Dr.DIO · Alternative to Endel

An Endel alternative built from composed music

Endel generates soundscapes that adapt to time of day, weather and heart rate. Dr.DIO takes a simpler route: real tracks from one studio, arranged into free stations that follow the hour.

Free, no ads12 hourly stations119 hour long mixes

Choose a track Club: no credit line

Endel and Dr.DIO side by side

	Endel	Dr.DIO
Price	App Store lists $119.99 a year among several plans	Free radio; Club $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year
Free plan	Free edition with a limited set of soundscapes	Full radio free, no ads
Sound	Generative, adaptive soundscapes	Composed tracks, mostly instrumental
Adapts to	Time of day, weather, heart rate	Stations follow the hour of the day
Where it plays	iOS, Android, Apple Watch, Mac, Windows, web, TV, Alexa, Apple Vision	Web, iPhone app, CarPlay, YouTube LIVE; Android coming
Catalog	Generated sound, plus static albums on streaming services	2,298 original tracks from one studio
Good fit for	Adaptive sound on many devices	Free music in the background

When Endel is the better choice

Endel works on far more devices than Dr.DIO, including a standalone Apple Watch app, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Alexa and Apple Vision. Its sound reacts in real time to inputs such as weather and heart rate, which Dr.DIO does not do.

It is well rated, with 4.6 out of 5 from 34K ratings on the US App Store, and it covers sleep and relaxation as well as focus. Dr.DIO is not a sleep product.

When Dr.DIO fits better

If you prefer music with melodies and structure to generated sound, Dr.DIO plays composed downtempo, ambient, deep house and synthwave. Twelve stations follow the hour, such as Deep Focus by day and Night Calm late at night.

The full radio is free with no ads. On Endel the free edition has a limited set of soundscapes and no background mode, per its App Store description. Endel does not publish prices on its own site, while Dr.DIO lists Club at $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year.

Dr.DIO is smaller and runs on fewer devices: web, iPhone, CarPlay and YouTube, with Android coming.

How to try Dr.DIO

Open drdio.studio and press play on the station for the current hour.
Install the iPhone app from the App Store, or listen in CarPlay.
Sign in with Google or Apple for a free account with skips, likes and playlists.
Choose Club at $2.99 a month if you want offline listening and no skip limits.

Checked in October 2026

The facts about Endel on this page come from its own website, its terms and public sources as they stood in October 2026. Prices and terms change, so check the current ones on the Endel site before you decide.

Picked from the catalogue

Tracksfor it

All tracks

Skyline Cold

You sway slow above a distant skyline. Ambient in a piano as cold as the glass

57 bpmC minor3:34

Rooftop Blue

Rooftop downtempo before the sun comes up. You sway with a guitar at a cold distance

97 bpmA minor4:59

Planet Calm

A guitar beside you over a glass lake. Your thoughts sway across the planetary calm

83 bpmG minor3:48

Canyon Stone

Ambient piano set back by canyon stone. Your shoulders hold a glass sun shower

62 bpmD minor3:15

Cold Air

You sway alone down a flooded street. An ambient piano at a glassy distance

53 bpmB minor2:40

Gothic Ruin

Your breath slows and holds before dawn. Ambient synth in a desolate gothic ruin

60 bpmF minor3:03

Gilded Dusk

Downtempo beside the bench, not above it. A gilded piano at dusk, and you sway along

82 bpmG minor3:48

Iron Glass

A guitar like iron glass in warehouse dust. You lean on the wall and it holds far off

61 bpmD minor2:12

Questions

Is there a free alternative to Endel?

Dr.DIO radio is free with no ads: 12 stations of composed music from one studio. It does not adapt to heart rate or weather; stations change with the hour of the day.

How much does Endel cost?

Endel lists no prices on its own site. The US App Store shows several in app prices, from $2.99 to $19.99 for a month, $34.99 to $119.99 for a year and $124.99 lifetime, with $119.99 a year the most often listed.

Does Endel have a lifetime plan?

The US App Store lists a $124.99 lifetime purchase. Dr.DIO has no lifetime plan; Club is $29.99 a year and the radio is free.

Is Endel worth it?

That depends on what you want. Endel gives adaptive sound on many devices and is well rated. If you want composed music for free, Dr.DIO radio is an option. Some 2026 Trustpilot reviews complain about trials turning into an annual charge of about $119, so check the trial terms.

How does Endel compare with Brain.fm?

Endel generates adaptive soundscapes; Brain.fm uses its own neural modulation. Dr.DIO is different from both: plain music radio of original tracks, with no claims about focus.