Yes, there’s a genuinely useful free white noise app for babies: Baby Mantra’s free version isn’t a trial and doesn’t show ads. You get steady sound, a timer that fades out, dim night mode and a taste of the spoken affirmations, every night, for nothing. Below is exactly what’s included, what Premium adds, and how to get the most from the free sounds. If you’re new to it, start with our guide to white noise for babies.
What’s free in Baby Mantra
| Included free | Details |
|---|---|
| 5 sounds | White noise, gentle rain, ocean waves, womb sounds and heartbeat |
| 12 spoken affirmations | Short, warm phrases, softly spoken |
| First Night collection | A starter playlist: one affirmation from each theme over gentle rain |
| 1 voice recording | Record a lullaby or a goodnight message |
| Sleep timer | 15 minutes to 2 hours with fade-out, or all night |
| Dim night mode & lock-screen controls | Check on things without a bright screen |
| Offline, no account, no ads | Nothing to sign up for, nothing interrupting sleep |
There is no time limit on any of it. You can use the free version every night for as long as it suits you.
Real previews from the app. Play them softly.
Why there are no ads that interrupt sleep
Many free apps pay for themselves with ads, and an ad that plays at full volume during a nap is the last thing a tired parent needs. Baby Mantra has no ads at all, free or paid, and no third-party tracking. It is paid for by an optional subscription instead. Because everything is stored on your phone, nothing needs to load mid-nap either: it works in Airplane Mode.
Why no account is needed
You shouldn’t have to hand over an email address at 3 a.m. to play white noise. Baby Mantra doesn’t ask for one. Your favorites, saved mixes and recordings stay on your device, and your recordings are never uploaded. Read our privacy policy for the details.
Free vs Premium
Premium unlocks the full library: all 27 sounds, all 84 affirmations in 7 themes, every collection and unlimited voice recordings.
| Free | Premium | |
|---|---|---|
| Sounds | 5 | All 27 |
| Spoken affirmations | 12 | All 84, in 7 themes |
| Collections | First Night | Every collection |
| Voice recordings | 1 | Unlimited |
| Sleep timer, all-night play, dim night mode | Included | Included |
| Price | $0 | $4.99/month or $29.99/year 3-day free trial on yearly |
Prices in US dollars and may vary by region. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. Manage or cancel in your Apple ID settings.
Premium is optional. The yearly plan includes a 3-day free trial; cancel at least 24 hours before it ends in your iPhone settings (your name > Subscriptions) and you won’t be charged.
Getting the most from the free version
- Start with First Night. It’s a short playlist with one affirmation from every theme over gentle rain, an easy first bedtime.
- Keep it soft. Around 50 dB or lower where your baby sleeps, quieter than everyday conversation. A study of infant sleep machines found that at maximum volume and close to the crib they could exceed the noise limit recommended for hospital nurseries (Hugh et al., 2014).
- Use the fade-out timer if you’d rather sound didn’t play all night.
- Record your one voice message. A short lullaby or “I love you, sleep well” is a lovely thing for a babysitter or grandparent to play.
- Keep the phone across the room, about 2 m (7 ft) away and never in the crib, on Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode.
Who the free version suits
The free version is plenty for many families. It suits you if:
- you mostly use one or two steady sounds for naps and nights,
- you want to try a sound routine for a week before deciding anything,
- you need a backup sound machine for travel or the grandparents’ house, or
- you want to record one special message, like a lullaby from a parent who travels for work.
Premium makes more sense if you’d like the full range of sounds for different moods and ages, all seven affirmation themes as your child grows, or recordings from several family members.
How does it compare with other free options?
Most baby sleep apps are free to download, but what the free version includes varies a lot. iPhone’s built-in Background Sounds is free with a few basic sounds and no mixing. Our fair roundup of the best baby sleep apps compares sound apps, trackers and companion apps. To see every feature, take the Baby Mantra app tour, and for pricing and privacy questions, see the Baby Mantra FAQ.
Sources
- Hugh SC, Wolter NE, Propst EJ, et al. Infant sleep machines and hazardous sound pressure levels. Pediatrics, 2014.
- American Academy of Pediatrics. Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Updated 2022 Recommendations for Reducing Infant Deaths in the Sleep Environment. Pediatrics, 2022.
- Apple Support. Cancel a subscription from Apple.
