Brain.fm vs Endel

Brain.fm

• People who find lyrics distracting while they work
• Timed work sprints with a built-in interval timer
• One subscription that also covers sleep and meditation audio

Endel

• People who work or study better with background sound than silence
• Listening across phone, computer, watch, TV and smart speaker
• US students, who can verify for 66% off Premium

Brain.fm

• There is no free plan; listening after the free trial requires a subscription.
• The pricing page does not state how long the trial lasts; the 14-day figure comes from the App Store listing.
• The yearly plan is charged as a single $99.99 payment; paying monthly costs $14.99 a month.
• The student discount and team pricing are arranged by contacting the company rather than at checkout.

Endel

• The US App Store lists different in-app amounts, including 1 Month at $19.99, 12 Months at $119.99 and Lifetime at $124.99, so the price depends on where you subscribe.
• Endel's checkout sets prices by region; the dollar figures here are its default list, and other regions are charged different amounts in local currency.
• The App Store listing confirms a Free Edition but does not say which soundscapes it includes.
• The student discount is limited to residents of the United States and is verified through SheerID.

Brain.fm

Modes for different activities

Focus covers Deep Work, Creativity, Learning, Light Work and Motivation. Separate modes handle relaxation, sleep, including power naps, and guided or unguided meditation.

Adjustable neural effect level

The intensity of the modulation in the music can be turned up or down. A short quiz at sign-up sets a starting level, and a high level is aimed at listeners with ADHD.

Built-in timers

A count-up timer tracks how long you have worked, a countdown timer ends a session, and an interval timer alternates work and breaks in the Pomodoro style.

Music made to stay in the background

Tracks have no lyrics or intrusive sounds and run extra long so that a work session is not broken up by song changes.

Offline listening on mobile

The App Store listing says music can be downloaded for offline use, including in airplane mode.

Desktop apps with menu bar control

Apps for macOS 12 or later and Windows 10 or later sit alongside the web player, with playback control from the Mac menu bar.

Endel

Soundscapes generated in real time

Sound is generated on the device as you listen and reacts to inputs such as time of day, weather, heart rate and location, each with its own generative visual.

Focus, Relax, Sleep and Move modes

Four core soundscapes cover concentration, calming down, falling asleep and walking or running. Premium adds others, including Study, Recovery and Colored Noise.

Autoplay

Autoplay chooses a Focus, Relax or Sleep soundscape for the current part of the day, so a session starts with one press.

Scenarios and Focus Timer

Scenarios are timed sessions with set opening, middle and closing phases. The Focus Timer, a Premium feature, pairs interval work with focus sounds.

Offline listening

The store listings state that all soundscapes are available offline.

Watch, TV and smart speaker apps

A standalone Apple Watch app uses heart rate as an input, an Alexa skill works with Routines, and there are apps for Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Brain.fm

• Yearly plan$99.99

  per year, billed annually

  Full access to the focus, relax, sleep and meditate modes on web, desktop and mobile. Starts with a free trial.

• Monthly plan$14.99

  per month, billed monthly

  The same access paid month to month, with cancellation at any time.

Endel

• Free Edition$0

  The edition the app starts in when the subscription offer is dismissed. The store listing does not list what it includes.

• Endel Premium (12 months)$39.99

  per year, web checkout US-dollar list

  Premium soundscapes such as Study, Dynamic Focus, Colored Noise and Recovery, artist collaborations and the Focus Timer.

• Endel Premium (3 months)$19.99

  per 3 months, web checkout US-dollar list

  The same Premium soundscapes and features, billed every three months.

• Endel Premium (1 month)$6.99

  per month, web checkout US-dollar list

  The same Premium soundscapes and features, billed monthly.

• Endel Premium (Lifetime)$249.99

  one-time purchase, web checkout US-dollar list

  Premium for a single payment with no renewal. The US App Store lists its own Lifetime purchase at $124.99.

Brain.fm

• Annual discount

  Yearly plan costs less than paying monthly

  The yearly plan is $99.99 against $14.99 a month, which comes to $179.88 over twelve months. The pricing page marks the yearly plan with a 40% discount badge.

• Education

  20% discount for active students

  Students can email support from a .edu address, or send a copy of a student ID or other proof of enrollment, to receive 20% off.

• Other savings

  Special pricing for teams

  Brain.fm supports team accounts for companies and classrooms and asks teams to get in touch through a form for special pricing.

Endel

• Annual discount

  12 months costs about 52% less than monthly

  On the web checkout's US-dollar list, Premium is $39.99 for 12 months against $6.99 a month, which comes to $83.88 over a year.

• Education

  66% off Endel Premium for students

  US residents in college, accepted into college, or in high school and aged 16 or over get 66% off a 12-month Premium plan after SheerID verification.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Premium for a one-time payment

  The web checkout's US-dollar list includes a Lifetime option at $249.99, paid once. The US App Store lists a Lifetime in-app purchase at $124.99.