Brain.fm vs Tide
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
Tide
Nature soundscapes with a focus timer, sleep and meditation
Where they differ
- Brain.fm starts at $99.99 / year, billed annually. Tide starts at $11.99 / month, or $59.99 / year (US App Store).
- Tide 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 a Windows app.
At a glance
| Brain.fm | Tide | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $99.99 / year, billed annually | $11.99 / month, or $59.99 / year (US App Store) |
| Free plan | None | Free to download with in-app purchases. The site's sound catalog has a Free filter, but the store listing does not spell out which features need Tide Plus. |
| Free trial | Free trial with full access; 14 days according to the App Store listing | The App Store subscription terms mention a free trial; its length is not stated |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Brain.FM, Inc. | Guangzhou Moreless Network Technology Co., Ltd. |
| Price read from | brain.fm | apps.apple.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 6, 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
Tide
- People who work or study to rain, ocean and other nature sounds
- Anyone who wants a focus timer, sleep sounds and meditation in one app
- iPhone and Apple Watch users who want sessions synced to Apple Health
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.
Tide
- Tide publishes no prices on its website; the figures here come from its US App Store listing.
- The App Store also lists Tide Membership purchases at $1.99, $4.99 and $15.99 and a $9.99 monthly Plus item without explaining them.
- Neither the site nor the store listing itemizes which sounds and features are free and which need Tide Plus.
- No Windows or web version is listed, and the Chrome extension the site links to no longer has a Chrome Web Store page.
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.
Tide
- Focus timer
- A Pomodoro-style timer that plays nature sounds while it runs. Timer lengths can be customized, and an immersive mode is meant to keep you off your phone.
- Nature soundscapes
- A library of recorded scenes such as rain, ocean and thunder, filed under Nature, Urban, Melody and other categories. A music fusion mode mixes your own music with the sounds.
- Sleep and nap modes
- Sleep sounds for the night and a nap mode for daytime, with light wake-up alarms and a sleep analysis report.
- Guided meditation
- Mindfulness courses such as Breathing and Body Scan, plus single sessions on topics like falling asleep and study pressure.
- Breathing guide
- Paced breathing exercises, including balanced breathing and the 4-7-8 pattern.
- Tide Diary and Apple Health sync
- A report of your sessions with shareable cards. The iOS app syncs data to Apple Health through HealthKit and supports Siri Shortcuts.
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.
Tide
Free$0
Free download with part of the sound library. The listing does not say exactly where the free version stops.
Tide Plus (Monthly)$11.99
per month, US App Store in-app purchase
Auto-renewing subscription, one of two options named in the listing. The listing does not itemize what Plus unlocks.
Tide Plus (Annual)$59.99
per year, US App Store in-app purchase
The same subscription billed yearly. The in-app purchase list also shows an annual Tide Plus item at $54.99.
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.
Tide
- Annual discount
Annual Tide Plus costs about 58% less than monthly
The US App Store listing gives Tide Plus as $11.99 per month or $59.99 per year, so a year paid annually costs about 58% less than twelve monthly payments.
