Free Brain.fm alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

4 of the 4 Brain.fm alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Calm, Headspace and BetterSleep rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Calm	Free plan + paid	$79.99/yr after a 7-day free trial	No	iOS, Android, Web	5 of 5	64.8
2	Headspace	Free plan + paid	$99.99 a year for up to 6 people	No	iOS, Android, Web	6 of 6	61.8
3	BetterSleep	Free plan + paid	$59.99 a year per Premium membership (regular price)	No	iOS, Android	7 of 7	59.4
4	Insight Timer	Free plan + paid	$9.99 a month (MemberPlus)	No	iOS, Android, Web	8 of 8	57.5

1. CalmTop pick
Best for: People who want a large library of sleep stories, music and guided sessions in one paid app
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
64.8
score / 100
Why switch from Brain.fm
Adds guided meditations, sleep stories and focus music in one subscription.
Pros
Very large sleep library: Sleep Stories, soundscapes and music
Clear starter programs: 7 Days and 21 Days of Calm
Runs on phones, web, Apple TV and smartwatches
Family plan and a one-time lifetime option
Cons
Most content needs a paid subscription
Prices differ between web, App Store and Google Play
Sleep-heavy library is more than some meditators need
Visit Calm Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Calm a good Brain.fm alternative?
Verified facts
5 of 5 verified
Yearly price (web)
$79.99/yr after a 7-day free trial
Checked Nov 8, 2026calm.com(opens source in a new tab)
Sleep Stories
500+ narrated Sleep Stories
Checked Nov 8, 2026calm.com(opens source in a new tab)
Devices
iOS, Android, web, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Wear OS
Checked Nov 8, 2026calm.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starter programs
7 Days of Calm, then 21 Days of Calm
Checked Nov 8, 2026calm.com(opens source in a new tab)
Breathing tool
60-second Breathe Bubble
Checked Nov 8, 2026calm.com(opens source in a new tab)
2. Headspace
Best for: Beginners who want structured courses and a tidy app, and students on the cheap plan
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from Brain.fm
Pairs focus music and soundscapes with a structured meditation course library.
Pros
Structured beginner courses starting from Basics
Sleep, focus music and movement sessions in one app
Family plan for six and a low-cost student plan
14-day free trial on the yearly plan
Cons
Little free content without a subscription
App increasingly promotes coaching and therapy services
Courses can feel basic for experienced meditators
Visit Headspace Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Headspace a good Brain.fm alternative?
Verified facts
6 of 6 verified
Free trial
14 days
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Family plan
$99.99 a year for up to 6 people
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Student plan
$9.99/yr for verified students
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Minimum age
18+, with limited exceptions
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
Part of Sword
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
Student discount
$9.99 a year for verified students
Checked Nov 8, 2026headspace.com(opens source in a new tab)
3. BetterSleep
Best for: People who fall asleep to background noise and want to build their own sound mixes
Free plan + paidiOS, Android
59.4
score / 100
Why switch from Brain.fm
Sound mixer and sleep stories aimed at falling asleep, with a free tier.
Pros
Flexible mixer for noise colours, nature and ambient sounds
Large library of sleep stories, meditations and music
Family and student plans available
Cons
Most content needs a Premium subscription after the trial
Subscription renews automatically unless cancelled in time
No desktop app
Visit BetterSleep Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is BetterSleep a good Brain.fm alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Free version
Limited free content after the trial
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid plan
Premium, auto-renewing subscription
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Users
65M+
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
App Store rating
4.8 from 600k+ reviews
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$59.99 a year per Premium membership (regular price)
Checked Nov 8, 2026support.bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Family plan
$119.99 a year for 5 Premium memberships
Checked Nov 8, 2026support.bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
Yes, for new users
Checked Nov 8, 2026bettersleep.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Insight Timer
Best for: People who want a large free library and a flexible timer without paying for a subscription
Free plan + paidiOS, Android, Web
57.5
score / 100
Why switch from Brain.fm
Huge free library of music, ambient tracks and guided sessions for focus and sleep.
Pros
Most of a 200,000+ track library is free
Thousands of teachers across many styles and traditions
Customisable timer for unguided sessions
Live events and community groups
Cons
Quality varies widely between teachers
Size makes it hard to find a clear starting path
Courses and offline listening need Member Plus
Visit Insight Timer Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.363
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Insight Timer a good Brain.fm alternative?
Verified facts
8 of 8 verified
Free content
200,000+ tracks, mostly free
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid tier
Member Plus, $59.99/yr
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Teachers
18,000+
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Paid features
Courses, advanced journaling, offline listening
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Company
Insight Network Inc.
Checked Nov 8, 2026insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$9.99 a month (MemberPlus)
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
MemberPlus annual plan
$59.99 a year
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Yes
Checked Nov 8, 2026help.insighttimer.com(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. CalmTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. Headspace

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. BetterSleep

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. Insight Timer

Pros

Cons

Verified facts