PTSD Coach vs EMDR
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PTSD Coach
This app offers educational resources and self-help tools for individuals experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It includes a self-assessment, information on professional care, and customizable tools for managing daily stress, such as relaxation techniques and anger management.
- PTSD education
- Self-assessment tool
- Professional care information
- Stress management tools
- Customizable features
- Relaxation skills
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PTSD Coach was designed for those who have, or may have, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This app provides you with education about PTSD, information about professional care, a self-assessment for PTSD, opportunities to find support, and tools that can help you manage the stresses of daily life with PTSD. Tools range from relaxation skills and positive self-talk to anger management and other common self-help strategies. You can customize tools based on your preferences and can integrate your own contacts, photos, and music. This app can be used by people who are in treatment as well as those who are not. PTSD Coach was created by VA’s National Center for PTSD and DoD’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology.
EMDR
This app provides customizable bilateral stimulation across Apple devices, offering control over visual, auditory, and haptic feedback. It supports various use cases like research, education, focus enhancement, and relaxation, with accessibility features and online broadcasting capabilities.
- Customizable pace and auto-stop
- Stereo sounds, animations, and vibrations
- Cross-device connectivity (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.)
- Game controller support
- Online broadcasting via EMDR Connect
- Full VoiceOver and Assistive Access support
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The EMDR app puts you in full control of visual, audio, and haptic bilateral stimulation. Turn game controllers and Joy-Cons into tappers, position sound precisely in stereo, and fine-tune vibration intensity. Sync across your Apple devices or broadcast to any browser with EMDR Connect. Full VoiceOver and Assistive Access support is built in. STIMULATION YOUR WAY Tailor every session to your needs: • Set your pace with presets or fine-tune it with a slider. • Use auto-stop so you never have to count along. • Choose from a wide range of sounds, animations, and vibrations. • Hear the count spoken aloud in 21 languages. • Position stereo sound to the left, right, or center. • Fine-tune vibration intensity, automatically adapted to each device. • Personalize colors, patterns, and more. WORKS ACROSS YOUR DEVICES Connect iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Joy-Cons, and game controllers. Alternate flashes or vibrations between devices, or use one as a remote control for another. No specialized tapper hardware is needed. The devices you already own do the work. BROADCAST WITH EMDR CONNECT Send your stimulation to a protected webpage on any computer, tablet, or phone, whether it's your own device or someone else's. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No account is needed. Shared names are encrypted, and EMDR Connect session data is removed from the server when the session ends. START FROM ANYWHERE • Start stimulation from Control Center, the Lock Screen, or the Action button. • Ask Siri, or automate your setup with Shortcuts. • Control playback from your headphones or a widget, even in the background. BUILT FOR ACCESSIBILITY Full support for Assistive Access and VoiceOver makes the app usable for people with diverse needs, with specialized interfaces that don't compromise on capability. TRY ONE MONTH FREE Explore everything the EMDR app offers with a free one-month trial for new subscribers. EMDR+ unlocks the full feature set across your Apple devices. EMDR Connect adds broadcasting to any browser. Download today and see how it fits your routine. APP PURPOSE This app is a general-purpose tool for generating bilateral and other types of stimulation. It supports a wide range of applications, including: • Research, e.g. testing the effects of bilateral stimulation. • Education, e.g. illustrating bilateral stimulation principles. • Focus and attention, e.g. pacing tasks with timed signals. • Relaxation and wellness, e.g. promoting physical relaxation through bilateral vibration. This app is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or condition. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: PTSD Coach at 81% against EMDR's 46%. PTSD Coach also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 7) and rating (4.7 vs 4.4). EMDR's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 11 months) and device support (7 vs 3). On price and ads 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
Both are free to download. EMDR sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. PTSD Coach asks for nothing beyond the download.
PTSD Coach holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: PTSD Coach has 4.3K ratings behind it against 172, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of PTSD Coach's written reviews are positive against 46% of EMDR's.
PTSD Coach ships an update every 11 months, EMDR weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | PTSD Coach | EMDR |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (4.3K ratings) — better | 4.4 (172 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.1% of reviews — better | 45.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4.3K — better | 172 |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, Apple TV, Apple Watch, Vision Pro — better |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 83 MB | 113 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) | Bas Oppenheim |
Customer experience
PTSD Coach
EMDR
User reviews
PTSD Coach
From 4.3K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Useful app for managing PTSD symptoms
- 🚀 Accessible and easy to use
- 💡 Provides a variety of coping tools
- 🌟 Helpful for both veterans and non-veterans
- 🧠 Aids in self-assessment and progress tracking
Room to improve
- 🔍 Limited to veteran-focused PTSD content
- 🔊 Distracting background sounds in some exercises
- 🐛 Occasional app crashes and freezing issues
- 📱 Outdated or lacking features for modern devices
EMDR
From 172 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Effective EMDR tool
- 💡 Highly customizable
- 🚀 Works well on iPhone/iPad
- ✨ Clean interface
- 🎧 Supports audio cues
Room to improve
- 💸 Subscription model criticized
- 🐌 Slow on Macbook
- 📱 Apple TV app broken
- 🚫 No free trial clarity
- ⚠️ Upsell windows disrupt sessions
Bugs and requests
PTSD Coach
Reported bugs
2 issues- History data being deleted after updates
- Symptom assessment reminders not working as expected
Requested features
5 requests- Multi-language support
- Ability to customize or add personal content
- Integration with mental health professionals
- Expanded resources for non-veteran PTSD
- Improved symptom tracking and data visualization
EMDR
Reported bugs
10 issues- Apple Watch app won't launch after update
- Sound issues (thudding noise, stereo problems)
- Apple TV app doesn't work
- Session disrupted by upsell window
- App crashes when selecting features
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- Sound doesn't work after purchasing
- App doesn't work without internet
- Trial starts without warning
- Trial period doesn't work
- App doesn't play in background or when screen is locked
Requested features
13 requests- Gradient effect for circle
- More customization for circle
- Alternating controller vibration
- Timer feature
- Slower BPM options (down to 30)
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- More frame rates per second
- Additional movements (Achten, Kreise)
- Slower option for Slow EMDR
- Use two Nintendo controllers for each hand
- Pitch control for tone option
- Option for 48 repeats
- Ability to run with screen locked or in background
- Manual input for repetitions and speed
In-app purchases
PTSD Coach
No in-app purchases
EMDR
- EMDR+1 Month trial$4.991 Month
- EMDR+ with Connect1 Month trial$19.991 Month
- EMDR+ with Connect (Monthly)1 Month trial$39.991 Month
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- EMDR+ (Yearly)1 Month trial$49.991 Year
- EMDR+ with Connect (Yearly)1 Month trial2 variants$199.991 Year
- EMDR+ for Research$9.99








