# EMDR vs Four Shields

The clearest difference is update cadence: Four Shields at every 3 days against EMDR's weekly. EMDR's advantage is device support (7 vs 3) and iOS requirement (15 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. EMDR sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Four Shields sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

EMDR ships an update weekly, Four Shields every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | EMDR | Four Shields |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emdr/id1572102565/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **172** | — |
| Positive reviews | 45.8% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 113 MB | 90 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Bas Oppenheim](https://appshunter.io/developer/1009442115) | [Blain Bertrand](https://appshunter.io/developer/6796352076) |

## What reviewers say

### EMDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/emdr/id1572102565)

This app provides customizable bilateral stimulation across Apple devices, offering control over visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. It supports various use cases like research, education, focus enhancement, and relaxation, with accessibility features and online broadcasting capabilities.

**Highlights:** Customizable pace and auto-stop, Stereo sounds, animations, and vibrations, Cross-device connectivity (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.), Game controller support, Online broadcasting via EMDR Connect, Full VoiceOver and Assistive Access support

**Features:** Game Controller support, Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| EMDR+ | $4.99 | per month |
| EMDR+ with Connect | $19.99 | per month |
| EMDR+ with Connect (Monthly) | $39.99 | per month |
| EMDR+ (Yearly) | $49.99 | per year |
| EMDR+ with Connect (Yearly) | $199.99 | per year |
| EMDR+ for Research | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Effective EMDR tool
- 💡 Highly customizable
- 🚀 Works well on iPhone/iPad
- ✨ Clean interface
- 🎧 Supports audio cues

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💸 Subscription model criticized
- 🐌 Slow on Macbook
- 📱 Apple TV app broken
- 🚫 No free trial clarity
- ⚠️ Upsell windows disrupt sessions

**Reported bugs**

- Apple Watch app won't launch after update
- Sound issues (thudding noise, stereo problems)
- Apple TV app doesn't work
- Session disrupted by upsell window
- App crashes when selecting features

**Requested features**

- Gradient effect for circle
- More customization for circle
- Alternating controller vibration
- Timer feature
- Slower BPM options (down to 30)


### Four Shields

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/four-shields/id6808653307)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Four Shields Premium Monthly | $5.99 | per month |
| Four Shields Premium Annual | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is EMDR free?

EMDR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Four Shields free?

Four Shields is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do EMDR or Four Shields have ads?

Neither EMDR nor Four Shields shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, EMDR or Four Shields?

EMDR ships an update weekly, and Four Shields every 3 days. Most recently, EMDR was updated on October 16, 2026 and Four Shields on October 10, 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.*