# EMDR — user reviews > 48 indexed App Store user reviews of EMDR by Bas Oppenheim, rated 4.40/5 from 170 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emdr/id1572102565/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emdr/id1572102565.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 133 · 4★ 11 · 3★ 6 · 2★ 6 · 1★ 14 ## What do users think of EMDR? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 👍 Effective EMDR tool - 💡 Highly customizable - 🚀 Works well on iPhone/iPad - ✨ Clean interface - 🎧 Supports audio cues - 👆 Supports visual cues - 📳 Supports vibration feedback - 🎮 Controller support (Joy-Cons) - 👨‍⚕️ Useful for therapists - 🏠 Affordable at-home solution **Cons** - 💸 Subscription model criticized - 🐌 Slow on Macbook - 📱 Apple TV app broken - 🚫 No free trial clarity - ⚠️ Upsell windows disrupt sessions - 🔒 Photo/video library access concern - 📉 Speed options limited - ❓ Lacks guidance - ⏳ Trial period too short - 🚗 Takes over car audio **Commonly reported bugs** - Apple Watch app won't launch after update - Sound issues (thudding noise, stereo problems) - Apple TV app doesn't work - Session disrupted by upsell window - App crashes when selecting features - Sound doesn't work after purchasing - App doesn't work without internet - Trial starts without warning - Trial period doesn't work - App doesn't play in background or when screen is locked **Most requested features** - Gradient effect for circle - More customization for circle - Alternating controller vibration - Timer feature - Slower BPM options (down to 30) - More frame rates per second - Additional movements (Achten, Kreise) - Slower option for Slow EMDR - Use two Nintendo controllers for each hand - Pitch control for tone option - Option for 48 repeats - Ability to run with screen locked or in background - Manual input for repetitions and speed ## Newest reviews (14 of 48) ### 4/5 — Sound issues *2026-05-13, version 2.3.1* I like the app. I am an early supporter. And I’m glad that I was. However, I have recently started experiencing issues with the sound on both my iPad Pro 2 gen and iPhone pro. It makes this annoying thudding like noise and I believe the stereo is not working perfectly either. With that said, I was hoping they would introduce more customization features for the circle. It has not materialized yet. ### 2/5 — Simple but no timer? *2025-07-07, version 2.1.7* It’s a simple app without guidance. Wish it had a timer. ### 4/5 — Es una gran aplicación pero la falta algo importante *2025-07-01, version 2.1.7* Lo único que le falta es que los mandos vibren de manera alterna, mando derecho y luego mando izquierdo, eso haría que se pudiese trabajar también con la vibración y no solo de manera ocular. Ojalá introduzcáis pronto esta mejora. Muchas Gracias ### 2/5 — Insanely Fast w/ No Adjustments Possible *2025-06-21* I’m no expert. All I know about EMDR is the years. I did it in therapy with a trained professional but the first thing they typically do is let you choose your own speed. For this app, the options are very fast or unbelievably fast. How on earth are not a toggle that goes way down to 30 BPM. If we’re talking about reprogramming the nervous system, different peoples nervous system need different things and if it’s super Duper fast, it’s always going to be up regulating for people who might not need that at all. Wild! ### 3/5 — Just be aware of monthly charges *2025-02-02, version 2.1.7* Would be a great fit for someone able to afford. App works well ### 2/5 — Приложение платное. *2024-12-23* Вам предлагают бесплатно попробовать его лишь на один месяц. Очень огорчило. ### 4/5 — Muy bien *2024-07-25, version 2.1.7* La app está genial, yola mejoraría facilitando que se pudieran usar los dos mandos de la Nintendo ( joy r y joy l) para cada mano usando el móvil solamente como panel de control. Por otro lado si pongo una frecuencia alta y uso el Apple watch algunas veces no sincroniza bien, pero no se si es problema de la app. Gracias ### 1/5 — Total rip off. *2023-10-02, version 2.0.3* $50/month! Are you joking. An app of this quality should be free ### 2/5 — I felt I needed to delete this app - photo security concerns *2023-09-22* For some reason this app had complete access to my photo and video library after I tried out one photo. I couldn’t change this so I had to delete the app. **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. If you choose to set an image as wallpaper, the iPhone’s built-in photo library sheet is shown, but the EMDR app is only allowed access to the photo you select from here. The EMDR app purposefully never seeks complete access to your photo and video library, which is why there’s no prompt or privacy setting to (dis)allow full access. Of note, this careful approach is in sharp contrast to most apps on the market. I hope that this clarifies your concern, and hope that you'll reconsider your review. Edit: as of version 2.0.5 (November 15 2023), we've updated the EMDR app's wallpaper picker to make this information more accessible. ### 1/5 — Fart head makers with is of 1 *2023-06-22* Low iq ### 4/5 — Seems fantastic *2023-06-17* ⚡️ ### 1/5 — This app does not play in background *2023-04-06* This app does not play in background or when screen is locked **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We added background playback options in version 1.8.3 but the background playback toggle was set to "off" by default. We changed this in version 1.8.4, so you can simply update to enable background playback for active sessions. On a side note, we still have a lot of related functionality planned, so if you’d like to have some input, please get in touch via emdr@appsfortheliving.com. ### 3/5 — Its slow *2022-12-30, version 1.8.2* The bilateral is slow on the computer but works well on the phone. I have a Macbook pro. ### 4/5 — Great App! *2022-12-02, version 1.8.2* I have used the app for a few days. I like it. It is simple and easy to use and some options. It works really well on an iphone and ipad, but it does not work well at all on a Macbook Air, not sure why, and knocking 1 star for that. My favorite combo is side to side visual flashing and the auditory beeps simultaneously. You can have it run for 24 flashes (1 dose) and then do a quick tap if you want more, or keep it running non stop. I like to do 24 flashes, take a deep breath, and then tap screen to run it again. My plan is to use it whenever I am upset/triggered. Thank you for creating it Bas. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — New update is terrible *2026-06-18, version 2.4.2* I haven’t been able to use the app with my Apple Watch since the last update. I’ve tried restarting both devices. Deleting and reloading. The Apple Watch app won’t launch at all, so I can pair the watch. And I just paid for a subscription so I can use it again. This sucks. ### 1/5 — Apple TV app is Completely Broken *2026-01-13* This is a good app on iPhone and iPad but the Apple TV app just doesn’t work. Any hard click function on a remote starts the animation up. Even when navigating in settings. Idk how you can rationalize charging a subscription when core functionality on a platform is borked. ### 1/5 — Greed *2025-11-19, version 2.2.2* I don’t understand. You read these negative reviews critically criticizing your work, for fair reasons, such as unnecessary subscriptions and blatant attempts at cash grabs, on an app that, otherwise would prosper in the market. Yet, instead of listening to the people who took interest in your work, you watch it suffocate and die out as you saturate it with cash grabs. It’s extremely disappointing to observe the future developers, as they skewer their hard work with in app purchases and adding ads onto their work. Sure you make extra cash, but you sold out your in app’s or in game’s experience. And as a developer, that’s just sad. You as a developer could’ve been a change to the mobile app store landscape, yet you contributed to an already saturated market of apps and games with paywalls and in app purchases and ads, making you just another D class dev. Do better. ### 1/5 — Free app now requires subscription *2025-03-14* This used to be a simple, effective app. It moved a ball left and right with an option to change speed. That’s all I ever needed or wanted. Now I can’t do this without paying 4.99 per month. I suspiciously feel as if a lot of developers do this kind of nonsense now. They release free apps, wait for you to depend on them, then force you to upgrade to a version that won’t run without a paid subscription. If they would have simply just come right out of the gate requiring a subscription instead of making it free first, I might have actually considered subscribing. ### 1/5 — This app is useless without a subscription *2025-02-12* The title says it all. ### 1/5 — Can’t figure out app without subscription *2025-01-26* Can’t even try the app or figure out what the apps about without giving it your credit card in signing up for a free and I do the rabbit quotes around free subscription for seven days where if you don’t remember to go in and cancel your subscription, then it automatically charges you and half the time I can’t even remember where to go to find where my subscriptions are to cancel. I don’t understand these developers, I am a flutter developer and I don’t do this to my client. If you like my app you’re gonna pay for it and buy it. If you don’t, you’re not going to and it just makes it a hassle in the long run for me anyways when I get a review from Apple so it’s just better to let the client actually see what the app is about and then if they like it in 30 days no pay for it it’s not that difficult. It’s basic common sense. ### 1/5 — Meh *2025-01-22, version 2.1.7* Look, the only time E MDR therapy has worked for me is with a live therapist who moved a pencil rapidly back and forth, and then rapidly moved it upwards suddenly to end the session. It resulted in an instantaneous and immediate removal of my anxiety which both times was extremely severe. Miraculous. However, none of these apps seem to have any effect. They are missing the crucial upwards and away movement that provides the catalyst for the immediate effect. This is just dots moving back and forth like all the rest ### 1/5 — Session disrupted by upsell window *2024-08-02* This app seems pretty good, but it has a fatal flaw that severly compromises its usefullness. My therapist pays something like $30/month for the ability to be able to control EMDR sessions over the Internet. I'm using the free App on my Mac to connect to a session controlled by my therapist. I'm using Nintendo Joycon for their vibration feedback. My session keeps getting interrupted when the controllers stop vibrating. It took me a while to figure out why, but now I know that it happens if I accidentally click a button on one of the diamond pads. When I do, the App pops up a window that is trying to upsell me on a subscription that I have no need for (because my therapist is already paying) and when that happens, it stops driving the controllers. This app seems well thought through, otherwise, but this thoughtless monetization play severly undermines the value proposition for paying customers and their clients. ### 1/5 — App doesn’t work without internet *2024-05-10* If your not connected to the internet the app will have a button that says try 1 month free and won’t let you use it even if you’ve already purchased the app. **Developer response:** Thank you for your feedback. We added background playback options in version 1.8.3 and 1.8.4, so you can simply update to enable background playback for active sessions. On a side note, we still have a lot of related functionality planned, so if you’d like to have some input, please get in touch via emdr@appsfortheliving.com. Edit: regarding your updated review - did you perhaps redownload the app, so that it simply needed to revalidate your purchase (for which it requires an internet connection)? If not, let's solve it! Please let us know via emdr@appsfortheliving.com which type of device you're using. ### 1/5 — Was a 1-time purchase that worked great *2024-02-08, version 2.1.1* Now they’ve disabled some functionality on an app I’ve enjoyed for years and they want a subscription. Nope. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Excellent but *2026-03-06, version 2.2.2* I used almost all of the Emdr apps, and I think this one is the best one in the market —at the risk of sounding like a bot or advertisement. But I have one request: I have noticed that Emdr works best for me when the circle has a gradient effect towards the middle down to a solid tiny point, giving my eyes a pinpoint target to focus on. Could this be implemented in a future update, please? Other than that, I want to say without going into details that your app has helped me tremendously. I’m sure it’s the same for many others. So, I really thank you all for that. ### 5/5 — EMDR *2024-03-07* Very good APP for use in self-administered EMDR therapy. Very good. It is worth spending the small fee for full use of all the functions. Additionally, response for help from the developer is fast, competent and adds great value to this purchase. ### 5/5 — Great EMDR tool. Adjustable with controller support. *2023-07-20* This is a great EMDR tool. I can adjust tone, rate, and visual cues. With controller support I use a pair of Nintendo Joy-Cons as my bilateral ‘buzzers’ and control the start/stop of cues. This has helped me practice without distractions. I use a small tabletop tripod to hold my phone horizontally for visual cues and use the controllers as my buzzers and a pair of headphones for my audio cues. Truly 5 stars and worth it to have an affordable at home/travel solution to EMDR. ### 5/5 — She *2023-06-26* Hjjj ### 5/5 — EMDR *2023-06-07* Very good APP for use in self-administered EMDR therapy. Very good. It is worth spending the small fee for full use of all the functions. Additionally, response for help from the developer is fast, competent and adds great value to this purchase. ### 5/5 — Best EMDR app available at the moment! *2022-10-26, version 1.8.2* As an experienced EMDR therapist, I can say this is the most useful EMDR app available at the moment. I like the flexibility it provides and that it incorporates features based on the latest research in EMDR. Well done! ### 5/5 — Best EMDR app you can get *2022-10-16, version 1.8.2* IMO this is the best EMDR app out there right now. It does audio, visual and tactile stimulation and is highly customizable. It can use bluetooth gaming controllers as tappers and to control starting and stopping the session. I'm using it with a pair of official Nintndo Switch Joycons and they are perfect as tappers. Great support: The developer was very helpful in smoothing out a couple kinks. ### 5/5 — Super simpel und effektiv *2022-09-27, version 1.7.2* Das einzige was ich mir noch wünschen würde wären mehr frame rates per second und weitere Bewegungen (Achten, Kreise). Und vielleicht eine noch etwas langsamere Option für Slow EMDR. Aber für einfaches EMDR ist es eine angenehm simple und super easy App. Super. ### 5/5 — Best app for this, period *2022-08-14* I don’t know how other apps have higher reviews. They must prompt people to rate them in the App Store. This is a simple highly effective interface with everything you need. ### 5/5 — Brilliant app - kudos to the developer *2022-07-07, version 1.6.2* The configurable design makes this app so flexible. Using the local control feature means you can remote control multiple other devices meaning you can create two vibration tappers, audio and visual synchronised therapy session or any combination thereof… all controlled remotely. A very affordable, effective and well thought through solution. The only suggestion we have is that you provide pitch control for the tone option so you can lower or raise the pitch based on personal preference. Well done. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-22.*