# HeartMath vs (held)

The clearest difference is ratings volume: HeartMath at 4.6K against (held)'s 4. (held)'s advantage is iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. HeartMath sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $39.00 per year and (held) sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $22.00 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for HeartMath against 5.0 for (held). That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: HeartMath has 4.6K ratings behind it against 4, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | HeartMath | (held) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (4.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartmath/id6446414998/reviews) | **[5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held/id6753862783/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **4.6K** | 4 |
| Positive reviews | 73.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 185 MB | 84 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [HeartMath Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/482739914) | [WellSet, Inc](https://appshunter.io/developer/1818988384) |

## What reviewers say

### HeartMath

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/heartmath/id6446414998)

This app helps you manage stress, improve focus, and achieve optimal performance by aligning your heart, mind, and emotions. It offers guided sessions, immersive journeys, and coherence practices based on over 30 years of research.

**Highlights:** Real-time HRV Coherence Measurement, Coherence Training, Scientifically Validated Techniques, Guided Learning Sessions, Progress Tracking, Heart-Brain Coherence Benefits

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HeartMath Premium | $39.00 | per year |
| HeartMath Premium | $59.00 | per year |
| HeartMath Premium | $79.00 | per year |
| HeartMath Premium | $99.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Huge improvement over previous app
- 👍 Easy to use and highly recommended
- 💡 Loaded with HeartMath techniques and courses
- 👍 Powerful tool for nervous system balance and anxiety reduction
- 👍 Helps achieve a better mental state

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Connectivity issues with sensor
- 🐛 Sensor not compatible with older devices
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes on newer devices
- 🐛 Inaccurate heart rate and coherence readings
- 🐛 Disruptive screen sleep behavior during sessions

**Reported bugs**

- Sensor connection issues on newer devices
- App crashes and freezes on iPhone 16 Pro
- Inaccurate heart rate and coherence readings
- Screen sleep behavior disrupting sessions

**Requested features**

- Add dark mode option
- Allow playing music/sounds during sessions
- Provide audio feedback on coherence levels
- Add session history customization and details
- Improve sensor compatibility with older devices


### (held)

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/held/id6753862783)

This app offers a private, supportive space to help you feel calmer and more grounded using evidence-based practices like breathwork and guided reflection. It uses personalized AI to adapt to your emotional patterns, providing timely and relevant support for in-the-moment emotional regulation and self-reflection.

**Highlights:** In-the-moment emotional support, Nervous system regulation, Reflective exploration, Personalized AI insights, Guided breathwork and reflection, Private and confidential space

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

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $22.00 | per month |
| Yearly | $200.00 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is HeartMath free?

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

### Is (held) free?

(held) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, HeartMath or (held)?

(held) is rated higher. HeartMath averages 4.9 out of 5 from 4.6K ratings, while (held) averages 5.0 from 4 ratings.

### Do HeartMath or (held) have ads?

Neither HeartMath nor (held) shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, HeartMath or (held)?

HeartMath ships an update every 3 weeks, and (held) every 3 weeks. Most recently, HeartMath was updated on September 22, 2026 and (held) on September 11, 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.*