AWA vs Brain.fm
AWA
awa.fm
Brain.fm
brain.fmSide by side
| Figure | AWA | Brain.fm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $8.33/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 8 | 4 |
| Spec score · Music Streaming Software | 8.9 (#3) | 8.8 (#6) |
| Spec score · Music streaming services with a student plan | 9.0 (#1) | 8.9 (#2) |
| Spec score · Music streaming services | 8.6 (#15) | 8.2 (#31) |
| Free plan | Yes | No |
| Headquarters | 1-4-1 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0073, Japan | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Privacy | AWA publishes a privacy policy for its service in Japan and says applicable policies vary by country and service. | The privacy policy says users can request deletion of their personal data, which it says will be deleted within 30 days after the request is verified. |
| Student plan | Yes | Yes |
| Support | Support accepts email and X inquiries from 10:00 to 17:00 and does not provide phone support. | The pricing page says users can cancel from Account Overview or by contacting [email protected]. |
| Supported platforms | iPhone,Android Phone,Android Tablet,Mac,Windows,Apple Watch,Wear OS,Android TV,Chromecast,CarPlay,Android Auto,Android Automotive | web,iOS,Android,Windows,macOS |
Plans
AWA
- FreeFree
- StandardPrice not published
- StudentPrice not published
- ArtistPrice not published
- FREEFree
- STANDARD (student)¥480 a month
- STANDARD (general)¥980 a month
- STANDARD (general, annual)¥9,800 a year
Brain.fm
- Monthly$14.99 a month
- Yearly$99.99 a year
- Monthly plan$14.99 a month
- Yearly plan$99.99 a year
In their own words
AWA
AWA is a subscription music streaming service with a catalog of over 200 million songs. It recommends music using preferences, mood, and situation, and supports keyword search plus music identification by listening to nearby sound. Playback features include on-demand tracks, synchronized lyrics, playlists, and offline listening on Standard. LOUNGE offers free live streams where listeners can listen together and chat, while all users can stream and receive Flower Chat tipping. AWA runs on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, with support also listed for iPhone, Android phones and tablets, Mac, Windows, Apple Watch, Wear OS, Android TV, Chromecast, CarPlay, Android Auto, and Android Automotive. The Free plan costs nothing for 20 hours monthly playback. Standard and Student plans are listed, with Japanese Standard pricing from ¥480 per month.
Brain.fm
Brain.fm provides music for focus, sleep, relaxation, and meditation, with modes such as Deep Work, Creativity, Learning, Light Work, and Motivation. The company says its patented neural entrainment technology is designed to guide listeners toward a desired mental state, and that it reduces attention-grabbing elements so the music can remain in the background. Infinite, Timer, and Interval options track work and break periods. Brain.fm describes its music as designed for ADHD and offers a High Neural Effect mode. The maker says it evaluates music using attention tasks and placebo controls, as well as EEG and fMRI studies. The service works on the web, iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. Desktop downloads list macOS 12+ and Windows 10+, and an internet connection is required. Monthly access costs $14.99 a month; yearly access costs $99.99 a year. Both plans include Focus, Sleep, Relaxation, and Meditation modes across web, mobile, and desktop. A 14-day trial and student plan are available; there is no free plan.