The listening reference Purchase guide
Sleep sound apps without a subscription
Find Taptanium’s six one-time purchase apps and see how the two rain apps handle optional purchases.
Compare the recordings
Taptanium publishes this guide and makes every app featured in it. These are our editorial picks for different listening preferences.
- Recorded wind A textured wash of wind with a slow rise and fall.
- Recorded fan An even mechanical wash from a recorded fan.
- Coastal waves Waves gather, break, and draw away again.
Flowing water
Flowing
Selecting a ready-made water scene or a guided meditation
One-time purchase App StoreFlowing water Continuous water movement from a Flowing scene.Streams and waterfalls
Flowing 2
Moving around an explorable water soundscape
One-time purchase App StoreShallow stream A layered burble from the Schwindequelle stream crossing.- Forest stream A water layer from Away’s explorable forest.
Pick a sound before you pick a purchase model
Windy Pro is the recorded wind option. Sleep Better Fan is the recorded fan option. Sunny centers on ocean waves. Flowing and Flowing 2 center on water, and Away covers an explorable forest.
Check the rain options separately
Rainy has two free scenes and offers a one-time Rainy Plus option as well as subscriptions. Rainlayer offers subscriptions. App Store prices and terms can vary by storefront.
Try a built-in sound first if you prefer
Apple includes Background Sounds on supported iPhones. Try its built-in options if you want a simple sound and already have a compatible device.