Sounds True vs Intelligence Squared+
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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
Intelligence Squared+
Access a vast library of debates and discussions from leading figures in politics, science, and the arts. Engage with speakers live, connect with other subscribers, and enjoy exclusive discounts on events and merchandise.
- Extensive video library of debates
- Live event streaming
- Interactive Q&A with speakers
- Subscriber community
- Discounts on tickets and merchandise
- Premium newsletter
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Spend time with the world’s most brilliant minds today with an Intelligence Squared+ subscription. Brimming with more than 20 years of debates and discussions, our online video-streaming service offers you the chance to hear from some of the biggest and brightest names in politics, journalism, science, technology, and the arts, including: Stephen Fry, Malala Yousafzai, Yuval Noah Harari, Idris Elba, Helena Bonham Carter, Jarvis Cocker, Stacey Abrams, Simon Schama, Tom Hiddleston, Mary Beard, Mehdi Hasan and many more. There’s an endless trove of conversations to explore. You can tune into live events, ask questions to our speakers and talk to other subscribers – all within the app. As an Intelligence Squared+ subscriber you’ll also gain: – ad-free access to all our upcoming and past events online – 15% discounts on tickets to our in-person events and merchandise – discounts on new books – our premium newsletter direct to your inbox Subscribe today to start watching. To access all features and content you can subscribe to Intelligence Squared+ on a yearly basis with an auto-renewing subscription right inside the app.* Pricing can vary by region and will be confirmed before purchase in the app. In app subscriptions will automatically renew at the end of their cycle. All payments will be paid through your iTunes Account and may be managed under Account Settings after the initial payment. Subscription payments will automatically renew unless deactivated at least 24-hours before the end of the current cycle. Your account will be charged for renewal at least 24-hours prior to the end of the current cycle. Any unused portion of your free trial will be forfeited upon payment. Cancellations are incurred by disabling auto-renewal. Terms of Service: https://www.intelligencesquaredplus.com/tos Privacy Policy: https://www.intelligencesquaredplus.com/privacy
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Intelligence Squared+ at 100% against Sounds True's 26%. Intelligence Squared+ also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Sounds True's advantage is monetization model (free with in-app purchases vs subscription) and ratings volume (1.2K vs 1). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Sounds True sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Intelligence Squared+ sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Intelligence Squared+ holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Sounds True has 1.2K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 26% of Sounds True's written reviews are positive against 100% of Intelligence Squared+'s.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 30, 2026.
| Parameter | Sounds True | Intelligence Squared+ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (1.2K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.7% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.2K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Subscription |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 71 MB | 68 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | Sounds True | Intelligence Squared (UK) Ltd |
Customer experience
Sounds True
Intelligence Squared+
Bugs and requests
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
Intelligence Squared+
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Sounds True
- Monthly All Access$19.991 Month
- Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
- Annual7 Days trial$179.991 Year
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- Yearly All Access$189.001 Year
Intelligence Squared+
- Intelligence Squared+ Monthly7 Days trial$14.991 Month
- Intelligence Squared+ Yearly7 Days trial$134.991 Year
Questions
Is Sounds True free?
Is Intelligence Squared+ free?
Which has better reviews, Sounds True or Intelligence Squared+?
Do Sounds True or Intelligence Squared+ have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sounds True or Intelligence Squared+?
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