Comparison

Somnee vs Empower Sleep

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

Head to head
About

Somnee

This app works with a smart headband to improve sleep quality using personalized neurostimulation and EEG tracking. It provides detailed sleep reports and insights to help you sleep faster, longer, and deeper.

Highlights
  • Personalized sleep neurostimulation
  • Clinical-grade EEG sleep tracking
  • Detailed sleep performance reports
  • AI sleep coach
  • Phone-free session start
  • Comfortable, breathable headband design
Features
Read full description

Meet Somnee, the app that works with the award-winning smart sleep headband that directly improves sleep quality and decodes nightly sleep performance for unrivalled insights. As your own clinical-grade AI sleep coach, Somnee pairs proven personalized neurostimulation that helps you naturally sleep faster, longer, and deeper, with precise sleep reports powered by lab-grade EEG tracking. IMPROVE 360° SLEEP HEALTH Somnee is proven to cut time to fall asleep by 50%, reduce wake-ups by 33%, and boost total sleep time by ~30 min. It’s 4x more effective than melatonin, 2x more effective than CBT-i, and 1.5x more effective than Ambien. PERSONALIZED SLEEP NEUROSTIMULATION Somnee maps the unique way your brain sleeps, then delivers gentle frequencies to boost your optimal sleep signals. The result: a dynamic, effective, 100% personalized sleep system that evolves with you as your sleep changes over time. BRAIN-BASED TRACKING + SLEEP REPORTS Clinical-grade EEG+ sensors collect precise brainwave data straight from the source, uploading 40x more sleep data than most trackers. Explore reports featuring insights into sleep onset, sleep stages, and more. PHONE-FREE USE, ALL-NIGHT COMFORT Start sessions phone-free with just the click of the headband button. Somnee’s soft, breathable fabric and innovative design molds to you for maximum comfort, no matter how you sleep. MADE BY WORLD-RENOWNED SLEEP NEUROSCIENTISTS Developed over 7 years of R&D by Dr. Matthew Walker (Author of NYT Bestseller, “Why We Sleep”), Dr. Bob T. Knight. Dr. Ram Gurumoorthy, and Dr. Rich Irvy — Somnee leverages cutting edge neuroscience used by top sleep labs for decades, now made available from the comfort of home. Our real-world results are clinically proven and published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal, Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Have questions? We’re here to help. Email us at support@somneesleep.com. Terms of Use: www.somneesleep.com/pages/privacy-policy-and-terms-of-use/ www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Empower Sleep

Track your sleep patterns to receive personalized insights and a tailored care plan. Consult with a professional sleep care team for science-backed treatments like CBTi therapy or CPAP. An FDA-approved at-home sleep test helps diagnose and treat sleep issues.

Highlights
  • Sleep tracking and insights
  • Personalized care plans
  • Professional sleep care team
  • At-home sleep testing (SleepImage)
  • Diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea
  • CBTi therapy and CPAP support
Features
Read full description

Track your sleep to unlock personalized insights and trends. Our data-driven approach removes the "guessing game" and develops the best care plan for you. Consult with an accredited Empower Sleep Care team whenever you need them. Everyone's sleep is different, so cookie-cutter sleep care doesn't work. That's why the Empower Sleep team will develop a personalized care plan for you, whether these are Behavior Changes, CPAP, Oral Appliance, CBTi therapy, or other science and clinically tested treatments. TESTIMONIALS "I'm very thankful to have discovered Empower Sleep. My life has improved for the better, no longer living in a fog during the day, feeling better, and more hopeful for the future." - Todd, May 30, 2023 "I highly recommend Dr. Chopra and his staff. They were very friendly and helped me with my sleep anyway they could." - Ercan, May 9, 2023 "Our experience with Empower Sleep was very pleasant, professional, and informative. The equipment that my daughter easily wore at night, gave us data that enabled us to help her. Even though we sleep for 1/3 of our life, we have no real understanding of sleep quality and sleep patterns. " - Angela, May 25, 2023 SLEEP TEST Empower Sleep uses SleepImage, an FDA-approved at-home sleep test worn on your finger and minimally disruptive to your sleep. This convenient and comfortable ring can be used for multiple nights and is designed to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea. The care team prescribes the longitudinal sleep study, and you get sleep test results after every night of sleep. Empower Sleep is using data collected using the SleepImage sleep test, which has been certified by the FDA as a Medical Device for use in the US and is granted a CE Medical Device mark for use in Europe. DISCLAIMER The Empower Sleep app is not designed or intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition without a doctor's visit. Users should make medical decisions only through consultation with Empower Sleep physicians. For additional information: Privacy Policy: https://www.empowersleep.com/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://www.empowersleep.com/terms-of-use

Screenshots

Somnee4 screens
Empower Sleep4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Empower Sleep at 4.9 against Somnee's 3.7. Empower Sleep also leads on monetization model (free vs paid) and review sentiment (95% vs 63%). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Empower Sleep holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 71 and 60 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 63% of Somnee's written reviews are positive against 95% of Empower Sleep's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Somnee ships an update every 2 months, Empower Sleep every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Somnee versus Empower Sleep: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSomneeEmpower Sleep
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.7 (71 ratings)4.9 (60 ratings) — better
Positive reviews63.3% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings71 — better60
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size164 MB17 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperStimScienceEmpower Sleep Inc.

Customer experience

Somnee

All ratings71 ratings
Positive64.8%
Neutral2.8%
Negative32.4%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive63.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative31.7%

Empower Sleep

All ratings60 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews19 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.3%

Bugs and requests

Somnee

Reported bugs

18 issues
  • App malfunctions and prevents use
  • Sleep reports are delayed or unavailable
  • Device asks for reset in the middle of the night but won't restart
  • App stops tracking sleep if woken up and button is pressed
  • Device inaccurately registers sleep patterns (e.g., REM sleep)
Show 13 more
  • App says user is not due for another session after taking device off
  • Headband falls off frequently
  • App is not intuitive and lacks instruction
  • New UI is missing reports
  • Headband is not reliable and asks for reset
  • App is buggy and prevents use (e.g., 'cool down mode')
  • Bad connection with electrodes
  • Device doesn't track sleep stages
  • Customer service is evasive with answers
  • Trial period starts from order date, not activation date
  • Subscription is required for cancellation
  • App is extremely buggy and data is useless
  • App prevents use due to 'cool down mode'

Requested features

8 requests
  • Add more sleep tones or meditation sounds
  • Provide a better tutorial on data interpretation
  • Improve headband design for comfort
  • Offer bulk electrode sales
  • Provide warranty on the headband
Show 3 more
  • Add a dark mode to the app
  • Track sleep stages for real-time feedback
  • Easier way to update payment information

Empower Sleep

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Somnee

No in-app purchases

None

Empower Sleep

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Somnee free?
Somnee is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Empower Sleep free?
Empower Sleep is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Somnee or Empower Sleep?
Empower Sleep is rated higher. Somnee averages 3.7 out of 5 from 71 ratings, while Empower Sleep averages 4.9 from 60 ratings.
Do Somnee or Empower Sleep have ads?
Neither Somnee nor Empower Sleep shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Somnee or Empower Sleep?
Somnee ships an update every 2 months, and Empower Sleep every 3 weeks. Most recently, Somnee was updated on October 16, 2026 and Empower Sleep on October 14, 2026.

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