10 Best ringtone apps for iPhone in 2024 (Free and Paid)

Are you tired of hearing the same set of ringtones on your iPhone? Do you want to try something entirely different from the other ringtones on iPhone or from the iTunes Store? iPhone ringtone apps give you access to varying genres of sounds you can use for ringtones, alerts, and message tones on your iPhone.

While there are many options online, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best ringtone apps for iPhone in this guide. So, let’s jump in!

Why do we look for ringtone apps for iPhone?

No doubt, iPhones come with built-in ringtones like Opening, Circuit, Radar, and the classic Marimba, all of which you can access by going to Settings → Sounds & Haptics. However, we often get tired of these tones and want to explore custom ones without paying, unlike with the iTunes Store. This is where iPhone ringtone apps come in handy.

Other reasons why users might seek ringtone apps for their iPhones include:

• Personalization: We all have different tastes in sounds. While some might like the default Opening ringtone on their iPhone, others may want something like Post Malone’s Better Now or even the sound of rain. iPhone ringtone apps let you access these options without paying for them.
• Wide ringtone selection: Ringtone options on the iPhone are quite limited. Users may prefer having access to a broader selection of ringtones to explore and choose from, rather than being restricted to just the native options.
• Fun: Ringtone apps for iPhone let you explore tones beyond the usual options, allowing you to add a touch of humor or personality to your daily interactions with funny ringtones.
• Notification differentiation: With iPhone ringtone apps, you get access to a wide range of tones that you can assign to individual contacts. This makes it simple to identify who’s calling or texting you without looking at your phone or a particular app notification.
• Accessibility: For people like those with hearing impairments, some ringtones can be easier to recognize or provide helpful auditory cues.

What makes the best iPhone ringtone app?

iPhone ringtone apps are great for customizing your device, but the best ones stand out with a few key features.

• Ease of use: iPhone ringtone apps need to have a user-friendly interface for an average user to navigate. It should be easy for anyone to browse the ringtone list, select, download, and add ringtones to their iPhone. I found that some ringtone apps even provide tutorials on how to set custom ringtones with GarageBand or iTunes, which can be technical for some users, and this feature helps them stand out.
• Extensive library: One reason iPhone users seek out ringtone apps is to access a broad collection of sounds. Therefore, it’s important for a ringtone app to offer an extensive library of ringtones across various genres.
• Ringtone maker: Some ringtone apps provide a library of sounds but don’t offer the option to import your favorite audio and convert it into a ringtone (by changing the file format to m4r). This feature is important for a top-notch iPhone ringtone app. Therefore, look for a ringtone app that includes a custom ringtone maker when making your choice.
• Regular updates: An iPhone ringtone app should be regularly updated with fresh sounds that match users’ current tastes, such as trending sounds or new songs. Additionally, the app needs to be updated on the software front to ensure optimal performance.
• Performance: Optimal performance is a factor we can’t rule out. The best ringtone app for iPhone needs to run smoothly—without any major bugs or glitches—on your device.

How we choose and test the best ringtone apps

Our team and I checked over 20 iPhone ringtone apps and identified the 10 best options majorly using the selection criteria mentioned above. We focused on several key factors to ensure our recommendations truly meet the needs of our readers by testing each app thoroughly to evaluate their features, ease of use, and overall performance.

Here’s a breakdown of our methodology for choosing and testing these apps:

• App ratings: The App Store provides ratings and reviews for the apps it hosts, so our team and I ensured that the app we are recommending has a good number of real user ratings and maintains an average rating above 4 stars. Additionally, I carefully reviewed user feedback for each app before selecting and testing them personally.
• Firsthand use: I installed each of the recommended apps to test their features and user experience before discussing them. I was looking for apps that truly deliver on their advertised features, offer a good selection of ringtones, and make it easy to add them to my iPhone. While most of the apps in the first roundup met our selection criteria, some did not, so we had to find other options that performed better. This approach ensures that our recommendations align with the app’s claims.
• Features: I browse most of the ringtone categories found in the app—those that are accessible for free and by watching ad videos. I tested the quality of the ringtones and added some to my iPhone ringtone list using GarageBand, as supported by the app. I also used the ringtone makers in the recommended apps to edit the audio, trim, fade in and out, and rename custom ringtones. While not all apps offer all of these features, most do.
• Price point: While most ringtone apps have in-app purchases, I considered those that are free or offer limited free versions in this list. I also made sure these apps provide a large library and a good collection of ringtones, making them worth the price for anyone with a budget for a subscription.

What are the best ringtone apps for iPhone?

With that out of the way, here are our picks for the best iPhone ringtone apps.

1. RingTune: Ringtone for iPhone

Topping our list of the best ringtone apps for iPhone is RingTune: Ringtone for iPhone. It offers up to 900 unique sounds, from back-to-school themes to nature sounds. The app categorizes the ringtones into Ringtones of the Week, ASMR, Newest, and Best of TikTok, which makes browsing through its collection of sounds easier.

Next to each ringtone in the app, there’s a heart icon for saving favorites (you’ll find the saved sounds in My Collection) and a download icon to add the ringtone to your iPhone. The app uses GarageBand to set the ringtone, but the process is straightforward. Plus, it provides a tutorial to guide you, though you probably won’t need it.

I also noticed that it lets you create your ringtones. With this app, you can not only add local audio files as ringtones but also extract sound from videos and edit them using the built-in sound editor. You can even rename the sound before adding it as a ringtone.

It doesn’t end there; the app also offers beautiful wallpapers and customizable call screens. You can browse ringtones and wallpapers for free on this app, but you’ll have to deal with ads and won’t be able to add them to your device. Hence, you’ll have to opt for the paid version to get rid of the ads and download the ringtones.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $2.99 for premium ringtones)

2. Ringtones: for iPhone

Ringtones: for iPhone is another ringtone app for iPhone we find worthy of adding to this list. One of its standout features is that it categorizes ringtones into a long list of genres: Hottest Ringtones, ASMR, Animal, Electronic, Retro, Bollywood, Uplifting, Reggae, and many more.

It’s likely the only app that has the largest collection of ringtones in this list, as I found some categories with more than 800 sounds. Like other apps here, you can play any of the ringtones before adding them to your device. Plus, it uses the GarageBand method to add the ringtone to your iPhone and provides a tutorial on how to go about it.

This app also includes an editor that lets you upload audio files and set them as custom ringtones. In addition, it offers access to several wallpapers and a feature that allows you to add images to your contacts. It’s essentially an all-in-one tool, though many of its features are hidden behind a paywall.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $4.99 weekly)

3. Ringtones for iPhone: Music

Ringtones for iPhone: Music is one of our top picks, offering over 800 ringtones. You can easily add those ringtones to your iPhone with just a few clicks, and the app also lets you save your favorite ringtones.

While the app opens to the Most Popular category by default, you can browse other categories like Best Ringtones 2023, Funny Ringtones, Summer Selection, and Winter Selection. These categories are premium, unlike the Most Popular section, but you can unlock the premium ringtones by simply watching ads.

Plus, the app features a ringtone maker, allowing you to set your local audio files as ringtones. It’s one of the best free ringtone apps, as it offers full access without requiring payment.

Price: Free

4. Ringtone Music: Explore & Make

If you’re looking for an app specifically designed to add new ringtones to your iPhone, Ringtone Music: Explore & Make is a solid option. It closely resembles the Ringtones for iPhone: Music app, offering categorized ringtones such as Most Popular, The Best of 2023, Reggaeton, Indie Rock, Funny, and even Alarms and Notifications.

However, other ringtones on the app, aside from the Most Popular category, are tagged as Premium, requiring you to either watch ads or subscribe to its VIP package for access. You’ll also encounter in-app ads while browsing, but you can remove that with the VIP package.

Like other apps on this list, it includes a ringtone maker feature and lets you save ringtones to your favorites list.

Price: Limited free version ( Offers in-app purchases starting from $2.99 weekly to remove ads)

5. Garage Ringtones for iPhone

Garage Ringtones for iPhone is one of the simplest ringtone apps on this list, available in both a free and a paid version (with a subscription model). The app lets you choose from up to 12 genres for your ringtones, including Popular, K-Pop, Rock, Blues, Electric, and Disco. One of the features that sets it apart is that in the Popular genre, you’ll find remixes of songs like Bad Guy by Billie Eilish, which isn’t something most other apps offer. Also, it boasts to provide more than 10, 000 ringtones.

Next to each ringtone, there’s a Like button to save favorites, along with an Install button and an Edit button that allows you to trim or add fade-in and fade-out effects. Unlike some of the other apps, it lets you import audio directly from your device or even from videos to create custom ringtones.

The app also links to its TikTok and Telegram pages, where new ringtones are regularly added for you to download and use through its custom ringtone maker.

Price: Limited free version ( Offers in-app purchases starting from $2.99)

6. Ringtone Maker – Tuunes

Ringtone Maker – Tuunes is another great ringtone app for iPhone, offering up to 10,000 licensed ringtones. While you’ll find some free ringtones, which are mostly remixes of the Marimba sound, you’ll need the in-app coins to download others. You can earn these by subscribing, watching ads, or playing quizzes.

Alternatively, the app directs you to the iTunes Store to purchase ringtones, which defeats the purpose of using a dedicated ringtone app in the first place. The app also includes a ringtone maker, but it’s also locked behind a paywall.

On the upside, its ringtone categorization makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for, and with a large collection of ringtones, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. Plus, it also uses GarageBand to add custom ringtones to your device, similar to many other apps.

Price: Limited free version ( Offers in-app purchases starting from $0.99 for 500 coins)

7. Cool Ringtones, Music & Songs

If you want to set snippets from songs like In My Feelings by Drake, Boo’d Up by Ella Mai, Taste by Sabrina Carpenter, and Malone’s Better Now as your iPhone ringtone, this is another app for you. Cool Ringtones, Music & Sings features recent and older songs as ringtones.

To access and download all ringtones on the app, you’ll need to subscribe to the premium version. Alternatively, you can purchase ringtones individually or watch three ad videos each time you want to download one. All your downloaded ringtones are saved in My Ringtones. You can then use the standard GarageBand method to add them to your iPhone.

In addition to the Popular category, Cool Ringtones, Music & Sings offers ringtones across Hip Hop, Gospel, R&B, Classical, Country ringtones, and more genres. It also includes a ringtone maker, but you can only create custom ringtones from the songs downloaded within the app—no option to use local audio. As a bonus, it also provides wallpaper and live wallpaper options in various themes.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $0.99 for one ringtone download)

8. ZEDGE Wallpapers & Ringtones

Zedge is a popular app for device personalization, doubling as a wallpaper and ringtone app. It offers a good number of cool sounds for ringtones, most of which are available for free.

However, you’ll have to unlock some of its ringtones by watching ads or using the in-app currency. Also, to set your downloaded sounds as ringtones, you’ll need to use GarageBand. Unlike some alternatives on this list, Zedge doesn’t provide the option to import audio files and turn them into custom ringtones.

Apart from using the Zedge app, you can also download ringtones from Zedge’s web app, which will also require you to use GarageBand or Finder (if you are downloading from a Mac) to add it to your iPhone ringtones.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $0.99 for 500 credits)

9. Ringtones Maker – the ring app

Ringtones Maker – The ring app is perfect if you’re into Japanese sounds, but it’s also great for anyone looking to upload their audio files to make custom ringtones. You can import audio from its Ringtone Sharing feature (which has plenty of Japanese sounds), the Files app, videos, or even from your PC. It also lets you record your sounds and set them as ringtones, or use text-to-speech with different languages, accents, and speakers.

Just like other apps on this list, it uses the GarageBand and iTunes method to add ringtones to your iPhone. You simply have to click the Make icon under the sound you want to add to your iPhone ringtone list. This app comes with an audio editor that lets you trim, fade in, and fade out audio files before setting them as your ringtone. Plus, it’s a free app, with the only subscription option being to remove the in-app ads, which can be a bit intrusive.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $2.99 to remove banner ads)

10. Ringtones for iPhone: Infinity

Ringtones for iPhone: Infinity is our final recommendation on the list of the best ringtone apps for iPhone. Upon launching, the app lets you record and create your ringtone using its Tune Maker feature. Besides that, it also offers a Premium Tracks section with songs from various genres like Country, Electronic, Rock, and more, and it seems to keep the list updated regularly.

While I could record a ringtone, the app didn’t allow me to add the recording as a ringtone without opting for the paid plan. Also, I couldn’t access the Premium Tracks without being a paid user. This ringtone app for iPhone also includes an AI Music feature, which lets you generate sounds with AI, along with some decent collection of wallpapers.

Price: Limited free version (Offers in-app purchases starting from $7.99 for Premium Tracks)

Set custom ringtones on your iPhone with ringtone apps

With the apps covered above, you’ll get access to more ringtones on your iPhone and the ability to customize them as you wish. Our rundowns should give you a good overview of what each app offers, guiding your selection process.

More iPhone guides:

• How to make a voice memo a ringtone on an iPhone
• iPhone not ringing when locked? 12 Ways to fix it