# The Self Compassion App vs Ascend

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ascend at none against The Self Compassion App's 2. Ascend also leads on ads (none vs shown). The Self Compassion App's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, update cadence 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. Ascend asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Self Compassion App ships an update monthly, Ascend every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Self Compassion App | Ascend |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (248 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-self-compassion-app/id1553464180/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **248** | — |
| Positive reviews | 94.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 476 MB | 47 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.1 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [PSYT](https://appshunter.io/developer/941205339) | [GEORGE O'CONNOR](https://appshunter.io/developer/1864075091) |

## 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


### Ascend

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascend-challenge-tracker/id6757496594)

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

**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 Ascend free?

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

### Do The Self Compassion App or Ascend have ads?

The Self Compassion App shows ads; Ascend does not.

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

The Self Compassion App ships an update monthly, and Ascend every 2 months. Most recently, The Self Compassion App was updated on November 3, 2026 and Ascend on October 25, 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.*