5Rhythms vs Expand
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
5Rhythms
Discover and book movement classes and workshops globally. Access exclusive in-home practice sessions and music. Track your progress and connect with teachers and the community.
- Find and book classes worldwide
- Access exclusive mini-waves for home practice
- Listen to music collection
- Watch community perspectives
- Student logging for progress tracking
- In-app messaging with teachers
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Take your 5Rhythms practice with you wherever you are in the world! Find and book weekly classes & workshops in 55+ countries on 6 continents. Access exclusive mini-waves for your own quick in-home daily practice (in-app purchase) and access Raven Recording's music collection. Watch/Listen to perspectives and be inspired by the art of our community as we look through the 5Rhythms lens in our every day lives. Student Logging to track your dancing path towards our teacher training programs. In-app messaging with teachers and organizer. Created by Gabrielle Roth and practiced by tens of thousands worldwide, 5Rhythms® is a philosophy, perspective, performance art and a dynamic movement practice rooted in the principle that if you put the psyche in motion it will heal itself. Movement is both the medicine and the metaphor, reaching across all languages, cultures and age groups to transform suffering into art, art into awareness, and awareness into action. Wherever the 5Rhythms are practiced, a community is born to dance, to sweat, to change, to support, and to provide a safe space for each of us to shatter the ego’s hold and awaken the juicy, unpredictable, fascinating, edge-walking, rock star part of ourselves that yearns to be free. Creativity. Connection. Community.
Expand
Access profound states of expanded awareness with guided meditations and proprietary sound science. Explore topics like relaxation, joy, insight, and sleep to foster meaning, relieve stress, and release unwanted patterns. Discover inner wisdom and joy through active imagination and perception.
- 100+ guided meditations
- Monroe Sound Science audio technology
- Multi-day mini-courses
- Guided reflection and journaling
- Custom-generated soundscapes
- Focus on active imagination and perception
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From the world-renowned Monroe Institute, Expand helps you access deeper states of awareness to reduce stress, improve sleep, and cultivate greater meaning, clarity, and purpose. Powered by Monroe Sound Science, our proprietary audio technology, Expand uses targeted soundwave patterns to support unique states of consciousness and focused inner exploration. Through guided sessions, courses, and immersive sound experiences, you can uncover insight, release unwanted patterns, and reconnect with your inner wisdom. Inside Expand, you’ll find: • 100+ guided meditations and consciousness-expanding exercises • Multi-day mini-courses and structured practice paths • Guided reflection and journaling tools • Custom-generated soundscapes designed for specific brainwave states • Programs for both beginners and experienced practitioners Explore sessions across topics including: • Relaxation & Healing • Joy & Meaning • Insight & Intuition • Sleep & Dreaming • Healthy Relationships • Creativity & Manifestation • Beyond the Physical Unlike typical meditation apps focused only on clearing the mind, Expand encourages active imagination, perception, and intentional practice to help you achieve specific outcomes. About The Monroe Institute The Monroe Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and a global leader in the study and practice of expanded consciousness. Founded in the early 1970s as a research and educational organization, Monroe offers transformative learning through the Expand app, virtual programs, and in-person retreats on its 300-acre Virginia campus and in countries worldwide. Subscription Pricing and Terms Expand offers auto-renewing subscription options: • $69.99/year • $11.99/month Payment is charged to your App Store account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged within 24 hours prior to renewal. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings. Terms of Service: https://info.monroeinstitute.org/expand-app-terms-of-use Privacy Policy: https://info.monroeinstitute.org/expand-app-privacy-policy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Expand at Free against 5Rhythms's $1.99. Expand also leads on ratings volume (292 vs 8) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). 5Rhythms's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and rating (4.4 vs 4.0). On in-app purchases and device support 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
Expand is free to download; 5Rhythms costs $1.99 up front. 5Rhythms sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Expand sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
5Rhythms holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Expand has 292 ratings behind it against 8, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of 5Rhythms's written reviews are positive against 49% of Expand's.
5Rhythms ships an update every 2 months, Expand every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 15, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | 5Rhythms | Expand |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.4 (8 ratings) — better | 4.0 (292 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 60.0% of reviews — better | 49.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 8 | 292 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 16.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 5Rhythms Global Inc | THE MONROE INSTITUTE |
Customer experience
5Rhythms
Expand
Bugs and requests
5Rhythms
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Expand
Reported bugs
4 issues- Paid but no play
- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Sound shuts off when the iphone goes to sleep
Requested features
4 requests- Longer guided meditations
- What's new section for meditations
- Ability to turn off background music
- Monthly charge option
In-app purchases
5Rhythms
- Beating Drums$2.99
- Nemah Wave$2.99
- ReUnion$2.99
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- Peaceful waves$2.99
Expand
- Expand Plus Monthly$11.991 Month
- Expand Plus Yearly$69.991 Year








