Comparison

Moonlight vs GlowDown

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Moonlight

This app provides a combination of soothing lights and sounds designed to help newborns and their parents relax and sleep better. It was developed by a parent seeking a simple, effective solution for infant sleep troubles.

Highlights
  • Soothing warm-white light
  • Calming fire crackling sound
  • Designed for infant sleep
  • Parent-developed solution
  • Easy-to-use bedside device
Features
Read full description

It starts with a fussy newborn and her physically tired and mentally exhausted parents. They have tried to calm their crying baby but nothing worked. Her father, a Cornell University graduate and former GE engineer, finnally identified his baby slept better beside the fireplace of living room, with low warm-white light and crack of a fire sound. He realized the sleep therapy compounded of lights and sounds as the cure to newborns and even parents. But after scouring stores across the US for one easy-to-use bedside device compounded of lights and sounds, he came up empty-handed. That's when the idea for Hotmoon Lullight was born.

About

GlowDown

Features
Read full description

GlowDown is your peaceful companion for winding down at night. Whether you’re meditating, reading, or falling asleep, GlowDown fills your space with calming colors and gentle light that soothes your senses. Now with a curated selection of relaxing audio tracks. Features: • Curated ambient audio tracks for deep relaxation • Smooth transitions and natural looping playback • Volume control and mute/unmute toggle • Track picker to match your mood • Soothing gradient background that changes slowly and peacefully • Psychology-backed, sleep-friendly color palettes • Adjustable screen brightness — set your perfect glow • Sleep timer with minute-by-minute control • Auto-lock prevention keeps your screen on until you’re ready to sleep • Minimal, distraction-free interface for full relaxation Whether you’re settling in for the night or setting the mood for quiet reflection, GlowDown helps you relax, unplug, and drift off gently. Terms of Service: https://inquisitive-chipmunk-232.notion.site/Terms-of-Service-201b5ca322d88055ab2cfd2448b3c198 Privacy Policy: https://inquisitive-chipmunk-232.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-201b5ca322d88011801bd54713771304 SUBSCRIPTION Annual - $9.99 per year, auto-renewing. Monthly - $1.99 per month, auto-renewing. Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. A subscription renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period, and your account is charged within 24 hours before renewal. Manage or cancel in your App Store account settings. Privacy Policy: https://inquisitive-chipmunk-232.notion.site/Privacy-Policy-201b5ca322d88011801bd54713771304?pvs=4 Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Moonlight4 screens
GlowDown4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Moonlight at none against GlowDown's 2. Moonlight also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.6). GlowDown's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 2 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. GlowDown sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Moonlight asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Moonlight ships an update every 2 months, GlowDown weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Moonlight versus GlowDown: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMoonlightGlowDown
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.7 (24 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews20.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size22 MB33 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperUstellar Technology Inc.Alexandr Fadeev

In-app purchases

None

Moonlight

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

GlowDown

Subscriptions2
  • Premium$1.991 Month
  • Premium features7 Days trial$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Moonlight free?
Moonlight is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is GlowDown free?
GlowDown is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Moonlight or GlowDown have ads?
Neither Moonlight nor GlowDown shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Moonlight or GlowDown?
Moonlight ships an update every 2 months, and GlowDown weekly. Most recently, Moonlight was updated on October 30, 2026 and GlowDown on October 8, 2026.

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