Apps and online care
Sleep Cycle vs Calm
They differ on 7 of 10 things we check. No winner here: the better one is the one that fits what you need and how you'd pay.
Sleep Cycle
You set an alarm window, put your phone by your bed, and Sleep Cycle listens through the night, then wakes you when it thinks you are sleeping lightly and shows your sleep and snoring in the morning.
Calm
Calm helps you relax and sleep with guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music and breathing exercises.
Where they differ
- Good for
- Sleep Cycle: Seeing rough patterns in your sleep without buying a wearable; A wake-up alarm timed within a window you choose
- Calm: Beginners who want short guided meditations; People who fall asleep better with stories, soundscapes or music
- Probably not for
- Sleep Cycle: Chronic insomnia, which is better treated with CBT-I
- Calm: Anyone in crisis: call or text 988
- Cost
- Sleep Cycle: Free version, or Free; Premium about $39.99/year
- Calm: Free version, or $79.99/year or $16.99/month
- Where
- Sleep Cycle: iPhone, Android
- Calm: iPhone, Android, Web
- Research
- Sleep Cycle: Not stated
- Calm: Strong research support
- Sells your data
- Sleep Cycle: Not stated
- Calm: Yes
- HIPAA
- Sleep Cycle: Not stated
- Calm: No
The same for both: kind of help (an app i use on my own), how you pay (free, i'll pay myself), privacy (grade c).
In crisis or thinking about suicide? In the US, call or text 988. This page is information from our reviews, not medical advice.