Comparison

Wind Down vs ARC Community

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Wind Down

This app uses a pulsing light projected onto your ceiling to guide your breathing and help you fall asleep faster. It's designed to be used in a darkened room, with adjustable settings for breathing rate and color.

Highlights
  • Pulsing light projection
  • Adjustable breathing frequency
  • Sunset color lighting
  • Adjustable timer
  • Separate settings for men and women
Features
Read full description

zzZ is a calm, ambient breathing light for the end of the day. Free to try. No account. No notifications. Place your iPhone or iPad on the nightstand, follow the glow, and let your breath slow to the rhythm that research has linked to better sleep. THE METHOD Slow-paced breathing at around six cycles per minute — a rate known as "resonance breathing" — is associated in published studies with reduced sleep-onset latency, fewer nighttime awakenings, and greater parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) activity (Laborde et al., 2022; Hamasaki, 2020). A longer exhale than inhale is linked to increased vagal tone and heart-rate variability (Laborde et al., 2024; Jerath et al., 2006). zzZ starts at a comfortable pace (around ten breaths per minute) and gently eases you down to roughly six over two to three minutes — the same descent pattern used in heart-rate-variability biofeedback protocols. You simply follow the breathing orb, or close your eyes and feel the gentle haptic swell on each inhale and exhale. DESIGNED FOR THE NIGHTSTAND - Eyes-closed mode — a gentle haptic pulse marks every inhale and exhale, so you can put the phone face-down and let the rhythm do the rest - Full-screen breath orb — no menus, no chrome, no ads - Melatonin-friendly Red Night theme (plus Warm Amber, Moonglow, Aurora) - Optional ambient bed (pink noise, brown noise, soft rain, or silent) - Optional breath chime cues - Works beautifully on iPad in landscape — a true bedside breathing lamp PRESETS - Sleep Descent — guided 10 → 6 BPM wind-down (default) - Deep Resonance — steady 5.5 BPM, vagal activation - 4-7-8 — the Weil technique - Box — even four-count for calm focus PRIVACY BY DESIGN No third-party tracking. No third-party analytics. No ads. No account required. Completed sessions can optionally be written to Apple Health as Mindful Minutes — all other data stays on your device. ACCESSIBILITY Supports Dynamic Type, VoiceOver labels on controls, and Reduce Motion. WORKS WITH - Apple Health — Mindful Minutes - Siri & Shortcuts — "Hey Siri, start wind-down" - Sleep Focus — run zzZ automatically as part of your wind-down routine SELECTED REFERENCES Laborde S. et al. (2022) Psychophysiological effects of slow-paced breathing at six cycles per minute. Psychophysiology. Hamasaki H. (2020) Effects of diaphragmatic breathing on health: a narrative review. Medicines. Jerath R. et al. (2006) Physiology of long pranayamic breathing. Medical Hypotheses. Lehrer P. & Gevirtz R. (2014) Heart rate variability biofeedback. Frontiers in Psychology. zzZ is a wellness tool and does not diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition. If you suffer from chronic insomnia, please consult a sleep specialist. SUBSCRIPTION DETAILS Wind Down Pro is available as an auto-renewing monthly subscription or a one-time Lifetime unlock. The monthly plan includes a 7-day free trial; payment is charged to your Apple ID account at the end of the trial and renews monthly unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. The Lifetime unlock is a single payment with no renewal. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.actnow-gmbh.de/apps/zzz/privacy Made in Germany by ActNow GmbH.

About

ARC Community

Easily browse and purchase class packs or memberships. View the schedule and filter classes by type to find the perfect fit for your routine. Manage your reservations and stay organized with your fitness goals.

Highlights
  • Purchase class packs and memberships
  • Browse class schedules
  • Filter classes by type
  • Manage class reservations
  • Track upcoming classes
Features
Read full description

Features: -Purchase Class Packs and Memberships Easily browse and purchase our class packs or membership options -View our schedule Filter classes by type to find the perfect fit for your routine. -Manage your reservations Book your class reservations with ease. Keep track of your upcoming classes and manage your schedule to stay organized and committed to your fitness goals.

Screenshots

Wind Down4 screens
ARC Community4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ARC Community at Free against Wind Down's $8.99. ARC Community also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1). Wind Down's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and chart position (#186 vs unranked). On update cadence and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ARC Community is free to download; Wind Down costs $8.99 up front. Wind Down sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ARC Community asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Wind Down versus ARC Community: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterWind DownARC Community
Price$8.99Free — better
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews33.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 3 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidAd-supported — better
Best chart rank#186 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.016.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB34 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperActnow GmbHWRP Wellness CW Ltd

Customer experience

Wind Down

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

ARC Community

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Wind Down

One-time1
  • zzz Pro$6.99
None

ARC Community

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Wind Down free?
Wind Down costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is ARC Community free?
ARC Community is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Wind Down or ARC Community have ads?
ARC Community shows ads; Wind Down does not.
Which is updated more often, Wind Down or ARC Community?
Wind Down ships an update every 3 weeks, and ARC Community every 3 weeks. Most recently, Wind Down was updated on October 24, 2026 and ARC Community on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons