Sleep tech runs the gamut from trackers and apps to expensive smart beds, but it doesnt all address the same issues. Are you trying to see how your sleep impacts your athletic performance? Hoping to mask the sound of a snoring partner? Ive tested all sorts of sleep tech and can point you toward the right gadget for your sleep goal.One question to ask yourself is how well a device fits your lifestyle. If you want to monitor your trends, the Oura Ring and Whoop 4.0 have some of the most in-depth sleep and recovery tracking around. But these are devices with a singular focus. Busy folks might want something thats also useful during the day. Smartwatches like the Pixel Watch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7, or Apple Watch will get you more utility for the price. On the other hand,Withings Sleep or the Google Nest Hub. And if youre looking for earbuds to drown out noise,Ozlo Sleepbuds now. What were looking forPerformance A good sleep tech gadget doesnt try to do too much at once. It ought to be excellent at addressing the main issue its trying to solve. The rest is gravy.Value Sleep tech can be expensive. If youre going to shell out, the gadget should make you think Hell freakin yeah, this was totally worth it!ComfortYou cant sleep well if youre not comfy. Good sleep tech shouldnt disturb your sleep. Is a tracker too bulky to be useful? Does a smart mattress cover feel lumpy? ContextData is useless without context. If its a sleep tracker, how well does it present your sleep data? Will you learn anything valuable, or is it a mess of graphs that dont make sense?Battery LifeA sleep gadget that cant last through the night aint that helpful. You should be confident the device can last a whole night without dying. If its also a fitness gadget or wearable, it should be able to either last all day between charges or support fast charging so it doesnt run out midday. Sleep tech has come a long way in just a few short years, but these arent medical devices, so take their sleep tracking data with a grain of salt. Gadgets like the Withings ScanWatch, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 / Ultra, and Apple Watch Series 10 / Ultra 2 have FDA clearance for monitoring sleep disturbances. That doesnt mean they can definitively diagnose you with sleep apnea. No matter how advanced the sensors are, or how many features a product may boast, trackers are meant to help spot when somethings off. Nothing more.Taking all that into consideration, Ive compiled these recommendations based on how well a sleep gadget addresses the problems its trying to fix. We also considered comfort, accuracy, battery life, and whether it provides good context for its data.The best sleep trackerOura Ring 4$349The new Oura Ring 4 now has a new, more accurate Smart Sensing algorithm and recessed sensors for improved comfort.The $349 Oura Ring 4 isnt a fitness tracker that happens to track sleep. Its a sleep tracker that happens to track some fitness metrics. The ring has seven temperature sensors, a green LED sensor for measuring heart rate, and red and infrared LEDs to measure blood oxygen. Thats not including the battery or accelerometers.All these sensors provide a holistic look at your recovery. Each morning, youre given a report on your readiness, sleep quality, and activity goals for the day. These reports tell you how your sleep impacts your daily ability to take on stress,and whether you should take it easy or challenge yourself. The app also includes wellness features like guided meditations and white noise to help you fall asleep.Oura recently released its fourth-gen model, and over the past year has released several new features like cardiovascular age and capacity, an AI-powered chatbot advisor, daytime stress and resilience. If you use the Natural Cycles app for digital birth control or fertility planning, it can be used in lieu of a basal body thermometer as well. The Oura Ring 4 has an improved algorithm and recessed sensors. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeOf all the sleep gadgets Ive tested, the Oura Ring has the best context for its data, which it presents in an intuitive way. Its version of blood oxygen monitoring is also preferable to the random spot checks found on devices like the Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. Instead, the Oura Ring passively monitors your blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) levels during sleep and encourages you to check your baseline over a long period of time. Its not exciting, but its a more useful measure for the average person. The Oura is also one of the few devices to include a recovery mode. If youre sick or injured, you can hit pause on your activity goals until youre back to full health.But the main appeal here is the form factor: A ring is infinitely more comfortable than a watch. And although its not the most fashionable, its nondescript enough to wear to any event. Plus, you get up to a week on a single charge. The only thing I dont love is that it now comes with a $6 monthly subscription. You can at least save a bit on the hardware if you opt for the last-gen Oura Ring while supplies last. However, if youre truly passionate about monitoring your sleep and willing to commit long-term, its well worth the price.Read my review of the Oura Ring 4.The best smartwatch with sleep trackingGoogle Pixel Watch 3 (45mm, Wi-Fi)$350$40013% off$350$350$40013% offThe 45mm version is identical to the 41mm model, but its display is even bigger than its predecessor. Like its 41mm sibling, it also features more advanced running capabilities, adds offline Google Maps functionality, and offers deeper integration with other Google devices.The $349.99 Google Pixel Watch 3 has come a long way since the original Pixel Watch launched. For sleep tracking, the most important improvements since launch are better battery life and an automatic Bedtime Mode that detects when youve fallen asleep. On the data side, the Pixel Watch also benefits from being a Fitbit smartwatch. Fitbit might be floundering a bit these days, but it was early to sleep tracking and it shows. Of course, you get sleep stages, but you can also view how your sleep compares to other people of your age and sex. Like the Oura Ring, it eschews SpO2 spot checks for passive overnight tracking (via the Estimated Oxygen Variation metric) and also provides a Daily Readiness Score based on your long-term activity and sleep quality. Since launch, Google also added nightly SpO2 percentagesSleep Profile feature to the Pixel Watch. After 14 days of sleep data in a month, the following month youll be assigned a cute sleep animal based on your sleep habits. The idea is to help you better understand your circadian rhythms and how it impacts sleep.The Pixel Watch 3 also now comes in two sizes. This is the larger 45mm. Image: Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeCompared to the Oura Ring, youre going to get better exercise-tracking capabilities with the Pixel Watchs built-in GPS. Although Oura has beefed up its exercise tracking, its still barebones. And the Pixel Watch is handier in day-to-day life because you can set silent alarms, use it for contactless payments, and receive notifications. It also supports Google Assistant.If youre a Samsung user, you might want to consider a combo of a Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 or Galaxy Watch Ultra and the Galaxy Ring. Together, they let you mitigate the watchs not-so-great battery and rely instead on the Ring to get your sleep data more comfortably. Admittedly, this is an expensive route. Samsungs accuracy isnt quite as good as Fitbits, but the companys fleshed out its advanced sleep features. It too has a sleep profile feature thats similar to Fitbits, though it arguably has a better selection of cartoon animals. (Samsungs sleep coach said I was a cautious deer but spiritually, I identify as a nervous penguin.) Another point in Samsungs favor? Its been continually improving its sleep tracking. Galaxy Watch users can now view sleep stats in more detail from the wrist. The new software will also introduce a tweaked Sleep Mode, which utilizes the invisible infrared sensor for tracking instead of the visible green LED sensor. Earlier this year, Samsung also added FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection, but youll need a Samsung phone to use that feature.Galaxy Watch 7 (40mm, Bluetooth)$239$30020% off$239$239$30020% offThe Galaxy Watch 7 adds a faster processor and a new 3-in-1 BioActive sensor. Its an iterative update, but its more comfortable for sleep tracking than the Galaxy Watch Ultra. Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS)$329$39918% off$329$329$39918% offThe Apple Watch Series 10 has a larger, wide-angle OLED display with up to 30 percent more screen area. Its also thinner and lighter than its predecessors.Neither of these two Android-only watches is an option for iPhone users, of course. If you refuse the green bubble life, the Apple Watch is the best smartwatch overall but its native sleep-tracking features have a long way to go. If youre set on having an Apple Watch, theyll get you the basics, plus FDA-cleared sleep apnea detection with the Series 10 and Ultra 2, and you can set sleep schedules that sync with your phones Focus modes. However, if you want great sleep tracking and are dead set on an Apple Watch, youre better off downloading a third-party sleep app or getting one of the other options in this buying guide.Read my review of the Google Pixel Watch 3.The best sleep tracker for athletesWhoop 4.0 (with 12-month subscription)$239This distraction-free recovery tracker helps you monitor your sleep quality and cardiovascular strain. The hardware is free, but it costs $30 per month.As far as recovery goes, no sleep tech gadget goes the extra mile for athletes quite like Whoop. It primarily tracks your bodys ability to take on cardiovascular strain, but its take on sleep is unique. Instead of focusing on sleep quality, it zeroes in on your sleep debt and whether the sleep youre getting is enough to fuel your training.If youre into scrutinizing how certain factors impact your sleep, Whoop is far ahead of the competition. You can log how anything from the COVID-19 vaccine to magnesium supplements affects your sleep. Its not a necessary feature, but its a bonus if sleep journaling is important to you.Unlike with most modern wearables, youll get next to nothing in the way of notifications or smart features. However, that also means its got good battery life. The Whoop 4.0 also comes with a portable battery pack that slides onto the tracker itself. The result is you can go several days without ever having to take the tracker off. Whoop also gives you flexible options for wearing the device. For example, you can opt to wear it on your bicep, in your leggings, or even in a sports bra.The Whoop 4.0 tracks sleep with a strong focus on athletic performance. Photo by Victoria Song / The VergeThat said, this is a niche product best suited for athletes who engage in intensive cardio sports. (Its not the best at tracking strain from activities like strength training.) The device costs nothing, but the $30 monthly subscription is steep. Whoop recently discounted its prices for annual and 24-month memberships, but if youre a casual athlete, your money is still better spent elsewhere. But if you are someone whos always training for an event or prone to overtraining, the Whoop 4.0 can get you that extra edge.If this option is too pricey or a minimum 12-month membership isnt appealing then you may want to consider a Garmin tracker or smartwatch. Like Whoop, youll get long battery life coupled with robust training features that factor in your sleep quality when determining your recovery. Garmin doesnt have the best sleep stage accuracy, but the fitness insights make up for it. Especially if your real goal in improving sleep is to enhance athletic performance. There are dozens of Garmins to pick from, but if youre on a budget, we really like the $179.99 Vivomove Sport or the $249.99 Venu Sq 2. The $449.99 Forerunner 265S is also another excellent midrange option for runners or triathletes. Read my review of the Whoop 4.0.The best budget sleep trackerWithings Sleep$100$13023% off$100$100$13023% offA non-invasive sleep tracker that you can slip under your mattress. It generates in-depth sleep reports that you can share with your doctor.If you dont want to wear any gadgets to bed, the $129.95 Withings Sleep is a good, affordable option. Its a long, rectangular mat with sensors and a fabric covering that you slip under your mattress. The sleep tracking was wonky when this product was first launched as the Nokia Sleep, but has since been improved. In addition to your heart rate and sleep cycles, it also tracks snoring and breathing disturbances. Its also not battery-operated, so you dont have to worry about charging the device every day.The Withings Sleep now generates detailed sleep diaries you can share with your doctor Photo by Victoria Song / The VergeThe Withings Sleep is also one of the best options if youre trying to suss out long-term sleeping patterns. Within the Withings app, you can generate an automatic, comprehensive sleep diary that helps break down important trends and visualize your metrics. That report can then be exported as a PDF that you share with your doctor.The Withings Sleep isnt particularly fancy, but it punches above its weight. While were bummed that Withings recently raised the price by $30, this is something you often see on sale during holidays. Withings also offers a bundle in case you need a second one for your sleep partner.Read my review of the Withings Sleep.The best temperature-regulating sleep techEight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra$4599$46992% off$4599$4599$46992% offThe Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra allows you to control the temperature of each side of the bed. The Ultra also adds a tech base that can change the beds elevation. Cat not included.$4599 at Eight SleepFor folks who run hot or cold, the Eight Sleep Pod 4 (starting at $2,649) is an effective albeit ludicrously expensive way to stop fighting over the blankets. The cover zips over your own mattress and comes with a water pump that regulates temperature on both sides of the bed. You can manually set your temperature schedules, or Eight Sleep has an autopilot function that adjusts the temperature of your bed for you. It plugs into an outlet, so theres also no need to worry about battery life unless theres a blackout. The new Pod 4 also gives you the option to go Ultra and add a new tech base for an extra $2,000. The base lets you change your beds elevation and slots directly into your existing bedframe. (And if you snore, it can automatically adjust as you sleep to reduce said snoring.) But like I said, this is a pricey option. On top of buying the thing, theres also a $17 monthly membership. Theres a more expensive membership option at $25, but the main difference is an extended warranty.If you get the base with the Ultra, you can switch up your beds elevation too. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeTheres also a silent alarm that vibrates to wake up one partner without disturbing the other. The cover itself has sensors for sleep tracking, though thats not its primary focus. The app gives good context as to what your sleep data means, though its better for monitoring sleep consistency and habits than sleep quality or recovery.Another solid addition to the Pod 4 is the tap zone, which lets you quickly control the temperature, dismiss alarms, and change the beds elevation without needing your phone. Ultimately, this is a big investment and if elevation doesnt tickle your fancy, then only getting the Pod 4 Cover can save you a lot of money. Or, if youre like me, you can just scream YOLO and commit to spending big for a really good nights sleep.Read my review of the Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra.The best sunrise lamp / smart alarm clockHatch Restore 2$170The Hatch Restore 2 is a smart alarm clock that doubles as a sunrise lamp. It also has a number of white noise sounds and audio content to help you build morning and nighttime routines.The $169.99 Hatch Restore 2 is a viral TikTok sensation for a reason. Not only is this an aesthetically pleasing sunrise lamp for your nightstand, but it also doubles as a smart alarm clock and white noise machine. Normally, Im wary of multi-tasking gadgets, but the Restore 2 blends all three in a natural, intuitive way.The point of a sunrise lamp is to wake you up gradually with the light of a simulated sunrise. With the Restore 2, you can pick from the whole rainbow of colors, as well as preprogrammed sunrise and sunset palettes. Everyones sensitivity to light is different, but the Hatch Restore 2s linen covering makes for a gentle experience without sacrificing brightness. There are audible alarms as well, but theyre more peaceful than a blaring siren. For example, you can choose from nature sounds or retro lo-fi beats. I also like that there are tactile buttons, which makes it easy to roll over and turn off the alarm (or hit snooze) without having to actually look at the thing.The Hatch Restore 2 gives off gentle, diffused light thanks to the linen covering, but its still bright enough to wake you up. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The VergeBut the best part of the Restore 2 is that it can help you build morning and nighttime routines. Theres original content that ranges from meditations, positive affirmations, white noise (and pink / brown noise), as well as sleep stories. The only rub is that to get full access to the content library, you need to pay a $49.99 yearly or $4.99 monthly subscription. On the flip side, you dont need a subscription if all you want are sunrise alarms and sleep sounds. The subscription mostly gets you access to sunset simulations and morning moments, which are Hatchs inspirational audio content designed to kick off your day. Read my review of the Hatch Restore 2.The best sleep earbudsAnker Soundcore Sleep A20$150Sleep buds that allow you to play Bluetooth audio and white noise as well as track your sleep.The Bose Sleepbuds had a devoted following so it was upsetting when the company pulled the plug on them a few years ago. But if you liked those, Ankers Soundcore Sleep A20 are a good alternative.Like the Bose, they have a design that sits more flush with your ear than a regular AirPod. That makes it ideal for side sleepers, though it might take some getting used to at first. But one thing these buds have over Bose is you get to play your own content via Bluetooth. Ankers app also allows you to play sounds from a white noise library as well as track certain sleep metrics like how often you toss and turn. Plus, you can set alarms, set audio to fade out after a certain period, or have it automatically shut off as you fall asleep. Battery life is also pretty good at around 14 hours. The Soundcore Sleep A20 let you play your own Bluetooth audio perfect if you want to fall asleep to podcasts. Photo by Thomas Ricker / The VergeJust keep in mind that these dont have active noise canceling. (Which is why they can last 14 hours.) They can passively dampen sound simply by sitting in your ear, but theyre not going to completely block out snoring or noisy neighbors unless you have media playing. The A10 buds are quite similar but have slightly less battery life at 10 hours.But if youd really rather the Bose Sleepbuds good news! Theyve been resurrected as the Ozlo Sleepbuds and are virtually the same product in every way with one key improvement: you can now play your own audio! Sometime in early 2025, Ozlo says they intend to add sleep tracking as well. The downside is that at $299, theyre double the price of the Soundcore A20s.Read our review of the Anker Soundcore Sleep A20.Update, January 4th: Updated pricing and availability for 2025.