Comparison

Sleep Cycle vs PlayRoute

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

Head to head
About

Sleep Cycle

This app uses sound analysis to track sleep patterns and improve rest. It features an AI sleep coach, a smart alarm that wakes you during light sleep, and tools to identify issues like snoring. Gain insights into your sleep and build healthier habits for more energized days.

Highlights
  • AI sleep coach
  • Smart Alarm clock
  • Sound-based sleep tracking
  • Snoring and cough detection
  • Sleep sounds library
  • Long-term sleep pattern analysis
Features
Read full description

Built on science, Sleep Cycle uses sound analysis to track and improve sleep for over 3 million users worldwide. Our AI sleep coach, sleep tracker and Smart Alarm clock app help users to identify potential sleep issues, gain valuable insights into their sleep patterns and build a healthier sleep routine. Sleep Cycle is the world’s no.1 sleep app with more than 40 million downloads. Track your rest, wake refreshed, and build lifelong sleep habits. AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS Sleep Cycle has been awarded Best Sleep App in 2024 by Digital Health Magazine and featured as App of the Month in Wellness Today. In 2024, Sleep Cycle won two Merit Healthcare Awards: Gold for Mobile Digital Health Resources and Silver for Best Use of Artificial Intelligence. WITH SLEEP CYCLE YOU CAN • Get guidance based on your sleep patterns with our AI sleep coach Luma. • Wake up gently during your lightest sleep phase with our Smart Alarm clock. • Track every night using patented sound technology or accelerometer-based sleep detection, no wearables needed. • Detect nighttime noises like snoring, coughing, or sleep talking, for a path to quieter sleep. • Drift off easily using our sleep sounds library of relaxing stories, sleepy soundscapes and guided meditations. • Understand your sleep patterns with long-term trends and compare your sleep to global benchmarks. • Log sleep notes to understand how caffeine, stress, or exercise affect your rest. WHY USE SLEEP CYCLE? • Wake feeling refreshed with no more groggy mornings. • Get daily stats to help you understand your rest. • Sleep guidance based on your tracked nights. • Health insights with snoring and cough tracking for wellness. • No gadgets, just place your phone on the nightstand. • Premium tools like supportive soundscapes, sleep stories, data export, Philips HUE sunrise and Apple Health sync. ABOUT SLEEP CYCLE Sleep Cycle helps you sleep smarter. Track your nights, gain valuable insights into your sleep patterns, and wake at just the right time to start the day energized. Sleep Cycle gives you science-backed tools and an AI sleep coach Luma to help you improve your sleep for brighter days. Our popular features include: • Superior sleep tracker. • AI sleep coach. • Smart Alarm clock. • Sleep talking recorder. • Advanced sleep analysis. • Snore tracker. • Sleep timer. • Cough recorder. • Sleep stages. • Sleep programs. • SleepGPT. • Sleep goal and score. • Relaxing sleep sounds like nature, rain and ocean sounds. • Sleep Aid including calming meditations and breathing exercises. • And more features to help you improve your rest. TALK TO US If you need any help please contact our customer service at support.sleepcycle.com JOIN THE COMMUNITY ▶ Web: https://sleepcycle.com/ ▶ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sleepcycleapp/ ▶ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sleep_cycle ▶ Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/sleepcycle/ Terms & Privacy https://www.sleepcycle.com/privacy-policy/ DOWNLOAD NOW – Sleep Better with Sleep Cycle

About

PlayRoute

Features
Read full description

Where does your mileage rank this week? PlayRoute is a running app that adds up the distance you run and shows where you rank among runners in your country. Rack up your mileage for the day, week, month, and year with your iPhone and Apple Watch. No sign-up needed, so you can start running right away. ■ Mileage rankings • Compete with runners in your country on the distance you run, with daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, and all-time rankings • Seven tiers, from Legend for the top 1% down through Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Silver, and Bronze to Starter • See how much farther you need to run to reach the next tier ■ Running courses • Tap the points you want to run through on the map to build your own course • Find courses other runners have shared near you and run them yourself • Save a route you've run as a course and run it again anytime • Follow a course with voice directions, and get an alert if you go off course • Each time you pass a checkpoint, hear how your pace compares with your average ■ Accurate tracking • Auto pause kicks in when you stop, and recording resumes when you start running again • Track distance, pace, cadence, stride length, elevation, and heart rate, broken down by split • See your running at a glance with weekly, monthly, and yearly charts ■ Voice guidance • Hear your time and pace at every mile or kilometer • Get a Sprint alert as you near your goal distance or the end of a course • Keep announcements off the speaker when no headphones are connected ■ Apple Watch • Record runs with just your Apple Watch, no iPhone needed • Running with your iPhone? See your heart rate and stats on your watch too • Runs recorded on your watch are saved to the Health app as workouts ■ And more • Check your live stats on the Lock Screen and in the Dynamic Island • Save your run as a map image and share it • Share courses as GPX files

Screenshots

Sleep Cycle4 screens
PlayRoute4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PlayRoute at none against Sleep Cycle's 10. PlayRoute also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs weekly). Sleep Cycle's advantage is chart position (#52 vs unranked). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Sleep Cycle sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. PlayRoute asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sleep Cycle ships an update weekly, PlayRoute every 2 days. Both last shipped on November 6, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 8 level
Sleep Cycle versus PlayRoute: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSleep CyclePlayRoute
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (32K ratings) — better—
Positive reviews39.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings32K — better—
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
Best chart rank#52 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, Apple Watch
Requires iOS16.2 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size290 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSleep Cycle ABILKYUM KIM

Bugs and requests

Sleep Cycle

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App crashes or stops recording sleep randomly
  • Inconsistent time zone handling, causing alarm issues
  • Microphone issues, unable to detect certain sounds

Requested features

4 requests
  • Ability to edit sleep data and notes
  • Nap tracking and power nap functionality
  • More customization options for alarms and sleep aid
  • Improved integration with Apple Health and other devices

PlayRoute

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Sleep Cycle

Subscriptions9
  • Sleep Cycle Premium$2.991 Month
  • Premium1 Month trial$9.991 Year
  • Premium1 Month trial$11.991 Year
Show 6 more
  • Premium1 Month trial$19.991 Year
  • Sleep Cycle Premium$19.991 Year
  • Premium1 Month trial$29.991 Year
  • Premium1 Month trial$34.991 Year
  • Premium: Unlock all features$39.991 Year
  • Sleep Cycle Premium7 Days trial2 variants$57.991 Year
None

PlayRoute

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sleep Cycle free?
Sleep Cycle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PlayRoute free?
PlayRoute is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sleep Cycle or PlayRoute have ads?
Neither Sleep Cycle nor PlayRoute shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sleep Cycle or PlayRoute?
Sleep Cycle ships an update weekly, and PlayRoute every 2 days. Most recently, Sleep Cycle was updated on November 6, 2026 and PlayRoute on November 6, 2026.

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