Connect Brain.fm to Shift so you can merge all your web apps into your browser
Download ShiftWhat is Brain.fm?
Brain.fm is a functional music and sound platform designed to help users focus, relax, sleep, or meditate. Rather than serving as a traditional music streaming service, Brain.fm creates audio specifically intended to support different mental states and activities.
Its music uses rhythmic modulation and other audio techniques developed in collaboration with neuroscientists. Brain.fm has also participated in research examining how its audio affects attention and brain activity, including peer-reviewed studies and research supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Features include Focus, Relax, Sleep, and Meditation modes, adjustable neural-effect intensity, an ADHD-focused mode, session timers, and access across web, iOS, Android, and desktop. Brain.fm is particularly useful for students, professionals, creatives, and anyone looking for background audio designed around productivity or relaxation rather than entertainment.
How Brain.fm works in Shift
Adding Brain.fm to Shift keeps your focus music alongside the other tools you use for work or study. Add Brain.fm to a dedicated Space with your task manager, calendar, notes, or project apps so you can start a focus session without searching through browser tabs.
If you use Brain.fm for different routines, you can organize it into Spaces for deep work, studying, writing, or other recurring workflows. Keeping Brain.fm alongside the apps associated with each activity makes it easier to move from planning into focused work without rebuilding your setup each time.
Pair Brain.fm with tools like Todoist, Google Calendar, Notion, or your preferred time-tracking app to keep your music and productivity tools together in one organized workspace.
Alternatives to Brain.fm
- Focus@Will — A productivity-focused music service designed to support concentration through curated instrumental music and personalized listening. It’s a good alternative if you want a service centered primarily on workplace or study focus.
- Calm — A meditation and wellness platform offering guided meditations, Sleep Stories, music, breathing exercises, and ambient soundscapes. Calm is a better fit if you want broader mindfulness and sleep content in addition to focus audio.
- Noisli — A customizable ambient-noise tool that lets you combine background sounds and use built-in productivity timers. Noisli is a good alternative if you prefer simple, configurable soundscapes rather than purpose-built functional music.
FAQ
1. How do I add Brain.fm to Shift?
Add Brain.fm from Shift's app directory and sign in to your Brain.fm account. You can then organize it alongside the other apps you use for work, study, or daily routines.
2. Can I use Brain.fm offline?
Brain.fm offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, with offline listening available for downloaded content so you can use it without a continuous internet connection.
3. Is Brain.fm scientifically proven?
Brain.fm has conducted and participated in research examining how its audio affects attention and brain activity, including peer-reviewed studies and research supported by the National Science Foundation. Research provides evidence for some of the underlying effects, but individual results can vary.
4. Does Brain.fm help with ADHD?
Brain.fm offers an ADHD-focused mode designed to provide additional stimulation while minimizing distracting elements. Its research has also examined listeners with attention difficulties. Brain.fm is a productivity and audio tool, not a treatment for ADHD or a replacement for medical care.
5. Is Brain.fm free?
Brain.fm is a paid subscription service that currently offers a free trial. Its standard pricing is listed as $14.99 per month or $99.99 per year, although pricing and promotional offers can change.
6. What is Brain.fm used for?
Brain.fm is primarily used for focus, relaxation, sleep, and meditation. Users choose the mental state or activity they want to support, and Brain.fm provides music designed for that purpose.
