# Brown Noise Machine — user reviews > 96 indexed App Store user reviews of Brown Noise Machine by YELLOWCAT LABS LTD, rated 4.60/5 from 698 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brown-noise-machine/id6499593468/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brown-noise-machine/id6499593468.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 587 · 4★ 49 · 3★ 10 · 2★ 8 · 1★ 44 ## Newest reviews (19 of 96) ### 1/5 — Used to be absolutely perfect *2026-06-22, version 2.0.1* The new update ruins this app. It used to be perfect and simple. Now it requires log in and a subscription?!!! What did they do to this perfect app?!!! ### 1/5 — Should’ve kept it free *2026-06-21, version 2.0.1* It was good until you could only use it for an hour free ### 1/5 — Subscription service *2026-06-18, version 2.0.1* Do I need a subscription to my brown noise app. NO. ### 2/5 — Bloat and Paywalls are coming *2026-06-18, version 2.0.1* This app was perfect but now they’re putting it behind a paywall and ruining the beautiful simplicity of the older version with stupid and unnecessary features. ### 1/5 — Was great before version 2.0 *2026-06-18* This was a great simple app for generating brown noise. However, with the latest update this has all been put behind a subscription. $60/year just to listen to a brown noise is insane. In response to the developer saying brown noise is still free for one hour. This is completely useless since people were using the brown noise to sleep through the night. And to be clear, I do not care about any of your new features **Developer response:** Hi, thanks for enjoying the app, and sorry the change disappoints you. To be clear: generating brown noise is still free, no subscription (capped at 1 hour per session). We heard from many users who wanted more to help them sleep through the night, so v2.0 added new sounds, features, and meditations designed specifically for falling and staying asleep. The subscription unlocks those and keeps the app alive. It's still early days for the app and there's much more to come, so it may be worth a little patience. A free trial is available if you'd like to try it. — Hugo ### 1/5 — It is not help to sleep. *2026-06-17, version 2.0.0* This app helps you to waste your time and money. ### 1/5 — Used to be great *2026-06-17, version 2.0.0* Loved the app before the update. Was simple and effective. Used it to sleep every single night. Then the update came with all the bells and whistles no one asked for along with a pay wall. Will be deleting and moving on to another. ### 1/5 — Ruined a good thing *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* This app was ok. Then they went from being free, to a yearly subscription. Never deleted an app so fast in my life. What garbage behavior. 79.99 a year just to play static noise. Will be using the on board sounds now. iPhone>Settings>Accessibility>Audio/Visual>Background Sounds. So many better options without a disgusting yearly subscription. Hope the devs feel good about gouging people. In today’s overly subscription based society, it was nice to have one free app. But the devs went and screwed that up. DELETE. AVOID. Never support such greedy monetization ### 1/5 — Was great, now trash *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* Loved this app’s simplicity and its ability to do exactly what it was meant to do. Just opened the app tonight and now you have to pay and it is completely different. Terrible. ### 2/5 — Really? We pay now? *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* This app was awesome to start with and very simple. Now, you have to pay to get any use and the app is incredibly busy and obnoxious. You ruined a perfect thing :/ ### 1/5 — From free to expensive *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* This was a free app now it’s 59.99!!! ### 1/5 — Disappointed *2026-06-16* Now charging for service, everything excellent about this app has changed. Used to be basic white, brown, green, pink noise, timer with fade-out. It was perfect. Now it’s all fancy and I have to pay for things/sounds I don’t want or need. Welp, guess I’ll go pack to buying another white noise machine on Amazon…it’ll be cheaper. So disappointed. **Developer response:** Hi, thanks for the detailed feedback, and sorry the changes don't work for you. The basic sounds (including brown noise) and the timer with fade-out are still free, no subscription (1-hour limit in the free version). v2.0 added new content because a large share of users wanted more to fall asleep and get back to sleep at night — including meditations designed for exactly that — but you can ignore it if you don't need it. The app is still young and will keep evolving. A free trial is there to test first. I'm reachable if you'd like to talk it through. — Hugo ### 1/5 — Terrible *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* Was free forever and did its job until it wasn’t anymore. Greedy company, deleting now highly recommend getting ColorSleep if your in the Same situation ### 1/5 — Disappointing to have to pay *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* I’ll be removing this app now that it’s no longer free since the update. Other apps that are just as good remain no charge. ### 2/5 — Disappointed. *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* I used this app for free. For many months. With absolutely no warning, I get a pushed update and now it’s $80/year? Frankly - it was a “nice to have” for free. If the sudden hike alone hadn’t put me off, the price tag would have. Respectfully, it’s not that special. You should’ve tried ads first. ### 1/5 — It used to be great *2026-06-16, version 2.0.0* I just need a simple white/brown noise sound generator to help me sleep, and this was perfect. Ultra simple, 3 levels (deep was awesome), and free. Now it’s $60 per year with a bunch of stuff I don’t need. ### 2/5 — Too good to last, I guess. 😢 *2026-06-15* I really enjoyed using this app before the latest update. It said it was free to use, and it was. But now the dreaded subscription option has been added. You can still access brown noise plus a few other free sounds without a subscription, but the maximum time to run it for free is an hour. That’s not helpful to me at all. Guess I’ll move on. **Developer response:** Hi, and thanks for this honest, balanced note. You summed it up well: brown noise and a few other sounds stay free, with a 1-hour per-session limit that I'll own as the boundary of the free version. I understand that isn't enough for your use. v2.0 grew out of many users asking for more to sleep through the night — new sounds plus meditations made specifically for falling and staying asleep. The app is still young and will keep growing, so I'd gently suggest giving it some time. A free trial is available if you ever want it. Glad to chat anytime. — Hugo ### 1/5 — No longer free *2026-06-15* Used to be an amazing and barebones app that I could have as background noise while sleeping. Most recent update introduced a ton of new features and a SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE. You now get only one hour free and don’t have access to any of the new features unless you want to pay 60 dollars a year for the subscription. I understand the need to make money somehow but taking away functions instead of just paywalling the new features or even giving a monthly payment option was certainly a choice. How generous they are to grandfather in early users with a one month free trial offer which I will be using to find an alternative. **Developer response:** Hi, and thanks for this thorough, constructive review. You raise some real points. To be transparent: brown noise stays free, no subscription, with a 1-hour per-session limit that I'll own as the boundary of the free version. v2.0 added a lot because a large share of users wanted more to fall asleep at night and get back to sleep when they wake — new sounds plus meditations built precisely for that. The subscription unlocks it while supporting an independent app that's still young and has plenty ahead. Your point about a monthly option is fair and I've noted it. Thanks for mentioning the free trial — I hope it gives you time to judge, and to see where the app is heading. — Hugo ### 1/5 — Scam to get you to pay *2026-06-15* This app has great sound quality but after using it for a couple of weeks it suddenly limited usage to one hour - without warning. So an hour into bedtime the sound goes off. Then it requires me to buy a subscription to work for more than an hour. What a scam and thanks for disrupting my sleep. You should have let me know when I started using the app that you were going to seriously limit use in the future. **Developer response:** Hello, and thank you for your feedback. I would like to clarify that existing users were notified of this change in advance, through a dedicated screen offering one complimentary month. The limit was therefore not applied without notice. The free tier and subscription model are what allow us to maintain the app and keep it free of advertising. Should you have missed the offer, please contact us at contact@yellowcatlabs.com and we will gladly assist you. Kind regards, ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Terrible subscription based app *2026-08-09, version 2.0.6* used to work great, now it tries to sell you on an expensive subscription and only gives an hour of noise ### 1/5 — Worst update ever *2026-07-31, version 2.0.5* You just ruined the great app you had ### 1/5 — Don’t get this app. It’s phishing. *2026-07-19, version 2.0.5* I really liked this app when I first got it. I hadn’t used it in a few weeks while we were traveling. Came home and it says I have to give them (sign in with) my Apple password! NEVER give your apple password to a third party app. They are phishing!! ### 1/5 — Too good to be true *2026-07-16, version 2.0.5* I thought I found a genuinely great brown noise app till they demanded for money to listen to brown noise. Corporate greed at its finest. ### 1/5 — Nope! *2026-07-12, version 2.0.3* Updates like this are exactly why I disabled auto-updates for all my apps. I'm still on the old one. Greedy and shameless update. I won't be reading your inevitable AI-generated response to this review, thanks. ### 1/5 — Good luck with updates *2026-07-08, version 2.0.2* it's a great app until iPhone has an update and then it just keeps charging you even though you've already purchased it. ### 1/5 — Absolutely zero reason to charge people money for this. *2026-07-04* This app used to be quite useful, offering a simple way to play white, brown, green, or pink noise for any length of time. However, they recently introduced an update that requires payment after an hour of use. This change is completely stupid, as brown noise is widely available for completely free elsewhere. It seems the same sounds I can easily access for free from a fan or an AC are behind a paywall. Entirely pointless and stupid. If you value your money, do not download this app. **Developer response:** Hi, and thanks for taking the time to write. A quick clarification: an hour of playback is free every time, no payment required — so you can keep using it that way as long as you like. The subscription covers what goes beyond that: longer continuous sessions, guided meditations to help you fall asleep, the ability to mix those meditations with your favorite sounds, and the ongoing work of keeping the app fast and reliable after every iOS update. That's what lets a small team keep building it. If you ever have ideas for what would make it worth the upgrade, we're always listening at contact@yellowcatlabs.com. — The Brown Noise team ### 1/5 — No longer free *2026-07-04, version 2.0.1* I loved this app when it was free, unlimited brown noise. It was simple and did what I wanted. Now they made it a membership with limited playing if you don’t pay ### 1/5 — Was free!!! *2026-07-02, version 2.0.1* Such a shame ### 1/5 — Original was incredible *2026-06-25* I loved the original app. It provided a simple feature set and did it well. The most recent update is not simple, requires an account, and gated the ability to play sounds for more than an hour behind a fairly steep monthly fee. I could deal with charging for new features. I could live with the new UI. Charging not to degrade the original core functionality is.. regrettable. **Developer response:** Thank you for such a thoughtful, balanced review. We understand the hour limit on the free tier isn't ideal for everyone, and we don't take that lightly. Because you were a user before the update, you've got a full month of premium free to try unlimited playback before deciding anything. The subscription is what lets us keep developing and supporting the app long-term — and your feedback genuinely helps shape it. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Brilliant and straightforward *2026-06-12, version 1.3.3* Simple. Choice of 4 colour sounds, choose level, timer, and sleep, study or whatever to your heart’s content. Love it! ### 5/5 — perfect *2026-06-05, version 1.3.3* no in app purchases. no ads. and a timer. this app is perfect for helping me sleep each night ### 5/5 — Very nice and very simple noise app *2026-06-05* 100% absolutely love this! Thank you for being honest and very simple developer Yellowcat. One screen. 4 noise sounds to choose from. And a timer option. You can even choose 3 sound intensity for each color. I really enjoy the deep brown noise. ### 5/5 — Wow *2026-06-02* i love the fact that you can select the level of depth for your color. I’ve never seen that before in any of the apps that are out there on the market. This is something beyond what’s available. I love this, and I love the fact that I can either lighten the depth or deepen the depth of the color. This is incredible. It’s awesome and I love it. You guys have done a great job. What a good find and thank you for turning me to this. I couldn’t be happier. This will help so much. ### 5/5 — Soothing *2026-06-02, version 1.3.3* Medium brown noise on this app is so soothing -- like riding in a car, or air conditioning:-) Very deep and calming to focus on and go to sleep to. ### 5/5 — Love love love *2026-05-28, version 1.3.3* Not annoying / random change in noise or pace very consistent!! ### 5/5 — More deep sleep *2026-05-26* I heard about Brown Noise Machine from my oldest son about 6 months ago. I’ve slept with a fan for years, to cut out outside noise, but I’ve found that with Brown Noise Machine, also playing in the background at night, I sleep more soundly. Thank you! ### 5/5 — Nite-Nite *2026-05-23, version 1.3.3* It gets the job done and at a great price! Works for me. ### 5/5 — Absolutely perfect *2026-05-21* Free. No ads. Deep brown noise. Timer. Super simple UI, no menus, just pick your noise. What else could you ask for?? ### 5/5 — perfect app *2026-05-13, version 1.3.3* honestly could not ask for a better app. so simple to use, multiple options, and i love the timer function. 10/10 no notes --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-07.*