This free iPhone sleep tracker decodes my 3 a.m. wake ups — and it’s a worthy rival to my Oura Ring 5

I've been tracking my sleep with the Oura Ring 5 for the past five months and love its comfortable fit and reliable data, whether I’m monitoring my 3 a.m. wake ups or how long I spend in deep sleep. However, the Oura Ring 5, now from $399 at Amazon, does come at a premium price.

Keen to see if it was possible to replicate the accuracy of the Oura without the high cost, I started testing free sleep tracking apps — and discovered one that could hold its own against the best sleep tracker we’ve tested, the Oura Ring 5. The good news? It's completely free, with no hidden costs or trial sign-ups; all you need is a smart phone and a nightstand.

Here's how this free iPhone app compares to my $499 Oura Ring 5 (the gold costs more), plus how I'm using its tracking data to better understand my sleep. Looking for a wearable sleep tracker instead? I've rounded up the top sleep trackers you can buy in this year's Black Friday sleep sales, too.

The free sleep tracking app that rivals the Oura Ring 5

There are plenty of free sleep tracking apps out there, so I decided to test three popular ones against my Oura Ring 5. The Oura Ring 5 is a luxury smart ring with highly-sophisticated sensor technology that can monitor your sleep cycles, sleep duration, and sleep latency (in other words, how long it takes you to fall asleep).

So, not only I was looking a free app that could provide those metrics, I was looking for a free app that could provide those metrics accurately.

After the Sleep Cycle and SleepScore apps failed to dazzle me, I didn't hold out much hope for the Sleepwave app, which you can get for free at the App store. Still, a 4.6 star rating out of 5 from over 3,700 user reviews convinced me to give the self-proclaimed "best free sleep tracker app" a go.

The Sleepwave app is completely contactless; you simply put your iPhone on your nightstand or mattress. Its sleep tracking relies mostly on movements (for example, from tossing and turning) and breathing, which are picked up by patented motion-sensing technology, as Sleepwave maintains that motion indicates wakefulness.

When I woke up after using the app for the first time, my expectations were low. However, comparing the Sleepwave's sleep data to my Oura Ring 5's, I was blown away by the accuracy of its metrics. From my overall sleep duration, my time spent awake during the night (including how long my 3 a.m. wake ups lasted), my sleep stages, and sleep latency.

The metrics are all presented in a bright infographic format, which is easy to read. On top of these sleep metrics, the Sleepwave app also includes a smart alarm which wakes you up during light sleep in the morning (when you're naturally more inclined to wake up), so it feels less jarring than being awoken during deep sleep.

Plus, thanks to the iPhone's microphone, you can listen to recordings of your bedroom's nocturnal noises, including snoring, vehicles, or pets — handy if you're a light sleeper like me who wants to see whether it's noise that is waking you up at 3 a.m.

How Sleepwave's data compares to my Oura Ring 5

As mentioned above, I tested the Sleepwave's accuracy by using the app while wearing my Oura Ring 5 and then comparing the data the next morning.

Here's a comparison between data from the Oura Ring and the Sleepwave app, recorded on the same night:

I consider a result 5 minutes under or over the Oura Ring metrics as an accurate match. As you can see from the above table, all metrics (apart from the REM sleep metric) fell within the 5-minute threshold — a remarkable result from a free sleep tracker app that's up against a $499 smart ring.

Of course, there things that the Oura Ring can do that the Sleepwave can't. For instance, the Sleepwave doesn't provide a readiness score (which tells you how much your sleep quality has prepared you for the day), heart rate variability (HRV), a sleep chronotype (your natural circadian rhythm), and health and fitness readings.

Still, if your main goal is to understand how long you fall asleep for or how much deep sleep you're racking up, then I highly reccomend giving the Sleepwave app a try (I mean, it's free, so what have you got to lose?).

3 top-rated sleep trackers to help you understand your sleep

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Oura Ring 4 : was $349 now $249 at Amazon

The Oura Ring 4 may have been usurped by 2026's Oura Ring 5, but it still shares plenty of the same lab-accurate sleep tracking features with its successor. Right now, you'll find discounts on the metallic finishes (such as Silver and Black), which are down to $249. A Gold finish, meanwhile, will set you back $279.99...but it is down from $399.99. As with the Oura Ring 5, you'll need to pay a monthly subscription of $5.99.

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Garmin Index Sleep Monitor: $169.99 at Amazon

The Garmin Index Sleep Monitor is a comfortable armband from the brand best known for GPS systems and sports watches. We were impressed with its accurate sleep data and lightweight sleep comfort, but it's not a great investment if you want fitness tracking, too. You'll find the Index Sleep Monitor for $169.99 at Amazon, though we have seen discounts during holiday sales like Cyber Monday.

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Google Fitbit Air: $99.99 at Amazon

If you're looking for both sleep and fitness tracking (like the Oura Ring) but want something more affordable, then the subscription-free Fitbit Air offers fuss-free, all-round tracking. It provides detailed sleep reports for under $100 and its app is intuitive to use, too. However, be aware that its strap can feel a little bulky to wear to bed at night.

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