Comparison

Happier vs Sounds True

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

Head to head
About

Happier

Discover personalized tools and daily guidance to cultivate a happier life. This app helps you identify what brings you joy and build sustainable habits through flexible tracking methods and fun challenges. It adapts to your unique personality and goals for lasting self-improvement.

Highlights
  • Daily content and reflection prompts
  • Flexible habit tracking methods
  • Personalized recommendations based on personality
  • Fun, quick challenges
  • 7-day habit Jump-Starts
  • Self-improvement and personal growth focus
Features
Read full description

The Happier app gives you the tools, tips, and insights to build a happier life—based on the research of happiness expert Gretchen Rubin. Apps that tell you what to do will never work for everyone. Happier is designed to help you figure out what actually makes you happier, then gives you the tools and guidance to make it happen. WHAT YOU GET: Daily content to keep you moving forward: Learn from fresh tips, reflection prompts, quick challenges, and insights every day. Habit-building tools that match how you work: Try different tracking methods to find what clicks: streaks, photo logs, journal entries, number tracking, and more. Track any habit you choose—exercise, reading, sleep, relationships, creativity, organization, whatever matters to you. Personalized recommendations based on your personality: Take the Four Tendencies quiz to discover whether you’re an Obliger, Questioner, Upholder, or Rebel–then try the tools and approaches that fit your tendency, so you’re working with your nature instead of against it. Fun challenges when you need a boost: There’s always room for a bit of fun. Spin the Challenge Wheel for instant prompts you can complete in minutes—clear a drawer, text a friend, take ten deep breaths, try something new. Or, dive into a 7-day Jump-Start, designed to help you break out of old patterns. Whether you're focused on self improvement, personal growth, or simply building better daily habits, Happier gives you a flexible approach that adapts to your life. TRY THE HAPPIER APP FOR FREE: Download Happier for free and start building a new happiness habit. Subscribe to unlock unlimited habit tracking and full access to all tools and daily content. ABOUT GRETCHEN RUBIN Gretchen Rubin is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers on happiness and habit formation, including The Happiness Project and The Four Tendencies. WANT TO LEARN MORE? For resources and support: https://thehappierapp.com Terms of Service: https://thehappierapp.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://thehappierapp.com/privacy-policy

About

Sounds True

Access a vast library of online courses, audio programs, and exclusive content from world-renowned experts in mindfulness, healing, and personal growth. Connect with a global community, join live events, and explore a variety of wellness practices to support your journey inward.

Highlights
  • Access purchased courses and audio programs
  • Sounds True One membership content
  • Live Q&As and interviews with experts
  • Global community for connection and discussion
  • Immersive virtual retreats
  • Weekly group meditations
  • Variety of wellness practices
Features
Read full description

The Sounds True app is home to your entire Sounds True experience, from the online courses and audio programs you've purchased to the Sounds True One membership, including original series, guided practices, and live events with hundreds of world-renowned experts in mindfulness, healing, and personal growth. YOUR SOUNDS TRUE LIBRARY Access the online courses and audio programs you've purchased from Sounds True's 41 years of publishing — all in one place, available on-demand, on any device. SOUNDS TRUE ONE MEMBERSHIP Sounds True One is a global membership community committed to growth, healing, and connection, with unique learning opportunities from the world's most celebrated wisdom teachers and best-selling authors, including Caroline Myss, Pema Chödrön, Jack Kornfield, Thich Nhat Hanh, Adyashanti, Peter Levine, Gabor Maté, Richard C. Schwartz, and many more. Membership includes: ● Wisdom from World-Renowned Experts — Learn from leading voices in well-being, mindfulness, and personal growth. ● Exclusive Live Q&As & Interviews — Engage directly with sought-after teachers through interactive conversations and events. ● A Global Community — Share reflections, ask questions, and connect with members worldwide through live meditations and practice groups. ● Immersive Virtual Retreats — Join live, transformative retreats to cultivate self-awareness and growth. ● Weekly Group Meditations — Enhance your practice with meditations led by beloved Sounds True teachers and authors. ● A Variety of Wellness Practices — Explore meditation, mindful movement, qi gong and other techniques to support your well-being. ● Monthly Guided Experiences — A new theme each month to support your spiritual growth and self-discovery. ● Exclusive Original Series — Dive into our award-winning programs like Mystics Today, In the Flow, and Being with You. ● Special Member Discounts* — Get 20% off Sounds True online courses, plus exclusive event and course invitations. In just a few minutes a day, Sounds True can help you feel more connected to yourself and the world around you. Download today and continue your journey inward. - ▷ Already a Member? Sign-In to access your subscription. ▷ New? Subscribe in the app to get instant access. Sounds True offers auto-renewing subscriptions. You'll receive unlimited access to content on all your devices. Payment is charged to your account at confirmation of purchase. Pricing varies by location and is confirmed prior to purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period, or the trial period (when offered). Cancel anytime in Account Settings. For more information see our: Terms of Use: https://product.soundstrue.com/terms-and-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://product.soundstrue.com/privacy-policy/ Customer Support: membership@soundstrue.com

Screenshots

Happier4 screens
Sounds True4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Sounds True at 4.6 against Happier's 3.9. Sounds True also leads on ratings volume (1.2K vs 57). Happier's advantage is update cadence (every 4 weeks vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Happier sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month and Sounds True sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Sounds True holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sounds True has 1.2K ratings behind it against 57, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 22% of Happier's written reviews are positive against 26% of Sounds True's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Happier ships an update every 4 weeks, Sounds True every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Happier versus Sounds True: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHappierSounds True
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.9 (57 ratings)4.6 (1.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews22.3% of reviews25.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings571.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB71 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperKeyboard, LLCSounds True

Customer experience

Happier

All ratings57 ratings
Positive64.9%
Neutral14.0%
Negative21.1%
Written reviews94 reviews
Positive22.3%
Neutral20.2%
Negative57.4%

Sounds True

All ratings1,225 ratings
Positive90.0%
Neutral1.8%
Negative8.2%
Written reviews105 reviews
Positive25.7%
Neutral12.4%
Negative61.9%

User reviews

Happier

From 57 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎡 Fun spinning wheel feature for 5-minute challenges
  • 📱 Beautiful and intuitive design
  • ✍️ Multiple tracking methods (photos, journals, numbers)
  • 💡 Personalized content based on Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies
  • 🎯 Effective habit tracking and accountability tools

Room to improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription pricing ($7.99-$10/month or $80-$100/year)
  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and freezing issues
  • 🔐 Persistent login and authentication problems
  • ❌ Cannot edit or backdate entries after creation
  • 🚫 Limited free version (only 1 active aim allowed)

Sounds True

From 1.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 High-quality content
  • 💡 Variety of teachings and programs
  • 👍 Inspiring community

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent app crashes and glitches
  • 🔋 Audio stops playing when screen locks
  • 👎 Poor customer support and technical issues
  • 🤯 Confusing navigation and app design

Bugs and requests

Happier

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Login screen freezes and prevents app access
  • App stuck on subscription page in endless loop
  • Password validation rejects valid passwords
  • App crashes repeatedly on launch
  • Daily quote doesn't update to new day
Show 12 more
  • Wheel spin challenges show as used when not completed
  • Don't Break the Chain shows false X marks for completed tasks
  • Blank white screens that cannot be closed
  • App doesn't recognize new day for daily challenges
  • Subscription not recognized despite successful payment
  • Error message 'Something went wrong' blocks access
  • 5-minute challenge instructions don't display fully on screen
  • App only fills small portion of iPad screen
  • Request timeout errors when accessing aims
  • Data loss after app updates
  • Inconsistent time zone handling causing broken chains
  • App won't accept valid password combinations during signup

Requested features

15 requests
  • Ability to backdate or edit entries for past days
  • Calendar view to see progress over time
  • Support for multiple tracking methods simultaneously (journal AND photo)
  • Ability to edit aims after creation
  • More flexible aim scheduling (specific times, days of week)
Show 10 more
  • Photo captions for tracked images
  • Community features to connect with other users
  • Lower subscription pricing
  • More diverse 5-minute challenges (currently repeats)
  • Integration of Neglected Senses quiz into app
  • Recording one-word themes within the app
  • Ability to track yearly lists and accomplishments
  • Better organization/grouping of aims
  • More substantial free version with multiple aims
  • Email notifications when app issues are resolved

Sounds True

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Unable to access purchased courses
  • App freezes and becomes unresponsive
  • Inconsistent login and password issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add search functionality to easily find content
  • Allow background audio playback when app is closed
  • Improve offline access to purchased content
  • Provide better integration between app and website

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Happier

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$7.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription$79.991 Year
4 purchases

Sounds True

Subscriptions4
  • Monthly All Access$19.991 Month
  • Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Annual7 Days trial$179.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Yearly All Access$189.001 Year

Questions

Is Happier free?
Happier is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sounds True free?
Sounds True is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Happier or Sounds True?
Sounds True is rated higher. Happier averages 3.9 out of 5 from 57 ratings, while Sounds True averages 4.6 from 1.2K ratings.
Do Happier or Sounds True have ads?
Neither Happier nor Sounds True shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Happier or Sounds True?
Happier ships an update every 4 weeks, and Sounds True every 2 months. Most recently, Happier was updated on October 29, 2026 and Sounds True on October 30, 2026.

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