Brain.fm vs Session
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Brain.fm
Functional music for focus, relaxation, sleep and meditation
Session
Pomodoro focus timer with analytics for Mac, iPhone and iPad
Where they differ
- Brain.fm starts at $99.99 / year, billed annually. Session starts at $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99).
- Session has a free plan. Brain.fm does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Brain.fm lists a web app.
- Only Brain.fm lists Windows and Android apps.
- Brain.fm also covers focus music.
- Session also covers site & app blocker and time tracking.
At a glance
| Brain.fm | Session | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $99.99 / year, billed annually | $3.33 / month, billed yearly ($39.99) |
| Free plan | None | Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and your calendar events shown inside Session. |
| Free trial | Free trial with full access; 14 days according to the App Store listing | 7 days of Pro free on creating an account, with no subscription started |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Brain.FM, Inc. | Translucent LLC |
| Price read from | brain.fm | stayinsession.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Session
- Mac and iPhone users who work in Pomodoro intervals
- People who want a record of focused time by category or client
- Students, who can ask for 30% off for one year
Worth knowing
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.
Session
- Apple platforms only: macOS, iOS and iPadOS. No Windows, Android or web version is listed.
- The free plan shows analytics for the past 2 days only, and custom session and break lengths need Pro.
- Blocking needs Pro, and the pricing page lists website and app blocking as Mac only.
- Real-time device sync, Slack muting and Apple Calendar event creation are Pro features.
Key features
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.
Session
- Pomodoro sessions
- Work in 25-minute sessions separated by breaks. Setting your own session and break lengths needs Pro.
- Focus analytics by category
- Tracks how long you focus on each category, such as writing, coding or a client. Free shows the past 2 days and Pro opens the full session log.
- App and website blocking on Mac
- Pro blocks the apps and websites you choose while a session runs. Website blocking works in Safari, Chrome, Brave and Microsoft Edge.
- Calendar events
- Every plan shows your calendar events inside Session. Pro can also create an Apple Calendar event automatically when a session finishes.
- Slack status
- Pro updates your Slack status when the timer starts and restores it when the timer ends.
- Device sync and automation
- Pro syncs in real time, so a session started on a Mac can be ended on iOS, and adds automation through AppleScript on macOS and Apple Shortcuts on iOS.
Plans
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.
Session
Free$0
Unlimited sessions and breaks, analytics for the past 2 days, and calendar events shown in the app.
Pro Yearly$3.33
per month, billed yearly ($39.99)
Custom session and break lengths, full session log, Mac app and website blocking, Slack muting, device sync and automation.
Pro Monthly$4.99
per month, billed monthly
The same Pro features paid month to month. The vendor notes that prices differ slightly by region.
Ways to pay less
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.
Session
- Annual discount
Yearly billing costs about a third less
Pro is $39.99 billed yearly ($3.33 a month) against $4.99 billed monthly, which works out about 33% cheaper over a year.
- Education
Student discount: 30% off for one year
Students are eligible for a 30% discount for one year, non-renewing, by contacting support with a .edu email address or other proof of student status.
