focus.music vs Tide

focus.music

• People who work best to instrumental music without vocals
• Former Focus@Will subscribers, whose access carries over
• Timed 25- or 50-minute work sessions with a soundtrack

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

focus.music

• There is no free plan: after the 7-day trial it costs $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year.
• It provides music and session timing only; the pages read describe no website or app blocking.
• focus.music takes the place of Focus@Will, which the vendor says has evolved into this product.
• The Mac app needs macOS 13 or later and the Windows app needs Windows 10 or later; no Linux app is listed.

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.

focus.music

Human-made focus music

Every track is composed and performed by professional musicians. There are no vocals and, the vendor says, no AI-generated audio.

Guided or free-flow modes

Guided mode recommends a focus environment based on your sessions. Free flow lets you browse and choose a channel yourself, and you can switch between the two at any time.

Timed sessions

Set a 25-minute, 50-minute or custom session, or run with no timer, and give the session the name of the task you are working on.

Recommendations that adapt

The system learns from the sessions you complete and adjusts what it suggests. The vendor describes this as machine learning trained on 16 years of listening data.

Channels and energy levels

A subscription includes every channel and energy level, so you can change the feel of the music when the kind of work changes.

Apps for desktop and mobile

One account works in the browser, in desktop apps for Mac and Windows, and in the iPhone, iPad and Android apps.

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.

focus.music

• Monthly$4.99

  per month, billed monthly

  Every channel and energy level, guided and free-flow sessions, and one account across web, iOS and Android.

• Yearly$39.99

  per year ($3.33 / month)

  The same access billed once a year. Both plans unlock everything, and the vendor labels this one a 33% saving.

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.

focus.music

• Annual discount

  Save 33% with yearly billing

  The pricing page lists Yearly at $39.99, equal to $3.33 a month, against $4.99 billed monthly, and labels it a 33% saving.

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.