For a sound that plays all night, Berceuse comes out ahead. You build the mix, it plays offline, and it costs $30 less a year than Headspace. Headspace is a meditation app that guides you toward rest, and here is how the two compare.
We make Berceuse. We tried to be fair to Headspace: every Headspace price and feature below comes from its App Store listing or its help pages, checked in October 2026, unless we say otherwise.
The short answer
For sleep sounds, Berceuse is the better pick. You mix rain, white noise or music yourself, every mix plays offline all night (Headspace Sleepcasts stream and cannot be downloaded), and it costs $39.99 a year instead of Headspace's $69.99. Headspace is the better fit only if guided meditation and wind-downs are what you want.
Berceuse and Headspace side by side
| Berceuse | Headspace | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per year (US) | $39.99 | $69.99 |
| Price per month (US) | $5.99 | $12.99 |
| Mix your own sound layers | Yes, up to 10 on iPhone, 6 on Android | None found |
| Sleep sounds offline | Yes, download mixes and playlists | Meditations yes, Sleepcasts no |
| Ads | No | No |
| Free plan | No, 10-second previews only | No permanent free plan |
| Free trial | 3 days | 7 days monthly, 14 days yearly (per third-party reviews) |
| Guided meditation and wind-downs | No | Yes |
| Sleepcasts or stories | No | Yes, Sleepcasts |
| Best for | Sleep sounds and music, mixed your way, all night and offline | Guided meditation and wind-downs before bed |
Headspace prices are from the US App Store, checked in October 2026. Berceuse prices are US prices; local prices vary.
Berceuse plays the mix you build, all night and offline
Headspace helps you wind down with a voice. Berceuse plays the sound that keeps you asleep. You pick the sounds and music, set the volume of each, and press play. It keeps going with the screen locked until you stop it or the sleep timer ends. That steady sound can cover a snoring partner, traffic, or a quiet that feels too quiet.
Sounds you mix yourself. You can stack up to 10 sound layers on iPhone, or 6 on Android, each with its own volume. A playlist plays on its own channel underneath. We found no way to mix your own sounds in Headspace.
A wide library. As of September 2026, Berceuse has more than 900 sounds and music tracks (268 sounds and 636 tracks), in 202 ready-made mixes and 106 playlists. Noise comes in white, pink, brown, grey and velvet. Rain comes in about 20 settings. Music includes piano, ambient, jazz, harp and more than 40 lo-fi playlists. If you are not sure which noise to choose, our guide on white, pink and brown noise explains each one.
A baby library. Womb sounds, a mother's heartbeat, shushing, a lullaby hum, car and stroller rides, and 10 baby lullaby playlists.
A timer that fades out. Choose 5, 10, 15, 30 or 60 minutes. The sound fades over the last 30 seconds instead of stopping hard.
Hands-free on iPhone. Say "Play rain on Berceuse" or "Stop Berceuse in 30 minutes" with Siri. This works on iOS 17 or later, in all six of the app's languages.
Lock-screen controls. Play and pause from the lock screen on both platforms. On iPhone, a Live Activity shows on the lock screen and in the Dynamic Island (iOS 16.2 or later).
Can you download Headspace Sleepcasts?
No. According to Headspace's help pages, meditations can be downloaded, but Sleepcasts stream and cannot be downloaded.
That matters if you sleep on a plane, in a car, at a cabin or in a room with weak Wi-Fi. It also matters if you do not want your phone streaming all night.
In Berceuse, every mix and playlist can be saved for offline. With a subscription, you download it and it plays offline. Downloads keep working offline for up to 30 days between subscription checks.
What Headspace does well
Headspace is a strong meditation app. It has 4.8 stars from about 974,000 ratings on the App Store, and it is an Editors' Choice.
- It teaches a skill. Guided meditation and wind-downs help you learn to relax, step by step.
- Sleep content with a guide. Sleepcasts, sleep music and soundscapes give you something to follow when you cannot settle.
- Meditations work offline. Headspace's help pages explain how to download meditation sessions.
- Meditation for the daytime too. Sleep is one section of a full meditation program.
Berceuse costs $30 less a year than Headspace
On the US App Store, checked in October 2026, Headspace costs $12.99 a month or $69.99 a year. Berceuse costs $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US.
That is $30 less a year, or $7 less a month. Neither app has a permanent free plan, and neither shows ads.
For that lower price, everything you pay for is sound: more than 900 sounds and music tracks, a mixer, a baby library and offline play for every mix. Headspace's price covers a full meditation program, with sleep as one part.
Both have a free trial. Berceuse's is 3 days. Third-party reviews put Headspace's at 7 days on the monthly plan and 14 days on the yearly plan. You can cancel Berceuse any time in your app store settings. See Berceuse prices.
Home: tonight’s featured mix and the ones you played last.
The mixer: each sound has its own volume, with music underneath.
Or tap a moment: sleep, focus, calm, study.
Why Berceuse is the better choice for sleep sounds
- Everything plays offline. Mixes and playlists download and play offline for up to 30 days between checks. Headspace Sleepcasts stream and cannot be downloaded.
- You control the mix. Up to 10 sound layers on iPhone (6 on Android), each at its own volume, with a playlist underneath. We found no mixer in Headspace.
- A big library for sleep sounds. As of September 2026: more than 900 sounds and music tracks, 202 ready-made mixes and 106 playlists, including a baby library.
- A soft stop. The timer runs 5 to 60 minutes and fades the sound over the last 30 seconds.
- $30 less a year. $39.99 against Headspace's $69.99 on the US App Store, checked in October 2026.
Who should still pick Headspace
Berceuse has no guided meditation, no wind-downs, no breathing exercises and no stories. Headspace is the better pick if:
- Your mind races at night and you want a voice to guide you down.
- You want meditation for the daytime too, in the same app.
Some people use both: a Headspace wind-down before bed, then a Berceuse mix that plays through the night. That means two subscriptions. For more sound apps, see our list of the best white noise apps, or our Berceuse vs Calm comparison.
Questions people ask
Is Berceuse better than Headspace for sleep?
Yes, for sleep sounds. Berceuse lets you mix sounds and music, every mix plays offline all night, and it costs $39.99 a year instead of $69.99. If you want guided meditation or wind-downs, Headspace is the better choice, because Berceuse has neither.
Can you download Headspace Sleepcasts for offline use?
No. Headspace's help pages say meditations can be downloaded, but Sleepcasts stream and cannot be downloaded.
Does Berceuse have guided meditation?
No. Berceuse has no guided meditation, no breathing exercises and no stories. "Meditation" appears in the app as a music mood, meaning calm music to play, not a guided session.
Is Berceuse free?
No. Berceuse is a subscription at $5.99 a month or $39.99 a year in the US, with a 3-day free trial. Before you pay, you can browse the whole library and hear 10-second previews.
Can I mix sounds in Headspace?
We found no way to build your own mix in Headspace. Its sleep section offers Sleepcasts, sleep music and soundscapes. In Berceuse you can layer up to 10 sounds on iPhone, each with its own volume.
Does Berceuse work with the screen locked?
Yes. Berceuse plays in the background and with the screen locked. You get lock-screen controls on iPhone and Android, and a Live Activity on iPhone with iOS 16.2 or later.
