You want background sounds for sleep or focus.

YouTube has 10-hour rain videos. Apps charge money.

What’s the difference?

The Options

YouTube/Spotify

  • Free (with ads or premium)
  • Unlimited variety
  • Requires internet
  • Screen stays on (YouTube)

Dedicated Apps

  • Often have premium tiers
  • Designed for sleep/focus
  • Offline capability
  • Timer features

Free Built-In Options

  • iPhone background sounds
  • macOS ambient sounds
  • Windows focus sounds

YouTube: Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Unlimited content — Every sound you can imagine
  • Free (with Premium)
  • Community favorites — Proven 10-hour videos
  • Variety — Coffee shop, rain, fireplace, etc.

Cons:

  • Ads — Unless you have Premium
  • Screen on — Drains battery
  • Internet required — No offline
  • Video recommendations — Can be distracting
  • Stops when phone locks — Needs workarounds

Best for:

Casual use, exploring different sounds, when you’re already paying for YouTube Premium.

Dedicated White Noise Apps

WhiteNoise

Price: Free Best for: Sleep sounds without subscription

Focused, simple, does the job.

What you get:

  • Multiple sound types
  • Mix sounds together
  • Timer functionality
  • Offline playback
  • No ads

Download →

Dark Noise

Price: $10 one-time Best for: Beautiful design + shortcuts

Premium feel without subscription.

What you get:

  • 50+ sounds
  • Custom mixes
  • Siri shortcuts
  • Widgets
  • Apple Watch
  • iCloud sync

Noisli

Price: Free (Pro $12/year) Best for: Work focus

Productivity-focused ambient sounds.

What you get:

  • Mix multiple sounds
  • Productivity timer
  • Color themes
  • Web version for desktop

Calm/Headspace

Price: $70/year Best for: If you already subscribe

These meditation apps include sleep sounds.

What you get:

  • Sleep stories
  • Soundscapes
  • Music
  • (Plus all their meditation content)

Built-In Free Options

iPhone (iOS 15+)

Settings → Accessibility → Audio/Visual → Background Sounds

Sounds: Rain, ocean, stream, dark noise, bright noise

Why it’s great: Free, always available, no extra app.

Mac

Speakers icon → Focus sounds

Sounds: Rain, stream, ocean, etc.

Windows 11

Settings → System → Focus → Focus sessions

Limited but functional.

Feature Comparison

FeatureYouTubeWhiteNoiseDark NoiseBuilt-in
PriceFree*Free$10Free
Offline❌✅✅✅
Timer❌✅✅✅
Mix sounds❌✅✅❌
VarietyUnlimitedGoodGoodLimited
AdsYes*NoNoNo
Battery drainHighLowLowLow

*Free with ads, Premium removes them

When to Use What

Use YouTube if:

  • You have Premium already
  • You want specific/unique sounds
  • You’re exploring what you like
  • You’re using it on a computer

Use a dedicated app if:

  • You want offline capability
  • You use it for sleep (needs timer)
  • You want to mix sounds
  • Battery life matters

Use built-in sounds if:

  • You want simple, free, no extra apps
  • Basic sounds are enough
  • You’re already in Apple/Windows ecosystem

The Sleep Use Case

For sleep specifically, YouTube is problematic:

  1. Screen stays on → blue light
  2. Ads might play → wake you up
  3. Video ends → silence wakes you
  4. Battery drain → phone dies

Dedicated apps solve all of this:

  • Black screen
  • No ads
  • Seamless looping
  • Timer to stop
  • Low battery use

Verdict: For sleep, use an app.

The Focus Use Case

For work/study background noise:

  • YouTube is fine (on a computer)
  • Apps work on phone
  • Built-in sounds are convenient

Verdict: Use whatever’s easiest.

Sound Types Explained

White noise: Equal intensity across frequencies. Classic “shhhh” sound.

Pink noise: Deeper than white noise. Like a waterfall.

Brown noise: Even deeper. Like thunder or wind.

Nature sounds: Rain, ocean, forest. Varied, naturalistic.

Lo-fi beats: Music + ambient sound. Good for focus.

My Recommendation

For sleep: WhiteNoise (free, designed for sleep)

For work focus: YouTube or Noisli

For simplicity: iPhone built-in background sounds

For premium experience: Dark Noise ($10 one-time)

FAQ

Is white noise actually good for sleep? Research says yes for most people. It masks disruptive sounds.

Pink noise vs white noise — which is better? Pink noise is slightly more natural sounding. Try both.

Do I need to pay for a white noise app? No. Built-in sounds and WhiteNoise are free and solid.

Can white noise damage hearing? Not at normal volumes. Keep it at conversation level or below.

What about baby white noise apps? Same sounds, different marketing. Any white noise app works.

Related reads:

— Dolce