The Endel Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Endel in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Endel
The Insider’s Guide
Adaptive soundscapes for focus, relaxation and sleep
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among focus apps, read from Endel’s own pages.
Made by Endel Sound GmbH · checked Oct 9, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02Insider tipsWhat most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
- 03What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 04What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 05Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 06The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 07Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 08About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Endel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Endel’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 9, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 30 of the 65 other focus apps we grade
Endel generates soundscapes for focus, relaxation, sleep and movement. The sound is produced in real time and adapts to inputs such as time of day, weather, heart rate and location, and timed Scenarios cover a single task or occasion. Apps are offered for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows and the web, along with Apple Watch, Apple TV and Amazon Alexa.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Endel, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Autoplay picks a soundscape for the time of day, so a session starts in one press.
- 1
Best for background sound that changes with your day
Endel makes its sound on the spot, shifting with the time of day, the weather and your heart rate, on phones, computers, a watch and TV.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $6.99 / month, or $39.99 / year (web checkout, US-dollar list).
- 3
There is a free plan
Free Edition: starts when the subscription offer is dismissed in the app. The App Store listing does not spell out its limits; Premium adds the soundscapes and features listed there.
- 4
It runs on 5 platforms
Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
Autoplay
Autoplay chooses a Focus, Relax or Sleep soundscape for the current part of the day, so a session starts with one press.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 30 of 65
That is against the other focus apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
Nothing Endel does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 4 things listed below take a company.
Endel at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $6.99 / month, or $39.99 / year (web checkout, US-dollar list)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Endel Sound GmbH
- Category
- Focus Apps
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
- Store rating
- 4.6 on the App Store, 33,874 ratings
The report card
Best for background sound that changes with your day
Endel makes its sound on the spot, shifting with the time of day, the weather and your heart rate, on phones, computers, a watch and TV. Where you buy decides the price: a year is $39.99 at Endel's checkout but $119.99 in the US App Store, prices vary by region, and nobody says what the Free Edition includes.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | $39.99 a year at Endel's own checkout is $3.33 a month, ordinary money for this category, where the middle is $3.99. Where you buy changes everything, though: the same year is $119.99 inside the US App Store, and Lifetime is $249.99 on the web against $124.99 on the store. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There is a Free Edition, which begins when you wave away the subscription offer, but neither Endel nor the store listing says which soundscapes it holds, so you can't tell what you're getting. The Focus Timer is Premium for certain. |
| Features | C | It does its one thing: sound generated as you listen, reacting to time of day, weather, heart rate and location, four core modes, timed Scenarios, Autoplay and offline playback. Background sound is a small slice of this category's job, though, and the listing won't say what's free. |
| Ease of use | B | 4.64 from about 33,900 App Store ratings, short of the top band here, and about 1,900 of them are one star. Autoplay picks a soundscape for the time of day, so a session starts in one press. |
| Platforms and integrations | A | About as far as an app in this category goes: web, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, plus a standalone Apple Watch app that reads your heart rate, Apple TV and Fire TV apps, and an Alexa skill that works inside Routines. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Endel is for
- Fits if silence doesn't work for you but songs pull you off task
- Works for people who want the same sound on their phone, laptop, watch and TV
Who it is not for
- Pricey if you subscribe inside the US App Store, where a year is listed at $119.99
- Skip it if you want to know what the free version holds before you install, as it isn't spelled out
- Not for you if you want a focus timer for free, because the Focus Timer is Premium
- Watch out: Endel sets prices by region, so outside the US you pay a different amount in local currency
- Watch out: the student discount, 66% off a year, is for US residents only, checked through SheerID
Good to know
Good for
- 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
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Tips
Insider tips
What most people miss: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches
7
Things most people miss, each from its own help pages
The things about Endel that are easy to miss until they cost you: ways to pay less, settings worth changing and the catches at renewal or when you leave. Each one is from Endel’s own pages, linked beside it.
Read on Oct 17, 2026. Read from Endel's help centre (the free version, using several devices, night routines, background play, the Lifetime plan, refunds and Alexa) and its website on 17 October 2026. Not tried out: these tips are what its own pages say.
- 1
Pay less
The free version plays 10 minutes at a time, as often as you like
Endel's help page says Focus, Sleep, Relax and Move are free, with each session capped at 10 minutes and no limit on how many you start in a day. Fine for a short reset. Premium is what lifts the cap.
endel.zendesk.com - 2
Pay less
On Alexa, the core soundscapes are free with no time limit
Say "Alexa, start Endel" and you get Focus, Relax, Sleep and Wind Down for free, with no time limit, its help page says. You only need a subscription there for the other soundscapes, the timer and the smart alarm.
endel.zendesk.com - 3
Easy to miss
Sign in with your email so one subscription works everywhere
Paid on one device and want it on another? Its help page says to open Endel on the device you paid on, sign out, sign back in with your email (tap Restore if the plan doesn't show), then use that same email on every other device.
endel.zendesk.com - 4
Setting
Work nights? Set your wake-up time in the Health app
Endel shapes its sound around a normal day. If yours isn't one, set a sleep schedule in the Health app (or an alarm in Clock) and let Endel sync with Health, and it rebuilds its rhythm around you. Its help page says this is iPhone only for now.
endel.zendesk.com - 5
Setting
Turn on background mode to play it under other audio
Tap the AirPlay button at the bottom of the main screen and switch on the toggle there. Endel then keeps playing alongside any other sound, calls included. The catch, its help page says: you can't control it from the lock screen any more, only inside the app.
endel.zendesk.com - 6
Renewal
Buying Lifetime doesn't stop the plan you already have
Lifetime is a one-time purchase, so it won't replace a subscription and the stores won't let you upgrade to it. Endel's help page says to cancel auto-renewal first, wait for your current period to run out, then buy Lifetime. Skip that and you can get charged for both.
endel.zendesk.com - 7
Leaving
Refunds from Endel are for yearly plans bought on Google Play
If you paid through Google Play, its refund page says to send Endel your receipt within 30 days, and only 12-month plans are refunded. Bought in the App Store? Then only Apple can refund you, so you'd ask Apple instead.
endel.zendesk.com
Part 03 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
Endel has a free plan. Paid plans start at $6.99 / month, or $39.99 / year (web checkout, US-dollar list).
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.
The free plan
Free Edition: starts when the subscription offer is dismissed in the app. The App Store listing does not spell out its limits; Premium adds the soundscapes and features listed there.
Read from api-production.endel.io on Oct 9, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on api-production.endel.ioEducation
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.
Stated on payment.endel.ioLifetime 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.
Stated on api-production.endel.ioBy country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
On October 9, 2026 the web checkout's price list read from India gave Premium at ₹499 a month and ₹2,999 for 12 months; its US-dollar list gave $6.99 and $39.99.
Stated on api-production.endel.io
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “12 Months”, against $119.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | ₺999,99 | $20.34 | 83% less |
| India | ₹ 2,999 | $31.00 | 74% less |
| Philippines | ₱ 1,990.00 | $31.68 | 74% less |
| Brazil | R$ 179,90 | $35.94 | 70% less |
| Germany | 59,99 € | $67.22 | 44% less |
| Australia | $99.99 | $69.80 | 42% less |
| South Africa | R1,199.00 | $72.52 | 40% less |
| United Kingdom | £59.99 | $79.31 | 34% less |
Part 04 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
5
Places it runs: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android
Adaptive soundscapes for focus, relaxation and sleep. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, AI features, focus music.
Background sound is a small slice of this category's job, though, and the listing won't say what's free.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
- macOS
- Windows
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Amazon Alexa
Who makes Endel
Endel is a venture-backed company in Berlin. It earns money from subscriptions to its apps, which generate personalized soundscapes for focus, relaxation and sleep, and it also releases soundscape albums on streaming services, several of them made with artists and record labels.
- Founded
- 2018techcrunch.com
- Based
- Berlin, Germanyendel.io
- Ownership
- Privately held. Privately held and venture-backed: its About page lists investors including True Ventures, Waverley Capital, Target Global, the Amazon Alexa Fund, Kima Ventures and Avex Group, and its pages name no parent company.endel.io
- Funding
- Raised a $15 million Series B led by Waverley Capital and True Ventures in April 2022, according to its own announcement. That followed a $5 million Series A led by Kevin Rose of True Ventures in September 2020. TechCrunch put the total raised at $22.1 million after the Series B.endel.iotechcrunch.comtechcrunch.comendel.io
- Founders and leaders
- Last announcement
- Roberta Flack and Endel release three soundscape albums of “Killing Me Softly With His Song” to celebrate the song’s 50th anniversary · Oct 24, 2023. Nothing newer was found on its own pages.
Read on Oct 18, 2026 from the company’s own pages and from news reports. What is not stated there is left out.
Part 05 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
30/65
Other focus apps it is graded above
Endel's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 30 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (A, above 64 of 65) and worst on features (C, above 3).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 24 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 3.0 out of 4. 2 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 66 focus apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Endel’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 8 of 65
- CFree plan and trialAbove 5 of 65
- CFeaturesAbove 3 of 65
- BEase of useAbove 17 of 65
- APlatforms and integrationsAbove 64 of 65
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 56 focus apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Endel is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Nothing Endel does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 4 things listed below take a company.
It costs $39.99 a year.
What you could not
- A library of sound you would have to license.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, iOS and Android that stay in step with each other.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app.
What this rests on. Endel’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 06 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Brain.fm, Noisli, myNoise, focus.music and Tide
The 5 tools Endel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Brain.fm
Free trial · from $99.99/yr
Functional music for focus, relaxation, sleep and meditation.
- Endel has a free plan. Brain.fm does not, though it has a free trial.
- Endel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Brain.fm also covers Pomodoro timer.
- 2.2GPA
Noisli
Free plan · from $10/mo
Ambient sound mixer with a session timer and text editor.
- Only Endel lists macOS, Windows and Android apps.
- Endel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Noisli also covers Markdown and Pomodoro timer.
- 3.2GPA
myNoise
Free plan · from $10 one-time
Adjustable background noise and soundscape generators.
- Only Endel lists macOS and Windows apps.
- 2.4GPA
focus.music
Free trial · from $3.33/mo
Human-made instrumental music for timed focus sessions.
- Endel has a free plan. focus.music does not, though it has a free trial.
- Endel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.8GPA
Tide
Free plan · from $11.99/mo
Nature soundscapes with a focus timer, sleep and meditation.
- Only Endel lists a web app.
- Only Endel lists a Windows app.
- Endel can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 07 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
15
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Endel free?
Endel has a free plan. Free Edition: starts when the subscription offer is dismissed in the app.
How much does Endel cost?
Endel lists 5 plans. Free Edition: $0.
What platforms does Endel work on?
Endel is available on Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Does Endel offer any discounts?
Endel publicly lists the following: 12 months costs about 52% less than monthly; 66% off Endel Premium for students; Lifetime Premium for a one-time payment; Lower price shown to buyers in India.
How is Endel rated?
Endel's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.6 out of 5 from 33,874 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Endel have a Linux app?
No Linux app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Endel is listed for Web, macOS, Windows, iOS and Android.
Is Endel open source?
Endel is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.
Does Endel work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does Endel integrate with?
Endel's listing names Amazon Alexa. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does Endel have a student discount?
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.
Who makes Endel?
Endel is made by a company of the same name. Privately held and venture-backed: its About page lists investors including True Ventures, Waverley Capital, Target Global, the Amazon Alexa Fund, Kima Ventures and Avex Group, and its pages name no parent company.
What are the alternatives to Endel?
The closest alternatives to Endel in our directory are Brain.fm, Noisli, myNoise, focus.music and Tide.
How does Endel compare with other focus apps?
Endel's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 30 of the 65 other focus apps we grade, and level with 10.
Is Endel good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Endel C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $2.82 for the category: 24 of the 45 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Endel?
Nothing Endel does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 4 things listed below take a company.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Endel’s own pages on Oct 9, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Endel's own pages on 5 October 2026, and its App Store rating. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-04-20.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Endel Sound GmbH. Prices change, so check endel.io before you buy.
- endel.io/
- endel.io/about
- payment.endel.io/
- payment.endel.io/students
- api-production.endel.io/v1/stripe/prices?campaign=basic®ion=us
- api-production.endel.io/v1/stripe/prices?campaign=basic
- apps.apple.com/us/app/endel-focus-sleep-sounds/id1346247457
- play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.endel.endel&hl=en_US&gl=US
Part 08 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Endel, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/endel
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Endel: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 9, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/endel
Know someone choosing between focus apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/endel/guide
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See our other guides
The best-graded focus apps after Endel, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Focus Apps Insider's GuideEvery one of the 66 focus apps we grade, compared
- ScreenZen Insider's GuideFree app that delays and blocks distracting apps and sites3.6 GPA
- Flora Insider's GuideFree focus timer that grows trees, alone or with friends3.2 GPA
- Flow Insider's GuideMinimal Pomodoro timer for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Endel’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Endel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Endel Sound GmbH. Prices and plans change: check endel.io before you buy.