# UCLA Mindful vs Coping Coach by VA

The clearest difference is rating: Coping Coach by VA at 4.8 against UCLA Mindful's 4.5. Coping Coach by VA also leads on ratings volume (1.5K vs 176) and review sentiment (88% vs 77%). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Coping Coach by VA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Coping Coach by VA has 1.5K ratings behind it against 176, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of UCLA Mindful's written reviews are positive against 88% of Coping Coach by VA's.

UCLA Mindful ships an update every 3 months, Coping Coach by VA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | UCLA Mindful | Coping Coach by VA |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucla-mindful/id1459128935/reviews) | **[4.8 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coping-coach-by-va/id1504705038/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 176 | **1.5K** |
| Positive reviews | 76.7% of reviews | **87.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 23 MB | 197 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [UCLA Health](https://appshunter.io/developer/646973492) | [US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)](https://appshunter.io/developer/430646305) |

## What reviewers say

### UCLA Mindful

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucla-mindful/id1459128935)

Practice mindfulness meditation with guided sessions and educational content from UCLA Health. Learn to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and cultivate positive emotions through regular practice. Explore various meditation types, informative videos, and weekly recordings to enhance your well-being.

**Highlights:** Guided basic meditations, Wellness meditations for health conditions, Informative videos on mindfulness, Weekly live/virtual meditation recordings, Talks on mindfulness topics, Customizable meditation timer

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Free and accessible resource
- 🧘‍♀️ High-quality guided meditations
- 🗣️ Calming and comforting narrator voices (Diana Winston)
- 👍 Simple, easy to use, and navigate
- 🌍 Multiple languages offered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🗣️ Presenter talks too much during meditations
- 🔌 Requires a good internet connection (streaming)
- 🔄 No offline access
- 📱 App doesn't rotate on iPad in landscape mode
- 🔊 Loud ding at the end of some tracks

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Loop repeat did not replay when screen is locked
- 🐛 Audio stops when iPhone screen locks/turns off
- 🐛 Back button disappears on search podcast tab
- 🐛 Search in previous podcast is slow to respond
- 🐛 Custom timer doesn't work as intended

**Requested features**

- Offline access/downloadable sessions
- More voice diversity (ethnicity and gender)
- Add to Apple Health for tracking mindful minutes
- Improve pausing points for Vietnamese meditations
- Remove the ding at the end of tracks


### Coping Coach by VA

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coping-coach-by-va/id1504705038)

This app offers tools and resources to help users build resilience, manage stress, and improve well-being during challenging times. It provides customized support for coping, staying healthy, and navigating life changes like parenting or working from home. Users can track their mood and access additional help.

**Highlights:** Build resilience, Manage stress, Increase well-being, Coping resources, Mood tracking, Progress visualization

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🛟 Helpful for mental health
- 💯 Effective coping strategies
- 🆓 Free and ad-free
- 🎯 Tracks progress well

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Not compatible with iPhone
- 🌐 Limited offline functionality

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues on some devices

**Requested features**

- COVID-19 screening feature
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is UCLA Mindful free?

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

### Is Coping Coach by VA free?

Coping Coach by VA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, UCLA Mindful or Coping Coach by VA?

Coping Coach by VA is rated higher. UCLA Mindful averages 4.5 out of 5 from 176 ratings, while Coping Coach by VA averages 4.8 from 1.5K ratings.

### Do UCLA Mindful or Coping Coach by VA have ads?

Neither UCLA Mindful nor Coping Coach by VA shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, UCLA Mindful or Coping Coach by VA?

UCLA Mindful ships an update every 3 months, and Coping Coach by VA every 2 months. Most recently, UCLA Mindful was updated on October 25, 2026 and Coping Coach by VA on October 26, 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.*