Comparison

Breathe2Relax vs Coping Coach by VA

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Breathe2Relax

Learn diaphragmatic breathing for stress management. This app offers detailed information on stress's effects and guided exercises to improve mood, control anger, and manage anxiety. It integrates with Apple Watch to track heart rate during sessions.

Highlights
  • Stress management information
  • Diaphragmatic breathing exercises
  • Mood stabilization
  • Anger control
  • Anxiety management
  • Heart rate tracking with Apple Watch
Features
Read full description

Breathe2Relax is a portable stress management tool which provides detailed information on the effects of stress on the body and instructions and practice exercises to help users learn the stress management skill called diaphragmatic breathing.Breathing exercises have been documented to decrease the body’s ‘fight-or-flight’ (stress) response, and help with mood stabilization, anger control, and anxiety management. Breathe2Relax can be used as a stand-alone stress reduction tool, or can be used in tandem with clinical care directed by a healthcare worker. Breathe2Relax now uses HealthKit and your Apple Watch device to measure your heart rate throughout your breathing exercise to help provide an even more complete picture of the relaxation experienced.

About

Coping Coach by VA

This app offers tools and resources to help users build resilience, manage stress, and improve well-being during challenging times. It provides customized support for coping, staying healthy, and navigating life changes like parenting or working from home. Users can track their mood and access additional help.

Highlights
  • Build resilience
  • Manage stress
  • Increase well-being
  • Coping resources
  • Mood tracking
  • Progress visualization
Features
Read full description

Life can be overwhelming, and we all face moments of stress, uncertainty, and change. Coping Coach is designed to help you build resilience, manage stress, and increase your well-being whenever you need it most. The app is free, secure, and connects you to important resources for coping and adapting through life's challenges. Customized tools are available to help you cope with stress, stay well, and stay connected whether you're navigating daily pressures, caregiving responsibilities, or major life transitions. You can track your mood, visualize your progress, and find resources to seek additional help and support. No account or password is required and user data is not collected. Coping Coach was made by the mobile mental health team of the National Center for PTSD, Dissemination & Training Division.

Screenshots

Breathe2Relax4 screens
Coping Coach by VA4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Coping Coach by VA at 4.8 against Breathe2Relax's 4.2. Coping Coach by VA also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 24 months) and review sentiment (88% vs 78%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

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

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Coping Coach by VA holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 317 and 1.5K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 78% of Breathe2Relax's written reviews are positive against 88% of Coping Coach by VA's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Breathe2Relax ships an update every 24 months, Coping Coach by VA every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Breathe2Relax versus Coping Coach by VA: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBreathe2RelaxCoping Coach by VA
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (317 ratings)4.8 (1.5K ratings) — better
Positive reviews77.9% of reviews87.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3171.5K — better
Update frequencyEvery 24 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size117 MB197 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDefense Health AgencyUS Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Customer experience

Breathe2Relax

All ratings316 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral6.6%
Negative12.3%
Written reviews199 reviews
Positive77.9%
Neutral7.0%
Negative15.1%

Coping Coach by VA

All ratings1,542 ratings
Positive94.7%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive87.5%
Neutral8.3%
Negative4.2%

User reviews

Breathe2Relax

From 317 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Excellent for stress and anxiety relief
  • 👍 Simple and easy to use
  • 🧘‍♀️ Helps with breathing and relaxation
  • 🤩 Calming and soothing experience
  • 💤 Useful for sleep and sleep issues

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Connectivity issues, unable to stream videos
  • 🔇 Lack of audio/sound options
  • ⏱️ Limited breathing cycle duration
  • 📱 Compatibility issues with older devices
  • 🤖 Monotonous voice instructions

Coping Coach by VA

From 1.5K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Easy to use
  • 🛟 Helpful for mental health
  • 💯 Effective coping strategies
  • 🆓 Free and ad-free
  • 🎯 Tracks progress well

Room to improve

  • 🤖 Not compatible with iPhone
  • 🌐 Limited offline functionality

Bugs and requests

Breathe2Relax

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Videos not playing due to connectivity issues
  • App crashing or freezing on some devices
  • Inability to connect to Apple Watch

Requested features

5 requests
  • Ability to set custom breathing cycle duration
  • More background music/nature sound options
  • Different voice options for guidance
  • Integration with Apple Watch/fitness tracking
  • Longer breathing sessions beyond 16 cycles

Coping Coach by VA

Reported bugs

1 issue
  • Login issues on some devices

Requested features

2 requests
  • COVID-19 screening feature
  • More customization options

In-app purchases

None

Breathe2Relax

No in-app purchases

None

Coping Coach by VA

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Breathe2Relax free?
Breathe2Relax is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Coping Coach by VA free?
Coping Coach by VA is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Breathe2Relax or Coping Coach by VA?
Coping Coach by VA is rated higher. Breathe2Relax averages 4.2 out of 5 from 317 ratings, while Coping Coach by VA averages 4.8 from 1.5K ratings.
Do Breathe2Relax or Coping Coach by VA have ads?
Neither Breathe2Relax nor Coping Coach by VA shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Breathe2Relax or Coping Coach by VA?
Breathe2Relax ships an update every 24 months, and Coping Coach by VA every 2 months. Most recently, Breathe2Relax was updated on October 23, 2026 and Coping Coach by VA on October 29, 2026.

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