It cost money
I was looking for something free and this came up but then when I had downloaded it I saw that it was not free so it lied in the add
It opened with subscription I didn’t want to have to do
I didn’t want go in subscription when I went in the app
Previously Free Features Now Fully Locked Behind Subscription
I originally downloaded Avrora a few years ago and used it occasionally for simple things like the breathing exercises and sleep sounds (rain, ambience, etc.). At the time, I remember being able to use parts of the app without paying, which made it easy to come back to whenever I needed something calming.
After not using the app for a while, I recently opened it again expecting the same experience, only to find that the entire app is now locked behind a subscription. There are currently no usable free features at all unless you pay $3.99 weekly or $69.99 annually.
That change was really disappointing. I actually liked the app and would have happily continued using the basic features I relied on before. However, locking everything behind a subscription makes the app inaccessible for people who only want occasional or minimal use.
It’s also a bit misleading that the App Store listing doesn’t clearly indicate the full subscription requirement upfront in the same way many apps do. You only discover the pricing structure once you’re inside the app or after digging through the detailed information.
I understand developers need to monetize their work, but removing all free functionality from an app that previously offered it feels like a step backward. Bringing back even a small selection of free features—like basic breathing exercises or a few sleep sounds—would make the app far more approachable and likely encourage more people to stay and consider subscribing.
Right now, it’s hard to recommend this app because you can’t even try the app before being asked to pay- which is completely absurd.
Feels money grabbing AND misleading.
I’ve also noticed responses to similar reviews mentioning discounts or promotion codes. While that might help some users, it doesn’t really address the main issue: the app can’t be used at all without paying. Even a small selection of free features would make a big difference.
I understand that apps need to cover maintenance and development costs, but removing all free functionality from an app that previously offered it feels like a step backward. Bringing back a few basic options—like breathing exercises or a limited number of sleep sounds—would make the app much more approachable and easier to recommend.
My reccomended alternative apps that dont require subscription:
“Rest”
“SleepWell”
“TheGrove”
After not using the app for a while, I recently opened it again expecting the same experience, only to find that the entire app is now locked behind a subscription. There are currently no usable free features at all unless you pay $3.99 weekly or $69.99 annually.
That change was really disappointing. I actually liked the app and would have happily continued using the basic features I relied on before. However, locking everything behind a subscription makes the app inaccessible for people who only want occasional or minimal use.
It’s also a bit misleading that the App Store listing doesn’t clearly indicate the full subscription requirement upfront in the same way many apps do. You only discover the pricing structure once you’re inside the app or after digging through the detailed information.
I understand developers need to monetize their work, but removing all free functionality from an app that previously offered it feels like a step backward. Bringing back even a small selection of free features—like basic breathing exercises or a few sleep sounds—would make the app far more approachable and likely encourage more people to stay and consider subscribing.
Right now, it’s hard to recommend this app because you can’t even try the app before being asked to pay- which is completely absurd.
Feels money grabbing AND misleading.
I’ve also noticed responses to similar reviews mentioning discounts or promotion codes. While that might help some users, it doesn’t really address the main issue: the app can’t be used at all without paying. Even a small selection of free features would make a big difference.
I understand that apps need to cover maintenance and development costs, but removing all free functionality from an app that previously offered it feels like a step backward. Bringing back a few basic options—like breathing exercises or a limited number of sleep sounds—would make the app much more approachable and easier to recommend.
My reccomended alternative apps that dont require subscription:
“Rest”
“SleepWell”
“TheGrove”
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Lost my lifetime membership?
I updated my phone and now I can’t restore my lifetime membership to this app? What happened?
Purchase Vanished
Bought a lifetime subscription years ago because I used the app quite frequently at the time. Stopped using it for a while, broke that phone, replaced it with a new one and what do you know- the lifetime subscription disappeared. Cant restore the purchase, cant find the transaction after all these years and to top it off, they dont even offer the lifetime membership anymore- its now just their annual price. I never stopped getting the push notifications but come time to actually use the services I paid for, I gotta pay up again. But no worries, the monthly is only 5 times the amount it was when I bought the lifetime membership… which is why I bought the lifetime membership. Went into the app to see if they upgraded the service by five times. Same voices, same prompts, same soundscapes, with a slightly updated interface. Gotta love when tech companies punish the early investors.
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Used to be great
I used this app for 4 years, when I needed help sleeping to help me heal from some trauma. I stopped using it for a few months and I log back in and it’s no longer free? It’s making me pay the dumb subscription in order to even get into the app. Why change it?
all of a sudden, it is not free to use
I’ve been using this app for years to help fall asleep from insomnia, anxiety, etc. Now y’all want me to pay weekly or yearly to use it and that’s a little ridiculous to me as many of the people who use the app struggle with mental health upon many other problems.
Money
I used to be able to use this app for free but no in order to use the app I need to pay 3.99 or 69.99 a year. Thanks to that I have to use YouTube and risk having ads and not sleeping as well as I used to. So I will update my rating once I can use the app without having to pay. I want the developers to know that people use this app for sleep.
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HACKED!!??
After using the app the first time it required me to leave me phone on overnight for it to track me sleep. So I did. And then I wake up and my phone is on a different screen and I look in my photos and there’s a screen recording of someone going through my phone and taking pictures even though there was no one there??? My phone was faced down and there was a Live Photo and screen recording of the photo being taken with flash on. Of my ceiling in the same position I left it. This app is SCARY. do not get it.
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Why sudden change
I have struggled with sleep and used this app for about 6 years and now suddenly I have to start paying for the app????? This is ridiculous!!!!
Terrible update
I’ve been using the app for nearly 3 years now, with each update they would place more ads encouraging to buy an upgraded version. That’s something I believe is a good strategy. But since the last update, I can not use anything without being forced to pay. I am a person who pays for a multiple amount of apps, but the asking price for this app is way too high, it does not justify paying that amount for something they had been giving for free for 3 years. I understand paying something for additional features, but not the exaggerated amount they are imposing for the basic package.
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Where did the free content go???
Now I have to subscribe for sleep? This is messed up. I understand on the free version there were like two options. But seriously, this has got to be a joke
5 years
I’ve been using this app on my Android for 5 years. I recently switched to an IPhone and now it’s saying I need to pay because I’ve used my free trial. I’m so confused my grandson used this app every night no problem now his sleep help is gone
I've had it for years why the change???
I struggle with sleep problems and for years I would use this app to help me sleep and I would use it to check the how long I slept and I just used the free version because that's what worked for me but now I can't even start the sleep ritual or listen to the rain noises without it saying I have to pay its sad yall prioritize monitary gain over the satisfaction of your users
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Extremely disappointed
I had previously been using the app for approximately 7 years. Up until last night when I opened the app to set my my nightly routine to listen to the 5 minute breathing box exercises, 10 minutes ‘there’s a place’ using the Josephine voice followed by an hour of rain meditation to find I now have to pay a subscription to access. I didn’t want anything else, I have listened to the same thing every night for 7 years. I had the app with its original ‘sleep’ app name (can’t remember the full name and there is no history on the App Store).
You’ve lost me!
Very disappointed, anxious, and distraught.
You’ve lost me!
Very disappointed, anxious, and distraught.
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Paywall?
Been using this app for about a year. love it. but now all of a sudden I can’t use it without subscribing??? I understand paying for more in depth features, but I just listen to the sleep music and use the smart alarm which used to be free. gonna have to find a new app now… sad.
Why Avrora?
I have used your app for the last 3 years, your alarms and voice tracking were amazing! And now you out of nowhere have made it so I have to pay to do ANYTHING? I just want my alarm as it’s the only one that doesn’t jumpscare me when I wake up. Is that too much to ask? Even if there was a free option that was just the alarms. I can’t afford $10 per month for an alarm😭
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After years of use, we get this
After years of using this app, they began pushing subscriptions, then suddenly it got locked behind a permanent paywall and now the app is completely useless unless I pay for it. This is not ok as a business practice and whoever decided to go to this model should be fired
Best app I’ve literally ever used
Even without the subscription you get a good amount of things to listen to and just great options to pick from and has helped me sleep I 100% recommend this app please get it saved my sleep schedule
I don’t know how you do it
But you put this insomniac to sleep, thanks
