Ahead vs The MiCBT Guide
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ahead
Learn to manage anger, anxiety, and stress with science-backed, 5-minute daily activities. Develop emotional intelligence through personalized journeys and track your progress in just two weeks.
- Personalized journeys for various emotions
- 5-minute daily activities
- Emotional profile assessment
- Habit-building rewards system
- Progress tracking
- Science-backed psychology
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The Duolingo for emotional intelligence. Learn to stay calm, kind, and in control of anger, anxiety, and stress, in just 5 minutes a day. ◆ Apple Design Award 2024 (Social Impact) ◆ App of the Day in 20+ countries ◆ 2 million people. 4.8 stars. WHY AHEAD Nobody taught us how to handle our emotions. School skipped it. Ahead fixes that. We are behavior change scientists, and we turned proven psychology into short, playful steps that actually stick. No lectures. No 30 minute meditations. Just real skills you use in the moment. WHAT YOU GET - Personalized journeys for anger, anxiety, confidence, procrastination, heartbreak, and more - 5 minute activities you can do anywhere - An emotional profile that shows the root of how you react - Streaks, levels, and rewards that build the habit - Progress you can feel in 2 weeks HOW IT WORKS 1. Take the quick emotional assessment 2. Get your personalized journey 3. Practice 5 minutes a day 4. Watch your emotional fitness grow WHO IT IS FOR People who want to fight less with the people they love, react less on impulse, parent with more patience, and feel calmer under pressure. We promise to only give science backed advice, never sell your data, and always act in your favor. Try Ahead free for 7 days. Your future self says thanks. For more information, see our Terms of Service (https://www.ahead-app.com/terms-of-service) and Privacy Policy (https://www.ahead-app.com/privacy).
The MiCBT Guide
This app guides you through a comprehensive Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy program. It combines mindfulness techniques with evidence-based strategies to enhance mental well-being, improve self-confidence, and cultivate inner calm. Features include guided meditations, customizable timers, progress trackers, and practice diaries.
- Guided mindfulness meditations
- Customizable meditation timers
- Progress trackers
- Practice diary
- Evidence-based assessment tools
- Smart notifications
- Goal setting
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The MiCBT Guide is designed to assist you through the entire Mindfulness-integrated Cognitive Behaviour Therapy program (MiCBT). It is an evidence-based therapy that combines mindfulness techniques with cognitive-behavioural strategies researched and supported by clinical psychologists worldwide since 2004. The app provides a comprehensive approach to mental health and personal growth for you to develop, enhance and maintain your overall well-being. The MiCBT Guide provides all you need to improve self-confidence, enhance relationships, and cultivate inner calm and compassion for yourself and others. GUIDED MEDITATIONS One of the key features of the MiCBT Guide is the inclusion of the complete set of guided mindfulness meditation techniques traditionally used in one of the distinguished Burmese Vipassana traditions. These time-honoured methods help reduce suffering through the gain of profound wisdom. CUSTOMISED TIMERS Customised timers for meditation allow you to personalise your meditation sessions according to your preferences by setting the duration and intervals that suit you best. This feature helps you establish a meditation practice that fits your preference in the long term when you may prefer practising in silence. PROGRESS TRACKERS Another important feature of the MiCBT Guide is the inclusion of progress trackers designed to help you monitor your progress and see how your well-being is improving over time. PRACTICE DIARY Another useful aspect of the MiCBT Guide is the practice diary, which enables you to track your mindfulness practice over time. This tool helps you stay motivated and engaged in your journey towards better mental health. EVIDENCE-BASED TOOLS The app is equipped with evidence-based tools and measures, such as the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Mindfulness-based Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES-R), Equanimity Scale-16 (ES-16), and Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS). These automated measures produce excellent graphs to show reduced symptoms and improved abilities, such as emotion regulation, decreased avoidance and improved communication skills. They are industry-standard measurements that help you pinpoint areas for improvement and track how well you are managing your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. By understanding your patterns, you can make positive adjustments to support your overall well-being. SMART NOTIFICATIONS Smart notifications are another helpful feature of the MiCBT Guide. They remind you of your meditation sessions and encourage you to stay consistent in your mindfulness practice. This function helps you stay on track with your goals and establish a regular meditation routine. GOAL SETTING Goal setting is integrated into the app to help you set specific, achievable goals for your well-being and keep track of how you’re doing. By setting clear targets and checking your progress, you can stay on track and motivated in your personal growth journey. WEEKLY READINGS Weekly readings provide ongoing support and inspiration during the program, providing you with a valuable psycho-educational resource to deepen your understanding of mindfulness practice and enhance insight into your thoughts and emotions. The audio option for the weekly readings is a convenient feature for people who don’t have time to read, as well as for those who have difficulty reading. VIDEO SUPPORT Video support from Dr. Bruno Cayoun, the creator of MiCBT, provides motivation and expert guidance on mindfulness and cognitive-behavioural techniques. With Dr. Cayoun's expertise and insight, you can enhance your practice and deepen your understanding of the principles behind MiCBT. We offer three subscription options to access the full MiCBT Guide: Monthly, 6-Monthly, and Yearly. Subscription will be renewed within 24 hours before the end of each period at the rate of your selected plan. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Ahead at 70% against The MiCBT Guide's 0%. Ahead also leads on rating (4.7 vs 1.0) and ratings volume (22K vs 1). The MiCBT Guide's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Both are free to download. Ahead sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month and The MiCBT Guide sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Ahead holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Ahead has 22K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Ahead's written reviews are positive against 0% of The MiCBT Guide's.
Ahead ships an update every 2 weeks, The MiCBT Guide every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ahead | The MiCBT Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (22K ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 70.4% of reviews — better | 0.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 22K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 15.6 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 479 MB | 58 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | ahead Solutions GmbH | The MiCBT Institute Pty Ltd |
Customer experience
Ahead
The MiCBT Guide
Bugs and requests
Ahead
Reported bugs
5 issues- Crashes and freezes
- Inability to access full content without subscription
- Inconsistent syncing and data loss
- Confusing navigation and user interface
- Unresponsive or malfunctioning features
Requested features
8 requests- More free content and features
- Ability to track progress and revisit past lessons
- Personalized recommendations based on user data
- Integration with other mental health apps or services
- Dark mode option
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- Audio/video content for visual/auditory learners
- Improved bug fixes and stability
- Better customer support and communication
The MiCBT Guide
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Ahead
- 1 month$9.991 Month
- 3 Months7 Days trial$29.993 Months
- 12 months7 Days trial$29.991 Year
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- 3 Months7 Days trial$39.993 Months
- 12 months1 Month trial$39.991 Year
- 12 months7 Days trial$39.991 Year
- 12 months7 Days trial$59.991 Year
- 12 months1 Month trial$59.991 Year
- 12 months7 Days trial$79.991 Year
- 12 months1 Month trial$79.991 Year
The MiCBT Guide
- 1 Month Plan$8.991 Month
- 6 Months Plan$24.996 Months
- 12 Months Plan$44.991 Year









