# iChill vs UCLA Mindful

The clearest difference is rating: UCLA Mindful at 4.5 against iChill's 4.2. UCLA Mindful also leads on review sentiment (78% vs 68%) and ratings volume (172 vs 35). iChill's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UCLA Mindful holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 35 and 172 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 68% of iChill's written reviews are positive against 78% of UCLA Mindful's.

iChill ships an update every 5 months, UCLA Mindful every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 4, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | iChill | UCLA Mindful |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.2 (35 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ichill/id403527676/reviews) | **[4.5 (172 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucla-mindful/id1459128935/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 35 | **172** |
| Positive reviews | 68.4% of reviews | **78.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 144 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Trauma Resource Institute, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/403527679) | [UCLA Health](https://appshunter.io/developer/646973492) |

## What reviewers say

### iChill

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ichill/id403527676)

This app teaches six wellness skills based on the Trauma Resiliency Model to help manage stress and trauma. It guides users to understand and regulate their nervous system, promoting a balanced state for better well-being. Regular practice can reduce anxiety and depression symptoms.

**Highlights:** Teaches six wellness skills, Based on Trauma Resiliency Model, Helps regulate nervous system, Promotes balanced 'Okay Zone', Reduces anxiety and depression symptoms, Suitable for all ages

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### UCLA Mindful

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucla-mindful/id1459128935)

Practice mindfulness meditation with guided sessions and educational content from UCLA Health. Learn to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and cultivate positive emotions through regular practice. Explore various meditation types, informative videos, and weekly recordings to enhance your well-being.

**Highlights:** Guided basic meditations, Wellness meditations for health conditions, Informative videos on mindfulness, Weekly live/virtual meditation recordings, Talks on mindfulness topics, Customizable meditation timer

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🙏 Free and accessible resource
- 🧘‍♀️ High-quality guided meditations
- 🗣️ Calming and comforting narrator voices (Diana Winston)
- 👍 Simple, easy to use, and navigate
- 🌍 Multiple languages offered

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🗣️ Presenter talks too much during meditations
- 🔌 Requires a good internet connection (streaming)
- 🔄 No offline access
- 📱 App doesn't rotate on iPad in landscape mode
- 🔊 Loud ding at the end of some tracks

**Reported bugs**

- 🐛 Loop repeat did not replay when screen is locked
- 🐛 Audio stops when iPhone screen locks/turns off
- 🐛 Back button disappears on search podcast tab
- 🐛 Search in previous podcast is slow to respond
- 🐛 Custom timer doesn't work as intended

**Requested features**

- Offline access/downloadable sessions
- More voice diversity (ethnicity and gender)
- Add to Apple Health for tracking mindful minutes
- Improve pausing points for Vietnamese meditations
- Remove the ding at the end of tracks


## Frequently asked questions

### Is iChill free?

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

### Is UCLA Mindful free?

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

### Which has better reviews, iChill or UCLA Mindful?

UCLA Mindful is rated higher. iChill averages 4.2 out of 5 from 35 ratings, while UCLA Mindful averages 4.5 from 172 ratings.

### Do iChill or UCLA Mindful have ads?

Neither iChill nor UCLA Mindful shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, iChill or UCLA Mindful?

iChill ships an update every 5 months, and UCLA Mindful every 3 months. Most recently, iChill was updated on September 4, 2026 and UCLA Mindful on September 19, 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.*