# 5 Elements Therapy vs Heal EMDR

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: 5 Elements Therapy at none against Heal EMDR's 19. 5 Elements Therapy also leads on iOS requirement (11.0.0 vs 16.0). Heal EMDR's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 38 months). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Heal EMDR sells 19 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. 5 Elements Therapy asks for nothing beyond the download.

5 Elements Therapy ships an update every 38 months, Heal EMDR fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | 5 Elements Therapy | Heal EMDR |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.8 (224 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heal-emdr-self-guided-therapy/id6504521148/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **224** |
| Positive reviews | — | 88.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 38 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 36 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Joseph Martino](https://appshunter.io/developer/1585656897) | [HEAL APP FOR INTERNET CONTENT PROVIDER](https://appshunter.io/developer/1752640110) |

## What reviewers say

### 5 Elements Therapy

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/5-elements-therapy/id1585656895)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Heal EMDR

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heal-emdr-self-guided-therapy/id6504521148)

This app offers guided Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for managing anxiety, PTSD, and depression. It provides personalized sessions, progress tracking, and a resource library, all while ensuring user privacy.

**Highlights:** Guided EMDR therapy sessions, Optional AI Therapist or questionnaire, Targeted programs for anxiety, PTSD, trauma, depression, grief, phobias, Personalized session settings, Progress tracking dashboard, Resource library with videos and articles, 100% private data storage

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

**In-app purchases (19)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $19.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $44.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Months | $44.99 | per 3 months |
| Monthly | $49.99 | per month |
| Monthly - 1 Month Trial | $59.99 | per month |
| Monthly - 3 Days Trial | $59.99 | per month |
| Monthly | $65.99 | per month |
| 3 Months | $119.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Months - 1 Month Trial | $149.99 | per 3 months |
| 3 Months - 7 Days Trial | $149.99 | per 3 months |
| 6 Months | $179.99 | per 6 months |
| 6 Months - 7 Days Trial | $239.99 | per 6 months |
| 6 Months | $274.99 | per 6 months |
| Annual | $434.99 | per year |
| One Therapy Session | $8.99 | one-time |
| Five Therapy Sessions | $39.99 | one-time |
| Ten Therapy Sessions | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Life-changing for trauma/PTSD
- 👍 Highly effective EMDR alternative
- 🌟 Accessible and affordable
- 🧘‍♀️ Calming and grounding experience
- 🚀 Significant improvement in mood/anxiety

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription cost considered high by some
- 🤖 Unnerving AI intro videos
- ⚠️ Self-EMDR may not be suitable for deep trauma
- 🔄 AI function sometimes gets stuck
- 🚫 No refund policy mentioned

**Reported bugs**

- AI function gets stuck
- Intro videos are unnerving/uncanny valley

**Requested features**

- Alternative to bilateral audio
- Graphs for progress tracking
- Option to turn off bilateral audio
- Use real people instead of AI for intro videos
- Just use audio and no AI person for intro videos


## Frequently asked questions

### Is 5 Elements Therapy free?

5 Elements Therapy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Heal EMDR free?

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

### Do 5 Elements Therapy or Heal EMDR have ads?

Neither 5 Elements Therapy nor Heal EMDR shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, 5 Elements Therapy or Heal EMDR?

5 Elements Therapy ships an update every 38 months, and Heal EMDR fortnightly. Most recently, 5 Elements Therapy was updated on October 14, 2026 and Heal EMDR on October 20, 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.*