Endel vs Portal

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

Portal

• People who focus or sleep better with nature sounds than music
• Mac users who want a moving nature scene as their desktop
• Homes with Philips Hue or Nanoleaf lights
• Families: Premium can be shared with up to five relatives

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.

Portal

• Apple devices only: iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Vision Pro. No Android, Windows or web version is listed.
• Open Access covers 3 portals at a time; the rest of the library and smart lighting support need a Premium membership.
• The App Store listing requires iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 or macOS 15.4 or later, and some v4 features need iOS 26.
• On the Mac, HomeKit lights are not supported and visuals cannot span more than one screen.

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.

Portal

Motion visuals

Window-like views of nature filmed with digital cinema cameras in up to 12K resolution. On the Mac they play full screen or as a moving desktop background.

Spatial audio

Nature recordings in spatial audio, up to 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos. Head-tracked playback needs AirPods (3rd generation or later), AirPods Pro, AirPods Max or Beats Fit Pro.

Timers, breathing and wake-up alarm

A Pomodoro timer, a sleep timer, meditation timers and breathing exercises are built in, along with a virtual sunrise wake-up alarm.

Smart lighting

Philips Hue lights on a Hue Bridge and Nanoleaf panels can follow the light and hue of each scene. HomeKit lights are supported on iPhone and iPad but not on the Mac.

Circadian Flow

Syncs Portal with the local time of day and plays portals that follow the changing light outside from sunrise to sunset. Whole collections can also play in sequence.

Audio mixing and offline use

Portal's sound can play under your own music, podcasts, audiobooks or guided meditations. Portals can be made available offline, and Siri, Shortcuts and widgets give quick access.

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.

Portal

• Open Access$0

  Three portals, changed monthly, with no ads or time limits, plus the timers, breathing exercises and audio mixing.

• Monthly Membership$2.99

  per month, US App Store in-app purchase

  Portal Premium billed monthly: the full library of more than 100 portals on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro, with smart lighting.

• Annual Membership$29.99

  per year, US App Store in-app purchase

  The same Premium access, billed as one payment for the full year.

• Portal Membership (Lifetime)$99.99

  one-time purchase

  Premium access for a single up-front payment. Portal's FAQ says Lifetime memberships may be available from time to time.

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.

Portal

• Annual discount

  Annual Membership costs about 16% less than monthly

  The US App Store lists the Annual Membership at $29.99 against the Monthly Membership at $2.99, which comes to $35.88 over twelve months.

• Lifetime license

  Lifetime Membership for a one-time payment

  A Portal Membership (Lifetime) in-app purchase is listed at $99.99 on the US App Store, charged as a single up-front payment.