Sleep tracking pays but the shelf is old. On October 16, 2026 the US top 100 grossing Health & Fitness chart had 4 sleep trackers, and Sleep Cycle makes $502K–2.01M a month by our estimate (not Apple data). Since September 2025 the Apple Watch has its own sleep score, so a newcomer needs an angle the watch lacks.
How much sleep trackers make
On October 16, 2026 RISE was number 45 in the US top grossing Health & Fitness chart, Sleep Cycle number 50 and ShutEye number 63. SnoreLab, a snoring recorder, was number 4 in Medical.
| App | Released | US ratings | Price | Top grossing rank | Monthly revenue, our estimate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RISE (energy and sleep debt) | Aug 19, 2019 | 71,833 | free | #45 | $562K–2.25M |
| Sleep Cycle | Jul 23, 2009 | 30,651 | free | #50 | $502K–2.01M |
| ShutEye | Dec 9, 2019 | 350,025 | free | #63 | $117K–468K |
| SleepWatch | Aug 7, 2016 | 328,436 | free | #85 | rating count stalled, no estimate |
| SnoreLab (snoring, Medical) | Oct 26, 2012 | 57,507 | free | #4 | $128K–510K |
| AutoSleep (for Apple Watch) | Dec 20, 2016 | 61,790 | $9.99 | outside top 100 | paid, $9.99, no estimate |
| SleepSense | Jul 22, 2026 | 254 | free | outside top 100 | too few new ratings to estimate |
Appto data as of October 16, 2026. Rating growth September 16 to October 16, 2026. Rating counts and chart positions from the US App Store on October 16, 2026. Revenue is our estimate, not Apple data.
RISE sells an energy forecast for the day based on sleep debt, more than a map of the night. With 71,833 ratings it makes $562K–2.25M a month by our estimate, more than ShutEye with 350,025 ratings. SleepWatch's counter barely moved in a month, so it has a chart position but no range.
Almost no newcomers
Apps from 2009 to 2019 hold the top of the shelf. SleepSense launched on July 22, 2026, has 254 ratings, and the charts don't confirm App Store sales for it yet.
The paid model works too. AutoSleep at $9.99 was number 2 in the US paid Health & Fitness chart on Sep 24, 2026. It is an Apple Watch app with no subscription.
Where sleep data comes from
There are two sources. The first is the Apple Watch through HealthKit. Since iOS 16 (2022) the watch records sleep stages, core, deep and REM (HKCategoryValueSleepAnalysis). The app reads them with the person's permission and builds its own picture.
The second is the phone on the nightstand. The microphone hears snoring, coughing and talking, and movement under the blanket shows in the sound. To listen all night the app needs background audio recording and a clear explanation of microphone access. Analyze the sound on the phone and keep it off the network.
One date matters for this niche, September 9, 2025. Apple announced Sleep Score in watchOS 26, a nightly rating based on duration, consistency and interruptions (Apple press release). There is no point in repeating it.
What goes into version 1
- The morning screen. One picture of the night and one number people understand without a legend.
- Smart alarm. A wake-up window and a ring during light sleep. AlarmKit lets an alarm ring in silent mode, more on the alarm clock page.
- Night sounds. Short clips of snoring and talking to play back in the morning.
- HealthKit reading. Sleep stages from the watch when there is one, and a phone-only mode when there isn't.
- The week. Bedtimes and wake times, with no comparison to a "norm".
How sleep trackers charge
The leaders are free to download (US App Store, October 16, 2026) and sell subscriptions. The book describes the niche as a tracker for a one-time purchase. AutoSleep shows that people pay for an app without a subscription when it does one thing well.
Risks
- The built-in sleep score. Sleep Score on the watch is free, so the difference has to show in the first App Store screenshot.
- Medical claims. The app doesn't diagnose apnea or insomnia. Say "observation", not "diagnosis".
- Battery and permissions. Recording all night needs a charger and trust in the microphone.
How we counted
Appto estimates revenue from 30 days of App Store rating growth, before Apple's commission. 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 our article on estimating app revenue.
Next steps
In the book 50 iPhone App Niches the sleep tracker with a smart alarm is niche 16, with an angle for a newcomer, the version 1 screens and a task for the agent.
You can recheck the niche in Appto on fresh App Store data. Appto and the agent design the screens, write the code for the phone and the watch, build the App Store page and submit the app to Apple from your account or show you what to press in App Store Connect.
Questions
How much do sleep tracker apps make?
By our estimate as of October 16, 2026, RISE makes $562K–2.25M a month, Sleep Cycle $502K–2.01M and ShutEye $117K–468K. It is an estimate from App Store rating growth, not Apple data.
Can I track sleep without an Apple Watch?
Yes. A phone on the nightstand hears snoring and movement through sound. With a watch there is more data, and sleep stages come from HealthKit.
Why build a tracker if the watch has Sleep Score?
Since September 2025 Sleep Score gives one number per night. A separate app still has night sounds, a smart alarm and analysis the watch doesn't offer.
How does a smart alarm work?
The app listens to the night in the background and rings in a window before the set time, when sleep is light. In iOS 26 AlarmKit lets it ring in silent mode.
Subscription or one-time purchase?
The leaders sell subscriptions. AutoSleep at $9.99 was number 2 in US paid Health & Fitness on Sep 24, 2026, so a one-time purchase works too.
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