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Portal

Nature scenes with spatial audio for focus, sleep and calm

Free plan · from $2.99/moFocusChecked Oct 9, 20264.8 on the App Store
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What is Portal?

Portal is an app for iPhone, iPad and Mac that plays filmed nature scenes with spatial audio recordings from places such as Iceland, Costa Rica and Scotland, as a backdrop for focus, relaxation and sleep. It includes a Pomodoro timer, a sleep timer, breathing exercises and a sunrise wake-up alarm, and can match Philips Hue, Nanoleaf and HomeKit lights to the scene. A small rotating set of scenes is free, and a Premium membership opens the full library.

Portal has a free plan. Paid plans start at $2.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store). See every plan

Good for

  • 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

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Key features

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.

Portal pricing

Starts at
$2.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store)
Free plan
Portal Open Access: 3 portals free, refreshed monthly, with no ads or time limits, plus the timers, breathing exercises and audio mixing. Free portals may play at lower quality than Premium ones.
Free trial
7-day free Premium trial. The App Store listing says no payment details are needed and it does not auto-subscribe.
Open Access$0Three portals, changed monthly, with no ads or time limits, plus the timers, breathing exercises and audio mixing.
Monthly Membership$2.99per month, US App Store in-app purchasePortal Premium billed monthly: the full library of more than 100 portals on iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro, with smart lighting.
Annual Membership$29.99per year, US App Store in-app purchaseThe same Premium access, billed as one payment for the full year.
Portal Membership (Lifetime)$99.99one-time purchasePremium access for a single up-front payment. Portal's FAQ says Lifetime memberships may be available from time to time.

Read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Portal before you buy.

Pricing in detail

Ways to pay less

  • Annual discountAnnual 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.

    Stated on apps.apple.com
  • Lifetime licenseLifetime 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.

    Stated on apps.apple.com

How people rate the Portal app

4.8

out of 5 for the iPhone and iPad app

  1. 5 stars86%
  2. 4 stars8%
  3. 3 stars3%
  4. 2 stars<1%
  5. 1 star1%

10,249 ratings on the App Store in the United States, read Oct 9, 2026. It rates the app, not everything the product does. See the listing

Portal reviews, and where to read more

Works with

Portal alternatives

All Portal alternatives comparedAll focus apps

Common questions

Is Portal free?

Portal has a free plan. Portal Open Access: 3 portals free, refreshed monthly, with no ads or time limits, plus the timers, breathing exercises and audio mixing. Free portals may play at lower quality than Premium ones. Paid plans start at $2.99 / month, or $29.99 / year (US App Store).

How much does Portal cost?

Portal lists 4 plans. Open Access: $0. Monthly Membership: $2.99 per month, US App Store in-app purchase. Annual Membership: $29.99 per year, US App Store in-app purchase. Portal Membership (Lifetime): $99.99 one-time purchase. Prices were read from apps.apple.com on Oct 9, 2026.

What platforms does Portal work on?

Portal is available on iOS and macOS.

Does Portal offer any discounts?

Portal publicly lists the following: Annual Membership costs about 16% less than monthly; Lifetime Membership for a one-time payment.

How is Portal rated?

Portal's iPhone and iPad app averages 4.8 out of 5 from 10,249 ratings on the App Store in the United States, as read on Oct 9, 2026. That is the store's rating of the app, not a score from us.

Does Portal have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Portal is listed for iOS and macOS.

Does Portal have a Windows app?

No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 9, 2026. Portal is listed for iOS and macOS.

Is Portal open source?

Portal is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 9, 2026.

Does Portal 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 Portal integrate with?

Portal's listing names Philips Hue, Nanoleaf, Apple HomeKit, Apple Shortcuts and Siri. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.

Does Portal have a free trial?

Yes. 7-day free Premium trial. The App Store listing says no payment details are needed and it does not auto-subscribe.

Who makes Portal?

Portal is made by Portal Labs Ltd.

What are the alternatives to Portal?

The closest alternatives to Portal in our directory are Endel, Tide, Dark Noise, Noisli and Brain.fm. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with Portal.

Sources for this page

The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 9, 2026. What people say is linked where it appears.