# Respirer vs Sym Breathing

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Respirer at none against Sym Breathing's 3. Respirer also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 26.0). Sym Breathing's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 10 months). On price, rating, review sentiment and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Sym Breathing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Respirer asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Respirer against 4.9 for Sym Breathing. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sym Breathing has 37 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Respirer's written reviews are positive against 94% of Sym Breathing's.

Respirer ships an update every 10 months, Sym Breathing every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Respirer | Sym Breathing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/respirer/id1442039252/reviews)** | [4.9 (37 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sym-breathing-hrv-coherence/id6575391114/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 2 | **37** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 94.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 10 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Ad-supported** | Freemium |
| Size | 7 MB | 35 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Yahin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1124244645) | [Daniel Lubbers](https://appshunter.io/developer/1759415354) |

## What reviewers say

### Respirer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/respirer/id1442039252)

This app guides users through deep-breathing exercises designed to enhance alertness, focus, and productivity. It offers a simple way to incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine.

**Highlights:** Guided breathing exercises, Enhances alertness, Improves focus, Boosts productivity, Mindfulness tool

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Sym Breathing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sym-breathing-hrv-coherence/id6575391114)

This app offers guided breathwork to help you achieve a calm and balanced state. It uses a steady 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance well-being. Features include customizable cues, daily affirmations, and a night mode for sleep.

**Highlights:** Guided 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm, Customizable audio, visual, and haptic cues, Daily affirmations for positive mindset, Night mode for reduced blue light, Seamless audio integration with other apps, Effortless session initiation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| Annually | $4.99 | per year |
| Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Respirer free?

Respirer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Sym Breathing free?

Sym Breathing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Respirer or Sym Breathing?

Respirer is rated higher. Respirer averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Sym Breathing averages 4.9 from 37 ratings.

### Do Respirer or Sym Breathing have ads?

Respirer shows ads; Sym Breathing does not.

### Which is updated more often, Respirer or Sym Breathing?

Respirer ships an update every 10 months, and Sym Breathing every 3 weeks. Most recently, Respirer was updated on November 2, 2026 and Sym Breathing on October 30, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*