# Expand vs Willowave

The clearest difference is monetization model: Willowave at freemium against Expand's subscription. Willowave also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (83% vs 50%). Expand's advantage is ratings volume (301 vs 7). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Expand sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and Willowave sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Willowave holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Expand has 301 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Expand's written reviews are positive against 83% of Willowave's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Expand | Willowave |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (301 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expand-beyond-meditation/id1552705313/reviews) | **[4.3 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/willowave/id6744624519/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **301** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 49.7% of reviews | **83.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Subscription | **Freemium** |
| Size | 67 MB | 77 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | **15.1** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [THE MONROE INSTITUTE](https://appshunter.io/developer/1552705315) | [Dawnlight Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1783763675) |

## What reviewers say

### Expand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expand-beyond-meditation/id1552705313)

Access profound states of expanded awareness with guided meditations and proprietary sound science. Explore topics like relaxation, joy, insight, and sleep to foster meaning, relieve stress, and release unwanted patterns. Discover inner wisdom and joy through active imagination and perception.

**Highlights:** 100+ guided meditations, Monroe Sound Science audio technology, Multi-day mini-courses, Guided reflection and journaling, Custom-generated soundscapes, Focus on active imagination and perception

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Expand Plus Monthly | $11.99 | per month |
| Expand Plus Yearly | $69.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful meditation tool
- 👍 Lovely and helpful
- 👍 Great way to practice
- 👍 Transformative
- 👍 First class app

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Money maker
- 🔒 How do you get a premium subscription?
- 🐛 Cuts off sometimes?
- 🔍 Where's the guidance?
- 🐛 Annoyed

**Reported bugs**

- Paid but no play
- Login screen freezes
- Incompatible with older devices
- Sound shuts off when the iphone goes to sleep

**Requested features**

- Longer guided meditations
- What's new section for meditations
- Ability to turn off background music
- Monthly charge option


### Willowave

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/willowave/id6744624519)

This app uses adaptive soundscapes, healing frequencies, and affirmations to help you reprogram your subconscious mind. It guides you through sonic journeys and offers personalized soundscapes to reshape your reality and manifest desired states.

**Highlights:** Adaptive soundscapes, Healing frequencies, Brainwave entrainment, Personalized affirmations, Nature ambience, Guided sonic journeys

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Willowave Premium Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Willowave Premium Annual | $69.99 | per year |
| Alan Watts Lectures | $1.99 | one-time |
| Grabovoi Numbers | $1.99 | one-time |
| Silas Dubelaar | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bhikkhu Bodhi | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Expand free?

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

### Is Willowave free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Expand or Willowave?

Willowave is rated higher. Expand averages 4.0 out of 5 from 301 ratings, while Willowave averages 4.3 from 7 ratings.

### Do Expand or Willowave have ads?

Expand shows ads; Willowave does not.

### Which is updated more often, Expand or Willowave?

Expand ships an update monthly, and Willowave monthly. Most recently, Expand was updated on November 3, 2026 and Willowave 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.*