in one place: a bedtime reminder you set once, then five rooms of mixable nature sounds that fade out. Skip it if you want a free app that plays all night with the screen off; ours needs Plus for that, Rain Rain does it free. iOS 16.0 or later · last updated Oct 10, 2026.
What matters in a sleep sound app
A timer that fades, not cuts. A sound that stops abruptly can wake you as it ends. Every app above has a sleep timer; the ones that fade the sound out are gentler. Why the length of the timer matters: sleep timer for sleep sounds.
Locked-screen play. If you want sound all night with the screen off, check this column first. It is the line most often moved behind a paywall.
The sound itself. Steady broadband noise masks sudden sounds best; nature scenes are more varied. How white, pink and brown noise differ and what the studies show: white vs pink vs brown noise. You can try each one in the browser on our sleep sounds pages before installing anything.
Your bedtime. A sound helps you drift off, but the alarm is fixed. Count back from it first with the bedtime calculator; it can also put a free nightly lights-out reminder in your phone's calendar.
Questions
Is there a free white noise app with no time limit?
Yes. Rain Rain Sleep Sounds lists 50+ sounds, the mixer, every fade-out timer and "no limit on playback time" as free, with a small banner ad (App Store listing, Oct 17, 2026). White Noise Lite is also free with background audio and ads. White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds stops after eight hours unless you subscribe ($49.99 a year).
Do sleep sound apps keep playing when the iPhone is locked?
Most do, but check the free version. Rain Rain, White Noise Lite, Bedtime Fan and Sleep Pillow say they play in the background or with the device locked. Our own app, Fall Asleep, only keeps playing with the screen locked on Plus; the free version stops when the screen goes dark.
What is the difference between a white noise app and a sleep app like Calm?
A white noise app plays a steady sound (noise colors, fans, rain) until a timer stops it. Calm and BetterSleep are built around sleep stories, meditations and, in BetterSleep, a sleep tracker, with most content in a subscription. If all you want is a sound and a timer, a sound app is simpler and often free.
Which noise color is best for sleep?
There is no single winner. Pink and brown noise put more energy in low frequencies and sound softer than white noise; studies are small. Our guide compares them with the research: white, pink and brown noise.
How we made this list
We read each app's US App Store listing on Oct 17, 2026 and wrote down only what the listing states. We did not install and test the other apps, and none of them paid to be here; there are no affiliate links on this page. We make Fall Asleep, so it is marked as ours and its weak spots are in the table. Found something out of date? Tell us and we will check the listing again.