AirwayLab vs SleepHQ: Privacy-First CPAP Analysis Compared
SleepHQ and AirwayLab both aim to help CPAP users understand their therapy data, but they take fundamentally different approaches. SleepHQ prioritises cloud convenience and mobile access. AirwayLab prioritises privacy, analysis depth, and open-source transparency.
Key Differences
Privacy
AirwayLab processes everything in your browser. SleepHQ uploads your data to cloud servers. For health data, this distinction matters.
Analysis Depth
AirwayLab runs four research-grade engines for flow limitation. SleepHQ provides standard metrics (AHI, leaks, usage) with charting.
Cost
AirwayLab's core analysis is free and always will be. SleepHQ starts at $15/month for full features.
What SleepHQ Does Well
SleepHQ has built a popular platform with genuine strengths for users who value convenience:
- Mobile app with push notifications and quick daily summaries
- Cloud storage for accessing your data from any device without carrying an SD card
- Auto-sync from some devices, reducing the manual SD card upload step
- Multi-device support beyond just ResMed
- Large user community with 100K+ users providing social proof and shared insights
If you want a "check your phone in the morning" experience and don't mind cloud data storage, SleepHQ delivers that well.
Where AirwayLab Differs
AirwayLab takes a different approach: deeper analysis, stronger privacy, and open-source transparency:
Four Analysis Engines
Glasgow Index, WAT (FL Score, Regularity, Periodicity), NED (RERA detection, Flatness Index, M-shape), and a 17-metric Oximetry pipeline. SleepHQ provides standard metrics that PAP machines already report.
True Browser-Only Processing
All analysis runs in a Web Worker in your browser. Your sleep data never leaves your device unless you explicitly consent to optional features like AI insights. No account required for core analysis.
Open Source (GPL-3.0)
Every line of code is auditable. You can verify exactly what happens with your health data. SleepHQ is proprietary -- you trust their word on what happens with your data.
Free Core Analysis
All four engines, insights, exports, and persistence are free. Premium AI-powered analysis is an optional paid addition, not a paywall around essential features.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | SleepHQ | AirwayLab |
|---|---|---|
| Flow limitation scoring | No | 4 engines |
| RERA detection | No | Yes (NED) |
| Glasgow Index | No | Yes |
| Oximetry analysis | Basic | 17 metrics |
| AI-powered insights | No | Yes (opt-in) |
| Mobile app | Yes | No |
| Cloud storage | Yes | Optional (opt-in) |
| Auto-sync from device | Some devices | No (SD card) |
| Multi-device support | Yes | ResMed only |
| Data stays on device | No (cloud) | Yes (default) |
| Open source | No | Yes (GPL-3.0) |
| Cost | $15/mo | Free core |
When to Use Each Tool
SleepHQ is better when you...
- Want a mobile app for daily quick checks
- Prefer automatic cloud sync over manual SD card uploads
- Use a non-ResMed device
- Value convenience over analysis depth
- Don't mind your health data being stored on remote servers
AirwayLab is better when you...
- Want your health data to stay on your device
- Need flow limitation analysis beyond standard AHI
- Want to track Glasgow Index, NED, and RERA metrics
- Prefer open-source tools you can verify
- Want comprehensive analysis without a monthly subscription
- Need exportable reports for your clinician
The Privacy Difference
Sleep data is health data. Where it goes and who can access it matters. The two tools take opposite approaches:
SleepHQ: Cloud-First
Your data is uploaded to SleepHQ's servers for processing and storage. This enables mobile access and device sync but means your health data lives on third-party infrastructure. SleepHQ is a US-based company subject to US data laws.
AirwayLab: Browser-First
All core analysis runs entirely in your browser via Web Workers. Your data never leaves your device unless you explicitly consent to optional features like AI insights (which sends only aggregate metrics, never raw waveforms). The code is open for inspection.
Neither approach is objectively "better" -- it depends on your privacy priorities. If you are comfortable with cloud storage for the convenience benefits, SleepHQ works well. If you want your health data to stay under your direct control, AirwayLab is built for that from the ground up.
Frequently Asked Questions
SleepHQ stores your data on their cloud servers. They have privacy policies in place, but your sleep data does leave your device. If keeping your health data entirely local is important to you, AirwayLab processes everything in your browser by default -- no data leaves your device unless you explicitly opt in.
AirwayLab is open source (GPL-3.0) and runs entirely in your browser, which means minimal server costs for core analysis. Premium features like AI-powered insights are optional paid additions. SleepHQ runs on cloud infrastructure with mobile apps, which has higher operating costs. Both are valid business models for different approaches.
Yes. They read from the same SD card data. SleepHQ gives you mobile convenience and cloud access, while AirwayLab gives you deeper flow limitation analysis and privacy. Some users use SleepHQ for daily quick checks and AirwayLab for detailed analysis when adjusting settings.
No. SleepHQ focuses on standard metrics (AHI, leak rate, usage hours) with charting and trends. It does not compute flow limitation scores, Glasgow Index, NED, RERA estimates, or the other research-grade metrics AirwayLab provides. These metrics are what differentiate AirwayLab from every other CPAP analysis tool.
Learn More
Understanding Flow Limitation -- what flow limitation is and why standard metrics miss it.
Beyond AHI: Why Your Sleep Apnea Score Might Be Misleading You -- the research case for metrics beyond AHI.
AirwayLab Privacy Policy -- exactly what data AirwayLab collects (and does not collect).
AirwayLab vs OSCAR -- how AirwayLab compares to the desktop waveform viewer.
Try AirwayLab Free
Upload your ResMed SD card and get flow limitation analysis in minutes. Four research-grade engines, composite metrics, RERA detection, and trend tracking. No installation, no account required, 100% private.
Medical Disclaimer
AirwayLab is not a medical device and is not FDA-cleared or CE-marked. It is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The analysis results should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult qualified healthcare providers regarding your sleep therapy and any changes to PAP settings.