Comparison

Brainwave Studio vs Breath By Design

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

Head to head
About

Brainwave Studio

This app offers a system for relaxation, stress relief, sleep support, meditation, and mind training. It utilizes isochronic tones integrated into ambient music and nature sounds to help users achieve desired mental states. Choose from 40 sessions across 5 categories to find calm and focus.

Highlights
  • 40 brainwave entrainment sessions
  • Isochronic tone technology
  • 60 ambient nature sounds
  • 48 atmospheric music tracks
  • Customizable sound mixes
  • Universal app for iOS devices
Features
Read full description

Stressed out? Trouble sleeping? Distracting sounds at work or school? Need a relaxing break from a busy day? If your answered yes to any of those questions then Brainwave Studio is for you! Brainwave Studio is a professionally designed relaxation, stress relief, sleep support, meditation and mind training system, with 40 brainwave entrainment sessions of carefully selected nature sounds and superb quality ambient music. ________________________ How does it work? Brainwave Studio uses isochronic tones, widely regarded as the superior brainwave tone. Isochronic tones pulse at specific frequencies, and stimulate the brain to help you achieve your desired mental state. Unlike binaural beats, isochronic tones work through headphones or speakers. The isochronic tones are integrated into the backgrounds of beautiful, soothing melodies. Listen to the peaceful music while the tones automatically do their magic in the background. ________________________ Features - 5 categories: Relaxation, Sleep, Meditation, Stress and Anxiety, Mind Training - 40 brainwave entrainment sessions with dynamic isochronic tones - 60 soothing ambient sounds - 48 atmospheric music tracks (endless loops) - Universal app runs on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch - Saved soundscapes are synchronized using iCloud - Separate volume controls for every sound - Create customized sound mixes by combining ambient sounds together - High quality Retina graphics - AirPlay support - Multitasking support: play your favorite melodies while using other applications ________________________ 5 Categories With 40 Sessions - Relaxation: Quick relax ∙ Tension relief ∙ Lunch break relax ∙ After a busy day ∙ Relax before important event ∙ After high stress ∙ Before going to bed ∙ Deep evening relax - Stress and Anxiety: Quick stress relief ∙ Workplace stress relief ∙ Anxiety reduction ∙ Anxiety reduction before sleep ∙ Reduce anxiety before taking a test ∙ After work stress reduction ∙ Deep stress relief - Meditation: 7Hz Zen meditation ∙ Coffee break meditation ∙ Low-Alpha meditation ∙ Mid-Alpha meditation ∙ Theta meditation ∙ Delta meditation ∙ 7,83Hz Schumann rhythm meditation ∙ Deep Schumann rhythm meditation. - Sleep: Short anti-insomnia session ∙ Sleep induction ∙ Mental workers sleep support ∙ Hyperactive people sleep induction ∙ Sleep induction for insomniacs ∙ Clear your mind and fall asleep ∙ Deep sleep induction - Mind Training: Workout performance enhancer ∙ After-Workout recovery session ∙ Attention enhancer ∙ Mental workers support session ∙ Idea generation session ∙ Motivation enhancer ∙ Energy enhancer ∙ Creative tasks helper ∙ Concentration enhancer for studying ∙ Sensory-motor rhythm session. ________________________ 60 Ambient Sounds Birds ∙ Piano ∙ Cat ∙ City ∙ Clock ∙ Crickets ∙ Dolphins ∙ Fire ∙ Forest ∙ Frogs ∙ Heart ∙ Monk ∙ Music box ∙ Night ∙ Rain ∙ River ∙ Space ∙ Submarine ∙ Thunder ∙ Train ∙ Cave ∙ Water ∙ Whale ∙ White noise ∙ Wind ∙ Wind Chimes ∙ Jungle ∙ Flute ∙ African night ∙ Howling wolf ∙ Sea lion ∙ City park ∙ Lakeside ∙ Shopping mall ∙ Industrial ∙ Nightingale ∙ Spring birds ∙ Crowd ∙ Oscillating fan ∙ Swamp ∙ Dripping water ∙ Owls ∙ Tropical forest ∙ Factory ∙ PC fan ∙ Vacuum cleaner ∙ Fan ∙ Pirate ship ∙ Waterfall ∙ Fridge ∙ Pneumatic drill ∙ Waves ∙ Hair dryer ∙ Rain on window ∙ High Voltage ∙ Harbor ∙ Running water ∙ Winter blizzard ∙ Highway ∙ School If you have any questions or comments please don't hesitate to contact us at any time: info@rcs-software.com

About

Breath By Design

Unlock your body's natural healing and self-regulation abilities through guided breathing exercises. This app offers practices for stress management, improved physical performance, and enhanced overall well-being. Learn to harness your breath for a more resilient and healthy life.

Highlights
  • Guided breathing practices
  • Stress and anxiety management
  • Improved physical performance
  • Enhanced digestion and sleep
  • Progress tracking
  • Offline sync
Features
Read full description

Unleash your potential through the power of breath! The Breath by Design system is meditation for the modern mind. Our engaging and fun guided practices can be done seated, while walking, or even during exercise. We’ll help you tap into the breathing tools you already possess, unlocking your body’s incredible capacity to self-heal and self-regulate through all of life's twists and turns. Join us and learn how to lead a resilient, healthy, and exceptional life. One of the primary benefits of Breath by Design is the ability to manage stress and anxiety. Our program will teach you how to take control of your breath, allowing you to relax and manage your stress and anxiety levels in a healthy and effective way. Our Breath by Design program can also help you maximize your physical performance. Our breathing exercises will help you improve your aerobic capacity, allowing you to harness more energy and stay focused. We’ll also teach you how to use your breath to improve your digestion, blood pressure, heart health, sleep, and more. INFORMATION ABOUT THE APP AND PURCHASE OPTIONS By signing up, you will get access to subscription(s) that include features such as progress tracking, and offline sync. The download of Breath By Design is free of charge. Should you use Breath By Design app to access in-app content via available one-time purchase(s), a payment will be charged to your credit card once. Read our full Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy: https://passion.io/terms-of-service https://passion.io/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Brainwave Studio4 screens
Breath By Design4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Breath By Design at Free against Brainwave Studio's $3.99. Breath By Design also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 84%). Brainwave Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 8) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence and device support 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

Breath By Design is free to download; Brainwave Studio costs $3.99 up front. Breath By Design sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Brainwave Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Brainwave Studio ships an update every 5 weeks, Breath By Design every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Brainwave Studio versus Breath By Design: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBrainwave StudioBreath By Design
Price$3.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (106 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews84.3% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings106 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS7.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size376 MB92 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperRCS LTKimberley Kraushar

Customer experience

Brainwave Studio

All ratings106 ratings
Positive86.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative9.4%
Written reviews121 reviews
Positive84.3%
Neutral5.8%
Negative9.9%

Breath By Design

Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

Brainwave Studio

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • App crashes on startup with iOS 16 and newer
  • Content missing on iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Freezes after 30 seconds on newer devices
  • App closes when other audio apps are opened
  • Crashes when attempting to restore purchases
Show 4 more
  • Constant crashes requiring frequent reinstalls
  • Frequency range descriptions are inaccurate
  • Music stops playing if swiped left or stopped
  • High memory consumption on iPad

Requested features

12 requests
  • Background playback with phone screen off
  • Ability to layer with personal music library
  • Multitasking support with other audio apps
  • Timer and alarm functionality
  • Mac app version
Show 7 more
  • More isochronic tone programs
  • Lucid dreaming and motivation sessions
  • Custom mix saving functionality
  • Screen rotation support on iPad
  • Voice recording for personalized suggestions
  • More tasteful/elegant music selections
  • Wake-up mode for mornings

Breath By Design

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Brainwave Studio

No in-app purchases

8 purchases

Breath By Design

One-time8
  • BBD Coaching Course$14.00
  • 10 Min AM Practices$39.00
  • 10 Minute AM Practices$44.99
Show 5 more
  • 10 Minute PM Practices$44.99
  • Introductory Course$44.99
  • Body By Design$45.00
  • BreathWalk$59.99
  • BBD Movement Classes$59.99

Questions

Is Brainwave Studio free?
Brainwave Studio costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Breath By Design free?
Breath By Design is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Brainwave Studio or Breath By Design have ads?
Breath By Design shows ads; Brainwave Studio does not.
Which is updated more often, Brainwave Studio or Breath By Design?
Brainwave Studio ships an update every 5 weeks, and Breath By Design every 2 months. Most recently, Brainwave Studio was updated on September 29, 2026 and Breath By Design on October 1, 2026.

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