Comparison

Nafas vs Sym Breathing

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

Head to head
About

Nafas

This app guides users through slow breathing exercises to combat hyperventilation, reduce anxiety and depression, and improve sleep quality. It offers various levels based on your current breathing rate, including a specific mode for falling asleep.

Highlights
  • Slow breathing exercises
  • Anxiety and depression reduction
  • Improved sleep quality
  • Adjustable breathing levels
  • 4-7-8 sleep mode
  • Hyperventilation management
Features
Read full description

Our application is developed in order to reproduce exercices that will help your body come back to slow breathing, thus increasing CO2 and its protectives effects. Increasing CO2 and stop hyperventilation will help with anxiety, depression and all type of degenerative issue. It will also increase the quality of sleep which will have a direct impact on your regeneration and stabilize nervous system. Hyperventilation Repetitive stress trigger our body to breathe faster due to the emergency response. This is called Hyperventilation. Hyperventilation trigger anxiety which trigger more hyperventilation and all type of degenerative diseases (anxiety, depression, asthma, hypertension, hypothyroidism, gastritis, diabetes and others). Famous Ukranian Doctor Buteyko said : « Hyperventilation is the cause of all diseases of today ». The Application According to numerous studies, healthy people have slow breathing (around 6 per minute). In the preview document for exemple we can read : Slow respiration at 6 breaths per min was found to be optimal for improving alveolar ventilation and reducing dead space in both groups in terms of increased arterial oxygen saturation and ease and sustainability in terms of respiratory effort. Many other studies exist about that, and also several traditional rituals such as old Chinese Taichi where the main goal was to control your breath in order to feel well. The application provides large scale of level depending on your initial situation. If you are high hyperventilating and really anxious begin with low level (12 breaths per minute) and train with that until you feel confident. Then switch to the next level (11 breaths per minute) and continue this process until you reach slow breathing levels (6/7/8 breaths per minute). If your initial level is higher feel free to adapt yourself and train until you can slow your breath again. Sleeping Mode Anxiety is often characterized by over-stimulation of nervous system which can trigger panic attack caused mainly by hyperventilation. Dr. Andrew Weil has developed on the same principle a very helpful breathing technique to fall asleep and reduce stress at night : The 4 7 8 ! The 4-7-8 breathing technique is a breathing pattern developed by Dr. Andrew Weil. It’s based on an ancient yogic technique called pranayama, which helps practitioners gain control over their breathing. The 4-7-8 technique forces the mind and body to focus on regulating the breath, rather than replaying your worries when you lie down at night. Proponents claim it can soothe a racing heart or calm frazzled nerves. Dr. Weil has even described it as a « natural tranquilizer for the nervous system« . The method is simple : Breathe in 4 seconds, Hold breathe 7 seconds, Exhale 8 seconds until you free your mind, relax and sleep. References The association of panic and hyperventilation with psychogenic non-epileptic seizures: A systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29787922/ Panic, hyperventilation and perpetuation of anxiety https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11131173/ Understanding Hyperventilation Syndrome https://www.saintlukeskc.org/health-library/understanding-hyperventilation-syndrome Follow us Website : https://breathlifestudio.com/ Facebook : BreatheWithQuranApp https://www.facebook.com/breathewithquranapp/ Instagram : @breathewithquranapp https://www.instagram.com/breathewithquranapp/ Terms of Use (EULA) : https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Sym Breathing

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
Read full description

SYM BREATHING A simple way to slow down, breathe evenly, and find a calmer rhythm. Sym Breathing guides you through a balanced 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale using smooth visual, audio, and haptic cues. This slow, even rhythm is commonly known as coherent breathing or resonant breathing. Choose a session length, tap the breathing sphere, and follow along. No complicated routines. No overwhelming controls. Just a simple breathing practice you can return to whenever you need a few quiet minutes. GUIDED BREATHING, YOUR WAY Follow the expanding and contracting breathing sphere, listen for gentle audio cues, feel subtle haptic feedback, or combine all three. Choose the guidance that works best for you and your surroundings. A SIMPLE, BALANCED RHYTHM Sym Breathing uses a 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale, approximately 5.5 breaths per minute. The app keeps the rhythm for you, so you can focus on breathing instead of counting seconds or watching a clock. CHOOSE YOUR SESSION Select a breath count for a defined practice or choose an open-ended session and breathe for as long as you like. DAILY AFFIRMATIONS Begin with a daily affirmation that offers a brief moment of positive reflection before your breathing practice. NIGHT MODE Switch to a warm red interface for a softer visual experience in low-light environments or before bed. LISTEN TO YOUR OWN AUDIO Keep listening to music, ambient sounds, podcasts, or other audio while you breathe. Adjust the breathing cue volume independently to create the experience you prefer. COHERENT BREATHING Slow, balanced breathing practices are commonly used for relaxation, mindfulness, stress management, and supporting autonomic regulation. Research has also explored resonant breathing in relation to heart rate variability, or HRV. Sym Breathing makes this practice easy to follow by guiding each inhale and exhale for you. PREMIUM Unlock all premium features with a monthly or annual subscription. The annual subscription includes a 7-day free trial. Unless canceled before the trial ends, the subscription automatically renews at the displayed annual price. Subscriptions can be managed or canceled through your App Store account settings. HEALTH DISCLAIMER Sym Breathing is intended for general wellness, relaxation, and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience discomfort or dizziness while practicing breathwork, stop the session. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning a new wellness practice if you have questions or concerns about your health. TERMS OF USE (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Breathe slowly. Find your rhythm.

Screenshots

Nafas4 screens
Sym Breathing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Sym Breathing at every 3 weeks against Nafas's every 3 months. Sym Breathing also leads on ratings volume (35 vs 2). Nafas's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. Nafas sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Sym Breathing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 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 — 5.0 for Nafas against 4.9 for Sym Breathing. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sym Breathing has 35 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 100% of Nafas's written reviews are positive against 94% of Sym Breathing's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Nafas ships an update every 3 months, Sym Breathing every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on July 21, 2026 and August 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Nafas versus Sym Breathing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterNafasSym Breathing
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better4.9 (35 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews — better94.1% of reviews
Number of ratings235 — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size44 MB35 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBreathLifeDaniel Lubbers

Customer experience

Nafas

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews3 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Sym Breathing

All ratings35 ratings
Positive97.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews17 reviews
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Nafas

Subscriptions1
  • Premium mode Monthly$2.991 Month
One-time1
  • Lifetime premium mode$5.99
3 purchases

Sym Breathing

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Annually7 Days trial$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$24.99

Questions

Is Nafas free?
Nafas is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sym Breathing free?
Sym Breathing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Nafas or Sym Breathing?
Nafas is rated higher. Nafas averages 5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings, while Sym Breathing averages 4.9 from 35 ratings.
Do Nafas or Sym Breathing have ads?
Neither Nafas nor Sym Breathing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Nafas or Sym Breathing?
Nafas ships an update every 3 months, and Sym Breathing every 3 weeks. Most recently, Nafas was updated on July 21, 2026 and Sym Breathing on August 2, 2026.

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