Software · head to head
Calm vs Brain.fm
Brain.fm
Software
Scientifically-designed music to enhance focus and productivity
- From
- $14.99/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Calm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Calm free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment; Brain.fm monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent)
- They diverge on capability: Calm covers Sleep Stories, Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Calm and Brain.fm actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Calm
- Sleep Stories
- Guided meditations
- Daily Calm
- Breathing exercises
- Calm Body stretching
- Apple Health
- Apple Watch
- Samsung Health
Only in Brain.fm
- Neuroscience-designed music
- Focus tracks
- Relaxation tracks
- Sleep tracks
- Offline mode
- Multiple genres
- Cross-platform access
- Ad-free experience
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Calm
- Workout trackingnot Brain.fm
- Nutrition managementnot Brain.fm
- Health monitoringnot Brain.fm
- Fitness coachingnot Brain.fm
- Wellness improvementnot Brain.fm
Brain.fm
- Knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocksnot Calm
- ADHD individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentrationnot Calm
- Students preparing for exams with learning and meditation supportnot Calm
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Calm
- Free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment
- Only one meditation per day included in free tier (Daily Calm)
- Annual pricing is among the highest in the meditation app category
- Less extensive free content library compared to Insight Timer (which has 100,000+ free meditations)
- Limited customization of meditation sessions; mostly follows Calm's curated content
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)
Pricing, plan by plan
Calm
Free- FreeFree
- Daily Calm
- Select Sleep Stories
- 1 breathing exercise
- Premium Monthly$12.99/month
- All content unlocked
- Sleep Stories
- Masterclasses
- Premium Annual$69.99/year
- All content unlocked
- Sleep Stories
- Masterclasses
- Family Plan$99.99/year
- Up to 6 accounts
- All Premium content
- Separate customization per member
Brain.fm
$14.99/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Brain.fm review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Calm if
- You need sleep stories.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want guided meditations.
Choose Brain.fm if
- You need neuroscience-designed music.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
- You also want focus tracks.
Questions people ask
- Is Calm or Brain.fm better?
- Neither clearly leads. Calm starts at Free and Brain.fm at $14.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Calm or Brain.fm?
- Calm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Calm and $14.99/month for Brain.fm.
- Does Calm or Brain.fm run on more platforms?
- Calm runs on iOS, Android, Web. Brain.fm runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
- Can I use Calm for free?
- Yes. Calm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month.
- What is Calm best used for?
- Calm is most often used for workout tracking, nutrition management, health monitoring, fitness coaching. Of those, workout tracking and nutrition management are not what Brain.fm is typically brought in for.
- What can Calm do that Brain.fm cannot?
- Calm covers Sleep Stories, Guided meditations, Daily Calm, Breathing exercises. Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Focus tracks, Relaxation tracks, Sleep tracks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Calm: What does Calm's free tier include?
The free plan includes 1 breathing exercise, Day 1 of programs, select Sleep Stories, and Scenes, plus the famous Daily Calm feature and bedtime stories. Most content is locked behind the paid tier.
SourceCalm: What is included in Calm Premium?
Calm Premium (all paid tiers are identical) includes The Daily Calm, Sleep Stories narrated by celebrities, exclusive music playlists, masterclasses taught by experts, Daily Move video lessons for stretching and mindful movement, and the entire content library.
SourceCalm: How much does Calm Premium cost?
Monthly subscription is $12.99/month, annual is $69.99-$79.99/year, Family Plan is $99.99/year (includes 1 Admin + 5 Members), and lifetime membership is available as a one-time payment.
SourceCalm: Does Calm offer pricing for organizations or teams?
Yes. Calm offers organizational plans for groups of 5-300 people with per-seat pricing based on total 'covered lives.' Larger groups receive deeper discounts. Pricing is significantly reduced compared to individual subscriptions.
SourceCalm: Does Calm work offline?
Calm's app functions offline for already-downloaded content. Downloaded Sleep Stories, meditations, and Music programs can be accessed without an internet connection.
Source