Comparison

Empathy Set vs Shadow Work App

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

Head to head
About

Empathy Set

This app helps you understand and express your emotions and needs, fostering deeper connections with yourself and others. It offers tools for self-reflection, empathic communication, and collaborative problem-solving, based on Nonviolent Communication principles.

Highlights
  • Understand your feelings and needs
  • Develop empathy for others
  • Engage in constructive conversations
  • Craft I-Statements
  • Brainstorm mutually beneficial solutions
  • Utilize structured feedback tools
  • Interactive journaling
Read full description

Explore Emotions, Build Empathy, Connect Deeply The Empathy Set App is your comprehensive toolkit for developing emotional intelligence and empathy across various facets of life. Rooted in the principles of Nonviolent Communication, our app serves as a dynamic guide to help you navigate your emotional world and build meaningful connections. The Empathy Set App focuses on cultivating empathy in three pivotal areas: Self-Empathy (Me): Embark on an introspective journey to better understand your own feelings and needs. Gain valuable insights into your emotional landscape and make sense of your experiences in different life situations. Empathy for Others (Other): Develop the skills to recognize and comprehend the emotional states and needs of those around you. Strengthen your bonds and cultivate more compassionate, empathetic relationships. Empathic Problem-Solving Conversations (Self and Other): Equip yourself with practical tools to engage in positive, constructive dialogues that address situations important to you. Features: --------- Dynamic Situations: Choose from three compelling levels—Starter, Enhancer, and Maximizer—to dive deep into your emotional landscape and identify your true needs. User-Friendly Dashboard: Effortlessly manage your point balance on our intuitive dashboard, where you can track points you've purchased, earned through referrals, or received as milestone rewards. All your point transactions are displayed in one convenient location for easy access and management. Intuitive Selectors & Funnels: Utilize our smart interface to effortlessly identify and prioritize your feelings and needs, bringing you closer to emotional clarity for both yourself and others. Empowered I-Statements: Craft straightforward or advanced I-Statements that enable you to articulate your emotions and desires with positivity and precision. The Brainstorming Tool: Unleash your creative potential to discover mutually beneficial solutions that cater to everyone's needs. SBI-Q Toolkit: Elevate your communication with our Situation, Background, Impact, and Question Tool, designed to offer structured feedback in both personal and professional settings. Interactive Journal: Make meaningful observations and record insightful notes to not only enhance memory but also capture the essence of the moment. Shareable Situation Summaries: Forward a PDF file of your situational analysis directly via email or text. A convenient way to communicate your emotional state to supportive individuals or initiate conflict resolution discussions. Referral Points: Earn points by inviting friends to download our app. Maintain a healthy point balance for free by using referrals, allowing you to open situations at Starter (56 points), Enhancer (78 points), and Maximizer (108 points) levels. Weekly Self-Reflections: Receive thoughtful notifications encouraging you to assess your emotional well-being and the state of your relationships. Community Connection: Participate in webinars and engage with a compassionate community that values and fosters empathy. Terms of use: https://www.empathyset.com/app-terms Privacy Policy: https://www.empathyset.com/app-privacy-policy

About

Shadow Work App

This app helps you transform your mindset to ease stress, unlock creativity, and cultivate deeper awareness. Become the author of your life story by shifting your experience of the world.

Highlights
  • Ease stressful thoughts
  • Unlock creativity
  • Shift world experience
  • Become author of your story
  • Cultivate deeper awareness
  • Progress tracking
  • Offline sync
Features
Read full description

Most people don't need more journaling prompts. They need someone who actually knows what they're looking at. Shadow Work App is built on 25 years of depth-work methodology by Steven Twohig — an international speaker, founder of Mastering Change, Executive Director of the Evolving Mind Project (EMP), and author and teacher of Turning Within. This is not a wellness app. It is a practice. WHAT SHADOW WORK ACTUALLY IS The part of you running the show isn't the part you're watching. Shadow is meaning in exile — the thoughts, impulses, and patterns you've disowned. They don't disappear. They drive. This app gives you a structured way to see them, name them, and reclaim what they're carrying. WHAT YOU WORK WITH - The Construct — a seven-facet map of how your mind builds your experience right now - Guided depth sessions drawn from live group facilitation - Turning Within practices for solo work between sessions - Prompts that move below the surface, not across it WHO THIS IS FOR You've done (or doing) the therapy. You've read (reading) the books. Something is still calling you to dig deeper into the root. This is for the person ready to stop managing circumstances and start understanding the architecture of their own mind. BUILT DIFFERENTLY Most apps give you prompts. This gives you a methodology. The difference is knowing why a pattern exists — not just that it does. Download free. Go deeper than you have before. END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Empathy Set4 screens
Shadow Work App4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Empathy Set at 4.7 against Shadow Work App's 4.4. Shadow Work App's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (29 vs 9). 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. Empathy Set sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and Shadow Work App sells 9 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Empathy Set holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 9 and 29 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 86% of Empathy Set's written reviews are positive against 89% of Shadow Work App's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Empathy Set ships an update every 2 months, Shadow Work App every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Empathy Set versus Shadow Work App: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEmpathy SetShadow Work App
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (9 ratings) — better4.4 (29 ratings)
Positive reviews85.7% of reviews88.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings929 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size54 MB51 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperJohn FordMastering Change

Customer experience

Empathy Set

All ratings9 ratings
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews7 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative14.3%

Shadow Work App

All ratings29 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.8%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative11.1%

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Empathy Set

Subscriptions1
  • Monthly subscription$0.991 Month
One-time6
  • 500 Points$4.99
  • 1500 Points$9.99
  • Lifetime usage$18.99
Show 3 more
  • 4000 Points$19.99
  • 7500 points$29.99
  • 30000 points$79.99
9 purchases

Shadow Work App

One-time9
  • Introduction to Shadow Work$4.99
  • Shadow Work Intro$9.95
  • One Time Subscription$19.99
Show 6 more
  • Mental Cleanse App$48.99
  • One Time Subscription$48.99
  • Constructive Thought Process$49.00
  • Living Mythically$49.00
  • Mastermind Group$59.99
  • Digital Guide Education$79.00

Questions

Is Empathy Set free?
Empathy Set is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Work App free?
Shadow Work App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Empathy Set or Shadow Work App?
Empathy Set is rated higher. Empathy Set averages 4.7 out of 5 from 9 ratings, while Shadow Work App averages 4.4 from 29 ratings.
Do Empathy Set or Shadow Work App have ads?
Neither Empathy Set nor Shadow Work App shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Empathy Set or Shadow Work App?
Empathy Set ships an update every 2 months, and Shadow Work App every 3 weeks. Most recently, Empathy Set was updated on October 20, 2026 and Shadow Work App on October 15, 2026.

Other comparisons