Healing Sounds vs Calm: Which App Is Right for You?
Calm and Healing Sounds both help you relax and sleep, but they are built around different things. Calm is a meditation app known for celebrity Sleep Stories and daily guided sessions. Healing Sounds is a sound therapy app focused on solfeggio frequencies, binaural beats and sleep noise. Here is how they compare, and which one suits you.
Features and prices change. Everything below is based on each app's App Store description and official help pages in November 2026. Check the store for current prices in your country.
At a glance
Best for: Calm is best for guided meditation and Sleep Stories. Healing Sounds is best for frequencies, binaural beats and noise.
Main content: Calm has narrated Sleep Stories, daily meditations, programs, breathing, music and soundscapes. Healing Sounds has 500+ sounds and tones, plus breathing and courses.
Solfeggio and binaural beats: Healing Sounds has full solfeggio (174 to 963 Hz) and binaural beat (delta to gamma) libraries. Calm's App Store description does not list either.
Noise: Healing Sounds has white, pink, brown and blue noise. Calm lists nature sounds such as rain, ocean and campfire.
Mixing and tones: Healing Sounds lets you mix sounds and set your own frequency with a tone generator.
Pricing: Both are free to download. Calm uses a subscription with a free trial. Healing Sounds has free sounds, a Premium subscription and a one-time Lifetime option.
Platforms: Both are on iPhone and Android.
What Calm does well
Calm is one of the biggest wellness apps in the world. Its App Store page says it has been downloaded by 180 million people and has over 100 exclusive Sleep Stories, narrated by voices such as Matthew McConaughey and Stephen Fry. It also offers daily sessions like the Daily Calm, 7- and 21-day meditation programs, breathwork, mindful movement, music from well-known artists and Apple Health integration.
If you want a voice to guide you through meditation, or a story to fall asleep to, Calm is very strong.
What Healing Sounds does well
Healing Sounds is made for people who want to listen to specific sounds and frequencies rather than spoken content. It includes:
Solfeggio frequencies: 174, 285, 396, 417, 432, 528, 639, 741, 852 and 963 Hz, grouped by chakra, healing, Cosmic Octave and Angelic Scale.
Binaural beats: delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma waves for sleep, meditation and focus.
Noise therapy: white, pink, brown and blue noise, plus rain, ocean, forest, urban and wildlife sounds.
Instrumental: Tibetan singing bowls, chimes, melodic drums and kalimba.
Tools: a sound mixer, sleep timer, tone generator, guided breathing and short courses.
New to these sounds? Read our solfeggio frequencies guide and binaural beats guide.
Pricing
Calm is free to download, and its full library needs a subscription. New users can start with a free trial. Calm says prices vary by country and can differ between its website and the app.
Healing Sounds is free to download and has free sounds you can use without paying. Premium unlocks the full library, with monthly, 6-month and yearly plans, and a one-time Lifetime purchase if you prefer not to subscribe.
Which one should you choose?
Choose Calm if you want guided meditation, daily sessions with a teacher, or narrated stories to fall asleep to.
Choose Healing Sounds if you want solfeggio frequencies, binaural beats or colored noise, want to mix your own sounds, or prefer a one-time purchase over a subscription.
Use both if you like a guided meditation in the evening and a steady sound or frequency through the night.
Frequently asked questions
Is Healing Sounds a good alternative to Calm?
Yes, if you mainly want sounds rather than spoken content. Healing Sounds focuses on solfeggio frequencies, binaural beats, noise and nature sounds, while Calm focuses on guided meditation and Sleep Stories.
Does Calm have solfeggio frequencies or binaural beats?
Calm's App Store description does not list solfeggio frequencies or binaural beats. It lists sleep sounds, music, soundscapes and neuroacoustic sounds. Healing Sounds has dedicated libraries for both.
Is Healing Sounds free?
Healing Sounds is free to download and includes free sounds. Premium unlocks the full library, with subscription plans or a one-time Lifetime purchase.
Which app is better for sleep?
It depends on what helps you sleep. If a calm voice or a story helps, try Calm. If steady sound helps, such as brown noise, rain or a delta binaural beat, try Healing Sounds.
Can these apps treat insomnia or anxiety?
No app replaces medical care. Both are relaxation tools. If sleep problems or anxiety continue, talk to a doctor.
Try Healing Sounds
Healing Sounds is free to download on iPhone and Android. Start with the free sounds and upgrade to Premium only if you want the full library. More about the app: cbeeapps.com/healing-sounds.
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