# Insight Timer vs Guide

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Guide at none against Insight Timer's 14. Insight Timer's advantage is ratings volume (447K vs 11) and chart position (#18 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Insight Timer sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Insight Timer against 5.0 for Guide. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Insight Timer has 447K ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Insight Timer's written reviews are positive against 75% of Guide's.

Insight Timer ships an update weekly, Guide every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and August 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Insight Timer | Guide |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (447K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/insight-timer-meditate-sleep/id337472899/reviews) | **[5.0 (11 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guide-create-your-meditations/id6526461511/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **447K** | 11 |
| Positive reviews | 70.0% of reviews | **75.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#18** | — |
| Size | 232 MB | 141 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Insight Network Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/983080487) | [Magi, Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/1726843677) |

## What reviewers say

### Insight Timer

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

**Currently charting:** #18 Top Grossing · Health & Fitness, #107 Top Free · Health & Fitness (US App Store)

Access thousands of guided meditations, music tracks, and talks from world-renowned experts to calm your mind, reduce anxiety, and improve sleep. Daily new content is added, catering to both beginners and experienced practitioners.

**Highlights:** Thousands of guided meditations, Music tracks and ambient sounds, Meditation timer, Community discussion groups, Progress tracking, Offline listening (premium)

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

**In-app purchases (12)**

| 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 |
| 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


### Guide

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guide-create-your-meditations/id6526461511)

This app offers personalized meditation sessions to help reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance overall well-being. Its AI learns from your feedback to adapt and provide more effective guidance over time. Explore a diverse library of tailored sessions for a calmer lifestyle.

**Highlights:** Customized meditation sessions, AI learning and adaptation, Diverse meditation library, Stress and anxiety relief, Sleep improvement, Personalized guidance

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Insight Timer free?

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

### Is Guide free?

Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

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

Guide is rated higher. Insight Timer averages 4.9 out of 5 from 447K ratings, while Guide averages 5.0 from 11 ratings.

### Do Insight Timer or Guide have ads?

Neither Insight Timer nor Guide shows ads.

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

Insight Timer ships an update weekly, and Guide every 4 days. Most recently, Insight Timer was updated on September 26, 2026 and Guide on August 13, 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.*