# Universal Breathing vs Box Breathing

The clearest difference is rating: Box Breathing at 4.8 against Universal Breathing's 3.6. Box Breathing also leads on ads (none vs shown) and review sentiment (79% vs 60%). Universal Breathing's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Universal Breathing sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Box Breathing sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Box Breathing holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Box Breathing has 320 ratings behind it against 41, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 60% of Universal Breathing's written reviews are positive against 79% of Box Breathing's.

Universal Breathing ships an update every 6 weeks, Box Breathing every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Universal Breathing | Box Breathing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.6 (41 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-breathing-pranayama/id435871685/reviews) | **[4.8 (320 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/box-breathing-float/id1605558336/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 41 | **320** |
| Positive reviews | 60.4% of reviews | **78.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 131 MB | 96 MB |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, Vision Pro |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Saagara](https://appshunter.io/developer/341935133) | [STRV s.r.o.](https://appshunter.io/developer/330549300) |

## What reviewers say

### Universal Breathing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/universal-breathing-pranayama/id435871685)

This app guides you through proper breathing techniques to improve your health and well-being. Learn to breathe diaphragmatically for 15 minutes daily to reduce stress, improve sleep, and enhance athletic performance.

**Highlights:** Diaphragmatic breathing training, Guided breathing courses, Customizable breathing ratios, Body and dial animations, Multiple sound settings, Beginner to advanced levels

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Universal Breathing Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Universal Breathing Annual | $14.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and effective
- 👍 Great for beginners
- 👍 Helps with anxiety/stress
- 👍 Improves breathing capacity
- 👍 Useful for meditation

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sound not working
- 🐛 App is outdated
- 🐛 Difficult to exit app
- 🐛 Unintuitive user interface
- 🐛 Limited free features

**Reported bugs**

- Sound stopped working
- No sound on iPhone
- Audio bug requires phone restart
- Customization button not working
- Paid version only works for beginner level

**Requested features**

- More free options
- Update the app
- Improve user-friendliness
- Clarify calendar/timetable numbers
- More customization for retention/exhale


### Box Breathing

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/box-breathing-float/id1605558336)

Enhance your well-being with guided breathwork exercises. This app offers personalized sessions based on a breathing test, with categories for calm, sleep, focus, and energy. Experience immersive audio, haptic feedback, and sound cues for stress reduction and improved performance.

**Highlights:** Personalized breathing test, Exercise categories (Calm, Sleep, Focus, Energize), Audio guide and sound cues, Haptic feedback, CO2 tolerance test, Stress and anxiety relief

**Features:** Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Float PRO - Monthly Membership | $9.99 | per month |
| Float PRO Breathing Exercises | $39.99 | per year |
| Float PRO Breathing Exercises | $49.99 | per year |
| Float PRO Breathing Exercises | $69.99 | per year |
| Float PRO Breathing Exercises | $199.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Universal Breathing free?

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

### Is Box Breathing free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Universal Breathing or Box Breathing?

Box Breathing is rated higher. Universal Breathing averages 3.6 out of 5 from 41 ratings, while Box Breathing averages 4.8 from 320 ratings.

### Do Universal Breathing or Box Breathing have ads?

Universal Breathing shows ads; Box Breathing does not.

### Which is updated more often, Universal Breathing or Box Breathing?

Universal Breathing ships an update every 6 weeks, and Box Breathing every 3 weeks. Most recently, Universal Breathing was updated on October 22, 2026 and Box Breathing 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.*
