# Insight Timer vs The MiCBT Guide

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Insight Timer at 70% against The MiCBT Guide's 0%. Insight Timer also leads on rating (4.9 vs 1.0) and update cadence (weekly vs every 6 weeks). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Insight Timer sells 13 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.

Insight Timer holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Insight Timer has 449K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Insight Timer's written reviews are positive against 0% of The MiCBT Guide's.

Insight Timer ships an update weekly, The MiCBT Guide every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Insight Timer | The MiCBT Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (449K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insight-timer-meditate-sleep/id337472899/reviews)** | [1.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-micbt-guide/id1601814003/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **449K** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | **70.0% of reviews** | 0.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#15** | — |
| Size | 231 MB | 58 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Insight Network Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/983080487) | [The MiCBT Institute Pty Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1561565307) |

## What reviewers say

### Insight Timer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insight-timer-meditate-sleep/id337472899)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness, #99 Top Free · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

This app offers a vast library of guided meditations, breathwork exercises, sleep stories, and movement practices from leading wellness experts. It helps users reduce stress, improve sleep, and build healthier routines with daily new content and community features.

**Highlights:** Thousands of guided meditations, Breathwork and breathing exercises, Sleep meditations and sounds, Yoga, Pilates, and movement practices, Customizable meditation timer, Community groups and features, Progress tracking and stats

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

**In-app purchases (13)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Insight Premium Meditation | $9.99 | per month |
| Insight Premium Meditation | $59.99 | per year |
| Insight Premium Meditation | $59.99 | per year |
| MemberPlus Family | $89.99 | per year |
| Teacher Donation (XS) | $1.99 | one-time |
| Meditation Course: Single Use | $4.99 | one-time |
| Teacher Donation (S) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Live Event Ticket | $13.99 | one-time |
| Meditation Course: Multi Use | $19.99 | one-time |
| Truth Anxiety course – Own | $19.99 | one-time |
| Teacher Donation (M) | $19.99 | one-time |
| Teacher Donation (L) | $49.99 | one-time |
| Teacher Donation (XL) | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💤 Great for sleep and relaxation
- 🌍 Diverse range of teachers and content
- 🕰️ Customizable timer with bells/chimes
- 🆓 Generous free content
- 🧠 Helps with anxiety, stress, and mental health

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Overly commercialized with constant upselling
- 🔒 Privacy concerns with mandatory account creation
- 🔀 Confusing and cluttered user interface
- 🐛 Bugs, crashes, and technical issues
- 🔒 Paywall blocking access to core features

**Reported bugs**

- Timer frequently pausing or shutting down during use
- Inconsistent tracking of meditation streaks and progress
- Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions
- Inability to leave reviews for meditations

**Requested features**

- Ability to sort/filter bookmarked meditations
- Option to disable opening quotes and mood check-ins
- Improved offline functionality and caching
- More customization options for the timer
- Better community features and social integration


### The MiCBT Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-micbt-guide/id1601814003)

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.

**Highlights:** Guided mindfulness meditations, Customizable meditation timers, Progress trackers, Practice diary, Evidence-based assessment tools, Smart notifications, Goal setting

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Month Plan | $8.99 | per month |
| 6 Months Plan | $24.99 | per 6 months |
| 12 Months Plan | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Insight Timer free?

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

### Is The MiCBT Guide free?

The MiCBT Guide is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Insight Timer or The MiCBT Guide?

Insight Timer is rated higher. Insight Timer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 449K ratings, while The MiCBT Guide averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.

### Do Insight Timer or The MiCBT Guide have ads?

Neither Insight Timer nor The MiCBT Guide shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Insight Timer or The MiCBT Guide?

Insight Timer ships an update weekly, and The MiCBT Guide every 6 weeks. Most recently, Insight Timer was updated on October 31, 2026 and The MiCBT Guide on October 24, 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.*