About the Companies
Focus@will is a new neuroscience based web tool that uses phase sequenced instrumental music to increase your attention span up to 400% when working, studying, writing and reading.
Coffitivity delivers the vibe of a coffee shop right to your desktop, which means when your workspace just isn’t quite cutting it, we’ve got you covered.
Usage Comparison
Focus@will allows you to choose between Classical, Focus Spa, Up Tempo, Alpha Chill, Acoustical, Cinematic or Ambient music. This allows you to control your mood. You can also set a timer to run for a specific period of time after which it will ask you how the productivity of your session was with the options being 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%. A chart is then built so you can look back on your productivity.
Coffitivity on the other hand plays a continuous loop of sounds from a coffee shop and doesn’t offer the same flexibility. I found myself getting used to hearing certain laughs which instead of keeping me focused actually made me focus on the sound itself.
Cost
Focus@will is free, but they do have a 3 week trial period of unlimited listening after which they provide you with the option or paying $3.99 per month (or $34.99 per year) for continued full access or you can continue to use a 100 minute per session time limited version of the system.
Coffitivity currently has no restrictions and is free.
Conclusion
I used Coffitivity and enjoyed it aside from the obvious looping until I found focus@will. I find it to work better for my style. The music is always changing so you can’t hear any looping and if I’m not in the mood for Alpha Chill I can switch it to something else.
If you are looking to work to ambient sound I would recommend you check them both out and see which one works best for you.
Focus@will – http://www.focusatwill.com
Coffitivity – http://www.coffitivity.com
focus@will has major flaws in usage and accountability. I have tried using focus@will but have found that my account does not stick, meaning that within a couple days my account is discontinued and I need to start a new account. This accountability is extremely frustrating when their support function is in a paradox where to get help you need to be logged in, but to log in you need a functional account. So in order for my account to be fixed I need to get a new one and message them, but then my account get’s dropped the next day and the cycle starts over again. This has happened 4 times already and I’m done. The product is great but the structure and management of the site is terrible and a huge detriment to the overall acceptability of the service. Until they fix this issue by either improving their accountability or access to support without the need to log in, I am giving them 1/5.