Comparison

EARS Mobile Sensing vs BiAffect3

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

Head to head
About

EARS Mobile Sensing

This app collects digital information from your mobile device to help researchers study behavioral health patterns. It aims to improve mental health support, especially for young people and underserved groups, by analyzing data like mobility, screen time, and sleep. Your data is kept safe and is not sold or used for advertising.

Highlights
  • Behavioral health data collection
  • GPS for mobility patterns
  • Keyboard sentiment analysis
  • Music and media listening data
  • Screen time and device usage tracking
  • Sleep data integration
  • Call status monitoring
Read full description

The Effortless Assessment Research System (EARS) is a behavioral research tool developed by Ksana Health. EARS is intended to be used by individuals who have consented to participate in one of EARS' ongoing research studies. Mobile devices have 
a lot to say about behavioral health. Giving behavioral health researchers access to your digital information helps them study patterns in behavior. Information gathered can be used to better support mental and behavioral health and can help solve mental health challenges. Ksana Health builds digital research tools with a focus to improve mental health, especially amongst underserved group and young people. Ksana keeps your digital data safe and does not sell it to anyone or use it to target you with advertising. Our Ethics Committee ensures that: - You agree with how your data is used - Ksana keeps your data safe - Benefits of the research outweigh any risk - Easily opt out at any time. Research data collected with EARS: - Accelerometer - GPS, for general mobility, habits, and patterns - Keyboard usage for sentiment. - Music and media listening, including musical and affective qualities of songs - Battery state and charging time - Call Status - Screen Time Device Usage - Sleep data through HealthKit EARS was selected as part of The Opportunity Project, an initiative focused on using open data to improve the lives of American citizens.

About

BiAffect3

This app helps you track your mood and cognitive function using your iPhone's keyboard and sensor data. It analyzes typing patterns to provide insights into mental health and assists researchers in developing better diagnostic tools for mood disorders.

Highlights
  • Mood tracking
  • Neurocognitive functioning assessment
  • Keystroke dynamics analysis
  • Sensor data collection
  • Mental health insights
  • Research participation
Read full description

BiAffect3 is the new and improved version of our award-winning BiAffect app, part of a multi-year mood-tracking research project developed by researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. BiAffect3 • Track your mood and neurocognitive functioning with your iPhone. • Use keystroke dynamics and sensor data to gain insights into your mental health. • Help researchers develop new tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of mood disorders. How does it work? BiAffect3 uses a custom-built virtual smartphone keyboard to collect keystroke metadata—such as typing speed, errors, and pauses—but not typed content in order to preserve user privacy. This data is then analyzed using machine learning algorithms and other statistical techniques to identify patterns that are associated with different mood states. Who is BiAffect3 for? BiAffect3 is for anyone who is interested in tracking their mood and neurocognitive functioning. The app is particularly useful for people with mood disorders as it can help them to identify early warning signs of an episode and take steps to prevent it, but it can be used by anyone who wants to learn more about their individual emotional and thought patterns. How do I get started? To get started with BiAffect3, simply download the app and create an account. The app will then guide you through the setup process. How can I help? By participating in the BiAffect3 study, you can help researchers develop new tools to improve the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder. Your participation is voluntary and confidential. Download BiAffect3 today and start tracking your mood and neurocognitive functioning.

Screenshots

EARS Mobile Sensing3 screens
BiAffect33 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: BiAffect3 at 5.0 against EARS Mobile Sensing's 2.7. EARS Mobile Sensing's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months) and ratings volume (30 vs 6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

BiAffect3 holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 2.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: EARS Mobile Sensing has 30 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EARS Mobile Sensing ships an update every 5 weeks, BiAffect3 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and June 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
EARS Mobile Sensing versus BiAffect3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEARS Mobile SensingBiAffect3
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.7 (30 ratings)5.0 (6 ratings) — better
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings30 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.616.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size97 MB30 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKsana Health Inc.University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Customer experience

EARS Mobile Sensing

All ratings30 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral3.3%
Negative56.7%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

BiAffect3

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

EARS Mobile Sensing

No in-app purchases

None

BiAffect3

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is EARS Mobile Sensing free?
EARS Mobile Sensing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BiAffect3 free?
BiAffect3 is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, EARS Mobile Sensing or BiAffect3?
BiAffect3 is rated higher. EARS Mobile Sensing averages 2.7 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while BiAffect3 averages 5.0 from 6 ratings.
Do EARS Mobile Sensing or BiAffect3 have ads?
Neither EARS Mobile Sensing nor BiAffect3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EARS Mobile Sensing or BiAffect3?
EARS Mobile Sensing ships an update every 5 weeks, and BiAffect3 every 4 months. Most recently, EARS Mobile Sensing was updated on September 18, 2026 and BiAffect3 on June 4, 2026.

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