# The Self Compassion App vs Gratitude Forest

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Gratitude Forest at none against The Self Compassion App's 2. Gratitude Forest also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 10 days vs monthly). The Self Compassion App's advantage is review sentiment (94% vs 69%) and ratings volume (249 vs 9). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Self Compassion App sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $56.99 per year. Gratitude Forest asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Self Compassion App holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Self Compassion App has 249 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of The Self Compassion App's written reviews are positive against 69% of Gratitude Forest's.

The Self Compassion App ships an update monthly, Gratitude Forest every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Self Compassion App | Gratitude Forest |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (249 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-self-compassion-app/id1553464180/reviews)** | [4.6 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gratitude-forest/id1582104699/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **249** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | **94.1% of reviews** | 69.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 476 MB | 16 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [PSYT](https://appshunter.io/developer/941205339) | [Yulibar Husni](https://appshunter.io/developer/1452746108) |

## What reviewers say

### The Self Compassion App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-self-compassion-app/id1553464180)

This app offers scientifically-validated practices from Compassion Focused Therapy to help users feel happier, calmer, and more connected. It provides over 50 tools, including guided meditations, breathing exercises, and journaling prompts, to manage stress, anxiety, and self-criticism.

**Highlights:** Compassion Focused Therapy practices, Guided meditations and mindfulness audio, Breathing tools for present moment awareness, Journaling for positivity habits, Reflective exercises for difficult emotions, Progress tracking surveys, Sleep stories and yoga videos

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Self-Compassion Premium | $56.99 | per year |
| Self-Compassion App Premium | $56.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Helpful self-help app
- 🚀 Great variety of tools and resources
- 💡 Excellent for developing self-compassion
- 🤗 Calming and supportive voices
- 📚 Informative and well-structured content

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Expensive subscription cost
- 🔍 Overwhelming amount of features
- 🔁 Difficulty canceling subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Abrupt ending of audio sessions
- Occasional issues with sound and connectivity

**Requested features**

- Quarterly payment plan option
- Improved synchronization across devices
- Simpler version with fewer features


### Gratitude Forest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gratitude-forest/id1582104699)

Cultivate mental strength by visually journaling your gratitude. Plant seeds that grow into trees, bearing fruit for each thankful entry. This gamified approach helps reduce stress and foster optimism.

**Highlights:** Visual gratitude journaling, Plant and grow gratitude trees, Collect magic fruits, Build mental strength, Reduce stress and negative thinking, Schedule counseling calls

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Self Compassion App free?

The Self Compassion App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Gratitude Forest free?

Gratitude Forest is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Self Compassion App or Gratitude Forest?

The Self Compassion App is rated higher. The Self Compassion App averages 4.8 out of 5 from 249 ratings, while Gratitude Forest averages 4.6 from 9 ratings.

### Do The Self Compassion App or Gratitude Forest have ads?

The Self Compassion App shows ads; Gratitude Forest does not.

### Which is updated more often, The Self Compassion App or Gratitude Forest?

The Self Compassion App ships an update monthly, and Gratitude Forest every 10 days. Most recently, The Self Compassion App was updated on November 11, 2026 and Gratitude Forest on November 3, 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.*