CBT for insomnia apps: what's out there, what each costs, and how to choose
A CBT for insomnia app (often written CBT-I) walks you through the same steps a sleep therapist would: a sleep diary, a set sleep window, getting out of bed when you can't sleep, and work on the thoughts that keep you up. The best-studied options in the US are Sleepio (and its prescription version, SleepioRx) and Somryst; the free ones are the US Department of Veterans Affairs' CBT-i Coach and Insomnia Coach. Meditation and sleep-sound apps such as Calm and Headspace can help you relax, but they are not CBT-I.
Below: a comparison table, what a real CBT-I app must include, how apps compare with a therapist, who should only do this with a clinician, how to tell if it's working, and answers to the common questions.
Why CBT-I is worth doing at all
CBT-I is the first treatment for chronic insomnia in adults recommended by both the American College of Physicians (2016) and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2021), ahead of sleeping pills. It is a short course, usually 4 to 8 weeks, built around changing what you do in bed and around bedtime. The trouble is access: there are few trained therapists, and waiting lists are long. Apps exist to fill that gap.
Do apps work? A 2016 meta-analysis of 11 randomised trials of internet-delivered CBT-I, with about 1,460 adults, found it improved insomnia severity and sleep efficiency, with effects of a similar size to those reported for in-person CBT-I. Results in any one person vary, and many people stop before the course ends, which is the main reason apps fail.
If you'd rather understand the steps before you pick an app, our guide to CBT for insomnia techniques explains all seven.
CBT-I apps compared
| App | Made by | Cost and access | Format | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CBT-i Coach | US Department of Veterans Affairs (National Center for PTSD), with Stanford and the Department of Defense | Free, iOS and Android, open to anyone | A companion for people doing CBT-I with a clinician: sleep diary, sleep window, reminders, lessons, relaxation tools | Small pilot studies; designed to support therapy, not replace it |
| Insomnia Coach | US Department of Veterans Affairs | Free, iOS and Android, open to anyone | A self-guided program of about 5 weeks for people not in treatment: diary, weekly sleep window, tips | A 2022 pilot trial in 50 veterans: 28% of app users vs 4% on a waitlist reached a clinically meaningful improvement after 6 weeks |
| Sleepio | Big Health | In the US, offered mostly through employers and health plans, often at no cost to you | 6 weekly sessions with an animated guide, a diary and a sleep window | Many trials, including a 2017 trial of 3,755 university students published in The Lancet Psychiatry |
| SleepioRx | Big Health | Prescription, adults 18+ | The Sleepio program, cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in August 2024 as an add-on to usual care for chronic insomnia | Same evidence base as Sleepio |
| Somryst | Built by Pear Therapeutics from the University of Virginia's SHUTi program; owned by Nox Health since 2023 | Prescription, adults 22+; check current availability with your doctor or Nox Health | 9 weeks of interactive lessons, diary and sleep window | FDA-cleared in 2020; SHUTi's 2017 trial of 303 adults in JAMA Psychiatry found gains that lasted a year |
| Paid coaching apps (Stellar Sleep, Sleep Reset, Rest, Dozy and others) | Private companies | Subscriptions; prices change often, so check the current price and the cancel terms | CBT-I-based programs, some with human or AI coaches | Varies: ask whether results are published in a peer-reviewed journal, not just in reviews on the store |
A note on names: "Sleep Reset" in the table is a separate company. Our own Sleep Window Plan, on this site, is a 6-week habit program built on the same steps; it's a habit coach, not a medical treatment.
Pear Therapeutics, which built Somryst, filed for bankruptcy in 2023, and Nox Health bought the product at auction. Since 2025, Medicare pays clinicians for some FDA-cleared digital mental health devices used alongside their care; if you're on Medicare, ask your doctor whether a prescription CBT-I app is covered for you.
What a real CBT-I app must include
Plenty of apps say "CBT" in their store listing. A CBT-I app is the real thing if it has these parts:
- A sleep diary you fill in each morning: bedtime, rough time to fall asleep, time awake in the night, wake-up time, out-of-bed time.
- A sleep window worked out from your diary (this is sleep restriction), with a fixed wake-up time, adjusted week by week by about 15 minutes.
- Stimulus control: bed only for sleep, get up when you can't sleep, back to bed when sleepy. Our guide to stimulus control therapy covers the six rules.
- Work on sleep thoughts: the beliefs that build pressure ("if I don't sleep 8 hours tomorrow is ruined"), and better answers to them.
- A wind-down and relaxation part, plus sleep habits (caffeine, alcohol, light).
- Weekly review: a look at the week's numbers and a change to the plan.
If an app has only sleep stories, sounds, meditation or a tracker that scores your night, it can make bedtime calmer, but it isn't CBT-I. Sleep trackers in particular can backfire for some people, who start worrying about the score.
Free vs paid vs prescription
| Type | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Free (CBT-i Coach, Insomnia Coach) | Trying CBT-I at no cost; people who are self-driven and like a plain tool | No one checks in on you; easy to drift off the plan |
| Paid subscription | People who want reminders, a coach or a more guided feel | Price after a trial; auto-renewal; claims without published results |
| Prescription (SleepioRx, Somryst) | People already seeing a doctor for insomnia; those with other health issues who should be supervised | Needs a prescriber; access and coverage vary |
App or therapist?
Apps suit adults with insomnia and no other major sleep or health issue, who can follow a set wake-up time. A therapist trained in CBT-I (often a psychologist in behavioral sleep medicine) is the better first step if:
- You have depression, anxiety, PTSD, or another mental health condition that is not under control.
- You have bipolar disorder or a seizure disorder. Shortened sleep at the start of sleep restriction can trigger episodes.
- You may have sleep apnea (loud snoring, gasping, sleepiness during the day despite long nights) and it hasn't been checked.
- Your job is safety-critical (driving, machinery, medical shifts). Daytime sleepiness in the first weeks of sleep restriction is common.
- You are pregnant, or you take sleeping pills you'd like to come off. Coming off them should be planned with your doctor.
- You tried an app properly for 6 weeks and nothing changed.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has a directory of accredited sleep centers, and the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine lists clinicians trained in CBT-I.
How to choose one, in 5 questions
- Does it have all six parts above? If the sleep window and get-up rule are missing, move on.
- Who made it, and have they published results? A trial in a journal beats star ratings.
- What does it cost after the trial, and how do you cancel? Read the subscription terms before day 1.
- Will you use it every morning? The diary is the engine. A simple app you open daily beats a clever one you forget.
- Can you reach a person? Some people need a coach or a clinician to stay on track when week 2 gets hard.
What the first weeks feel like
| Week | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| 1 | Diary only. You learn your real numbers: how long you're in bed vs asleep. |
| 2 | The sleep window starts, often shorter than you'd like. Sleepier in the daytime, but falling asleep faster. |
| 3 to 4 | Less time awake in bed. The window grows by about 15 minutes a week if your sleep fills it. |
| 5 to 8 | The window settles near the sleep you need; thought work and habits hold the gains. |
The hardest part is week 2. That's where most people quit, and where the method starts working. If you're unsure whether sleep restriction or the gentler sleep compression suits you, see sleep restriction vs sleep compression.
Want your own starting numbers before you choose an app? Our free 2-minute sleep quiz works out your minutes awake in bed and a starting sleep window from your answers.
Is it working? Check at week 3 and week 6
- Sleep efficiency: time asleep รท time in bed. Climbing toward 85% or more is the main sign.
- Time to fall asleep: heading under about 30 minutes most nights.
- Time awake in the night: shorter, and less frightening when it happens.
- Daytime: after the first weeks' sleepiness passes, steadier energy.
If after 6 weeks of steady use none of those has moved, stop and see a doctor or a CBT-I therapist. Something else may be going on.
Mistakes that make CBT-I apps fail
- Skipping the diary for a few days, so the sleep window is set on guesses.
- Ignoring the wake-up time at weekends.
- Napping to make up for the short window.
- Lying in bed awake instead of getting up.
- Quitting in week 2, right when sleep starts to consolidate.
- Using a meditation app and expecting CBT-I results.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free CBT for insomnia app?
Yes. The US Department of Veterans Affairs makes two, free for anyone: CBT-i Coach, made to use alongside a therapist, and Insomnia Coach, a self-guided program of about 5 weeks.
What is the best CBT-I app?
The one with the full method that you'll use every day. Sleepio and Somryst have the most published research; the VA apps are the best free choice. Check the six parts listed above before you pay for any app.
Can you do CBT-I on your own?
Many adults can, with an app or a book, if they have no other untreated sleep or health condition. If you have bipolar disorder, seizures, possible sleep apnea, or a safety-critical job, do it with a clinician.
Do I need a prescription for a CBT-I app?
Only for the FDA-cleared prescription versions, SleepioRx and Somryst. The VA apps and the paid subscription apps don't need one.
How long does a CBT-I app take to work?
Programs run 5 to 9 weeks. Many people notice falling asleep faster by weeks 3 to 4, after a harder week 2.
Are Calm or Headspace CBT-I?
No. They offer meditation, sleep stories and sounds, which can help you relax, but they don't set a sleep window or use stimulus control.
Before you download one
Write tonight's bedtime and tomorrow's wake-up time on paper and do it for a week: that diary is what every CBT-I app starts from. To see where you stand first, take the free sleep quiz. The method behind each step, and our other sleep guides, are on all sleep guides.
Sources: Qaseem A et al., Management of chronic insomnia disorder in adults: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians, Annals of Internal Medicine, 2016. Edinger JD et al., Behavioral and psychological treatments for chronic insomnia disorder in adults: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine clinical practice guideline, Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 2021. Zachariae R et al., Efficacy of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, Sleep Medicine Reviews, 2016. Kuhn E et al., A pilot randomized controlled trial of the Insomnia Coach mobile app to assess its feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy, Behavior Therapy, 2022. Freeman D et al., The effects of improving sleep on mental health (OASIS): a randomised controlled trial with mediation analysis, The Lancet Psychiatry, 2017. Ritterband LM et al., Effect of a web-based cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia intervention with 1-year follow-up, JAMA Psychiatry, 2017. Big Health, US FDA grants clearance for SleepioRx, August 2024. Nox Health acquires Somryst, May 2023 (Sleep Review). US Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD, mobile apps (ptsd.va.gov). This guide is about habits, not medical care.