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Healthcare & Medical · head to head

Calm vs Focus@Will

Calm logo

Calm

Healthcare & Medical

Sleep, meditation and relaxation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Focus@Will logo

Focus@Will

Productivity

Music and sounds designed to enhance focus and productivity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Calm free tier is severely limited, with almost all content requiring payment; Focus@Will the App Store listing (seller Dulcetta Inc) states the free trial is limited to 7 days, after which a paid subscription is required to continue using the music and features
  • They diverge on capability: Calm covers Sleep Stories, Focus@Will covers Curated focus music.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Calm and Focus@Will actually diverge.

Attributes where Calm and Focus@Will differ
AttributeCalmFocus@Will
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsiOS, Android, WebWeb, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows
CategoryHealthcare & MedicalProductivity
Founded20122011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Focus@Will

  • Curated focus music
  • Multiple music channels
  • Built-in focus timer
  • Focus statistics
  • Different music genres
  • Offline access
  • Cross-platform sync
  • Volume control

What people use each for

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

Calm

  • Workout trackingnot Focus@Will
  • Nutrition managementnot Focus@Will
  • Health monitoringnot Focus@Will
  • Fitness coachingnot Focus@Will
  • Wellness improvementnot Focus@Will

Focus@Will

  • Productivitynot Calm
  • Collaborationnot Calm
  • Task managementnot Calm
  • Organizationnot 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

Focus@Will

  • The App Store listing (seller Dulcetta Inc) states the free trial is limited to 7 days, after which a paid subscription is required to continue using the music and features
  • The same listing states a 30 day money-back guarantee applies to the subscription, implying no refund is available after that window

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

Focus@Will

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited access to music
    • Basic 25-min timer
    • Ads
  • Basic$4.95/month
    • Unlimited music access
    • Custom timers
    • No ads
  • Pro$9.95/month
    • Everything in Basic
    • Advanced analytics
    • Priority support

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.
Calm review

Choose Focus@Will if

  • You need curated focus music.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
  • You also want multiple music channels.
Focus@Will review

Questions people ask

Is Calm or Focus@Will better?
Neither clearly leads. Calm starts at Free and Focus@Will at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Calm or Focus@Will?
Calm starts at Free and Focus@Will at Free.
Does Calm or Focus@Will run on more platforms?
Calm runs on iOS, Android, Web. Focus@Will runs on Web, IOS, Android, MacOS, Windows.
Can I use Calm for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Focus@Will is typically brought in for.
What can Calm do that Focus@Will cannot?
Calm covers Sleep Stories, Guided meditations, Daily Calm, Breathing exercises. Focus@Will covers Curated focus music, Multiple music channels, Built-in focus timer, Focus statistics.

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.

Source
Calm: 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.

Source
Calm: 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.

Source
Calm: 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.

Source
Calm: 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
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Related pages

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