Sleep is an elusive bedfellow, with one-third of U.S. adults not getting enough sleep. When I realized how lack of sleep can cause daily stress, I took the leap and got a sleep tracker — and it’s been eye-opening.
It showed that I wasn’t getting enough sleep, plain and simple. Having the stats on my phone each morning motivated me to make better choices and improve my sleep hygiene.
Choosing the right sleep tracker for you can be a challenge. That’s where we come in. The team at ZDNET has personally tested sleep trackers to find the best one based on features, affordability, and availability. We found that the Apple Watch Series 8 provides the best sleep tracker for most people, but that’s not all there is to consider.
Here, we explore the most popular options, as well as some you may not have heard about, to help you choose the best sleep tracker.
Also: How to sleep better with the Apple Watch
The best sleep trackers of 2023
Pros
Sleep cycle tracking All the features of a smartwatch No subscription to track sleep
Cons
Must be paired with iPhone Shorter battery life than other wearables
Apple Watch Series 8 specs: Up to 18-hour battery life | Sleep cycles | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, and/or cellular options | 41mm and 45mm models | IP6X dust and water resistant | Blood oxygen, body temperature sensor, EKG, irregular heart rate alerts | iOS only
Notoriously popular among both smartwatch and Apple fans, the newest Apple Watch comes with WatchOS 9 from the get-go. The Apple Watch now tracks how long you spend in bed and asleep, as well as sleep stages, like REM, core (light) sleep, and deep sleep.
The data is available as soon as you wake up, and, if you enjoy an Apple ecosystem, it can be paired seamlessly with your iPhone’s focus mode to detect when you’re awake.
According to ZDNET’s Christina Darby’s testing, “The Apple Watch became just as much of a nighttime accessory as my retainer. I loved having insight into the one thing I wasn’t used to tracking — my sleep.”
Older compatible versions can also get sleep tracking through an iOS update, and the Apple Watch Ultra also tracks sleep, if you’re wanting the most advanced rugged tech.
Review: Apple Watch 8 is a sleeper hit
Pros
Long battery life Free six months Fitbit Premium with purchase Inexpensive
Cons
Paid membership required to unlock all health features Limited functionality
Fitbit Inspire 3 specs: Up to 10 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 39.4 x 18.54 x 11.7mm | Up to 50m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, high/low heart rate alerts | iOS and Android compatible
One of the most popular wearable devices also used as a sleep tracker is the Fitbit. These fitness trackers use machine learning algorithms to convert data collected during the night into a sleep quality score, as well as sleep cycles.
Also: Apple Watch vs Fitbit for sleep tracking
With different styles at different prices, there is a Fitbit for everyone, from the most affordable and simple Inspire 3 to the advanced smartwatch Fitbit Sense 2.
A medical study on the accuracy of wearables to track sleep concluded that, while Fitbit models with sleep staging show a promising performance of tracking sleep cycles, though “they are of limited specificity” compared to advanced medical devices.
Read the review: Fitbit Inspire 3 review
Pros
Not a wearable Consistent data Tracks snoring
Cons
Not water-resistant Only tracks breathing and heart rate
Withings Sleep specs: Plug-in | Sleep cycles | Wi-Fi | 24 x 7 x 0.19 inches | Not water-resistant | Breathing and heart rate | iOS and Android
The Withings Sleep tracking pad is a slim device that goes under the mattress and tracks sleep cycles, breathing and heart rate, has snore detection, and puts the data together to give you an overall sleep score at the end of the night, much like the Fitbit.
These pads are popular among sleep tracking enthusiasts and can even help users detect sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
Also: The best sound machines: Fall asleep faster
Pros
Comprehensive sleep data Sleep and recovery scores
Cons
Expensive No fitness tracking
Biostrap EVO specs: 2.5 days battery life | Sleep cycles | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | Splash-proof | Blood oxygen, breathing and heart rate | iOS and Android compatible
The Biostrap EVO wearable health monitor collects data while you sleep to determine your sleep stages and overnight recovery levels. It provides users with comprehensive data that shows the quality of sleep they’re getting.
Biostrap, the manufacturer of this sleep tracker, provides healthcare professionals and organizations with different devices for remote physiological monitoring of patients as well as for clinical research.
Editor’s note: As of the latest publish, this product is sold out, but may come back in stock at any time.
Pros
Focused on sleep data Good battery life Sleek design
Cons
No screen Paid membership required No step or calories tracking
Whoop 4.0 specs: Up to 5 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 1.5 x 1.5 x 0.45 inches | IP68 water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate | iOS and Android compatible
The Whoop 4.0 is a no-nonsense fitness tracker that doesn’t have a screen. It’s simply built to track fitness and sleep data, and it’s an uncomplicated device.
Also: Whoop vs Apple Watch
As a fitness tracker, the Whoop 4.0 tracks strain, “defined as the measure of your cardiovascular load, scored on a scale of 0 to 21.” This measure helps you see how your body performed during workouts and what kind of recovery you’ll need.
Read the review: Screenless wearable helps you avoid injuries, track sleep details
Pros
Comfortable enough to sleep in Guided and unguided meditation
Cons
Paid subscription to unlock all benefits Can be uncomfortable in some positions
Muse S Brain Sensing Headband specs: Up to 10-hour battery life | Heart, mind, breath and body meditation (soothing guidance and soundscapes) | Sleep tracking with deep sleep intensity points, heart rate, and sleep score | Comfort fit headband | Pair with the free Muse app |
The Muse S meditation headband not only tracks your sleep but also helps you fall asleep through guided and unguided meditation. You can start the night with relaxing meditation, and the device will notice when you drift away, making it a dual-purpose wearable.
According to ZDNET’s testing, the “Muse S (2nd Gen) turns a traditionally abstract practice (meditation) into a performance-driven culture.”
Meditation is a practice that can add many health benefits to your life, like lowered blood pressure and less stress and anxiety, according to different studies.
Muse S can sense when you wake up in the middle of the night and can automatically play more audio to lull you back to sleep.
Read the review: I slept with a meditation headband, Here’s why you should, too
Pros
Sleek, easy to blend in with regular jewelry Long battery life
Cons
Paid membership required to unlock all features
Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon specs: Up to 7 days battery life | Sleep cycles | Bluetooth | 7.9mm wide, 2.55mm thick | Up to 100m water resistant | Blood oxygen, skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitoring | iOS and Android compatible
Another wearable device is the Oura Ring which, unlike other more popular trackers, is worn on a finger rather than wrist. Oura claims to accurately track sleep cycles, total sleep time, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, and movement. The technology combines and converts this information into a sleep score.
Compared to a polysomnography, a medical test used to diagnose sleep disorders, the Oura ring proves to be 96% accurate in detecting sleep. More specifically, the Oura ring is 65% accurate in detecting light sleep, 51% for deep sleep, and 61% for REM sleep.
According to ZDNET’s Matthew Miller, a new sleep tracking algorithm “will provide even more accuracy that we already see with the Oura Ring” in future updates.
Read the review: Oura Ring 3 review: Unobtrusive 24/7 health tracking with more to come in 2022
The best sleep tracker overall is the Apple Watch Series 8. Data has the power to reveal our habits and motivate us to improve. We may be unaware of habits that have a negative effect on our health, so being able to trust the accuracy of the data is key.
Apple Watch’s sleep tracking abilities make it stand out from the rest. It combines the data it gathers each night to best approximate your sleep quality and cycles. The bonus? Apple’s smartwatch comes with many other features, too.
A simpler option like a Fitbit, for example, may be more suitable for those not interested in all the bells and whistles of the Apple Watch.
Best sleep tracker
Cost
Battery life
iOS/Android
Sleep cycles
Subscription offered?
Apple Watch Series 8
$359
18 hours
iOS only
✔
No
Fitbit Inspire 3
$80
10 days
✔
✔
Yes
Withings Sleep
$130
Plug-in
✔
✔
No
Biostrap EVO
$319
2.5 days
✔
✔
No
Whoop 4.0
$239
5 days
✔
✔
Yes
Muse S Brain Sensing Headband
$400
10 hours
✔
✔
Yes
Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon
$349
7 days
✔
✔
Yes
This will vary from person to person according to individual preferences. I first used a sleep tracker when my kids were babies, and you can thank the obsessive in my OCD for buying a couple different trackers.
Those devices only measured time asleep, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels, but nowadays I enjoy sleeping in my Fitbit Inspire 2 and Apple Watch to see data each morning.
After switching from Fossil to Apple to Fitbit, I really enjoy the simplicity of the Fitbit Inspire 2, but, most of all, I enjoy the sleep stages breakdown. Maybe it’s that OCD again, but give me some data to obsess over and I’ll buy into whatever you’re selling.
With a Fitbit and other devices like the Withings mat, you get a snapshot of what your sleep cycles looked like in nights past: How long you were asleep, in which sleep stages, and how long did each cycle last.
After that, it’s all a matter of preference: wristband, headband, mattress pad, etc.
Choose this best sleep tracker…
If you want…
Apple Watch Series 8
ZDNET’s choice for best sleep tracker overall due to its accuracy, easy integration with Apple’s ecosystem, and bedtime schedule feature.
Fitbit Inspire 3
A wrist sleep-tracking wearable with long battery life and effective sleep tracking algorithms.
Withings Sleep
An under-the-mattress sleep tracker that tracks snoring.
Biostrap EVO
A sleep tracking wearable that provides comprehensive data results in your phone or tablet each morning.
Whoop 4.0
A no frills, screen-free wearable used by athletes that focuses on sleep and wellness.
Muse S Brain Sensing Headband
A sleep headband that serves as the ultimate meditation motivator and features a “digital sleeping pill” to aid in falling asleep.
Oura Ring Gen 3 Horizon
A discreet smart ring that gives comprehensive bodily insights.
Poor sleep quality can lead to an increased risk of dementia, obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and even certain types of cancer. Motivation to avoid these ailments is motivating enough to get me to track my sleep in hopes of identifying and improving my bedtime habits.
To find the best sleep trackers, ZDNET relied on hands-on testing and thorough research into product quality as well as sleep studies on these devices.
Additionally, we considered the following factors.
Sleep Tracking: Sensors in your sleep tracker are capable of collecting a variety of data, such as your heart rate, time asleep, and even how much you snore. All of this data is collected and analyzed, then presented to you in a way that is easy to follow.
Additional features: Not all sleep trackers stop at just sleep tracking. Others may also provide additional features, like a smart alarm or health and fitness tracking. These insights can help you live a better life during the day so you sleep better at night.
Subscription: In order to access some features, you may need to subscribe to a plan. Some subscriptions may require a one-time fee, while others may require that you pay an ongoing monthly fee for the service. Be sure to check out the terms of the subscription before you buy. Although they are generally pretty affordable, this is an additional cost that you will need to factor into the total price.
Price: Sleep trackers can be reasonably priced, but they start to get pretty pricey once you start to add extra features. I found that the cost of the best sleep trackers range in price from $80 to $400, depending on the model you choose.
A sleep cycle is comprised of three different stages: light sleep, deep sleep, and rapid eye movement, or REM. On a typical night, when you first fall asleep, you’ll enter either light or deep sleep, likely one after the other, and enter a REM phase.
This cycle will last about 1.5 hours, then repeat itself in intervals closer to two hours, maybe with a few awake minutes in between, but always ending with REM sleep. As the night progresses, you’ll likely experience less time in deep sleep, while the REM stages will become longer.
A regular night of sleep should be about 50% light sleep, 20% REM sleep, 20% deep sleep, and 10% awake.
Also: A hidden feature on your iPhone may help you sleep better
If you need your sleep analyzed, doctors will usually order a polysomnography, which analyzes a person’s oxygen level, heart rate, breathing, eye movement, and leg movement while simultaneously running an electroencephalogram (EEG).
An EEG shows your brainwaves through different stages and cycles of sleep. A wearable smartwatch or fitness tracker on your wrist, however, is far from your brain.
The most popular wearables by Fitbit, Apple, Garmin, and Samsung collect a combination of the following measurements: heart rate and heart rate variability (HRV), movement, breaths per minute, and skin temperature. Devices that track sleep cycles use an algorithm to hypothesize your sleep cycles based on the data.
A 2017 study compared a polysomnography with the performance of a Fitbit Charge 2 in 35 adults. Researchers found the Fitbit device detected sleep onset with 96% accuracy but overshot time spent asleep by 9 minutes on average. In the study, the Fitbit detected light sleep with 81% accuracy, deep sleep with only 49% accuracy, and REM sleep with 74% accuracy.
A newer study published in April of 2022 compared the performance of Fitbit Alta HR to results of an EEG conducted simultaneously on 40 college athletes while sleeping. This study found FItBit data to satisfactorily track sleep onset, time spent asleep, and sleep cycles. Fitbit can be a useful tool for athletes’ sleep management.
While not 100% accurate, the Fitbit data had a strong correlation with polysomnography data.
There are several types of sleep trackers that you can choose from. Smart watches, rings, and under mattress nearables are the three most popular options.
Smart watches: These can be either smartwatches or wristbands, depending on the amount of technology that you need. Smartwatches often incorporate smart assistants like Alexa or Google Assistant, while offering a wealth of features like GPS tracking and fitness tracking, in addition to your regular sleep tracking.
Rings: This is another wearable sleep tracker but far more basic. It uses sensors along the inside of the ring to collect data and track your sleep.
Under mattress or nearables: There are some models, like the Withings Sleep Tracker Pad, that simply slide under your mattress for an unobtrusive solution to sleep trackers.
There are some other types too, like headbands or smart mattresses, that are available, depending on your preferences.
With so many sleep trackers available, there are many alternatives worth considering. Here are our top picks for alternative sleep trackers:
Best in-ear sleep tracker
Soundcore Sleep A10 Earbuds
These earbuds allow for comfortable movement while benefiting from the 4-Point Noise Masking System with your choice of audio.
Best sleep tracking smartwatch for Samsung users
Samsung Galaxy Watch 5
The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 combines health and fitness tracking with your sleep tracker for a well-rounded pick.
Best sleep tracker with Alexa
Amazfit Band 5
Choose from a variety of colors to enjoy Alexa with your sleep monitoring.
Best sleep tracking headphones
Kokoon Nightbuds
Pair the Kokoon Nightbuds with the MyKokoon app to enjoy noise-masking technology while the integrated sleep tracker goes to work.
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