Comparison

BrainWave vs Flow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BrainWave

Enhance focus, memory, and problem-solving skills with advanced brainwave programs. This app combines binaural tones with ambient sounds and music to guide your mind into optimized mental states for learning and creativity. Customize your experience with adjustable settings and enjoy a unique approach to brainwave entrainment.

Highlights
  • 18 Advanced Brainwave Programs
  • Binaural Tones with Music/Audiobooks
  • Ambient Backgrounds & Alarm Sounds
  • Adjustable Brainwave Intensity
  • Customizable Timer
  • Progressive Brainwave Entrainment
Features
Read full description

18 Advanced Brainwave Programs in One App! Sharp Mind induces optimized mental states ideal for school, exam preparation, confidence, problem solving, memory, creativity, confidence and learning. Combine Binaural Tones with iTunes Music, Audiobooks, Spotify * Built-in iTunes Playlist Creator * 24 Soothing Ambient Backgrounds and 10 Gentle Alarm Sounds. * Universal App * iPhone and iPad UIs HD&SD * Headphones/Earbuds must be worn for Binaural Tones to be Effective. To combine Brainwaves and Ambience with Audio from Another App use Background Mode 'Ambience + Other App' in the Background Settings. To use just Brainwaves and Audio from Another App use the "No Background" option for the Background Source. Warning: These are powerful brainwave entrainment programs and should never be used while driving or operating machinery. BrainWave Sharp Mind is unlike any other brainwave entrainment application. Other brainwave and binaural beat applications use only a single brainwave frequency and carrier signal. The Sharp Mind Progressive Brainwave Entrainment algorithms use a series of brainwave programs, multiple frequencies and carrier waves to gently bring your brainwave frequencies to your desired state using a more natural and effective frequency progression. *** Advanced Features *** - Multiple Brainwave programs each specially designed to elevate you to a unique mental state. - Multiple ambient background sounds to choose from. - Adjustable Brainwave Intensity - The intensity of the brainwaves can be adjusted independently of the ambient background sound. This allows you to set the brainwave volume to your comfort level. The application will also save your preference for future use. - Adjustable ambient background volume. - Visual timer countdown indicator. - Automatic saving of preferred brainwave entrainment program and ambient background sounds. - Ability to create your own custom time option. *** Programs Included *** - Brain Energizer: Takes you through a series of brainwave programs and progressively elevates your level of alertness. - High Beta Concentration: Designed to put your mind into the ultimate state of focus and concentration. Ideal when you need to block out surrounding distractions and study. - Creative Brainstorming: A series of brainwave programs that elevates your mind to a state of open-mindedness and creativity. Perfect for when you're stuck on a problem or are having difficulty coming up with an idea. Sit back and plug into this program to completely open your mind. - Creative Problem Solving: The ultimate combination of focus and creativity achieved through a series of brainwave programs and frequency mixes. - Gamma Memory Boost: This program was designed to be used whenever you feel like taking a break and letting what you've just learned sink in. This will help you maximize memory recall. - Beta Confidence Boost: Designed to be taken before a test or presentation. The other programs help you prepare, solve problems, come up with ideas and remember what you've learned. Sharp Mind also includes: - Creative Thinking - Lateral Thinking - Convergent Thinking - Deductive Thinking - Centered Mind - Focus/Concentration - Gamma Creativity Boost - Evening Memory Boost - Full Beta Spectrum - Full Gamma Spectrum * How Binaural Brainwave Entrainment Works * This app uses advanced Binaural Brainwave Entrainment to stimulate brainwave frequencies associated with different states of mind. These brainwave frequencies are in most cases inaudible and therefore must be induced through the use of binaural tones. In this process two different tones are played, one for one ear, and one for the other (headphones or earbuds must be used). When processing these two different tones the human brain perceives the difference as a beat matching the target brainwave frequency. The listener’s brainwaves synchronize with this beat due to the brain’s frequency following response.

About

Flow

Enhance your concentration and productivity with a scientifically proven method. This app divides your workflow into focused work intervals and scheduled breaks, helping you reduce stress and stay motivated. Ideal for work, study, or any task requiring deep focus.

Highlights
  • Pomodoro timer with work intervals and breaks
  • App and web blocking
  • Statistics tracking
  • Commitment mode
  • Inspirational quotes
  • Home & Lock Screen Widgets
Features
Read full description

Join hundreds of thousands of happy users who enjoy this simple way to stay focused and productive. Use Flow to get things done. Flow is a tiny but mighty app that helps you work on a task, study for school or simply stay focused without being distracted for a certain amount of time. Flow divides your workflow into sections with defined breaks, making it easy to stay focused. This method has been scientifically proven to be an effective way to increase your concentration and motivation while reducing your stress levels. The use of a Pomodoro timer can be a huge boost to your productivity. Use Flow to ... ... concentrate ... work on a task ... study for school ... code all night ... work from home Benefits of this technique • Improved focus and motivation • Increased productivity • Less stress and better health • Better management of interruptions Features • Pomodoro timer with work intervals and breaks • Statistics to keep track of your completed sessions • Notifications to remind you of short breaks • App and web blocking to combat distractions • Commitment mode for self-control • Inspirational quotes for motivation • Metronome for deep focus • Multiple duration options • Custom session title • Apple Calendar sync • Apple Health sync • iCloud sync of stats • Home & Lock Screen Widgets • Support for Live Activities & Dynamic Island YOU MATTER TO US We want to make Flow even better! Please give us your honest feedback in order to help us fix bugs and improve the app. We will regularly update Flow based on your feedback. Thank you! ABOUT US Yugen is a small independent developer studio based in Frankfurt, Germany. Our team is devoted to making great apps that we want to use ourselves. We strive to create products that help people in their everyday life with intuitive user experiences and minimalistic design. QUESTIONS? If you have any questions or problems, feel free to email us. We provide awesome support and love to help! www.flow.app support@flow.app Twitter: flow__app Facebook: flowapp.info Instagram: flowapp.info FLOW PRO Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled within 24-hours before the end of the current period through your Apple account. For more information, see our Terms of Use at https://www.flow.app/legal and Apple's Terms of Use (EULA) at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/.

Screenshots

BrainWave4 screens
Flow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Flow at Free against BrainWave's $4.99. Flow also leads on update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months) and device support (5 vs 3). BrainWave's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Flow is free to download; BrainWave costs $4.99 up front. Flow sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. BrainWave asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for BrainWave against 4.8 for Flow. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.2K and 1.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of BrainWave's written reviews are positive against 86% of Flow's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

BrainWave ships an update every 2 months, Flow every 4 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
BrainWave versus Flow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrainWaveFlow
Price$4.99Free — better
Rating4.9 (1.2K ratings) — better4.8 (1.7K ratings)
Positive reviews87.9% of reviews — better85.7% of reviews
Number of ratings1.2K1.7K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better
Requires iOS13.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size158 MB80 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBanzai LabsYugen GmbH

Customer experience

BrainWave

All ratings1,151 ratings
Positive98.4%
Neutral0.9%
Negative0.7%
Written reviews116 reviews
Positive87.9%
Neutral6.9%
Negative5.2%

Flow

All ratings1,746 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews566 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.9%
Negative9.4%

User reviews

BrainWave

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Helps with focus and concentration
  • 👍 Effective for ADHD and TBI
  • 🧠 Improves cognitive abilities
  • 💤 Aids in sleep and relaxation
  • 🎨 Enhances creativity and problem-solving

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes or audio issues
  • 🔇 Stops playing when notifications occur
  • 🔍 Cluttered interface could be simplified

Flow

From 1.7K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🚀 Minimalist and uncluttered design
  • 💡 Customizable work and break durations
  • 🔒 No ads or unnecessary features
  • 🤖 Responsive and helpful developers

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔇 Notification sound could be louder
  • 📊 Lack of detailed statistics and analytics
  • 🔀 Inability to pause or resume a flow session
  • 🖥️ Inability to minimize the timer window

Bugs and requests

BrainWave

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Alarm clock not working properly
  • Compatibility issues with older devices

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add more background sound options
  • Allow customization of sound mixes
  • Enable background playback while device is locked

Flow

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Live activity feature not working consistently
  • Timer not recording sessions accurately
  • App blocking functionality not working as expected
  • Crashes and freezes on certain macOS versions

Requested features

6 requests
  • Allow custom work and break durations
  • Add option to pause and resume flow sessions
  • Implement real-time sync across devices
  • Provide more detailed productivity tracking and reporting
  • Include an Apple Watch app with complication support
Show 1 more
  • Add ability to block notifications from certain apps during flows

In-app purchases

None

BrainWave

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Flow

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Plan7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan14 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime Pro Access$39.99

Questions

Is BrainWave free?
BrainWave costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Flow free?
Flow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, BrainWave or Flow?
BrainWave is rated higher. BrainWave averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while Flow averages 4.8 from 1.7K ratings.
Do BrainWave or Flow have ads?
Neither BrainWave nor Flow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, BrainWave or Flow?
BrainWave ships an update every 2 months, and Flow every 4 weeks. Most recently, BrainWave was updated on September 23, 2026 and Flow on September 23, 2026.

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