Sleep sound apps make money. Three leaders in the niche make at least $160K a month each at the low end of our estimate (not Apple data, October 13, 2026), and one of them launched in October 2025. There is room for a noise synthesizer that works offline and sells as one purchase. The one catch is that people search for these apps with the word free.
How much money is in the niche
There is money here, and several apps share it. Based on rating growth over the last month, three leaders make at least $160K a month each at the low end of the range. It is our estimate, not Apple data.
| App | Released | Ratings | Price to download | Monthly revenue, our estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Noise Deep Sleep Sounds | 2016 | 209,434 | Free | $281K–1.12M |
| Anima (binaural beats) | Oct 21, 2025 | 4,916 | Free | $165K–661K |
| Moongate (binaural beats) | 2023 | 60,305 | Free | $160K–639K |
| White Noise | 2019 | 46,146 | $0.99 | $50K–201K |
| BetterSleep | 2009 | 390,805 | Free | $29K–114K |
| BrainWave (binaural beats) | 2009 | 11,214 | $5.99 | No estimate, the rating count barely moves |
Appto data as of October 13, 2026, rating growth from September 13 to October 13, 2026, 19 days for White Noise. Rating counts from the US App Store. Revenue is our estimate, not Apple data.
On September 9, 2026 Moongate was number 18 in the US top grossing Music chart. On September 10 White Noise was number 5 among paid Health & Fitness apps. People pay for sleep sounds both by subscription and with a one-time purchase.
The leaders and where they are weak
Newcomers do get in. Anima launched on October 21, 2025 and already makes about as much as Moongate, which is almost three years old.
A big rating count means little here. BetterSleep has 390,805 ratings but adds them slowly, and by our estimate it now makes less than Anima with 4,916. BrainWave sells for $5.99 and gets almost no new ratings.
The tail of the search results is thin. On September 7, 2026 App Store search showed Brown Noise Machine with 714 ratings, Binaural Beats Generator + with 1,190 and Brown Noise to relax with 1,982, the last one not updated since 2023. In the book the niche scores 50 out of 100 on the weak leaders scale, right in the middle.
A synthesizer instead of a player
The book suggests building a synthesizer instead of a player of recordings. White, pink and brown noise and binaural tones are computed in real time by the audio engine built into iOS. Nothing loops, there is nothing to download and everything works offline. You don't need any field recordings, so there is zero content to prepare. Binaural tones need headphones, and the first screen should say so.
"No audio files" alone doesn't sell. Brown Noise Player launched on August 5, 2026 at $0.99 and says in its description that there are no audio files inside. On September 6 it was number 38 among paid US Health & Fitness apps with a single rating. By October 13 it had 3 ratings and, by our estimate, makes $500 to $5K a month. A synthesizer also needs a mixer, a timer and saved mixes, the things that make people open it every night.
Version 1 in five screens
- Noise colors. White, pink and brown with one tap.
- Mixer. Noises and tones in layers, each with its own slider.
- Binaural tones. A set of tones for listening with headphones.
- Sleep timer. The sound fades out by the time you pick.
- My mixes. Saved combinations for every night.
Version 1 leaves out recorded nature sounds, guided meditations and accounts. Describe what the app plays and make no promises about sleep or health. The book's idea for the first App Store screenshot is three mixer sliders for white, pink and brown noise with a timer below and the caption "Your own noise, no internet, no subscription".
How to charge
People in this niche pay with subscriptions and one-time purchases. Apps that charge to download cost from $0.99 for White Noise to $5.99 for BrainWave (App Store, October 13, 2026). The book suggests a few sounds for free and the full mixer, all tones and saved mixes with one purchase. The app doesn't need a server, so a one-time purchase carries no running costs.
The free part has to be useful on its own. People here are used to free apps, and a screen full of locks won't win them over.
Risks
- People search with the word free. On September 7, 2026 three of the ten App Store search suggestions for brown noise contained the word free. A smaller share of people buy here than in niches where paying for apps is normal.
- There are a lot of white noise apps. Your difference has to show in the synthesis, the mixer and the first screenshot. A sound library on its own is not a difference.
- Sleep claims. The app plays sound. Don't say it cures insomnia.
- Numbers move. Since September BrainWave has changed its name and its price, from $6.99 to $5.99. Re-check the niche before you start.
How we estimate revenue
We estimate revenue from the growth in App Store ratings over the last 30 days. It is our estimate, not Apple data. In half of the cases the estimate is within 2x of the real figure, in four out of five within 3x, and for large apps it tends to run low. Ads, web sales and Google Play are not included. The method is explained in How much does an app make? Estimating App Store revenue from ratings.
Build your own
The whole niche, with the checks, the leaders and a ready task for your AI agent, is number 14 in the book 50 iPhone app niches. It scores 11 out of 13 there and 85 out of 100 for ease of building. The niche first came up in Appto's research on September 6, 2026 and has come up five times in all.
Before you start, check in Appto that the name is free and that the leaders' money hasn't changed. From there the agent takes the app from five screens to the App Store, and Appto submits it to Apple from your account or shows you what to press in App Store Connect. The whole path is covered in How to build an iOS app with AI, from niche to App Store.
Questions
Do I need my own sound recordings?
No. Noises and tones are computed by code in real time, so there is nothing to record or license.
Subscription or one-time purchase?
Both work in this niche. For a synthesizer with no server the book suggests a few sounds for free and the mixer, all tones and mixes with one purchase.
How many screens in version 1?
Five. Noise colors, mixer, binaural tones, sleep timer and my mixes.
How do I stand out from free apps?
With a useful free part, working fully offline and your own mixer of noises and tones with a timer.
How much do the niche leaders make?
By our estimate on October 13, 2026, three leaders make at least $160K a month each at the low end of the range. It is not Apple data.
Build your own app in Appto
Appto checks the niche on fresh App Store data, designs the screens, writes the code, builds the App Store page and submits to Apple from your account or shows you what to press in App Store Connect. Runs on your own Claude Code or Codex.
Download for Mac50 niches checked for money
The Appto book: the money in each niche, the leaders and their weak spots, a version 1 plan and a ready task for the agent. 5 niches free.
Open the book