Comparison

Bowelle vs Nerva

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

Head to head
About

Bowelle

Easily track your food, mood, and symptoms to identify patterns and potential triggers. Visualize your health data with beautiful charts and export it to share with healthcare professionals.

Highlights
  • Food and symptom tracking
  • Mood and water intake logging
  • Stress level monitoring
  • Bowel movement diary
  • Customizable fields
  • Visual trend charts
  • Data export for doctors
Features
Read full description

Bowelle is designed to be the quickest, most easy-to-use food & symptom diary on the App Store. Beautiful visual representations make it easier to discover patterns and determine how you feel over longer periods of time. You can track how you feel, what you eat, water intake, stress levels, bowel movements, notes and custom fields you define. By keeping a diary, you may learn significantly more about your patterns and possible triggers. Bowelle offers: A record of: • How you feel • What you eat • Water intake • Stress levels • Bowel movements • Notes • Custom fields Charts • Visual representations allow you determine trends and overlap different data types. Daily average • The daily averages are easily accessible from the side menu. • They are also configurable and can be based on the past 14, 30 or 60 days. Alternatively, you can base it on all existing data. History • Use the detailed history to see all data. • Filter it by what you are interested in to narrow down the scope. • Export your data via email and share it with your doctor, nutritionist or dietitian. Apple Health • Sleep, step count, water and weight Download Bowelle now and start keeping a journal today! --- A word from the developer "It is stunning to read studies indicating that as many as 10-20% of the world’s population have IBS. The symptoms can vary so considerably from individual to individual that one may wonder if it is even the same condition. I created Bowelle because there is a need for a fresh and modern approach in the marketplace. If you are reading this, chances are that your symptoms are affecting your life more than you like. By keeping a record every day, my hope is that you will identify some of the triggers causing your symptoms. If you have any suggestions or feedback, feel free to drop me a note at feedback@bowelle.com. I will listen to everything coming my way." - Robert Gummesson --- Terms of Use: https://bowelle.com/terms-of-use/

About

Nerva

This app offers a personalized gut-brain therapy program to manage symptoms of IBS, FD, GERD, and other gut-brain disorders. It aims to retrain the nervous system and improve communication between the gut and brain through daily sessions and practical tools.

Highlights
  • Personalized gut-brain therapy program
  • Daily 15-minute retraining sessions
  • Flare-up management tools
  • Long-term symptom maintenance plan
  • AI-driven personalization
  • Evidence-based clinical research
Features
Read full description

Fix the miscommunication between your gut and brain. Designed for people living with IBS, functional dyspepsia (FD), GERD, bloating symptoms, and other gut–brain disorders - as well as those seeking additional support alongside IBD care - Nerva is a personalized gut–brain program that supports symptom management through daily sessions, practical tools, and structured guidance. Target the root cause Many people spend years cutting out foods in an effort to calm their gut - a difficult path that can miss what’s really driving symptoms. In disorders of gut–brain interaction (DGBIs), the root cause is gut–brain hypersensitivity. After a trigger like illness, antibiotics, or prolonged stress, the nerves in the gut can become over-reactive. Even once the gut tissue heals, the nervous system may keep the alarm turned up. Normal digestion, gas, or movement are then misread as danger - leading to pain, bloating, reflux, urgency, constipation, or diarrhea. Diets and medications can reduce symptoms temporarily, but they don’t retrain this signaling system. That’s why symptoms often return or shift over time. Lasting relief means calming the nervous system and restoring healthy gut–brain communication - where the symptoms actually start. How Nerva helps Nerva is a structured gut–brain program that helps you practice brain-gut techniques shown to support a calmer response to gut sensations. Over the program you'll learn to: - Respond differently to uncomfortable gut signals - Practice calming the gut–brain stress response - Build daily habits that support digestive comfort Tailored to you No two guts are the same. Nerva adapts your program to your symptoms, triggers, and progress - using AI to adjust the coaching and guidance as you go. The sessions, the tools you receive, and the coaching you follow are all shaped around your experience. Evidence-based Unlike most apps, Nerva is built on clinical research. In a randomized controlled trial at Monash University, Nerva helped 81% of people significantly manage their gastrointestinal symptoms. Since then, more than 300,000 people have used Nerva, and over 11,000 healthcare providers recommend it. Features of Nerva - Daily 15-minute sessions designed to retrain gut-brain miscommunication - Flare-up tools for pain, bloating, constipation, reflux and diarrhea - Long-term maintenance plan to keep symptoms under control after the program - AI personalization to tailor the program to your selected triggers and progress Who is the team behind Nerva? Nerva was built by Dr. Simone Peters, GI psychophysiologist, together with clinicians, dietitians, and researchers. Many of us live with gut conditions ourselves. Member stories “Nerva has really worked for me. I’ve been using the app for several months now, and I’ve noticed that I’m experiencing less negative instances with my stomach. I would highly recommend to anyone - absolutely worth the subscription” Disclaimer: Nerva is a self-guided program that may help people self-manage and live well with a diagnosed disorder of the gut-brain interaction. It is not a substitute for professional medical care, diagnosis, or treatment, and has not been evaluated by the FDA, TGA, MHRA, or equivalent bodies. Do not change prescribed medication or treatment without professional advice. Some content is personalized or generated by AI for educational and wellness purposes only. It is not therapy or mental health care, is not from a licensed professional, and is not monitored in real time. If you are in distress or thinking of harming yourself or others, call your local emergency number right away. Subscription and trial 7-day free trial After the trial, your account is charged according to the plan you choose Subscriptions renew until cancelled Cancel anytime in iOS Settings, Apple ID, Subscriptions Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.mindsethealth.com/privacy

Screenshots

Bowelle4 screens
Nerva4 screens

Verdict

The call

Bowelle and Nerva both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 92% of Bowelle's written reviews are positive against 73% of Nerva's. Nerva's advantage is chart position (#145 vs unranked) and update cadence (weekly vs fortnightly). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Bowelle sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 per month and Nerva sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $43.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Bowelle against 4.7 for Nerva. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Nerva has 15K ratings behind it against 2.2K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of Bowelle's written reviews are positive against 73% of Nerva's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Bowelle ships an update fortnightly, Nerva weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Bowelle versus Nerva: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBowelleNerva
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (2.2K ratings)4.7 (15K ratings)
Positive reviews92.1% of reviews — better72.5% of reviews
Number of ratings2.2K15K — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank#145 — better
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB134 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBowelle ABMindset Health Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Bowelle

All ratings2,245 ratings
Positive95.9%
Neutral2.2%
Negative1.9%
Written reviews573 reviews
Positive92.1%
Neutral3.1%
Negative4.7%

Nerva

All ratings14,789 ratings
Positive93.1%
Neutral3.2%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews867 reviews
Positive72.5%
Neutral6.0%
Negative21.5%

User reviews

Bowelle

From 2.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 👍 Customizable
  • 👍 Helpful for tracking symptoms and triggers
  • 👍 Clean and intuitive interface
  • 👍 Useful reports and data visualization

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Issues with editing/deleting past entries
  • 🔒 Concerns about data loss or syncing
  • 💡 Limited customization options in free version
  • 💡 Lack of integration with other health apps
  • 💡 Desire for more detailed symptom tracking

Nerva

From 15K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Effective for symptom reduction
  • 👍 Calming and relaxing sessions
  • 💡 Helpful for managing stress and anxiety
  • 👍 Positive affirmations and education
  • 🚀 Quick improvements seen by some users

Room to improve

  • 🔁 Repetitive nature of sessions
  • 💰 Expensive subscription cost
  • 🔍 Lack of customization options
  • 🐛 Technical issues with app functionality

Bugs and requests

Bowelle

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional crashes or freezes
  • Issues with data display or loading

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to add time stamps for symptoms
  • Option to track exercise, medications, and other health factors
  • More detailed food logging with food database integration
  • Sync across multiple devices
  • Expanded customization options in free version

Nerva

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • App getting stuck on certain days
  • Difficulty accessing previous sessions
  • Inconsistent user experience across devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • More variety in guided visualizations
  • Ability to skip or replace certain sessions
  • Maintenance plan with reduced pricing
  • Offline access to recordings

In-app purchases

9 purchases

Bowelle

Subscriptions9
  • Bowelle Premium$2.491 Month
  • Bowelle Premium1 Month trial$3.491 Month
  • Bowelle Premium$3.991 Month
Show 6 more
  • Bowelle Premium$4.993 Months
  • Bowelle Premium3 Months trial2 variants$6.993 Months
  • Bowelle Premium$7.993 Months
  • Bowelle Premium$9.991 Year
  • Bowelle Premium1 Year trial$14.991 Year
  • Bowelle Premium$17.991 Year
4 purchases

Nerva

Subscriptions4
  • Nerva IBS program (Monthly)7 Days trial$43.991 Month
  • 30% Off Nerva IBS (3 Month)7 Days trial$60.993 Months
  • Nerva IBS program (3 Month)7 Days trial$78.993 Months
Show 1 more
  • Nerva Full Access7 Days trial$199.001 Year

Questions

Is Bowelle free?
Bowelle is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nerva free?
Nerva is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Bowelle or Nerva?
Bowelle and Nerva are both rated 4.7 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2.2K and 15K ratings respectively.
Do Bowelle or Nerva have ads?
Neither Bowelle nor Nerva shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Bowelle or Nerva?
Bowelle ships an update fortnightly, and Nerva weekly. Most recently, Bowelle was updated on September 22, 2026 and Nerva on September 23, 2026.

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