Sleep is a big barrier to health and wellbeing, and just as counting your steps can get you more active, tracking your sleep puts you on the path to better snooze. Using powerful sensors to deliver insight into your sleep time and quality, the best sleep trackers offer an understanding of your time in bed.
Now, getting a sleep tracker isn't like finding the best mattress for your needs. It won't improve your sleep on its own (although the latest gen of sleep tech is heading in that direction...) However, the information provided by your tracker can help you identify sleep problems and start finding solutions.
But for that, you need accuracy and comfort. We pit our sleep trackers against each other and our diaries during our sleep testing methodology to determine which tech delivers the most accurate data. Here are our favorite sleep trackers for every need and budget, tested and approved by experts.
Best overall sleep tracker
After many of hours of testing, one sleep tracker has emerged as the clear winner: the Oura Ring 5. It's the best sleep tracker you can buy online right now, with accurate sensors, detailed analysis and the most comfortable fit. It's replaced its predecessor, the Oura Ring 4, as our number one sleep tracker for most people.
✅ You want the very best sleep tracker: We were blown away by the Oura Ring 5's sleep data. Tracking several key metrics, it provides the most accurate sleep score we've seen.
✅ You'd benefit from sleep coaching: Oura delivers actionable sleep tips and personalized bedtime reminders to not just track your sleep, but improve it,
❌ You're on a budget: With a starting price of $349/£349, the Oura Ring 4 isn't exactly kind on the wallet and you also need a subscription to unlock all of its features.
❌ You want quicker access to your vitals: With no screen, you need to use the app anytime you want to access your insights.
Favored by wellness enthusiasts and sleep experts, previous versions of the Oura Ring have been scientifically proven to line up with polysomnography testing. The brand's latest iteration, the Oura Ring 5, performed almost perfectly in comparison to other high-quality sleep trackers.
The Oura Ring 5 creates a comprehensive sleep score based on a number of metrics (or 'contributors'). This includes amount of sleep, time in each sleep stage, restfulness and efficiency. Lead tester Frances Daniels found the Oura Ring 5 created a more accurate — and harsher — sleep score than her Apple Watch Ultra, thanks to these wide ranging 'contributions'.
Oura has also boosted the sensors with the release of the 5, allowing the smart ring to capture even more accurate data. And it doesn't just track you overnight. Features such as activity tracking and menstrual cycle tracking might not directly impact your sleep score, but can help create a better picture of sleep quality. (And potentially prepare you for issues that might influence your sleep.)
Oura presents all of this data in a clear, user-friendly format, and summarizes your sleep quality with a daily 'Sleep' score and a 'Readiness' score (which indicates how ready you are for the day based on sleep and other factors), alongside advice on how to maximize your rest. It also provides feedback on your sleep progress — tester Jane McGuire was informed when her sleep quality started a notable decline.
The Oura also offers other useful sleep-related features, like the Body Clock. This is your optimal sleep window, determined by your chronotype, sleep patterns, body temperature and activity levels. You can compare your optimal sleep times, calculated by Body Clock, to your actual sleep habits... for better or worse.
In addition, Oura Ring 5 provides Bedtime Guidance. This is a nudge that it's time to get ready for bed and it becomes more personalized (and accurate) the longer you use the Oura Ring.
Consistently wearing the Oura Ring 5 improves accuracy all-round, so it's a good thing it's comfortable for everyday use. Slimmer than the Oura Ring 4, it hardly looks like a fitness tracker at all. And tester Frances found it stayed on her finger all night. The Oura Ring 5 also has a longer battery life than its predecessor, giving you 6-9 days per charge (not quite as good as Whoop, but still solid for a smart ring).
For those struggling to sleep, the Oura Advisor provides personalized feedback. Using your data, the Oura Labs chatbot offers actionable advise to enhance your sleep and wellbeing. Again, this gets better the more you use the Ring, as it learns your habits. (For serious sleep issues, we advise speaking to a sleep expert over an AI chatbot.)
While the overall design and accuracy of the Oura Ring 5 is incredible, it does have a few downsides.
For a start, as a screen-free sleep tracker, there's no immediate access to data. You need to head to the app to find any info, which means slower feedback.
But a bigger barrier might be the price. Starting at $399 / £399 from Oura, it's among the most expensive trackers we've tested. Plus, to make the most of the tech, you'll need to pay a $5.99 / £5.99 monthly premium subscription. But for the price, you won't get better sleep tracking.
- Read more: Oura Ring 5 review
Best sleep tracking armband
The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is the first-of-its-kind from Garmin, and it's also fairly unique in the sleep tracker market as a whole: watches and rings abound, but armbands aren't so common. It’s one of the only consumer-grade upper arm sleep trackers available.
Worn on the upper arm, it's a super comfortable, screenless sleep tracker that precisely captures your night's sleep while your smart watch is free to charge overnight. The lack of screen also means no blue light or distraction while you sleep.
✅ You're a Garmin user but dislike wearing your watch in bed: With the Index Sleep Monitor you can leave your sweaty smart watch out of bed and still gather accurate sleep data that syncs with Garmin Connect.
✅ You want a smart alarm too: Wave goodbye to morning grogginess with the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor's vibration alarm feature.
❌ You want a daytime tracker: The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is primarily a sleep tracker rather than an all-day activity and health tracker and best syncs up with daytime data from a separate Garmin watch.
The tracker sits in a fabric band (70% nylon, 30% spandex) that’s machine‑washable and comes in two sizes. It feels soft, very lightweight (the strap weighs 16‑20 g depending on size, with a module that weighs 14.5g) and comfortable enough to be largely unnoticed during the night. This is down to personal preference, but I found it more comfortable than sleeping with a smartwatch.
Its sensors include optical heart rate sensor, SpO₂ (blood oxygen saturation) sensor and an accelerometer for movement and sleep stages, plus it captures breathing rate, skin temperature variation, and analyzes sleep quality.
In terms of performance, the Garmin provides a detailed set of sleep metrics including total sleep time, sleep stages, awakenings, breathing variations, changes in skin temperature, average respiratory rate and a sleep score.
Overall, its data matched that from our top-rated sleep trackers, the Oura Ring 4 and the trusted under‑mattress tracker, Withings Sleep Analyzer, and also aligned with my sleep diary during my testing period, accurately capturing wake times, light and deep sleep, and disturbances.
It's most valuable to existing Garmin watch wearers, as the sleep data marries up with daytime activity tracking to produce a 'Body Battery' score and provide tailored recovery insights. Body Battery is one of Garmin’s most popular features, combining HRV, stress and sleep to show overall energy.
Additionally, it features a Smart Wake vibrating alarm that buzzes when it detects a lighter stage of sleep within your desired wake‑window (so you feel less groggy upon waking), with adjustable intensity and snooze options.
In terms of value and who should buy it: at $169.99 / £149.99 the Monitor is relatively expensive, especially considering it tracks only sleep. However, unlike many sleep trackers (like Oura and Whoop), Garmin does not require a subscription. All features are included with that purchase.
For those who already have a smartwatch with sleep‑monitoring capabilities, this could feel redundant. But for people who dislike wearing anything on their wrist while sleeping but still want robust sleep data, it offers a comfortable alternative. And with 5–7 days of battery life, you won’t need to charge it often.
- Read more: Garmin Index Sleep Monitor review
Best sleep tracking watch
The Apple Watch 10 is one of the most popular smartwatches on the market, worn daily by many members of the Tom's Guide team for activity, heart rate and health tracking. And, packed with FDA-cleared sleep apnea notifications and now a new Sleep Score feature, we also rate it as a comprehensive sleep tracker.
✅ You're concerned about sleep apnea: The Apple Watch 10 is FDA-cleared to notify you of potential breathing irregularities linked to sleep apnea.
✅ You want an all-round, versatile smartwatch: When paired with your iPhone, you can track runs, count steps, monitor heart rate, take calls, and even use it as a walkie-talkie or mini photo viewer.
❌ You're an Android mobile user: The Apple Watch cannot connect to an Android mobile for full functionality.
❌ You want in-depth sleep metrics: Compared to dedicated trackers like Oura and Whoop, Apple's sleep insights are simpler, leaving out metrics like sleep latency and sleep efficiency.
Granted, it's no longer Apple's newest model since the Apple Watch 11 arrived in September, but its sleep tracking capabilities are first-rate thanks to software improvements rather than new hardware. Plus, the Apple Watch 11's arrival means you can now bag the series 10 at a sizeable discount (around $100/£100 off).
Before the Series 11 launched, there was one sleep feature the Apple Watch lacked that was holding it back from competing with the likes of Oura, Garmin and Whoop: a clear sleep-scoring system. But with the launch of the Apple Watch 11 came the introduction of Apple’s Sleep Score.
Based on how long you slept, how consistent your bedtime is and how often your sleep was interrupted, your watch rates the quality of your sleep out of 100 each morning. This update is software-based rather than exclusive to the new watch, so as long as your Watch 10 runs on watchOS 26, this feature is accessible.
Additionally, the Apple Watch can flag (but not diagnose – leave that to your doctor) sleep apnea. Apple will send you notifications if it identifies any abnormal breathing patterns associated with sleep apnea, providing helpful data you can share with your doctor.
With the Apple Watch, you can pre-set a bedtime schedule so your notifications are silenced during your sleep window and your alarm is set to wake you up gently in the morning (though, as sleep experts, we recommend a sunrise alarm clock in place of your iPhone alarm). Your watch then compares your actual sleep and time in bed with this schedule, and shows data on sleep stages and heart-rate trends.
All your sleep data lives in the Apple Health app on your iPhone, where you'll also find heaps of information on the importance of getting a good night's sleep, understanding sleep stages and recognising sleep apnea.
- Read more: Apple Watch Series 10 review
Best non-wearable sleep tracker
The Withings Sleep Analyzer is a discreet mat that slides under your mattress and uses built-in sensors to measure your sleep metrics and nighttime breathing habits.
✅ You don't like wearables in bed: No matter how comfortable wearables are, some people will find them irritating. In this case, this contact-free sleep tracking mat is for you.
✅ You're concerned about sleep apnea: You can take data captured by the Withings Sleep Analyzer to a medical professional who can help diagnose and treat the sleep disorder.
❌ You want a holistic health tracker: Unless you stay in bed all day (not recommended), the Withings can't keep track of your daytime biometrics. If you want a practical 24/7 health and sleep tracker, you'll need a wearable watch or ring.
Even with a mattress between your sleeping body and the mat, the Withings Sleep Analyzer's pneumatic pressure sensor, sound detection sensor and algorithms work together to track key elements of your sleep, such as your heart rate, breathing rate, sleep phases, snoring and sleep interruptions.
One thing to be aware of is that the mat can sometimes mistake you sitting in bed during the day as a nap, which messes up your sleep regularity scores. But overall, the sleep timing and wake period metrics Withings provided by the Withings have accurately lined up with our own observations.
Our favorite aspect of the Withings sleep tracker is that it's low maintenance. You need a power strip close to your bed but set up is simple and you never need to remember to charge it or put it on before going to sleep. It also automatically starts and stops tracking when you lie down – no buttons or app interaction necessary.
The mat monitors all the usual metrics, including sleep duration, heart rate, nighttime movement and heart rate variability. Like the Apple Watch, its sound sensor is also able to detect breathing abnormalities like sleep apnea (it's recognised as a medical-grade sleep apnea detection device in the EU and pending regulatory approval in the US). You can view and analyze your data in a daily report on the Withings app, which also provides you with a sleep score based on your metrics.
Although the mattress pad can't keep track of your daytime steps, heart rate and all those juicy activity metrics too, the Withings App pairs up with Apple Health or Samsung Health so you can keep track of all your health and recovery metrics in one place if you wish.
- Read more: Withings Sleep Analyzer review
Best sleep tracker for active lifestyles
Released in May 2025, the Whoop MG (and its sister model, the Whoop 5.0) is one of the newest and most advanced sleep and recovery trackers on the market. It tracks your sleep, strain and recovery, as well as a host of additional health metrics. From a sleep perspective, it helps you understand exactly how much sleep you need each night to optimize your recovery and performance.
✅ You're a fitness enthusiast: Whoop is designed to be a 24/7 wearable fitness and sleep coach for active individuals looking to optimize their physical recovery and performance.
✅ You want a screen-free watch: If you prefer to wear your sleep tracker on your wrist rather than your upper-arm or finger, but want to keep distracting screens out of bed, the faceless Whoop band is a great option.
❌ You want a one-off payment: Whoop operates a unique pricing system where you pay a subscription fee (starting from $199 / £169 per year) rather than an upfront cost for the device.
❌ You're not interested in in-depth recovery metrics: Whoop is best suited to active individuals and athletes, as it focuses on how sleep impacts your training and performance.
Compared to the previous generation Whoop 4.0, the Whoop 5.0 and Whoop MG come with upgraded sensors that capture data 26 times per second for improved accuracy.
It should be pointed out that the Whoop MG (which stands for medical grade) tracks a whole range of health data and even provides ECG readings. In terms of sleep metrics, it tracks total time in bed, total hours of sleep, time spent in REM and deep sleep, wake events, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, respiratory rate and sleep debt, and delivers detailed sleep reports. It also tracks HRV and overnight skin temperature trends, which are critical for recovery insights.
Each sleep report shows how much sleep you actually got compared to how much your body needed, as well as sleep consistency, sleep efficiency and sleep stress. Evaluating these metrics together, Whoop delivers an overall Sleep Performance score for each night.
This data is presented in color-coded, interactive graphs in the Whoop app so you can see exactly which points in the night were spent in each sleep stage and track sleep stress, sleep consistency and time in bed. These graphs also chart your respiratory rate and HRV trends over time.
Whoop also looks at your recent sleep, strain, naps, and any sleep debt it has calculated to determine the amount of sleep you need for optimal recovery. This is displayed in a handy bar graph comparing sleep needed vs sleep achieved.
To help you get that sleep, Whoop recommends an optimal bedtime, wake time and sleep duration. You can then use the Wake Alarm function that can wake you at a set time, when you've met your sleep goal or at the ideal moment for recovery.
Like the Oura, Whoop features an AI generated sleep coach in the app. This is a live chat that breaks down previous night’s sleep performance and gives you personalized, actionable tips to improve or maintain your sleep quality.
Battery life is a standout feature and lasts up to two weeks between charges. And you don't miss out on sleep data when it does need charging, as Whoop has designed a wireless charger you can slip on the device when it's still on your wrist.
Pricing is a little different with Whoop. Instead of paying for the device upfront, you pay an annual subscription fee. This subscription is split into three pricing tiers ('One' at $199/£169 per year, 'Peak' at $239/£229 per year, both of which come with the Whoop 5.0. While 'Life' costs $359/£349 per year and comes with the Whoop MG). Obviously, the more you pay, the better features you get.
Ultimately, Whoop is best suited to professional and amateur athletes who want to understand more about their training intensity and recovery. Part of the brand's USP is a 'strain' score which measures your body's total physiological exertion, particularly cardiovascular and muscular load, on a non-linear scale from 0 to 21. This score gives an indication of how much recovery (sleep) you need.
If you want a simple tracker that keeps tabs on how well you sleep at night rather than how you perform by day too, you're better off choosing the Oura, Withings or Garmin above.
- Read more: Whoop 5.0 review
Best sleep tracker headband
Sleep tracking is all well and good but the next big thing is sleep improvement. These are products that not only observe your sleep but aim to actively make it better. And from our testing, the Muse S Athena achieves both.
The Muse S Athena is fitted with EEG, PPG, O₂ and fNIRS sensors to monitor brain activity, heart rate, blood flow and blood oxygen levels. As a headband, the sensors are located across the forehead and behind the ears. This can make fit a little tricky but once you've got the headband in place (with the help of the app) the tracking is gold standard.
✅ You don't just want to track your sleep, you want to improve it: The Deep Sleep Boost and Sleep Assist features put the Muse S Athena at the forefront of sleep tech. This is the future of sleep tracking.
✅ You want accurate sleep insights: The Muse S Athena delivers detailed and accurate sleep tracking, as well as comprehensive sleep trends.
❌ You're on a budget: At $474 the Muse is the most expensive tracker on this list and it can't be used for other forms of health tracking.
❌ You want data and nothing else: If you don't mind skipping the sleep improvement features, you can get accurate tracking data for less.
Our lead tester, Ruth Jones, was blown away by the accuracy of the Muse S Athena's sleep tracking. It captures even the briefest micro wake ups alongside in-depth sleep stage tracking. It also notes movement and positioning.
This can make reading the Muse app slightly overwhelming. There's a lot of data to wade through, much of it hard to decipher. But Muse also puts that info into weekly and monthly overviews, to help you understand your sleep trends. For a product that aims to actively improve your sleep over time, this is a nice touch.
So let's dive into that improvement. Muse targets three areas of sleep: falling asleep, sleep quality and waking up (although the smart wake up feature is behind a paywall).
To help you drift off, Muse uses Sleep Assist. While listening to your pick from a library of calming sleep sounds, the noises adjust based on real-time feedback, getting quieter and softer the closer you get to sleep.
Having drifted off, Deep Sleep Boost kicks in. When the headband detects you're entering slow-wave sleep (often considered the most restorative stage), it triggers a series of sound frequencies. These are meant to target your brain to enhance slow waves and improve recovery. Put simply, you should wake up fresher.
During testing we were impressed by both features, with the calming sleep sounds an immediate stand-out. It's harder to judge the impact of the Deep Sleep Boost but our tester noted she was sleeping through the night and starting the day more alert.
The Muse won't suit everyone, as wearing a headband to bed can be uncomfortable. Also, while the tracking is incredible it's also limited — there are no fitness features. If you want a rounded picture of wellness and activity, the Oura is better.
It's also expensive, with the basic headband $474.99. And if you want to get full access to the Muse's capabilities, including the Smart Alarm, you'll need to pay a monthly subscription ($12.99 per month).
However, the Muse S Athena is one of the best when it comes to in-depth sleep tracking. And the sleep improvement features gives it an edge over basic trackers. If you want to learn more about your sleep, stick with the Oura or Withings. If you want to make your sleep better, this might be the way to go.
- Read more: Muse S Athena review
Best sleep tracker earbuds
Sleep tracking earbuds provide a double sleep benefit. First, they're a discreet way to track your sleep throughout the night. Second, they provide passive (and in the case of the SomniPods, active) noise cancellation.
So if you want to see just how much your partner's snoring is keeping you awake, the Fitnexa SomniPods 3 can provide the answer. And at the same time, block out that sleep disruption.
✅ Noise often keeps you awake: With active noise cancellation and decent sound quality, the Fitnexa SomniPods 3 can mask disruptions.
✅ You want feedback on your sleep habits: You get access to the AI assistant on the free tier and if you're willing to provide the data, the chatbot advice is good.
❌ You have sensitive ears: The hard shell can causes some pressure build-up, for side sleepers in particular.
❌ You toss and turn a lot: Very restless sleepers might find the SomniPods fall out in the night, causing a gap in your sleep tracking data.
The SomniPods are built with ANC that's capable of masking moderate noise levels. A real chainsaw of a snorer will probably leak through but our tester was pleased they blocked the sound of passing traffic (and their neighbors early morning soccer practice.)
For sleep tracking, the SomniPods also impressed, capturing the time in sleep stages as well as your positioning during the night. They do, however, experience the same issue that plagues even the best sleep earbuds. Compared to a watch or fitness band, they're more likely to fall out. Plus, they can put some pressure on the ear.
Fitnexa also offers a built-in AI assistant. Drawing from your sleep metrics (as well as the fitness and nutrition data you enter manually), this AI can offer useful, personalized advice. It won't compare to a medical professional but the amount of data collected allows the chatbot to offer some interesting insights.
The basic model is $189.99 without the subscription and for this price, you get access to most of the tech. And while the sound quality won't compare to the best headphones we've tested, it's good enough for non-audiophiles. So not only do you get a sleep tracker and your own AI helper, you also get a decent pair of earbuds.
- Read more: Fitnexa SomniPods 3 review
Also tested
These sleep trackers are also popular and performed well in our tests. They didn’t quite make the top tier, but if none of the main picks above feel right for you, these are still good alternatives.
Sleep trackers we're testing right now
Our team is constantly testing new sleep tech to make sure we only recommend the best devices for tracking your rest. Here's are some of the sleep trackers we're currently testing:
Apple Watch 11: We're currently testing how well the new flagship smart watch tracks users' sleep compared to the Series 10 and whether it can improve sleep hygiene.
Beautyrest Sleeptracker Monitor: A budget alternative to the Withings Sleep Analyzer, we're seeing if this $69 under-the-mattress tracker is a bargain or a flop.
Fitbit Air: This lightweight and affordable fitness tracker is screen free for more comfort overnight.
Sleepal: This is not your ordinary sleep tracker. A sleep tracking lamp, it sits on your nightstand to monitor your rest and wake you up naturally by mimicking daylight.
How we test the best sleep tracker
Sleep trackers come in many forms, from wrist-worn watches to smart rings, headbands, armbands, bedside monitors and under-mattress mats. Because of this variety, we use a consistent testing methodology so we can compare each device fairly. Here's how our testing works.
We test every sleep tracker over a two-week period and use the Withings Sleep Analyzer as a control device to benchmark accuracy and effectiveness.
During the first week, we gather baseline data from both the sleep tracker being tested and the Withings, allowing us to directly compare key sleep metrics such as sleep stages, total duration, HRV (heart rate variability) and sleep onset latency (how long it takes to fall asleep).
Over the second week, we focus on applying any recommendations or features offered by the tracker to improve sleep. This helps us assess whether the device provides actionable insights that genuinely enhance sleep quality.
To ensure a well-rounded evaluation, we also maintain a sleep diary alongside digital tracking. This diary records bedtime and wake-up times, any night-time awakenings, and daytime factors such as illness or menstruation that may affect sleep.
By cross-referencing diary entries with data from the sleep tracker, we aim to identify discrepancies or confirm trends in the data. This dual approach— objective data plus subjective context — help us assess the reliability of each tracker and determine whether it offers meaningful insights or improvements to the user’s sleep hygiene.
Ultimately, the goal of this testing is to answer several key questions: What data does the tracker collect, and how accurately? What technology or sensors does it use? Most importantly, who is the tracker best suited for, and does it actually help users sleep better? By testing each device thoroughly over a consistent period and with a structured methodology, we can offer clear, evidence-based recommendations in this buyer’s guide.
Frequently asked questions
Why buy a sleep tracker?
Tracking your sleep can have multiple benefits, from helping you maintain a consistent sleep schedule to teaching you more about how your habits impact your sleep quality.
Sleep trackers collect valuable data that helps you see how things like caffeine, screen time or being inactive during the day may be disrupting your sleep. With that information, you can make positive changes, like establishing consistent sleep and wake-up times, getting regular exercise, managing stress or cutting down screen time.
Sleep trackers can also help you understand how well you're actually sleeping and what poor sleep might be affecting, like your mood, focus and energy levels. In some cases, they can even flag sleep conditions.
For example, you may think you're sleep welling but still wake up feeling groggy and tired. This could be a sign you're not getting enough deep sleep or you may have a sleep disorder like sleep apnea. Some sleep trackers, like the Withings Sleep Analyzer, can detect abnormal breathing patterns, though it is important to discuss any concerning data with a doctor who can make a proper diagnosis.
Are sleep trackers accurate?
Sleep trackers aren't as accurate as a lab-based polysomnography sleep study, but they're the most reliable way to monitor your sleep at home.
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have taken several commercial sleep tracking devices to the lab to evaluate their accuracy against research-grade actigraphy and polysomnography. Overall, their study found that consumer devices were similarly accurate to research-grade actigraphy when estimating total sleep time.
Another review of studies looking at commercially available wearable devices used in sleep studies noted that "as technology improves, it seems that wearables likely provide sleep information on par with actigraphy."
This supports a growing body of literature that suggests consumer sleep-tracking devices can be a convenient, cost-effective and surprisingly accurate tool for measuring sleep.
When we test sleep trackers at Tom's Guide, we compare the data from each device against each other, along with our own sleep diary. This helps us assess how accurate each tracker really is.
Results can differ from tracker to tracker, most differences come down to just a few minutes of sleep timing. Our top four recommendations here were the most accurate and reliable in our tests.
Can tracking your sleep really help you sleep better?
Wearing a sleep tracker won't magically improve your sleep (if only), but used consistently, it can help you improve your sleep habits.
Many software platforms attached to the sleep trackers feature AI-driven sleep coaching. This means you can find actionable sleep hygiene tips alongside your sleep reports. Because the advice is based on your personal sleep patterns, it's usually much more tailored and useful than generic tips you'd find online.
Some sleep trackers go even further. Oura and Whoop have a live chat feature that produces actionable sleep tips based off your real-time daily sleep metrics and habits. They break down how you slept last night and tell you what to do tonight to improve your sleep quality.
