Dhamma.org vs Vīrya Guided
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dhamma.org
Explore Vipassana meditation techniques and find residential courses worldwide. Access audio and video resources, apply for courses, and manage your user account. This app offers a path to self-purification through self-observation.
- Learn about Vipassana Meditation
- Find worldwide course locations
- Search courses by date, region, language
- Apply and register for courses
- Download/stream audio and video resources
- Manage user account and application forms
- Access group sitting recordings
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This is the official DhammaOrg iOS mobile App for Vipassana Meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Vipassana Meditation Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. It was taught in India more than 2500 years ago as a universal remedy for universal ills, an Art of Living. Vipassana is the process of self-purification by self-observation. One begins by observing the natural breath to concentrate the mind. Then, with a sharpened awareness, one proceeds to observe the changing nature of body and mind and experiences the universal truths of impermanence, suffering and egolessness. This truth-realization by direct experience results in mental purification. Courses The technique of Vipassana Meditation is taught at 10-day residential courses during which participants learn the basics of the method, and practice sufficiently to experience its beneficial results. There are no charges for the courses - not even to cover the cost of food and accommodation. All expenses are met by donations from people who, having completed a course and experienced the benefits of Vipassana, wish to give others the opportunity to also benefit. Locations Courses are given in numerous Meditation Centers and at Non-Center course locations. Each location has its own schedule of courses. In most cases, an application for admission to these courses can be completed online using this App. There are numerous Centers currently in operation and more in development around the world, including Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Features of this App - Learn more about Vipassana Meditation. - Find locations near you that offer Vipassana Meditation courses from a complete worldwide listing or map of over 300 locations spread across 80+ countries. - Locate Vipassana Meditation courses using search criteria such as dates, regions, and instruction languages. - Apply and register to attend a Vipassana Meditation course. - Download or listen online to audio resources in different languages, including 10-Day Discourses and instructions for Mini- Ānāpāna meditation. - Stream videos in different languages, including 10-Day Discourses, Talks, Interviews, and Q&As by S.N. Goenka, Documentaries about Vipassana for adults and children, Vipassana for business executives and Vipassana in prisons, and a Mini-Ānāpāna Introduction and Practice. - Support for creating and maintaining individual user account - Pre-fill course application forms with profile information from user account - Sync user account with updated information provided on application forms Old Students - One hour group sitting recordings in 25+ different languages. - Play group sitting recordings with an option to log your daily sittings. All logged data is only stored locally on your device. - Turn on group sitting counter to join and see how many Old Students are currently meditating. - Find information about group sittings and other events hosted near you or hosted online. - Additional audio resources, including discourses for Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta, 1/2/3-day, and 7-day teenager courses; Morning Chantings and Dohas for 10-day courses; Special Chantings; Talks, Interviews, and Q&As by S.N. Goenka; Pāḷi Training; and Gong Sounds. - Additional video resources, including Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta Discourses, Benefits of Dhamma Service, Talks, Interviews, and Q&As by S.N. Goenka for Old Students and Dhamma Servers, and Special Chantings in the Gem Set in Gold. - A wealth of written resources including the Old Student Guide, Course Formalities and Pāḷi Passages, Group Sittings Chantings, the 10-Day Discourse Summaries, Glossary of Pāḷi Terms, FAQs about doing a Self Course, information about the Chain of Teachers in this Tradition, information about Dhamma Service, and Dāna. - Administer standard or customized self courses
Vīrya Guided
This app guides users through a unique meditation practice using Auto Self-Transcending (AST) and proprietary biofeedback technology. It tracks physiological and brain activity to quantify recovery and enhance well-being, offering personalized insights and habit-building support.
- Auto Self-Transcending (AST) meditation
- Transcendometer® biofeedback technology
- EEG and Apple Watch integration
- Self-Regulation Quality Index (SRQI)
- VLĪS Analytics for subjective experience tracking
- Habit Assist AI notifications
- Unwind & Realign Guided Series
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The Practice - Meditating to Transcend using AST. Auto Self Transcending (AST) Meditation uses effortless bija-mantra repetition to enter pure awareness, akin to stilling the mind in deep sleep, but with full self-awareness. This ancient Vedic-Śramana practice involves two phases: inward (transcending) and outward (normalization), mimicking the restorative effects of sleep. It fosters neurophysiological balance while enhancing conscious experience. Benefits include improved memory, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Our Technology - Experience the New Era of Transcending Meditation with Transcendometer® Vīrya’s Transcendometer® is our proprietary engine for objectively measuring Auto Self-Transcending (AST) meditation. In our Guided app, the Apple Watch Ōura ring & WHOOP Band captures real-time data on your body’s recovery—tracking key markers of physiological normalization and stress relief—while our EEG app records precise brain activity to pinpoint transcending moments. Our Self-Regulation Quality Index (SRQI) quantifies how effectively your body recovers during Dive sessions by analyzing heart rate decreases along with metrics like HR variability, sleep quality, calories burned, and workouts. Each session refines your personalized biometric model, providing actionable insights to optimize recovery, elevate well-being, and transform your transcending journey. Engage in Transcendometer® Dive sessions on our EEG and Guided apps to build a personalized biometric model that boosts your health and well-being through daily transcending analysis. VLĪS Analytics Remembering every detail of your transcending sessions can be challenging. With Virya's VLĪS Analytics, you can effortlessly track the subjective experiences that follow your meditation and view your progress in a clear, easy-to-read chart—giving you a chance to reflect on your journey. When combined with Transcendometer® Heart Tracking, it creates your personalized biometric model, designed to enhance your health and well-being through detailed analysis of your daily transcending practice. Habit powered by Transcendometer® Building a 20-minute, twice-daily habit can be challenging. Habit Assist AI notifications help you stay consistent, boosting your transcending endurance—even on busy days. Paired with Transcendometer® Heart Tracking, which monitors your biometric model, you’ll see measurable changes in normalization between sessions and notice the impact of any missed ones. Unwind & Realign Series: MindStill-ness x MindFull-ness. Begin with the Unwind Guided Series to cultivate mindfulness and heighten your present-moment awareness before your transcending session. Then, enhance your practice with the Realign Series—a guided gratitude journey that uses the power of mindfulness and the law of attraction to manifest your desires after your session. I meditate to Tranścend. During the Tranścend Program using neurofeedback and brain-computer interfacing (BCI), you’ve built the foundation of your personalized biometric AI model. Enhance that foundation with our Guided Transcendometer® Heart Tracking, which continually refines your model with data-driven insights to elevate your overall well-being. Other Traditional Brands. Traditional approaches like Transcendental Meditation, Vedic Meditation, Sahaj Samadhi, Ziva Technique, and 1GiantMind lack the seamless integration of personalized biofeedback that puts real-time insights into your health and well-being at your fingertips during your daily transcending practice. Our technology and services are designed to enhance your daily transcending practice by fostering mental stability, cognitive and emotional intelligence, and a healthier, more successful life. Vīrya's Guided Transcendometer® app and its ECG analysis are not intended for the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of any medical condition. Terms Of Use : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
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Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Dhamma.org at 4.8 against Vīrya Guided's 4.0. Dhamma.org also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and ratings volume (189 vs 5). Vīrya Guided's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 85%). On price, update cadence, ads 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
Both are free to download. Vīrya Guided sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Dhamma.org asks for nothing beyond the download.
Dhamma.org holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dhamma.org has 189 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 85% of Dhamma.org's written reviews are positive against 100% of Vīrya Guided's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Dhamma.org ships an update fortnightly, Vīrya Guided every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dhamma.org | Vīrya Guided |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (189 ratings) — better | 4.0 (5 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 189 — better | 5 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 2 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 134 MB | 302 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | SAYATGYI U BA KHIN MEMORIAL TRUST OF MASSACHUSSETS, INC | Evocate Media LLC |
Customer experience
Dhamma.org
Vīrya Guided
In-app purchases
Dhamma.org
No in-app purchases
Vīrya Guided
- Monthly Subscription Plan3 Days trial$6.991 Month
- Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
Questions
Is Dhamma.org free?
Is Vīrya Guided free?
Which has better reviews, Dhamma.org or Vīrya Guided?
Do Dhamma.org or Vīrya Guided have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dhamma.org or Vīrya Guided?
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