Blanket vs Dark Noise
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dark Noise
Ambient noise app for iPhone, iPad and Mac with custom mixes
Where they differ
- Blanket is free. Dark Noise starts at $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store).
- Only Blanket lists a Linux app.
- Only Dark Noise lists iOS and macOS apps.
- Blanket is open source, according to its own site.
- Dark Noise can be bought with a one-time purchase.
At a glance
| Blanket | Dark Noise | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $2.99 / month, or $19.99 / year (US App Store) |
| Free plan | Free and open-source software under the GPL 3.0 or later, listed as Free on Flathub. The developer takes donations through PayPal and Liberapay. | Free to download. The vendor's 3.0 release post lists 8 free sounds with infinite looping, the timer, and Siri and Shortcuts support; the 50+ sound library, custom mixes and premium themes need Pro. |
| Free trial | None listed | 7-day free trial on the yearly Dark Noise Pro plan, as stated in the vendor's 3.5 release post |
| macOS | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Rafael Mardojai CM | Dark Noise LLC |
| Price read from | flathub.org | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Blanket
- Linux users who want background noise while they work
- Falling asleep in a noisy environment
- People who want to mix their own audio files with stock sounds
Dark Noise
- Falling asleep or masking noise with a simple sound app
- Apple users who start sounds from widgets, Siri or Shortcuts
- People who prefer a one-time purchase to a subscription
Worth knowing
Blanket
- Linux only, from Flathub or distribution packages. The README lists Windows, macOS, Android and web apps only under Related Projects, as apps inspired by Blanket.
- The built-in library is 14 sounds; anything else has to be added as a custom audio file.
- The latest release, 0.8.0, is dated July 27, 2025; the one before it, 0.7.0, came out in April 2024.
Dark Noise
- Apple platforms only: iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision. No Android, Windows or web version is listed.
- The free tier has 8 sounds; the rest of the library, custom mixes, alternate icons and premium themes need Dark Noise Pro.
- The App Store listing requires iOS 26, iPadOS 26 or macOS 26 or later.
- Custom mixes cannot be shared natively; the help center suggests sending a screenshot for others to copy.
Key features
Blanket
- Fourteen built-in sounds
- Birds, Boat, City, Coffee Shop, Fireplace, Pink Noise, Rain, Summer Night, Storm, Stream, Train, Waves, White Noise and Wind, with a general volume control over the whole mix.
- Presets
- Save a set of sounds and their volumes as a preset and switch between presets later. Presets arrived in version 0.5.0.
- Custom sounds
- Add your own audio files alongside the built-in sounds. Version 0.8.0 added the ability to rename custom sounds.
- Background playback and autostart
- Sounds can keep playing after the window is closed, and the app can start in the background when you log in, with a preference to always start paused.
- MPRIS controls
- Play, Pause, Stop and PlayPause are available through MPRIS, the Linux desktop's media player interface, and its Next and Previous commands step through presets.
- Power awareness
- Playback pauses when the system enters power saver mode. Keeping the computer from suspending while sounds play is an option, off by default.
Dark Noise
- Sound library
- More than 50 ambient sounds, each with an animated icon, including stereo remasters of Rain, Thunderstorm, Beach and Airplane Interior and a Green Noise sound. Eight sounds are free.
- Custom mixes
- Dark Noise Pro lets you combine sounds into a named mix, with a volume slider for each sound and a custom icon. Mixes cannot yet be shared with other people from inside the app.
- Magic Mix
- Describe a soundscape, such as a stormy beach, and Apple Intelligence builds a custom mix from the prompt. It arrived on iOS in version 3.5 and on the Mac in 3.6.
- Fade-out timer
- A timer fades the sound out at a set time of day or after a set duration, and a Long Fade option stretches the fade over a period you choose.
- Widgets, Siri and Shortcuts
- Interactive Home Screen, Lock Screen and Control Center widgets start and stop sounds without opening the app, and Siri or a Shortcut can play a sound by name.
- Offline playback and AirPlay
- Every sound is stored on the device and plays without an internet connection. AirPlay is supported, and Siri Shortcuts can start a sound on a HomePod.
Plans
Blanket
Blanket$0
The complete Linux app: 14 built-in sounds, custom sounds, presets, background playback and MPRIS controls.
Dark Noise
Free$0
Eight sounds with infinite looping, the fade-out timer, and Siri and Shortcuts integration.
Dark Noise Pro (monthly)$2.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Unlocks more than 50 sounds, custom mixes, alternate app icons and premium themes. The app is universal across iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Dark Noise Pro (yearly)$19.99
per year, after a 7-day free trial
The same Pro features billed yearly. The App Store shows amounts without periods; the billing basis is from the vendor's release posts.
Dark Noise Pro Lifetime$49.99
one-time purchase
Pro unlocked with a single payment in place of a subscription.
Ways to pay less
Blanket
No public discounts listed.
Dark Noise
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro costs about 44% less than monthly
The vendor prices Dark Noise Pro at $19.99 a year against $2.99 a month, which comes to $35.88 over twelve months.
- Lifetime license
Dark Noise Pro Lifetime for a one-time payment
The US App Store lists a Dark Noise Pro Lifetime in-app purchase at $49.99, which the vendor describes as a one-time purchase.
