Comparison

StarStarter for Anxiety vs Cerebyte

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

Head to head
About

StarStarter for Anxiety

Engage in clinically-validated brain training designed to help manage anxiety symptoms and build mental resilience. This therapeutic game offers brief, fun sessions that retrain emotional and attentional patterns. Track your mood, unlock helpful tips, and upgrade your in-game ship to support your journey.

Highlights
  • Clinically-validated brain training
  • Therapeutic game sessions
  • Anxiety tips and tools
  • Mood tracking and insights
  • Ship upgrades
  • Attention Bias Modification (ABM)
Features
Read full description

StarStarter is a clinically-validated brain training game to help manage anxiety symptoms and improve mental resilience. It’s brief, fun, and our results are backed by 7 NIH funded scientific studies, and published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders. ABOUT THE GAME: Your first mission is to save Planet Galea by using your ship, the StarStarter, to collect star energy. Our unique brain training method happens subconsciously during your game sessions. Recommended play time is just 6-12 minutes a day, 4 times a week to see results! Features: • Play calming therapeutic game sessions, whenever you need • Unlock Stellar Wisdom for anxiety tips and tools • Track your mood and get insights over time • Upgrade your ship with points to try new unique ships PROUD TO BE AN APA LABS SILVER DIGITAL BADGE RECIPIENT* “I believe this might be the first thing that has ever really addressed my anxiety." Anne-Marie, TX THE SCIENCE: How Does StarStarter Work? StarStarter’s core therapeutic method is a game-based approach to a subconscious cognitive training method called Attention Bias Modification (ABM). The human brain has the unique ability to recognize facial expressions subconsciously, as a baby responds to a parent’s smile. StarStarter uses facial expressions within game play to re-train emotional and attentional patterns that can drive persistent feelings of anxiety. StarStarter’s proprietary training method has been designed and optimized through a decade of NIH-funded neuroscientific research by our Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Tracy Dennis-Tiwary. To see our peer reviewed research, you can view it at www.arcadetherapeutics.com/research/. Warnings and Limitations StarStarter is available non-prescription under FDA enforcement discretion; it is not evaluated, cleared or approved by FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, monitor, treat, or prevent any disease. It may be considered as an adjunct to clinical care, and it does not replace clinical care. App Privacy The developer, Arcade Therapeutics, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy. Use of StarStarter is subject to Apple's EULA, which can be found here: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ *This APA Labs Digital Badge reflects alignment with APA Labs criteria for scientific principles, safety, ethical use, and usability. It is not an endorsement, or guarantee, of effectiveness, nor is it an evaluation of financial condition, business prospects, investment merit, or legal compliance.

About

Cerebyte

This neuroscience-based audio wellness app uses real brainwave recordings to help you achieve specific mental states like deep sleep, focus, or anxiety reduction. It offers personalized soundscapes and a unique approach to mental well-being beyond generic meditation or sleep sounds.

Highlights
  • Real brainwave recordings
  • Personalized soundscapes
  • Anxiety reduction states
  • Deep sleep audio
  • Focus and concentration tools
  • Wake up alarm
  • Guest access for trial
Features
Read full description

Welcome to Cerebyte, the neuroscience based audio wellness app designed to help you shift your mind into specific mental states using real brainwave recordings. In a market flooded with generic meditation apps, synthesized binaural beats, and basic sleep sounds, Cerebyte offers a radically different approach. We do not just give you calming music for sleep. We provide sound experiences modulated by the actual electrical activity of the human brain. The human brain produces electrical waves that correspond to different states of consciousness. For the first time, these waves have been recorded and translated into audio. We call them Cerebytes. When you listen, you are hearing the audio shaped by the real brain activity associated with the exact state you want to move toward, whether that is deep sleep, absolute focus, or anxiety reduction. Direct Brain to Brain Sound Technology is designed to help your brain shift into the state you need. What if you could listen to the sound of the state itself? Whether you are seeking a guided meditation app, study music for memory retention, or a tool to support brain training, Cerebyte adapts to your unique needs. During onboarding, you are prompted to select your primary goals to personalize your experience. Our library includes dedicated states for Anxiety Reduction, Craving Control, Creative Flow, Deep Sleep, Energize, Experimental, Focus, Meditative, Motivation, and Relaxation. If you are looking for an app to help with insomnia, improve your sleep cycle, or act as a sleep tracker companion, Cerebyte provides audio crafted from a real sleeping brain rhythm. Cerebyte is built to support your productivity and mental health throughout your entire day. You can indicate exactly when you need your desired state, choosing from Morning, Afternoon, Evening, Before Bed, or In Urgent Moments. Explore our core features: • The Wake Up Alarm: Set up your Wake up alarm and select a soundbyte to wake up to. Start your morning in a state of calm or elevate your brain right out of a dream. • Soundscapes: Initiate the creation of a new soundscape and personalize it to your liking. You can name your soundscape, select a cover picture, and choose custom colors. • My Sessions: Easily view your previously generated or saved sessions. Add your top tracks to your Favorites for quick access. • Guest Access: You can enter as a guest to try the app before committing to an account. If you are tired of standard sleep sounds, generic white noise for babies, or traditional mindfulness apps that fail to hold your attention, Cerebyte provides a scientifically grounded alternative. It serves as an excellent companion for those needing deep sleep music, concentration music for deep work, or relaxation music for anxiety. Our users find it to be an incredible asset for productivity, flow, and overall mental wellness. While we offer a free experience, a paywall screen invites you to upgrade to the premium Cerebyte Gold experience. With a Gold subscription, you unlock full access to the EEG state library. You receive full EEG database access, all brain states unlocked, unlimited sequence creation, early access to new cerebytes, and no interruptions. You can start a 7-Day Free Trial and cancel anytime. We believe in giving back to the scientific community. A percentage of the profits of this App goes to the Charity TeleEEG at www.teleeeg.org. By improving your own brain states, you are also helping support clinical EEG access worldwide. Download Cerebyte today to experience the true sound of your brain. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.cerebytes.com/

Screenshots

StarStarter for Anxiety4 screens
Cerebyte4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: StarStarter for Anxiety at 4.7 against Cerebyte's 4.0. StarStarter for Anxiety also leads on ratings volume (103 vs 1). Cerebyte's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 18.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. StarStarter for Anxiety sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Cerebyte sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

StarStarter for Anxiety holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: StarStarter for Anxiety has 103 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

StarStarter for Anxiety ships an update every 9 days, Cerebyte weekly. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
StarStarter for Anxiety versus Cerebyte: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStarStarter for AnxietyCerebyte
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (103 ratings) — better4.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews81.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings103 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysWeekly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size652 MB186 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperArcade TherapeuticsElectrodiagnostic Services Ltd

Customer experience

StarStarter for Anxiety

All ratings103 ratings
Positive94.2%
Neutral2.9%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews11 reviews
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%

Cerebyte

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

6 purchases

StarStarter for Anxiety

Subscriptions6
  • StarStarter Monthly Subscription14 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription 1 Free month1 Month trial$6.991 Month
  • StarStarter Monthly Subscription14 Days trial$6.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • StarStarter Monthly Subscription$6.991 Month
  • Monthly Subscription 10 OFF7 Days trial$7.191 Month
  • Monthly Subscription 3 Free month3 Months trial$7.991 Month
1 purchases

Cerebyte

Subscriptions1
  • Cerebyte Gold7 Days trial$4.991 Month

Questions

Is StarStarter for Anxiety free?
StarStarter for Anxiety is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Cerebyte free?
Cerebyte is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, StarStarter for Anxiety or Cerebyte?
StarStarter for Anxiety is rated higher. StarStarter for Anxiety averages 4.7 out of 5 from 103 ratings, while Cerebyte averages 4.0 from 1 ratings.
Do StarStarter for Anxiety or Cerebyte have ads?
Neither StarStarter for Anxiety nor Cerebyte shows ads.
Which is updated more often, StarStarter for Anxiety or Cerebyte?
StarStarter for Anxiety ships an update every 9 days, and Cerebyte weekly. Most recently, StarStarter for Anxiety was updated on November 4, 2026 and Cerebyte on October 31, 2026.

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