# Expand vs JoyPilot

The clearest difference is rating: JoyPilot at 4.8 against Expand's 4.0. JoyPilot also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (75% vs 50%). Expand's advantage is ratings volume (302 vs 9). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Expand sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per month and JoyPilot sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

JoyPilot holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Expand has 302 ratings behind it against 9, 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 75% of JoyPilot's.

Expand ships an update monthly, JoyPilot every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Expand | JoyPilot |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (302 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/expand-beyond-meditation/id1552705313/reviews) | **[4.8 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joypilot/id6754961603/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **302** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 49.7% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Subscription | Subscription |
| Size | 67 MB | 113 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) | [Jeffrey Utter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1851141162) |

## 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


### JoyPilot

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/joypilot/id6754961603)

This app provides tools for focus, reflection, and emotional alignment. It offers guided chat, daily prompts, meditations, and creative expression features to help users find calm and clarity.

**Highlights:** Guided chat-based reflections, Daily Tune-In prompts, Customizable meditation experiences, Voice-based reflection, Focus and awareness tools, Creative image generation

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| JoyPilot Pro (Monthly) | $14.99 | per month |
| JoyPilot Creator (Monthly) | $29.99 | per month |
| JoyPilot Pro (Yearly) | $149.99 | per year |
| JoyPilot Creator (Yearly) | $299.99 | per year |
| 350 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| 350 Credits | $24.99 | one-time |
| 700 Credits | $39.99 | one-time |
| 700 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| 1400 Credits | $79.99 | one-time |
| 1400 Credits | $99.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Expand free?

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

### Is JoyPilot free?

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

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

JoyPilot is rated higher. Expand averages 4.0 out of 5 from 302 ratings, while JoyPilot averages 4.8 from 9 ratings.

### Do Expand or JoyPilot have ads?

Expand shows ads; JoyPilot does not.

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

Expand ships an update monthly, and JoyPilot every 3 weeks. Most recently, Expand was updated on November 11, 2026 and JoyPilot 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.*