Pzizz

30-second review

Pzizz is a relaxation app that makes use of psychoacoustics, with 'dreamscapes' to help you sleep, and 'focuscsapes' to improve concentration.

Put simply, a team of dedicated engineers and developers have created audio recordings that combine music, rhythms, sounds, narrative and more to create the perfect mood.

The app has three aims, helping you settle down and stay asleep at night, enjoy reinvigorating power naps when you need a pick-me-up during the day, and improve and maintain focus when you're at risk of distraction at work.

All three modules, Sleep, Nap and Focus, are highly customizable, with a large number of audio tracks to choose from – but the free version of the app is limited to Sleep and Nap modes with a single track.

Price and availability

There are iOS and Android versions of Pzizz, with free and pro editions available.

You get a free one-week trial of pro, after which you can either continue with the limited free version or pay a subscription of $9.99 (about £7 / AU$14) per month or $69.99 (about £50 / AU$100) per year.

Features

The research and science driven soundscapes are key to the success of Pzizz and the reason it is so effective. The app may offer fewer options and features than some sleep app, but in focusing on key areas it is not padded with any filler.

Everything is here for a reason, and works precisely as it should. If you want to sleep, the varied 'dreamscapes' will get you nod off; if you need to sharpen up, the 'focuscapes' will help you to do just this. Pzizz is so effective, it’s almost like magic.

Experience

You would be forgiven for glancing at Pzizz and moving on, but looks can be deceptive. Although the app is easy to use, it's also sophisticated.

Fire up Pzizz, and you're presented with three options – Sleep, Nap or Focus. Each of these modules works in very much the same way, albeit with different goals in mind. Having made your selection, you can go ahead and start to customize your experience.

(Image credit: Pzizz)

Sleeping, napping, and focusing can be time-limited or left open ended, and you have the option of setting reminders for each if you want. To minimize distractions, Pzizz lets you mute notifications while the app is active.

For sleeping and napping, you can choose audio dreamscapes to listen to, as a well as soothing narrations. The timing of music and speech can be tweaked to your liking, and you can specify how you would like to be woken up – either with a voice option or a wake-up sequence.

Focus mode works in much the same way, but you choose from a list of attention-tuning focuscspes instead, and choose how frequently tracks should change to help you concentrate. There's also a handy 'cool down' option, which is a gentle sequence to ease you out of focus mode and back to a more normal state.

Audio quality is great, and if you’re comfortable with headphones, the 3D audio option is another experience entirely. It’s very impressive and effective, and comes highly recommended

Download it if

You value simplicity
Pzizz is a straightforward app that delivers on its promise to help you sleep and focus without the need for complex configuration

You want results
Pzizz helps insomnia or lack of focus using audio techniques that are proven to be genuinely useful, rather than just sounding nice

Don't download it if

You like the idea of mood-tracking or journaling
Pzizz is a purely audio experience that doesn't enable you to keep notes

You want to monitor your sleep
The aim of Pzizz is to get you to sleep; it’s down to you to judge the quality of your sleep.

• We've rated and ranked the best sleep trackers and white noise machines