# James Smith Academy vs State

The clearest difference is rating: James Smith Academy at 4.8 against State's 3.9. James Smith Academy also leads on monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 8 months). On price, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. James Smith Academy sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and State sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

James Smith Academy holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 93 and 130 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 76% of James Smith Academy's written reviews are positive against 50% of State's.

James Smith Academy ships an update every 5 days, State every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | James Smith Academy | State |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (93 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/james-smith-academy/id1449052977/reviews)** | [3.9 (130 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/state-breathing/id1449322496/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 93 | **130** |
| Positive reviews | **75.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 82 MB | 37 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Affordable Online Coaching Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449052976) | [My State](https://appshunter.io/developer/1449322495) |

## What reviewers say

### James Smith Academy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/james-smith-academy/id1449052977)

Access a comprehensive fitness education platform with personalized workout plans, instructional videos, and nutritional guidance. Track your progress, connect with trainers, and join challenges to achieve and maintain your health goals.

**Highlights:** Educational and instructional videos, Personalized exercise programs, Daily workouts, Recipe library and meal planner, Trainer support, Progress tracking, Three-month challenges

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Base Plan | $9.99 | per month |
| Standard Plan | $10.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan - Subscription | $89.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 🚀 Easy to navigate app
- 💪 Helpful and responsive coaches
- 🔍 Detailed video guides
- 🧠 Informative educational content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes and stability issues
- 🔌 Connectivity problems when switching apps
- 🤖 Impersonal automated coaching
- 💸 Expensive premium subscription
- 🌱 Lack of vegan/vegetarian meal options

**Reported bugs**

- Workout progress not saving properly
- Inability to update weights and reps
- Onboarding process issues

**Requested features**

- Apple Watch integration
- Ability to filter workouts by equipment
- More personalized nutrition and meal planning


### State

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/state-breathing/id1449322496)

This app offers guided breathing exercises designed to help you manage stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being. It personalizes exercises based on your needs and adapts over time, utilizing neuroscientific principles for effective self-regulation.

**Highlights:** Customizable breathing exercises, Visual and auditory guidance, Adaptive algorithm, Progress tracking, Neuroscience-based methods, State-shifting exercises

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Protocols (Monthly) | $3.99 | per month |
| Premium Protocols (Annual) | $34.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple, intuitive, and clean interface design
- 🎯 Effective breathing exercises for anxiety and stress management
- 🔄 Adaptive algorithm that adjusts difficulty based on user improvement
- ⚡ Quick, short exercises easy to incorporate into daily routine
- 🎨 Beautiful visuals and immersive audio cues

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($30-35/year) compared to competitors
- 🐛 Audio/sound glitches and synchronization issues
- 🐛 Subscription recognition failures after payment
- 🐛 App crashes and requires frequent restarts
- ⚠️ Limited content (only 6 core breathing exercises)

**Reported bugs**

- Audio/metronome randomly stops or becomes out of sync with visuals
- Sound doesn't work without app restart
- Subscription payment processed but app doesn't recognize access
- Difficulty adjustment buttons (easier/harder) don't change exercise timing
- Algorithm doesn't properly adjust exercises based on max exhale test

**Requested features**

- Customizable exercise duration (10-20 minute sessions)
- Apple Watch compatibility
- HealthKit/Health app integration for mindful minutes tracking
- Landscape mode support for iPad
- Custom breathing pattern creation


## Frequently asked questions

### Is James Smith Academy free?

James Smith Academy is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is State free?

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

### Which has better reviews, James Smith Academy or State?

James Smith Academy is rated higher. James Smith Academy averages 4.8 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while State averages 3.9 from 130 ratings.

### Do James Smith Academy or State have ads?

Neither James Smith Academy nor State shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, James Smith Academy or State?

James Smith Academy ships an update every 5 days, and State every 8 months. Most recently, James Smith Academy was updated on October 24, 2026 and State on October 29, 2026.

---

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