Comparison

Sleep Effect vs Don't Disturb

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

Head to head
About

Sleep Effect

Features
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SLEEP EFFECT: YOUR ARCHITECT OF CALM. Stop fighting the silence. Whether you’re battling a racing mind, a noisy neighborhood, or the hum of tinnitus, Sleep Effect empowers you to build a personalized audio sanctuary. Using a state-of-the-art layering engine, we don't just play soundsβ€”we help you conduct your environment. WHY SLEEP EFFECT? Unlike standard sound machines that play repetitive loops, Sleep Effect uses an organic replay engine. By introducing natural delays between sounds, we eliminate "loop fatigue," creating an unpredictable, immersive atmosphere that feels like the real world. THE CORE FEATURES: 1. AN INFINITE LIBRARY OF HIGH-FIDELITY AUDIO Curated by sound enthusiasts, our library is immersive and categorized for effortless discovery: * WATER & RAIN: Thunderstorms, mountain streams, and the ocean pulse. * THE GREAT OUTDOORS: Rustling leaves, meadow breezes, and forest nights. * WILDERNESS ECHOES: Haunting loon calls, distant gulls, and midnight owls. * COZY ELEMENTS: Crackling log fires and wind-swept cabins. * AIR & SPACE: Mountain gusts and soft drones to clear mental clutter. 2. THE CUSTOM MIX ARCHITECT Don’t just listenβ€”create. Layer unlimited sounds simultaneously with precision control: * INDIVIDUAL VOLUME SLIDERS: Make the rain heavy, but the distant thunder faint. * NAMED FAVORITES: Save your "Rainy Cabin" mix with custom emojis for one-tap relaxation. 3. PRECISION CONTROLS & SLEEP TIMER * GENTLE FADE-OUT: Set your timer and drift off as the audio gracefully fades to silence. * MASTER PLAYER: A polished, tactile interface to pause or stop all sounds instantly. 4. ORGANIC REPLAY DELAYS Our "Natural Replay" feature allows you to add manual delays between tracks. This ensures your environment stays fresh and organic, preventing your brain from spotting a loop. DESIGNED FOR YOUR BEDSIDE: * OBSIDIAN DARK MODE: Designed to reduce eye strain and keep your room dark. * LOCK SCREEN CONTROL: Full artwork and media controls without unlocking your phone. * BACKGROUND PLAY: Keep your soundscape running while using other apps. PERFECT FOR: * DEEP SLEEP: Mask tinnitus and silence racing thoughts. * PARENTS: Create a consistent, soothing environment for babies. * DEEP WORK: Block out office distractions and reach a flow state. * MEDITATION: Ground your practice with high-fidelity nature. Transform your space. Find your frequency. Download Sleep Effect today.

About

Don't Disturb

Features
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Somewhere above the clouds there is a small island where it is always night. A campfire crackles. Fireflies drift between the pines. An owl watches from the treetops, and a little glowing soul sits at the center, waiting for you. Don't Disturb isn't a list of tracks. It's a place. ARRANGE THE NIGHT AROUND YOU Drag sounds onto the island and put them wherever you like. Rain over the pines. The ocean behind your shoulder. Bring the fire in close, until you can almost feel it. The night arranges itself around you, and it stays where you left it. TURN YOUR HEAD With AirPods, the island holds still. Look over at the camp and the fire keeps crackling on your left. The owl still calls from the same tree. Your ears believe the place, and the rest of you follows. Lovely on any headphones. Quietly magic on AirPods. WHAT YOU'LL HEAR Waves. Rain. Wind through the pines. A campfire. A running stream. Crickets in the grass. An owl. A wolf, very far away. And a small music box, for the nights that want a melody. MADE FOR FALLING ASLEEP Set a sleep timer and the island dims on its own β€” the lanterns go out, the fire burns down, and the soul curls up to sleep. The controls step back when your hands rest. Nothing flashes, nothing interrupts, nothing asks anything of you. YOURS ALONE No account. No ads. No tracking. Nothing you do here leaves your phone. Put your headphones on, drag the rain a little closer, and stay a while.

Screenshots

Sleep Effect4 screens
Don't Disturb4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Don't Disturb at every 3 days against Sleep Effect's fortnightly. Don't Disturb also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sleep Effect ships an update fortnightly, Don't Disturb every 3 days. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Sleep Effect versus Don't Disturb: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSleep EffectDon't Disturb
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.118.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size324 MB126 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAhmed NabulsiRojo Volcan

In-app purchases

None

Sleep Effect

No in-app purchases

None

Don't Disturb

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sleep Effect free?
Sleep Effect is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Don't Disturb free?
Don't Disturb is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sleep Effect or Don't Disturb have ads?
Neither Sleep Effect nor Don't Disturb shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sleep Effect or Don't Disturb?
Sleep Effect ships an update fortnightly, and Don't Disturb every 3 days. Most recently, Sleep Effect was updated on October 25, 2026 and Don't Disturb on October 25, 2026.

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