Comparison

EMDR Self Therapy vs Akesa

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

Head to head
About

EMDR Self Therapy

Features
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A step-by-step companion for practising the Flash technique at your own pace. You never have to describe or write down your memory. PLEASE NOTE: The app interface is in Turkish. In the Flash technique your attention stays on an engaging, pleasant focus rather than on the disturbing memory. A steady left-right rhythm plays in the background, and at each spoken "Flash" cue you blink naturally three times. HOW IT WORKS 1. Starter guide: learn the sound, the butterfly hug and the Flash cue without touching any memory. You can try a practice round first. 2. Positive focus: choose a place, activity or moment that feels good. Add a short note or photo if you like. 3. Rating: mark how disturbing it feels right now, from 0 to 10. 4. Sets: rounds with rhythm, spoken Flash cues and a butterfly-hug video. 5. Re-rate: continue or stop. You do not need to reach zero. 6. Closing: "Back to the present" steps bring you back to where you are. WHAT YOU GET - Left-right rhythm with headphones, centred sound on the speaker - Video guidance filmed with a real person showing the butterfly hug and the blinks - Pause, Short break and Back to the present, available at any time - Grounding and positive-focus videos - Optional history: date, number of rounds and ratings kept only on your device - Free. No ads. No subscription. PRIVACY We do not ask for memory text, voice recordings or health history. History is off by default; if you turn it on, records stay on your device. WHO IT IS FOR Adults (18+), for mild distress, as recommended by a therapist trained in the Flash technique. Without therapist support, use the practice round and the back-to-the-present steps only. Do not try to process intense or complex trauma on your own. WHO DESIGNED IT The content was designed by Assoc. Prof. Alisan Burak Yasar, MD, psychiatrist and EMDR trainer, first author of a randomized controlled trial of the Flash technique (Yasar AB et al., Frontiers in Psychology, 2022;13:845481). Those findings concern clinician-delivered Flash; the effectiveness of this digital version has not yet been clinically tested. IMPORTANT This app is not a medical device. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and does not replace psychotherapy or emergency care. If distress increases, stop and use the back-to-the-present steps. If you are at risk of harming yourself or in immediate danger, do not stay alone; call your local emergency number.

About

Akesa

This app helps you understand and transform stress by providing a structured, science-based process for reflection and action. It offers tools like guided journaling, breathing exercises, and EMDR-inspired techniques to help you gain clarity and build resilience.

Highlights
  • Structured self-guided process
  • Seven-phase journey for change
  • Guided journaling and reflection
  • Breathing and grounding practices
  • EMDR-inspired eye movements
  • CBT-informed prompts
  • Binaural beats for regulation
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Stress often appears when there is a gap between what you need, what you value, and the way you are currently living or acting. Rather than trying to calm stress away, Akesa helps you slow down, listen, and work with it in a deliberate and structured way. Akesa is a self-guided, science-based process designed to help you transform stress into insight and realign with what matters. Akesa is built for daily use. It offers a structured rhythm you can return to whenever stress, uncertainty, or misalignment shows up. STRESS AS A SIGNAL In Akesa, stress is understood as a signal that something important deserves attention. It may point to misalignment, uncertainty, or a need for change. By engaging with stress rather than avoiding it, Akesa helps bring clarity about what matters and what to do next. THE AKESA PROCESS Akesa follows a structured process that supports reflection, awareness, and action. Each session invites you to check in, make sense of what is present, and choose a deliberate response. The process is flexible and can be used daily or whenever clarity is needed. THE SEVEN-PHASE JOURNEY Akesa is organized around a seven-phase journey that reflects how people naturally move through change. You return to these phases many times, within a day and across longer periods. The phases support decreasing stress, clarifying direction, moving through resistance, building resilience through daily experience, confronting limiting patterns, integrating insight, and restoring your system through rest and recovery. You can enter the journey at any phase, depending on what you need in the moment. TOOLS FOR DIFFERENT MOMENTS Akesa offers a set of tools designed to support different states and needs, including: • structured reflection and guided journaling • breathing and grounding practices • lateral eye movement inspired by EMDR • CBT-informed prompts that support clarity and decision-making • binaural beats to support regulation, focus, and rest • prompts that support clarity and decision-making • sleep and recovery support You choose the tools that fit the moment. GROUNDED IN SCIENCE Akesa is grounded in established principles from psychology, neuroscience, and behavioral science. These include stress regulation, self-awareness, belief updating, and behavior change. The focus is on practical use in everyday life, through a simple structure that supports consistency and integration over time. PRIVATE AND SELF-GUIDED Akesa is a personal space designed for self-guided use. Your reflections remain private, and the experience is intentionally quiet and contained. The process supports autonomy and agency, allowing you to engage at your own pace and on your own terms. A PREVENTIVE WELL-BEING APPROACH Akesa supports preventive well-being through a self-guided, non-clinical process focused on awareness, resilience, reflection, and alignment in daily life. It does not provide medical advice or treatment and is not a substitute for professional care. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please seek support from qualified professionals or local emergency services. SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS Akesa offers a 7-day free trial with full access. After the free trial, Akesa is available through auto-renewing subscriptions: • Monthly subscription at $14.99 per month • Annual subscription at $99.99 per year Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and auto-renewal in your Apple ID account settings. Any unused portion of a free trial will be forfeited when a subscription is purchased. Terms of Service: https://www.akesahealth.com/terms-of-service Privacy Policy: https://www.akesahealth.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

EMDR Self Therapy4 screens
Akesa4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: EMDR Self Therapy at none against Akesa's 2. EMDR Self Therapy also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 5 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Akesa sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. EMDR Self Therapy asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

EMDR Self Therapy ships an update weekly, Akesa every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
EMDR Self Therapy versus Akesa: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEMDR Self TherapyAkesa
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB54 MB
Age rating17+12+
DeveloperAlisan Burak YasarAKESA HEALTH INC.

In-app purchases

None

EMDR Self Therapy

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Akesa

Subscriptions2
  • Akesa Premium – Monthly7 Days trial$14.991 Month
  • Akesa Premium – Annual7 Days trial$99.991 Year

Questions

Is EMDR Self Therapy free?
EMDR Self Therapy is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Akesa free?
Akesa is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do EMDR Self Therapy or Akesa have ads?
Neither EMDR Self Therapy nor Akesa shows ads.
Which is updated more often, EMDR Self Therapy or Akesa?
EMDR Self Therapy ships an update weekly, and Akesa every 5 weeks. Most recently, EMDR Self Therapy was updated on November 7, 2026 and Akesa on November 5, 2026.

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