Comparison

NextSense vs Arctop

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

Head to head
About

NextSense

This app works with brain-responsive earbuds to enhance sleep quality. It tracks brain activity to personalize audio, offering insights into sleep patterns and a gentle alarm. Integration with Apple Health provides further personalized data.

Highlights
  • Brainwave tracking for sleep depth
  • Personalized audio for better rest
  • Detailed sleep reports and trends
  • Automatic audio pause when asleep
  • Nap mode with timer and soundscapes
  • Soothing sound library
  • Gentle alarm with calming sounds
Read full description

Introducing NextSense Smartbuds, the world’s first brain-responsive earbuds. Designed for everyday use, Smartbuds sense brain activity in real time and respond with audio that helps you rest deeper, center your mind, and stay sharp all day. The NextSense app is your companion to Smartbuds, giving you tools to personalize your audio experience and uncover meaningful insights into your daily and nightly rhythms. Pair your buds with the app to access dynamic soundscapes, launch sessions, and review trends. What you unlock with Smartbuds + the NextSense app Deeper Sleep See when your brain enters slow wave sleep, giving you a superior measure of sleep depth and recovery. Gentle pink noise enhances slow wave activity, leaving you more refreshed in the morning Focus Sessions Boost your focus with audio that gently nudges your brainwaves into a more alert state. Get recommendations on when to schedule deep work for peak performance. Meaningful Meditation Choose from brain-responsive and guided tracks that help you find your calm. Session summaries help you understand and improve your practice. Sleep Sync Your audio automatically pauses once sensors detect you’ve fallen asleep, so you’ll never lose your place in that audiobook. Nap Mode Reset midday with a nap session. Simply set a timer, choose a soundscape, and unwind. If you drift off, your nap is added to the day’s sleep total. Soothing Sound Library Choose from a collection of original soundscapes designed to give your brain exactly what it needs to meet the moment. Gentle alarm Ease into your morning with calming sounds that slowly build, delivered right through your Smartbuds. Personalized Insights Explore daily and long-term trends related total sleep time, wake-ups, sleep efficiency, and more. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service Learn more about how we handle your data and terms of use: Privacy Policy: https://nextsense.io/policies/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://nextsense.io/policies/terms-of-service *Note: The NextSense app requires NextSense Smartbuds hardware. Apple Health integration - Reads date of birth, sex, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, VO2 max, sleep, weight, steps, exercise time, and time in daylight to personalize you insights, and audio experience. - Used only to improve your health and sleep experience, never for advertising or selling your data - Users can opt out or change permissions anytime in the Health app

About

Arctop

Features
Read full description

Arctop turns your Master & Dynamic MW75 Neuro headphones into a real-time brain-computer interface. Connect over Bluetooth, stream 12 channels of EEG at 500 Hz, and watch your brain activity flow on screen the moment you put your headphones on. REAL-TIME EEG STREAMING - Connect to MW75 Neuro headphones in seconds - Automatic on-head detection - Packet rate, signal quality, and session timer at a glance - Background streaming keeps your session running while you use other apps COGNITIVE WORKLOAD - Calibrate your personal workload model - Start a session and measure your cognitive data in real time while you work SESSION HISTORY AND METRICS - Every session is recorded and organized in your history - Review duration, average cognitive workload, and workload distribution - Go deep on any session with workload over time, time-in-zone, and between-marker breakdowns - Download your own workload data as CSV files - Weekly insights and streaks on your personal dashboard PRIVATE BY DESIGN - Sign in with your Google account - Your neural data never leaves your device unencrypted - Your brain data belongs to you — delete your account (and data) at any time TRY IT WITHOUT HARDWARE Curious how it works? Demo Mode lets you explore the full app — live streaming, workload sessions, history, and dashboard — with simulated data, no headphones required. REQUIREMENTS - Master & Dynamic MW75 Neuro headphones for live EEG streaming (Demo Mode works without them) - An Arctop account (Google Sign-In) - iOS 17 or newer (iPhone and iPad) Arctop is a neurotechnology platform for real-time brain measurement. This app is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any condition.

Screenshots

NextSense4 screens
Arctop4 screens

Verdict

The call

NextSense and Arctop are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

NextSense ships an update every 6 days, Arctop every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
NextSense versus Arctop: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNextSenseArctop
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (80 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings80 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.617.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperLucid RealityArctop

In-app purchases

None

NextSense

No in-app purchases

None

Arctop

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is NextSense free?
NextSense is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Arctop free?
Arctop is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do NextSense or Arctop have ads?
Neither NextSense nor Arctop shows ads.
Which is updated more often, NextSense or Arctop?
NextSense ships an update every 6 days, and Arctop every 3 days. Most recently, NextSense was updated on October 27, 2026 and Arctop on October 25, 2026.

Other comparisons