Fitness · head to head
Lose It! vs Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle
Fitness
Phone based sleep tracking app that uses the microphone or accelerometer to detect sleep phases and wake you in a light sleep window
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Lose It! photo-based logging (Snap It) is Premium-only and has inconsistent accuracy; Sleep Cycle sleep stage detection is inferred from sound and motion rather than measured with dedicated physiological sensors, so accuracy is lower than a ring or watch based tracker like Oura.
- They diverge on capability: Lose It! covers Calorie counting, Sleep Cycle covers Sound and motion sleep analysis.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lose It! and Sleep Cycle actually diverge.
| Attribute | Lose It! | Sleep Cycle |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Unknown | Free with a Premium subscription |
| Platforms | iPhone, Android, Web | iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2008 | Unknown |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Fitness).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Lose It!
- Calorie counting
- Barcode scanner
- Meal planning
- Challenges
- Progress photos
- Fitbit
- Apple Health
- Google Fit
Only in Sleep Cycle
- Sound and motion sleep analysis
- Smart alarm
- Sleep quality trends
- Snore and sleep talk recording
- Sleep aid sounds and stories
- Apple Health and wearable integration
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Lose It!
- Workout trackingnot Sleep Cycle
- Nutrition managementnot Sleep Cycle
- Health monitoringnot Sleep Cycle
- Fitness coachingnot Sleep Cycle
- Wellness improvementnot Sleep Cycle
Sleep Cycle
- Someone who wants sleep tracking without buying a ring or watch, using a phone they already ownnot Lose It!
- A person who struggles with grogginess from alarms and wants to be woken during a light sleep window insteadnot Lose It!
- Someone who wants to check whether they snore or talk in their sleep, which requires the Premium subscriptionnot Lose It!
- A buyer comparing upfront cost against Oura or a smartwatch before deciding whether hardware-free tracking is good enoughnot Lose It!
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lose It!
- Photo-based logging (Snap It) is Premium-only and has inconsistent accuracy
- No natural language input for food logging, requires manual database search for every food
- Limited micronutrient tracking beyond basic macros
- Lacks built-in meal planning in free tier
- No artificial intelligence for personalized recommendations
Sleep Cycle
- Sleep stage detection is inferred from sound and motion rather than measured with dedicated physiological sensors, so accuracy is lower than a ring or watch based tracker like Oura.
- The app needs to run overnight with the microphone active or the phone on the mattress, which raises its own privacy consideration for anyone uncomfortable with a phone microphone recording an entire room overnight.
- Most of the features that make the sleep data actionable, detailed trends and snore analysis, are behind the Premium subscription rather than included free.
- Battery drain overnight from continuous microphone or motion sensing is a real practical issue for anyone who also wants to use the phone as a normal alarm without charging it.
- Detection can be disrupted by a shared bed, a partners movement or snoring, or ambient household noise, all of which reduce accuracy for the primary user.
Pricing, plan by plan
Lose It!
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Lose It! review.
Sleep Cycle
Free- Sleep Cycle Premium$39.99/year
- Basic sleep tracking and the smart alarm are free, no hardware required
- Premium unlocks detailed trends, snore recording playback and most sleep sounds
- Annual Premium commonly around $39.99, with a higher effective rate if billed monthly
Which should you pick?
Choose Lose It! if
- You need calorie counting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iPhone, Android, Web.
- You also want barcode scanner.
Choose Sleep Cycle if
- You need sound and motion sleep analysis.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android.
- You also want smart alarm.
Questions people ask
- Is Lose It! or Sleep Cycle better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lose It! starts at Free and Sleep Cycle at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Lose It! or Sleep Cycle?
- Lose It! starts at Free and Sleep Cycle at Free.
- Does Lose It! or Sleep Cycle run on more platforms?
- Lose It! runs on iPhone, Android, Web. Sleep Cycle runs on iOS, Android.
- Can I use Lose It! for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Lose It! best used for?
- Lose It! is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what Sleep Cycle is typically brought in for.
- What can Lose It! do that Sleep Cycle cannot?
- Lose It! covers Calorie counting, Barcode scanner, Meal planning, Challenges. Sleep Cycle covers Sound and motion sleep analysis, Smart alarm, Sleep quality trends, Snore and sleep talk recording.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Lose It!: Can Lose It track macronutrients?
Yes, basic macro tracking is included in the free tier. Advanced macro tracking and meal planning features are available in the Premium tier.
SourceSleep Cycle: Do I need to buy any hardware for Sleep Cycle?
No. It uses your phones microphone or accelerometer, placed on the nightstand or mattress, with no separate device to buy.
Sleep Cycle: Is Sleep Cycle free?
Basic tracking and the smart alarm are free. Detailed trends, snore recording and most sleep sounds require Sleep Cycle Premium.
Sleep Cycle: How accurate is phone based sleep tracking compared with a ring or watch?
Less accurate, since it infers sleep stages from sound and motion rather than measuring heart rate or temperature directly, which dedicated wearables like Oura do.
Related pages
More on Sleep Cycle
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- Sleep Cycle vs WellnessLiving
- Sleep Cycle vs Daxko
- Sleep Cycle vs Ergatta
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- Sleep Cycle vs Eight Sleep
- Sleep Cycle vs Oura Ring
- Sleep Cycle vs Nike Run Club
- Sleep Cycle vs Zwift
- Sleep Cycle vs TrainerRoad
- Sleep Cycle vs Freeletics
- Sleep Cycle vs Tempo