7 Best Brain.fm Alternatives for Focus Music in 2026

Brain.fm built the category. Their neural phase locking technology and "scientifically designed" focus audio helped people discover that the right sound can genuinely change how they work.

But Brain.fm isn't perfect, and it isn't cheap. At roughly $15/month (or $100/year), plenty of people are looking for alternatives that deliver the same focus benefits with a different approach, better pricing, or features Brain.fm doesn't offer.

We tested the major options across real work sessions. Here's what's actually worth trying.

Quick comparison

1. Endel - AI soundscapes that adapt to your context

Price: $6.99/month, $50/year, or $249.99 lifetime

Endel is probably Brain.fm's most direct competitor. It generates real-time soundscapes using AI, adapting to inputs like time of day, weather, heart rate (with Apple Watch), and your location. The result is a continuous, never-repeating audio environment designed for focus, relaxation, or sleep.

What it does well:

• Cross-platform with native apps on iOS, Android, Mac, Apple Watch, and web
• Integrates with health data for genuinely personalized audio
• Clean, minimal interface that stays out of your way
• Partnership-driven content (Apple Music integration, artist collaborations)

Where it falls short:

• The audio is algorithmic - it sounds more like ambient textures than actual music
• No desktop activity tracking - it reacts to biometrics and environment, not your workflow
• The "focus" mode can feel monotonous after 2-3 hours
• Limited genre variety (ambient/electronic only)

Bottom line: Endel is the best alternative if you want something that feels similar to Brain.fm but with more personalization signals. It won't give you actual music, though - it's closer to an evolving soundscape. For a deeper comparison, see our Omix vs Endel breakdown.

2. Omix - real music that adapts to your typing

Price: $7.99/month, $59/year, or $119 lifetime
Full disclosure: this is our app.

Omix takes a fundamentally different approach from Brain.fm and Endel. Instead of generating algorithmic audio, it plays real composed music - deep house, jazz fusion, lofi beats, and post-rock - that builds and evolves based on your actual keyboard and mouse activity.

When you're typing fast, basslines drop in, melodies emerge, and the energy builds. When you pause or slow down, the music fades to ambient textures. It's less "scientifically designed audio" and more "a soundtrack that mirrors your work session."

What it does well:

• Real music composed by humans, not algorithmic textures
• Activity-based adaptation - no other focus app does this
• Native Mac and Windows app with a tiny footprint
• Built-in focus analytics (tracks your productive hours, per-app breakdown)
• Ambient background sounds (rain, café, brown noise) layer beneath the music
• No lyrics across the entire catalog

Where it falls short:

• Desktop only - no mobile app yet
• Four genres at launch (deep house, lofi, jazz fusion, post-rock)
• No biometric integration - relies on keyboard/mouse activity
• Newer app with a smaller catalog than Brain.fm

Bottom line: If you do your deep work at a computer and you want focus audio that actually sounds like music (not ambient noise), Omix is the most interesting alternative in this space. The activity-based adaptation creates a feedback loop that other apps can't replicate. We wrote a detailed Omix vs Brain.fm comparison if you want the full breakdown.

3. Focus@Will - neuroscience-backed curated channels

Price: $7.49/month, $52.49/year

Focus@Will has been around since 2013 and takes a more traditional approach: curated music channels organized by "energy level," with tracks selected based on neuroscience research around attention and focus.

You take a quiz to determine your "brain type," then Focus@Will recommends channels optimized for your cognitive profile. The algorithm learns from your skip behavior and adjusts recommendations over time.

What it does well:

• Years of neuroscience research behind the curation
• Brain type quiz adds a personalization layer
• Timer feature encourages focused work sprints
• Large library across many genres (classical, ambient, electronic, cinematic)

Where it falls short:

• The interface feels dated compared to newer apps
• Music is curated, not adaptive - it doesn't respond to what you're doing
• Mixed reviews on whether the "brain type" quiz actually matters
• Web-based experience can feel clunky
• No free tier (limited free trial only)

Bottom line: Focus@Will is solid if you want variety and you believe in their neuroscience-first approach. It's more like a specialized Spotify than an adaptive tool. Good for people who want to pick a channel and go.

4. Noisli - build your own soundscape

Price: $12/month

Noisli is less about music and more about ambient sound design. It gives you a set of high-quality sounds (rain, thunder, wind, café noise, white/pink/brown noise, etc.) and lets you mix them at whatever levels you want. Save your favorite combinations as presets and recall them whenever you need to focus.

What it does well:

• Dead simple to use - just sliders and icons
• High-quality ambient sounds
• Save and share custom mixes
• Built-in text editor for distraction-free writing
• Chrome extension for quick access

Where it falls short:

• No music - this is strictly ambient noise
• $12/month feels steep for a sound mixer with no adaptive features
• Limited to 1.5 hours/day on the free tier
• No adaptive features - you set it manually and it stays static

Bottom line: Noisli is great if ambient sound is all you need and you don't want music at all. But at $12/month with no adaptive features, it's hard to justify when free alternatives like myNoise exist.

5. Flocus - productivity dashboard with ambient sounds

Price: Free with a $9/month Pro tier

Flocus isn't really a focus music app - it's a productivity dashboard that includes ambient soundscapes. Think of it as a browser-based workspace with a Pomodoro timer, task list, and layerable background sounds built in.

What it does well:

• Free tier is genuinely usable
• Beautiful customizable themes
• Combines focus sounds with productivity tools (timer, tasks)
• Layerable soundscapes with lots of options

Where it falls short:

• The audio is ambient sounds, not composed music
• Browser-based - another tab competing for attention
• Jack of all trades, master of none
• No adaptive features

Bottom line: Flocus is best if you want an aesthetic workspace with ambient sounds baked in. It won't replace Brain.fm for the audio quality, but the free tier and integrated tools make it worth trying.

6. myNoise - the audiophile's choice (free)

Price: Free (donation-based)

myNoise is a passion project by audio engineer Stéphane Pigeon, and it shows. The site offers hundreds of meticulously recorded and calibrated sound generators - from Japanese gardens to Gregorian chants to synthesizer drones. Each generator has adjustable frequency sliders and dozens of presets.

What it does well:

• Hundreds of incredibly high-quality sound generators
• Deeply customizable - adjust individual frequency bands
• Completely free (donations unlock extras)
• The calibration feature adjusts for your hearing profile
• Animation mode creates evolving, non-repetitive soundscapes

Where it falls short:

• The interface is functional but dated
• Overwhelming number of options (paradox of choice)
• No mobile apps (web only)
• No music - only ambient/noise generators
• No productivity features or tracking

Bottom line: If you care about audio quality and customization above all else, myNoise is unbeatable - and it's free. But it requires more manual setup than most people want, and it's strictly sound generation, not music.

7. Spotify or YouTube playlists - the obvious option

Price: Free with ads, or $12.99/month for Spotify Premium

Before spending money on a dedicated focus app, it's worth asking: does a Spotify "Deep Focus" or "Lofi Beats" playlist do the job?

For a lot of people, the answer is genuinely yes. Streaming platforms have massive catalogs of instrumental, ambient, and lofi music. YouTube in particular has endless "study with me" streams and lofi channels.

What it does well:

• You probably already pay for it
• Enormous music libraries with every genre
• Community-curated playlists (some are excellent)
• Works on every device

Where it falls short:

• No scientific design behind the playlists
• You end up playlist-hopping instead of working
• Shuffle can serve up distracting tracks
• Ads on free tiers are focus-killers
• No adaptive features - the music doesn't respond to you at all

Bottom line: If you can find a playlist you like and actually stick with it, Spotify works fine. The problem is most people can't - they spend more time browsing than working. Dedicated focus apps exist specifically because streaming playlists didn't solve the problem. We wrote a longer take on Omix vs Spotify if you're on the fence.

How to choose

The right Brain.fm alternative depends on what you actually need:

You want something similar to Brain.fm: Go with Endel. It's the closest in philosophy (AI-generated, science-backed) with better cross-platform support and slightly lower pricing.

You want real music, not generated noise: Try Omix. It's the only app that uses actual composed music with real-time activity-based adaptation. Best if your deep work happens at a desk. (Also works great for ADHD focus.)

You want neuroscience-backed curated channels: Focus@Will has the longest track record and most genre variety.

You just need ambient noise: myNoise is free and the quality is unmatched. Noisli is simpler but costs more.

You want an all-in-one workspace: Flocus combines ambient sounds with productivity tools at a great price.

You don't want to pay anything new: Try a dedicated Spotify focus playlist first. If you find yourself constantly switching tracks, that's your signal to try a dedicated app.

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Thinking about making the switch? Try Omix free for 7 days - no credit card required. Lifetime access is $119 while the founder's deal lasts.