If you’re looking for an excellent smart alarm clock, it’s hard to do better than the new Hatch Restore and Hatch Restore 2. Offering a variety of sleep sounds, wake-up alarms, and lighting options, the two devices are bound to help with your nighttime and morning routines. However, it’s not cheap – and the availability of the premium Hatch Sleep plan makes it even more affordable.
But do you need a Hatch Sleep membership to use Hatch Restore, or can you start using it right away without having to spend any more money? Here’s a closer look at the service and everything it has to offer.
What is Hatch Sleep?

Hatch Sleep is a premium membership option that gives you access to a wide range of sleep sounds, meditations, stories, music, and other unique content. One of the newer additions to the platform is the Wind Down channels, which aggregate an array of sounds, music, and stories to bring variety to your nighttime routine. Most purchases will include a free 30-day trial of Hatch Sleep. Once this membership expires, you will be able to subscribe for $50 annually or $5 monthly.
Is hatch sleeping required?

Fortunately, Hatch Sleep is completely optional and not required to use Hatch Restore 2 or Hatch Restore. Even if you do not sign up for the service, you will be able to use your smart alarm clock without any problems. However, you won’t be able to access nearly as much content. Not only are Wind Down channels locked behind a subscription, but so are many sleep sounds, music, and other wake-up options.
As a non-member, you’ll have access to a few more sounds and sunrise color options — and that’s it. In other words, Hatch Restore 2 will lack a lot of features that make it such a disguised product. If you can put off the $50 annual payment, you’ll find that a smart alarm clock is a much better buy (and something we highly recommend).
It’s still worth buying Restore 2 even if you don’t opt for the Hatch Sleep membership, but there’s no doubt that you’ll get the most for your money by joining the program. This is especially true if you’re hoping to use it as a sleep aid rather than a standard alarm clock, as there are heaps of great sounds and Wind Down channels to help you get a restful night.
Not sold on Hatch Restore or Hatch Restore 2? Be sure to check out our list of the best alarm clocks, which cover all budgets and include products with a wide variety of features. Most of the items on the list don’t require a subscription — which means they’re ready to use out of the box without you having to worry about dropping extra cash.
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