# Don’t Panic with AJ vs Rootd

The clearest difference is price: Rootd at Free against Don’t Panic with AJ's $2.99. Rootd also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 7 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Don’t Panic with AJ's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On review sentiment, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Rootd is free to download; Don’t Panic with AJ costs $2.99 up front. Rootd sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Don’t Panic with AJ asks for nothing beyond the download.

Rootd holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Rootd has 11K ratings behind it against 18, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 82% and 82% positive.

Don’t Panic with AJ ships an update every 7 months, Rootd weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Don’t Panic with AJ | Rootd |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.4 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dont-panic-with-aj/id409162870/reviews) | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rootd-panic-attacks-and-anxiety/id1289018369/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 18 | **11K** |
| Positive reviews | 81.7% of reviews | **82.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Size | 87 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.4** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Universal Relaxation Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/960035744) | [Simply Rooted Media Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1294325827) |

## What reviewers say

### Don’t Panic with AJ

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dont-panic-with-aj/id409162870)

This app offers guided meditations and mindfulness sessions to help users overcome anxiety and panic attacks. It provides tools and techniques to manage stress, improve mindset, and regain control during overwhelming situations.

**Highlights:** Guided meditations for anxiety and panic, Mindfulness sessions for stress relief, Techniques to regain control of feelings, Positive and motivational messages, Short meditations for on-the-go use, Breathing exercises for calmness

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 😌 Calming voice of Andrew Johnson
- 😌 Helps with anxiety and panic attacks
- 😴 Aids in falling asleep
- 🧘‍♀️ Effective for relaxation and stress relief
- 👍 Life-changing for many users

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 App crashes frequently
- 🐛 Some recordings have bad quality
- 🤔 Counting can be difficult during hypnosis
- 🤔 Some users find it too much to concentrate on
- 🔊 Harsh 'awaken' feature re-triggers anxiety

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on opening
- App freezes after update
- App closes immediately after starting
- Recording quality is bad
- Update makes the application crash faster

**Requested features**

- Add a start time for sessions
- Make a carsick app
- More gentle 'awaken' option
- Adjustable session length
- More technique-focused apps


### Rootd

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rootd-panic-attacks-and-anxiety/id1289018369)

This app offers immediate and long-term relief from anxiety and panic attacks. It provides tools like a panic button, guided breathing, journaling, and educational lessons to help users understand and overcome their anxiety. Features also include soothing visualizations, sleep aids, and an emergency contact option.

**Highlights:** Panic attack SOS button, Guided deep breathing exercises, Anxiety journaling, Soothing visualizations, Educational lessons on anxiety, Sleep aids and relaxing sounds, Emergency contact feature

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chat With Ron | $2.99 | per month |
| Rootd Full Access Monthly | $6.99 | per month |
| Unlimited Annual Access | $29.99 | per year |
| Rootd Full Access 6 Months | $34.99 | per 6 months |
| Rootd Full Access Yearly | $44.99 | per year |
| Rootd Full Access Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| 7 Day Trial Yearly Plan | $59.99 | per year |
| Rootd Full Access Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Rootd Full Access Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Rootd Full Access Yearly | $79.99 | per year |
| Rootd Lifetime Full Access | $179.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 💗 Helps with anxiety and panic attacks
- 🧘‍♀️ Useful breathing and relaxation exercises
- 📚 Informative lessons on understanding anxiety
- 🆓 Provides helpful free features
- 🔒 No ads or distractions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paid features can be expensive
- 🐛 Some technical issues like app crashes
- 🚫 Limited free content, need to pay for full access
- 🤖 Voice/audio quality could be improved
- 🤔 Certain features not always reliable during panic attacks

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on launch
- Certain features not functioning as expected
- Syncing/login issues with paid subscriptions

**Requested features**

- More free content and exercises
- Ability to customize/personalize the app
- Integration with wearables or smart home devices
- Expanded journaling and mood tracking capabilities
- Games or interactive elements to distract during anxiety


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Don’t Panic with AJ free?

Don’t Panic with AJ costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Rootd free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Don’t Panic with AJ or Rootd?

Rootd is rated higher. Don’t Panic with AJ averages 4.4 out of 5 from 18 ratings, while Rootd averages 4.8 from 11K ratings.

### Do Don’t Panic with AJ or Rootd have ads?

Rootd shows ads; Don’t Panic with AJ does not.

### Which is updated more often, Don’t Panic with AJ or Rootd?

Don’t Panic with AJ ships an update every 7 months, and Rootd weekly. Most recently, Don’t Panic with AJ was updated on October 22, 2026 and Rootd on October 23, 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.*