Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Brain.fm vs Hive

Brain.fm logo

Brain.fm

Productivity

Scientifically-designed music to enhance focus and productivity

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hive logo

Hive

Project Management

Project management built for speed

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Brain.fm monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent); Hive the free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Hive covers Tasks.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brain.fm and Hive actually diverge.

Attributes where Brain.fm and Hive differ
AttributeBrain.fmHive
Starting price$14.99/monthOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
CategoryProductivityProject Management

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, iOS, Android, Desktop), user rating (Not yet rated), founded (2015).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brain.fm

  • Neuroscience-designed music
  • Focus tracks
  • Relaxation tracks
  • Sleep tracks
  • Offline mode
  • Multiple genres
  • Cross-platform access
  • Ad-free experience

Only in Hive

  • Tasks
  • Gantt view
  • Kanban
  • Time tracking
  • Forms
  • Slack
  • Zoom
  • Google Drive

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brain.fm

  • Knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocksnot Hive
  • ADHD individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentrationnot Hive
  • Students preparing for exams with learning and meditation supportnot Hive

Hive

  • Project and task management with multiple project viewsnot Brain.fm
  • Coordinating work, proofing and resourcing for teamsnot Brain.fm

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brain.fm

  • Monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent)
  • ADHD mode available only with active subscription; no trial access to specialised features
  • No offline mode documented; requires internet connectivity for audio delivery
  • Content library composition not published (proprietary vs. licensed music distinction unclear)

Hive

  • The free plan is capped at 200 MB of storage
  • The Starter plan at $5 per user per month is limited to 10 projects
  • Eight capabilities are sold as $5 per user add ons on the Teams plan, including CRM, timesheets, proofing, resourcing, advanced dashboards, external users and SSO
  • Buying SSO plus a few of those add ons therefore costs more than the $12 base seat itself
  • AI credits are metered monthly at 1,000, 3,000 and 5,000 by plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Brain.fm

$14.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Brain.fm review.

Hive

On request
  • FreeFree
    • Basic features
    • 10 users
  • Teams$12/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Time tracking
    • Automations

Which should you pick?

Choose Brain.fm if

  • You need neuroscience-designed music.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want focus tracks.
Brain.fm review

Choose Hive if

  • You need tasks.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want gantt view.
Hive review

Questions people ask

Is Brain.fm or Hive better?
Neither clearly leads. Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month and Hive at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brain.fm or Hive?
Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month and Hive at On request.
Does Brain.fm or Hive run on more platforms?
Brain.fm runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Hive runs on Web, Ios, Android, Desktop.
What is Brain.fm best used for?
Brain.fm is most often used for knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocks, adhd individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentration, students preparing for exams with learning and meditation support. Of those, knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocks and adhd individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentration are not what Hive is typically brought in for.
What can Brain.fm do that Hive cannot?
Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Focus tracks, Relaxation tracks, Sleep tracks. Hive covers Tasks, Gantt view, Kanban, Time tracking.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Brain.fm

More on Hive

Keep looking

Other head to heads