The Best Tinnitus Relief Apps

Aurina is a newer app that solves one of the most annoying problems with tinnitus apps: they stop playing when you open Spotify or YouTube. Aurina's "Underlay Mode" lets therapy sounds play underneath your regular audio, which sounds simple but changes everything.

Aurina is a notch therapy app. AudioNotch pioneered this concept years ago, but their implementation was frustrating: clunky frequency matching, server-side processing, audio that wouldn't loop or play in the background. Good science, bad app. Aurina takes that idea and executes it properly.

The tone matching is the smoothest we've tried. Instead of manually sliding through frequencies, Aurina uses A/B comparison. You pick which of two tones sounds closer to your tinnitus, and it narrows down automatically. Mike found his frequency in about 2 minutes; with other apps it took 15+ minutes. Once matched, Aurina applies notch filtering in real time to any sound the app produces. This is technically impressive: you can mix multiple sounds and they're all notched live, not pre-generated files sitting on a server.

The sound mixer lets you layer multiple sounds with individual volume controls. There are 22+ therapeutic sounds to choose from. Our favorite combination is White Noise + Stream + Rain. You can save your custom mixes and load them later. The audio engine uses dual buffer crossfade, so loops are seamless with no clicks or pops. Mike forgot to set the sleep timer once and it played all night without a single glitch.

Why does background play matter? Notch therapy needs several hours of daily listening to work. The therapy sounds sit in frequencies different from normal music and speech, so they don't interfere with podcasts or YouTube. You get your therapy hours in while living your normal life.

Aurina also has a "Spike" feature for those bad moments when tinnitus flares up. It combines breathing exercises with therapeutic sounds to help you regain control. We haven't seen this in other apps. The app tracks statistics (tinnitus intensity, spike episodes, recovery time, listening hours) that you can share with your ENT doctor. There's also a Learn section explaining the science behind notch therapy.

The interface is exceptionally clean and polished. This feels like what Apple would have designed if they released a tinnitus relief app: minimal, intuitive, and beautifully crafted. Here's the catch: it's new and English only for now. As of early 2026, there aren't thousands of reviews to validate it. The $69.99 lifetime option is appealing if you're confident, but the $6.99/month lets you test without commitment. iOS only, though Android is reportedly coming.

Best for: People who want notch therapy that actually fits into daily life. The technical execution (real time notching, seamless audio, background play) is what sets it apart.

Tinnitus HQ is the serious hobbyist's choice. If you want maximum control over your tinnitus sounds and don't mind a learning curve, this app has more filters and customization than anything else we've tested.

The headline feature is advanced notch filtering with multiple frequency bands. You can create custom notches at different frequencies, which is useful if your tinnitus has multiple tones. The parametric EQ lets you shape sounds precisely. The sound library is massive: hundreds of recordings across nature, noise colors, and ambient textures.

Finding your frequency requires manual work. You slide through frequencies and listen for what matches your tinnitus. Mike found this frustrating compared to Aurina's guided approach, but audiophiles might appreciate the control. Once set up, the notch therapy works well and the sounds play reliably in the background.

The $89.99 price tag is steep, but it's one time. If you'll use this app for years, the math works out better than subscriptions. Think of it as buying professional software rather than renting consumer apps.

The interface is functional but dated. This isn't a beautiful app; it's a powerful tool that prioritizes features over polish. There's no CBT content, no coaching, no hand-holding. Just sounds and filters.

With 4+ stars across hundreds of reviews, users who want this level of control find it worth the investment. The developer has maintained it for years.

Best for: iOS users who want maximum sound customization and don't mind a technical interface. The one-time price appeals to subscription-haters.

ReSound Relief is the Toyota Camry of tinnitus apps. Not exciting, but reliable and well regarded. Made by ReSound (a major hearing aid company), it's backed by legitimate clinical research and used by audiologists.

The free tier is genuinely useful, which is rare. You get a solid library of masking sounds: nature recordings, white/pink/brown noise, and customizable soundscapes. A six-month clinical study showed consistent improvement in tinnitus symptoms with daily use. That's more evidence than most apps can claim.

The app combines four approaches: sound masking (covering the tinnitus), distraction (giving your brain something else to focus on), habituation (training yourself to tune it out), and relaxation (guided breathing, calming exercises). It's not trying to be revolutionary. It's trying to be a well executed implementation of proven techniques.

Linda uses ReSound Relief for sleep. The "Nature" soundscapes are genuinely soothing, and the sleep timer works reliably. The relaxation exercises are basic but functional. However, the interface has frustrating quirks. Custom mixes all get the same generic name, so finding that perfect soundscape you created yesterday becomes a treasure hunt. Background playback is also inconsistent. Sometimes it plays alongside other apps, sometimes it doesn't.

The premium tier ($6.99/mo) adds more sounds and features, but honestly the free version covers most needs. With 17K+ iOS ratings averaging 4.3 stars and 500K+ Android downloads, this is an established app that clearly works for many people.

Skip if: You want notch therapy or tone matching. ReSound Relief is purely about masking and relaxation, with no frequency specific treatment.

MindEar is the standout CBT-focused tinnitus app of 2025. If you're looking for a structured program to change how you respond to tinnitus (rather than just masking it), this is probably your best option right now.

The app's main feature is an 8-week program built around Cognitive Behavioral Therapy principles. You work through daily exercises, guided meditations, and educational content designed to help your brain habituate to the tinnitus sound. What sets MindEar apart is "Tinnibot," an AI chatbot available 24/7 that can answer questions, provide encouragement, and guide you through tough moments. It's surprisingly helpful at 3 AM when the ringing feels unbearable.

Linda tried MindEar for about six weeks. She appreciated the structure. Knowing exactly what to do each day took the guesswork out of tinnitus management. The expert-led podcasts gave her useful context about why certain techniques work. The journaling feature helped her notice patterns (stress = louder tinnitus, go figure).

The sound library exists but isn't the star here. You get some soundscapes and white noise options, but if you're primarily looking for masking sounds, other apps do that better. There's no notch therapy or tone matching. MindEar is purely about the psychological approach.

At $5.99/month or $58.99/year, it's reasonably priced for what amounts to a digital tinnitus therapy course. The 7-day free trial lets you see if the approach resonates before committing. With 4.5 stars from 440+ ratings, users seem genuinely helped by it.

Skip if: You want instant sound masking or notch therapy. This is a commitment to behavior change, not a quick fix.

Tinnitus Aid comes from Phase4 Mobile, the same developer behind Tinnitus HQ. Think of it as the junior sibling: similar concept, lower price, fewer features.

The app includes over 250 natural sounds recorded around the world. What sets it apart from basic maskers is the filtering system. You get bandpass and bandstop filters adjustable from 128 Hz to 16 kHz with surprisingly precise control (down to 1 Hz resolution). You can apply different filters to left and right ears independently, which is useful if your tinnitus differs between ears.

The filtering approach is similar to notch therapy but requires more manual effort. You need to figure out your tinnitus frequency yourself, then dial in the filter settings. There's no guided tone matching like Aurina offers. If you enjoy tinkering with audio settings, this could be satisfying. If you just want something that works out of the box, it might feel tedious.

Background playback works reliably. You can blend up to four sounds together and set sleep timers. The premium tiers ($14.99 or $39.99) unlock the full sound library. With 4.6 stars from over 1,000 ratings, users seem generally satisfied.

The interface is functional but dated. It gets the job done without being pretty. There's no CBT content, no coaching, no structured program.

Best for: iOS users who want filtering capabilities without paying $90 for Tinnitus HQ, and who don't mind manual setup.

Oto is the original "CBT for tinnitus" app and remains one of the most polished options. If you want structured daily therapy sessions (not just sounds to play), Oto delivers a comprehensive program developed with tinnitus specialists.

The app splits into two modes: Therapy and Sounds. The Therapy section is where Oto shines. Daily 10-minute sessions walk you through CBT techniques, mindfulness exercises, and relaxation practices. The content is professionally produced and genuinely helpful for changing your relationship with tinnitus. Quick Relief modules offer shorter exercises for tough moments.

The Sounds section includes 100+ therapy sounds, but they're secondary to the program. You get nature recordings, white noise, and ambient textures. Competent but not exceptional. Background playback works sometimes but isn't Oto's focus.

Linda found Oto helpful during her worst period. The structure reduced her anxiety about tinnitus. Knowing she had "a thing to do" each day felt empowering. The bedtime tools helped with sleep-related spikes. After completing the main program, she switched to other apps for daily masking but still revisits Oto's exercises during flare-ups.

The subscription (~$12.99/mo) is pricier than some alternatives, which feels steep for an app. However, comparable in-person CBT therapy costs much more. With strong ratings on both platforms, Oto has helped many people.

Skip if: You want instant masking sounds or notch therapy. Oto is about the psychological approach, not sound engineering.

myNoise isn't a tinnitus app. It's a sound generator app that happens to work brilliantly for tinnitus. Created by a signal processing engineer, it offers the highest-quality soundscapes and most granular control you'll find anywhere.

The magic is in the sliders. Each soundscape has 10 frequency bands you can adjust individually. Want rain but with more low-end rumble and less high-pitched patter? Slide accordingly. This level of control lets you sculpt sounds that precisely mask your tinnitus frequency. DIY notch therapy, essentially.

The library is enormous: 300+ soundscapes covering nature, machines, voices, abstract textures, binaural beats, and more. Each one is meticulously recorded and processed. The web version (mynoise.net) is completely free and works great; the apps offer offline listening and some extra features for a one-time fee around $9.99.

Mike loves myNoise for work. He dials in a custom blend of "Irish Coast" with boosted mid-frequencies that covers his low hum perfectly. The sounds play for hours without getting annoying, which is important when you're wearing headphones all day.

The downside: it's not tinnitus-specific. There's no tone matching, no CBT content, no guidance. You need to know what you're doing or be willing to experiment. The interface prioritizes function over friendliness.

Best for: Tinkerers who want maximum sound quality and customization. The price-to-value ratio is exceptional.

Quieten takes a different approach from most apps on this list. Created by Julian Cowan Hill, a therapist who recovered from 20 years of tinnitus himself, it focuses on nervous system regulation and body based practices rather than sound masking.

The app offers guided meditations, breathing exercises, and educational content explaining how tinnitus works. Hill's theory is that calming the nervous system helps the brain stop amplifying the tinnitus signal. It's similar to CBT but emphasizes somatic (body) practices over cognitive reframing.

This approach has helped some people. Hill has a popular YouTube channel and has worked with hundreds of tinnitus sufferers. The app distills his methods into structured sessions. With 4.5 stars (though only 31 ratings on iOS), users who connect with his style seem to benefit.

The catch: at $9.49/month or $82/year, it's expensive for an app with minimal sound content. You're paying for therapeutic guidance, not masking capabilities. There's no notch therapy, no tone matching, no extensive soundscapes. If you want sounds playing in the background while you work, look elsewhere.

Some users on tinnitus forums question the value compared to Hill's free YouTube content. Others appreciate having everything organized in an app format with offline access.

Best for: People interested in a mind body approach who prefer guided therapeutic content over sound engineering.

Tinnitus Masker by Burotec is a straightforward Android option that does one thing: play masking sounds. If you're on Android and want a simple, no frills tinnitus masker, it works.

The app offers a selection of noise colors (white, pink, brown) and nature sounds. You can adjust volume, set sleep timers, and that's about it. The interface is basic but functional. Ads appear in the free version; a small in app purchase removes them.

What you won't find: notch therapy, tone matching, CBT content, or sophisticated sound customization. This is a sound player for tinnitus, nothing more. Background playback is inconsistent and may or may not keep playing depending on your Android version and battery settings.

The 3.7 star rating on Google Play is lower than most apps on this list, and reviews mention occasional crashes and limited sound selection. It works for basic masking but doesn't excel at anything.

For Android users, we'd suggest trying ReSound Relief (free, more features, better ratings) or myNoise (better sound quality) before settling on Burotec. Those apps offer more capability at similar or better prices.

Best for: Android users who want the absolute simplest masking solution and don't need advanced features.

Tinnitus Ease is a bare bones option from a solo developer. At $0.99 with no subscription, it's the cheapest paid app on this list. You get what you pay for.

The app generates sine wave tones (20 Hz to 13,000 Hz), white/pink/brown noise, and four ASMR soundscapes. There's a basic notch filter that can attenuate or boost specific frequencies. You can run up to four sound sources simultaneously with individual volume and panning controls.

The feature set sounds decent on paper, but execution matters. This is a brand new app with zero reviews as of early 2026. We can't point to user feedback or a track record of reliability. The developer is an individual, not a company, which raises questions about long term support and updates.

Linda tested it briefly. The sounds work, the notch filter functions, but everything feels utilitarian. There's no polish, no guidance, no help figuring out what settings might work for you. You're on your own experimenting with sliders.

For 99 cents, it's hard to complain too much. If you want to try notch filtering without committing to a subscription, this is an inexpensive experiment. Just don't expect hand holding or refinement.

Best for: Budget conscious iOS users willing to tinker and accept uncertainty about long term app support.

T-Minus offered sound therapy and journaling features, but the app has been discontinued and can no longer be downloaded.

Linda used T-Minus for a while. The journaling feature helped her notice patterns (coffee = worse tinnitus). The sound library included standard masking sounds: white, pink, and brown noise plus nature recordings. Recently, when Linda upgraded her phone, we found the app had been removed from both app stores. It simply doesn't exist anymore for new users.

What it offered when active: a solid library of masking sounds, basic journaling to track tinnitus patterns, and some light educational content. The sounds were fine quality, but there was no notch therapy, no tone matching, no advanced features.

AudioNotch was an early pioneer of notch therapy apps, and the underlying concept remains valid. Unfortunately, the execution hasn't kept up. In 2026, it's hard to recommend despite being one of the few options with legitimate notch filtering.

The idea: you identify your tinnitus frequency, and AudioNotch creates music or white noise with that frequency filtered out. Research suggests this may help retrain the brain over time. The science is real. The app's implementation is the problem.

The interface feels stuck in 2015. The tone-matching process uses a manual slider that's imprecise and frustrating. Audio processing happens on their servers, which means delays and occasional reliability issues. Critically, generated audio doesn't loop smoothly and there's no built-in sleep timer. For an app you're supposed to use daily, these UX issues compound.

At ~$40/month, it's dramatically more expensive than alternatives. Aurina offers guided tone matching and notch therapy for $6.99/month. Tinnitus HQ provides one-time purchase with superior filters for $89.99. AudioNotch's pricing made more sense when it had less competition.

We include AudioNotch because the notch therapy concept matters, and some users report genuine improvement. But if you want notch therapy in 2026, start with Aurina or Tinnitus HQ instead.

Skip unless: You've specifically tried the alternatives and found them lacking. The concept is good; the execution isn't.