# Brainwear vs The REAL Shift

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Brainwear at none against The REAL Shift's 3. Brainwear also leads on ratings volume (7 vs 2). The REAL Shift's advantage is update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. The REAL Shift sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Brainwear asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Brainwear against 5.0 for The REAL Shift. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 2 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Brainwear ships an update monthly, The REAL Shift every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on November 4, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Brainwear | The REAL Shift |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainwear/id6483688285/reviews) | [5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-real-shift/id6795994565/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 226 MB | 68 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.2** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, Mac | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [EMOTIV Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1031805595) | [REAL Shift LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6795994567) |

## What reviewers say

### Brainwear

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/brainwear/id6483688285)

This app helps you understand your daily cognitive patterns to enhance focus and productivity. It tracks your engagement and activity levels, providing insights into peak performance times and optimal rest periods. Optimize your day by aligning tasks with your natural rhythms.

**Highlights:** Track daily engagement and activity, Identify peak performance times, Optimize focus and productivity, Balance work and rest periods, Gain attention awareness, Understand cognitive patterns

**In-app purchases:** none


### The REAL Shift

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-real-shift/id6795994565)

This app offers a unique approach to mindfulness and emotional awareness through four simple movements. It provides guided practices, interactive journaling, and access to books to help users navigate stress, grief, and life's challenges, ultimately guiding them back to themselves.

**Highlights:** Four-movement mindfulness technique, Personalized guide for life challenges, Extensive library of practices, Interactive 30-day journal, Access to multiple books within the app, Multi-language support, Guided audio by Mark Powers

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

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| REAL Shift | $9.99 | per month |
| REAL Shift + Books | $14.99 | per month |
| The Circle | $29.99 | per month |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Brainwear free?

Brainwear is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The REAL Shift free?

The REAL Shift is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Brainwear or The REAL Shift?

Brainwear and The REAL Shift are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 7 and 2 ratings respectively.

### Do Brainwear or The REAL Shift have ads?

Neither Brainwear nor The REAL Shift shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Brainwear or The REAL Shift?

Brainwear ships an update monthly, and The REAL Shift every 6 days. Most recently, Brainwear was updated on November 4, 2026 and The REAL Shift on October 31, 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.*