ShutEye Alternatives: The Best 7 Sleep Apps in 2026

By Soothfy Team · Fri Oct 23 2026

Charged for ShutEye when you expected a free trial, or still sleeping badly? Here are the best ShutEye alternatives in 2026.

You downloaded ShutEye to finally get some sleep. You answered the setup questions, tapped through the free-trial screens, and then found a charge for a full year. Or you've used it for months, and the sounds help you drift off, but you still wake at 3 a.m. with your mind racing.

Sleep sounds and tracking can help, but they rarely fix the reason you can't sleep. And if an app's pricing feels confusing, that's one more thing keeping you up.

In this guide we compare the 7 best ShutEye alternatives in 2026: what each one does well, where it falls short, what it costs, and who it's for.

How We Chose These ShutEye Alternatives

To build this list, we compared each app's U.S. App Store listing, features and current prices, and read recent App Store reviews to see what real users like and what frustrates them. We looked for apps that cover what ShutEye users want, from better tracking to calmer nights, without confusing trials.

Soothfy is our app. Where another app is the better pick for a need, we say so.

• Sleep sounds, tracking or insomnia help, the things people use ShutEye for
• Clear pricing: we list each app's real U.S. App Store prices
• Clear best use: each app solves one ShutEye problem better
• Real user reviews from the App Store, October 2026
• Actively updated in 2026

What Are the Best ShutEye Alternatives?

The best ShutEye alternatives keep what people like about it, sleep sounds and a sleep tracker in one app, and fix what frustrates them: confusing trials and charges, tracking that doesn't match how you actually slept, and no real help when your mind won't switch off. Some focus on accurate tracking, some on sounds, and some on fixing insomnia itself. Here's how they compare at a glance.

ShutEye Alternatives Compared

Prices: U.S. App Store listings, October 2026. They vary by country, plan and offer.

The 7 Best ShutEye Alternatives in 2026

1. Soothfy: Best Overall When Stress or a Racing Mind Keeps You Awake

Soothfy is a sleep and mental health app for people whose nights are shaped by stress, anxiety, ADHD or an overactive mind. Like ShutEye, it has calming sound therapy and a sleep tracker. The difference is that it works on the reason you can't sleep: when your thoughts race at 2 a.m., Instant Relief gives you CBT exercises for that exact moment, and a daily plan builds the habits that make good nights more likely.

Key features

• Sound therapy: calming audio and guided breathing to wind down, without digging through a huge library.
• Instant Relief: pick your exact symptom from 35 options and get 3 CBT exercises with a 2-minute timer. You mark what worked, so Soothfy learns what helps you fall back asleep.
• Sleep and mood tracker: log sleep and mood in seconds and see how stress, routines and sleep connect, with weekly and monthly trends and reports you can share with your doctor.

• Evening Anchor Habit and 30-day plan: a short wind-down routine tied to something you already do every night, inside a plan that adapts to your mood and energy.

• Bedtime journal: write, record a voice note or add images to get worries out of your head before sleep.

• One subscription for 9 conditions, including insomnia, anxiety, stress and ADHD, plus a CBT library and a moderated community.

Pros

• Helps with the thoughts that keep you awake, not just the silence
• Simple daily check-ins instead of a phone on your mattress all night
• Clear 7-day free trial, then $49.99/year
• Covers sleep, anxiety, stress and ADHD in one app

Cons

• No automatic snoring or sleep-stage recording, so keep Pillow or Sleep Cycle if you want that data

Pricing

• Free to download with a 7-day free trial
• $49.99/year or $8.99/month (U.S.)

Suitable for

• People who can't switch off at night
• Anyone whose sleep problems come with stress, anxiety or ADHD
• People who want to fix their sleep, not just measure it

How to start

1. Download Soothfy free on iPhone or Android.
2. Take the 2-minute assessment.
3. Set your evening Anchor Habit, and use Instant Relief if your mind races tonight.

What users say

"Gets rid of stress that I've been having and gets me very relaxed. I definitely recommend it!"
App Store review (U.S.)

"Good app . Has journal and tips on how to help . It has nice soothing music option too ."
App Store review (U.S.)

Fall asleep without fighting your thoughts

Sound therapy, 2-minute CBT relief and sleep tracking in one app. Free for 7 days.

Free to download · 7-day free trial

2. Sleep Cycle: Best Sound-Based Sleep Tracker With a Smart Alarm

Sleep Cycle uses your phone's microphone to analyze your sleep through the night, then wakes you with a smart alarm during your lightest sleep phase. It's one of the world's best-known sleep apps, with an AI sleep coach and sleep sounds.

Compared with ShutEye, Sleep Cycle puts tracking first. Its sleep graphs, snore detection and notes (for things like caffeine or late meals) help you see what affects your nights, while ShutEye leans more on its sound library and stories.

Our take: choose Sleep Cycle if accurate tracking and a gentle wake-up matter most to you.

Key features

• Sound-based sleep tracking
• Smart alarm in a wake-up window
• Snore and sleep-talk detection
• Sleep notes to spot patterns
• AI sleep coach
• Sleep sounds

Pros

• Very established and polished
• Useful notes feature
• Gentle smart alarm

Cons

• Most insights need Premium
• Several prices listed, which can be confusing
• Less help with racing thoughts

Pricing

• Free
• Premium plans listed at several prices, up to $57.99 (U.S. App Store)

Suitable for

• People who want detailed sleep data and a smart alarm

How to start

1. Download Sleep Cycle and track one full night with your phone by the bed. See our Sleep Cycle alternatives guide.

What users say

"it definitely helps me identify what things are helping me sleep by using the notes feature."
App Store review (U.S.)

3. Pillow: Best Apple Watch Sleep Tracker

Pillow tracks your sleep automatically with your Apple Watch, iPhone or iPad, records audio events like snoring and sleep talking, and wakes you with a smart alarm. It also compares your sleep with Apple Health data.

Compared with ShutEye, Pillow is built for Apple Watch users who want accurate, automatic tracking without leaving the phone on the bed. It has fewer sounds and stories, but much deeper sleep and heart-rate reports.

Our take: choose Pillow if you wear an Apple Watch to bed and want the most detailed tracking on iPhone.

Key features

• Automatic Apple Watch sleep tracking
• Heart rate analysis
• Snoring and sleep-talk recording
• Smart alarm
• Apple Health integration
• Sleep trends over time

Pros

• Automatic tracking with no extra steps
• Detailed Apple Watch reports
• Clear annual price

Cons

• iPhone and Apple Watch only
• Few sounds or stories
• Premium needed for full reports

Pricing

• Free
• Premium $49.99/year or $19.99/month (U.S. App Store)

Suitable for

• Apple Watch owners who want detailed data

How to start

1. Download Pillow and wear your Apple Watch to bed tonight.

What users say

"I've been using the app for a couple years now, but it has definitely helped more recently with the new job I started"
App Store review (U.S.)

4. RISE: Best for Sleep Debt and Daytime Energy

RISE tracks your sleep debt and predicts your energy peaks and dips through the day, based on sleep science. It adds habit reminders, sleep sounds, meditations and a smart alarm.

Compared with ShutEye, RISE cares less about what happens during the night and more about how your sleep affects your day. It tells you how much sleep you owe and when to do focused work, wind down or go to bed.

Our take: choose RISE if you want to plan your day around your energy and pay off sleep debt.

Key features

• Sleep debt tracking
• Daily energy schedule
• Habit reminders
• Sleep sounds and meditations
• Smart alarm
• Calendar integration

Pros

• Practical, science-based guidance
• Great for shift workers and busy people
• Focus on daytime energy

Cons

• One of the higher prices
• Less useful if you only want sounds
• Membership needed after the trial

Pricing

• 7-day free trial
• Membership plans listed from $35.99 to $69.99/year (U.S. App Store)

Suitable for

• People who feel tired during the day

How to start

1. Download RISE and check your sleep debt after a few nights.

What users say

"I got this app and so far I love it."
App Store review (U.S.)

5. BetterSleep: Best for Mixing Your Own Sleep Sounds

BetterSleep, formerly Relax Melodies, lets you mix your own sleep sounds and music, and adds sleep stories, guided meditations, a sleep tracker and a sleep recorder.

Compared with ShutEye, BetterSleep gives you more control over sound: you layer rain, fans, music and tones into your own mix. Both apps combine sounds with tracking, and both put most content behind Premium.

It also includes a sleep recorder to catch snoring or sleep talking, so it covers much of what ShutEye does in one app.

Our take: choose BetterSleep if building the perfect sound mix is what helps you sleep.

Key features

• Mixable sleep sounds and music
• Sleep stories
• Guided meditations
• Sleep tracker
• Sleep recorder
• Breathing exercises

Pros

• Huge, flexible sound library
• Long track record
• Mix sounds exactly how you like

Cons

• Many sounds need Premium
• Several prices listed
• Less help with anxious thoughts

Pricing

• Free
• Premium plans listed from $39.99 to $99.99 (U.S. App Store)

Suitable for

• People who love customizing sleep sounds

How to start

1. Download BetterSleep and build a sound mix for tonight. See our BetterSleep alternatives guide.

What users say

"So when I tried this app it was a dream come true since I have anxiety"
App Store review (U.S.)

6. SleepWatch: Best Budget Sleep Tracker

SleepWatch tracks your sleep with your iPhone or Apple Watch and gives you a personalized sleep report each morning, with daily tips. Its listing says AI-powered software helps personalize your sleep coaching.

Compared with ShutEye, SleepWatch is cheaper and more focused on tracking and coaching tips than on sounds and stories. It also looks at your habits before bed to suggest what might help.

It works with your iPhone alone or with an Apple Watch, and the free version covers basic tracking before you decide to upgrade.

Our take: choose SleepWatch if you want sleep tracking and tips at a lower price.

Key features

• iPhone and Apple Watch tracking
• Morning sleep reports
• Daily tips and recommendations
• Pre-bedtime habit tracking
• Sleep sounds
• Snore and sleep-talk insights

Pros

• Lower price than most trackers
• Simple morning reports
• Useful habit insights

Cons

• Some users report confusing reports
• Fewer relaxation tools
• Updated less often than others here

Pricing

• Free
• Premium $39.99/year or $4.99/month; other offers listed (U.S. App Store)

Suitable for

• Budget-conscious people who want basic tracking

How to start

1. Download SleepWatch and read tomorrow's sleep report.

What users say

"I like that it tracked my oxygen levels and my pre-bedtime behaviors."
App Store review (U.S.)

7. CBT-i Coach: Best Free Insomnia Program

CBT-i Coach is a free app from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), the recommended first treatment for chronic insomnia. It guides you through sleep education, routines and your sleep environment.

Compared with ShutEye, CBT-i Coach doesn't try to put you to sleep with sounds. Instead, it teaches you to change the habits and thoughts behind insomnia, with a sleep diary and a structured program designed to be used alongside a health provider.

The program usually takes several weeks of practice, but many people find the sleep diary alone shows them patterns they had never noticed.

Our take: choose CBT-i Coach if you have ongoing insomnia and want a free, evidence-based program.

Key features

• Structured CBT-I program
• Sleep diary
• Sleep education
• Relaxation tools
• Sleep environment tips
• Designed to support care with a provider

Pros

• Completely free
• Based on the recommended insomnia treatment
• No ads or upsells

Cons

• Dated design
• Takes effort over several weeks
• No sounds or tracking

Pricing

• Free (no in-app purchases)

Suitable for

• People with chronic insomnia

How to start

1. Download CBT-i Coach and start your sleep diary tonight.

What users say

"Easy to use and helped me discover and understand my sleep patterns, giving me insight into my behaviors."
App Store review (U.S.)

Final Thoughts

ShutEye is a capable all-in-one sleep app, but if its trial and pricing left a bad taste, or sounds and tracking aren't fixing your sleep, you have better options. Soothfy is our top pick if stress or a racing mind keeps you awake: sound therapy, 2-minute CBT relief, an evening routine and sleep and mood tracking with clear pricing. For detailed tracking, choose Sleep Cycle or Pillow. For daytime energy, RISE. For free, evidence-based insomnia help, CBT-i Coach.

More guides: Sleep Cycle Alternatives, BetterSleep Alternatives, Insight Timer Alternatives, ADHD Sleep Problems: Strategies That Help, ADHD and Sleep Statistics, Night Routine for Insomnia, How to Stop an Anxiety Spiral in 2 Minutes and Best Anxiety Relief Apps.

Try Soothfy free for 7 days

The ShutEye alternative that helps with the thoughts keeping you awake.

Free to download · 7-day free trial

Best ShutEye Alternatives: FAQs (2026)

1. What is ShutEye?

ShutEye is a sleep app that combines sleep sounds, bedtime stories, a smart alarm and a sleep and snoring tracker. Its Premium plan is listed at $59.99 a year or $9.99 a month in the U.S. App Store (October 2026), with other offers also listed.

2. Why look for ShutEye alternatives?

Mostly pricing and trust. We read 1,034 of ShutEye's most recent and most helpful App Store reviews from the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia: 673 were rated 3 stars or lower, and 445 of those mentioned price, the paywall or the free trial, with many saying they were charged for a full year when they expected a free trial. About 200 complained about tracking accuracy.

3. What is the best alternative to ShutEye?

Soothfy is the best ShutEye alternative if stress or a racing mind keeps you awake: it combines sound therapy and sleep tracking with 2-minute CBT relief, an evening routine and mood tracking, with a clear 7-day free trial. For detailed tracking, Sleep Cycle and Pillow are the closest matches.

4. Is ShutEye free?

ShutEye is free to download, but most features need Premium after a free trial. Several reviewers say the trial and pricing screens were confusing. Soothfy is free to download with a 7-day free trial, then $49.99 a year or $8.99 a month in the U.S.

5. How do I cancel ShutEye and get a refund?

On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then Subscriptions to cancel. To request a refund for an App Store purchase, use Apple's Report a Problem page (reportaproblem.apple.com). On Android, cancel in the Play Store under Payments and subscriptions. Deleting the app does not cancel the subscription.

6. What is the best free sleep app?

CBT-i Coach is completely free and based on the recommended treatment for insomnia. Sleep Cycle, Pillow, BetterSleep and SleepWatch have free versions with limited features. Free versions are a good way to test an app before you pay, but read the trial terms before you start one.

7. Which sleep tracker is most accurate?

Apps that use a wearable, like Pillow with an Apple Watch, usually give more detailed data than phone-only tracking. No consumer app is as accurate as a sleep study, so use any tracker for trends, not diagnosis. If your tracker and how you feel don't match, trust how you feel and look at the long-term trend instead.

8. Which sleep app is best for anxiety?

Soothfy is built for anxiety at night: when worries keep you awake, Instant Relief gives you 3 CBT exercises for your exact symptom, and the bedtime journal helps you get thoughts out of your head. BetterSleep and Calm offer calming sounds and stories.

9. What actually helps with insomnia?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first treatment for chronic insomnia. It includes a regular wake time, using the bed only for sleep, and changing unhelpful thoughts about sleep. CBT-i Coach teaches it for free, and Soothfy uses CBT techniques for the anxious thoughts that often come with it.

10. Do sleep sounds really help?

Many people find steady sounds like rain or white noise mask disturbing noises and help them relax. They work best alongside a consistent bedtime routine. Try keeping the volume low and using a timer, so the sound fades out once you're asleep.

11. Which sleep app works without an Apple Watch?

Sleep Cycle tracks with your phone's microphone, and Soothfy uses quick daily sleep and mood check-ins, so neither needs a wearable. Pillow and SleepWatch work best with an Apple Watch. Phone-based tracking works best with the phone near your bed and fully charged.

12. Which app helps me wind down before bed?

Soothfy's evening Anchor Habit and bedtime journal help you wind down, and its sound therapy helps you relax. Keeping the same bedtime and dimming screens an hour before bed also helps your body wind down.

13. Which sleep app is best for ADHD?

Soothfy is built for ADHD brains: an evening routine that doesn't depend on remembering a long checklist, sound therapy, and CBT exercises for racing thoughts at night. RISE can help with energy planning during the day. Instant Relief gives you something short to do when you can't switch off, instead of lying there scrolling.

14. What's the best ShutEye alternative overall in 2026?

Soothfy: sound therapy, 2-minute CBT relief, an evening routine and sleep and mood tracking, with a clear 7-day free trial. If you only want detailed tracking, Sleep Cycle or Pillow.

Ready for calmer nights?

Download Soothfy free and set your evening routine tonight.

Free to download · 7-day free trial

This article is for information only and is not medical advice. Prices and features change often. Last updated October 23, 2026.