There are many points throughout any given day when we need to hunker down and concentrate on something, whether it’s work, a paper, an article, chores, or just trying to sleep. When these times arise, we can use all the help we can get. Fortunately, that phone in your pocket can be all the help you need in situations like this. There are no shortage of apps out that provide ambient background noise. This doesn’t work for everyone, but for many of us, it’s a less distracting option than playing music or being left alone with silence and our thoughts. Here are five Android apps that can provide just enough background sounds to help our minds focus.

1. Ambiance

Ambiance contains over 2,500 exclusive sounds. You can listen to this background audio on its own or use them to mix together your own creations. The app allows you to create playlists and associate them with certain tasks. You can listen to raindrops falling against the ground, wind blowing against the window, or thunder piercing clouds over a deep jungle. The options are extensive, but the experience costs $2.99 to dive into. It’s the priciest option on this list out of the gate, but it’s also been around quite a while and has attracted positive press.

2. Ambio

For an ambient sound app, Ambio is a visual treat. The UI is sleek and looks great on any modern Android device. It doesn’t disappoint in the audio area either, as there are no shortage of sounds to select from. A number are provided out of the box for free. Others are tucked away into bundles, some of which are free, and others are purchasable for 99 cents. The app can be used as an alarm, and you have the option to theme it up if you’re not a fan of the default look.

3. Relax Melodies

Relax Melodies is targeted towards sleeping, doing yoga, and general relaxation, but you can use the app whenever you want. It provides over forty sounds. Options range from birds, a cavern, and wind chimes to instruments such as a guitar or drum. The colorful UI arranges sounds as tiles hanging on strings and makes switching between them very straightforward. For people who don’t find picking among thousands of sounds particularly relaxing, this smaller selection can help with that. The app is free to use.

4. WhiteNoise Concentration

WhiteNoise Concentration is pretty straightforward. There are no theme packs to download here. There aren’t thousands of sounds. The app simply provides all the white noise you could want. If that static sound of an old television helps you relax, this ambient sound source may just be the one for you. But if that sound drives you up the wall, then you’re better off looking elsewhere. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the app doesn’t cost anything to download.

5. Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep

Nature Sounds Relax and Sleep is simple. The app only provides natural sound effects, so there are no musical instruments, and there is no white noise. The idea here is to calm the mind, so like the name would suggest, the app is recommended for relaxing and going to sleep. The UI isn’t particularly attractive, but it’s basic, and it provides a straightforward menu for switching between sounds.

Conclusion

This list contains five great apps, with each providing a different set of sounds. Chances are, if you want some chill background noise to help you relax, concentrate, or fall asleep, something on this list will help out. But if there’s a great app that isn’t up here, be sure to give it a shout out below.

Bertel is a tech blogger and independent novelist who puts perhaps a tad too much trust in Google. He’s loved Android since the moment he got his eager hands on his first device – if not sooner – and has understood the Chromebook Pixel from day one.You can follow his work at bertelking.com.

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