# The Mindfulness App vs UCLA Mindful

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: UCLA Mindful at none against The Mindfulness App's 13. The Mindfulness App's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (7.6K vs 176). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The Mindfulness App sells 12 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. UCLA Mindful asks for nothing beyond the download.

The Mindfulness App holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Mindfulness App has 7.6K ratings behind it against 176, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 76% and 77% positive.

The Mindfulness App ships an update fortnightly, UCLA Mindful every 3 months. Both last shipped on October 25, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Mindfulness App | UCLA Mindful |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (7.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430/reviews)** | [4.5 (176 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ucla-mindful/id1459128935/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7.6K** | 176 |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | **76.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 3 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 107 MB | 23 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Reflective Technologies ApS](https://appshunter.io/developer/469957278) | [UCLA Health](https://appshunter.io/developer/646973492) |

## What reviewers say

### The Mindfulness App

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-mindfulness-app/id417071430)

Access over 500 guided meditations, sleep stories, and courses from global experts. Customize silent or guided sessions with various background sounds and durations. Track your progress and integrate with Apple Health and Apple Watch.

**Highlights:** 500+ guided meditations and courses, Sleep stories for relaxation, Customizable silent or guided sessions, Multiple background sounds, Personalized user statistics, Apple Health and Apple Watch integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (12)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Stress Relief with Mindfulness | $2.99 | per month |
| Sleep Better | $2.99 | per month |
| Monthly Membership | $4.99 | per month |
| 1 Month Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Library | $44.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $59.99 | per year |
| 1 Year Premium | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Full Access | $59.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $79.99 | per year |
| Annual Membership | $99.99 | per year |


### 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 The Mindfulness App free?

The Mindfulness App is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is UCLA Mindful free?

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

### Which has better reviews, The Mindfulness App or UCLA Mindful?

The Mindfulness App is rated higher. The Mindfulness App averages 4.7 out of 5 from 7.6K ratings, while UCLA Mindful averages 4.5 from 176 ratings.

### Do The Mindfulness App or UCLA Mindful have ads?

Neither The Mindfulness App nor UCLA Mindful shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Mindfulness App or UCLA Mindful?

The Mindfulness App ships an update fortnightly, and UCLA Mindful every 3 months. Most recently, The Mindfulness App was updated on October 25, 2026 and UCLA Mindful on October 25, 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.*