# Ascend Meditations vs Candle

The clearest difference is ads: Candle at none against Ascend Meditations's shown. Candle also leads on ratings volume (12K vs 53) and update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). Ascend Meditations's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 68%) and rating (5.0 vs 4.8). On price, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Ascend Meditations sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month and Candle sells 24 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Ascend Meditations holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Candle has 12K ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Ascend Meditations's written reviews are positive against 68% of Candle's.

Ascend Meditations ships an update every 3 months, Candle fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Ascend Meditations | Candle |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[5.0 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascend-meditations/id6504832461/reviews)** | [4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candle-couples-and-relationship/id6743355635/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 53 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | **100.0% of reviews** | 67.5% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Fortnightly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#173** |
| Size | 337 MB | 127 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.4** | 16.4 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Ascend Holdco LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1754003052) | [Encore AI Labs, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1802415524) |

## What reviewers say

### Ascend Meditations

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ascend-meditations/id6504832461)

This AI-powered wellness app offers personalized meditation sessions, plans, and sleep stories tailored to your individual needs and goals. It adapts to your mood and progress to help reduce stress, increase focus, and improve sleep.

**Highlights:** AI-powered personalized meditation sessions, Tailored meditation plans, Custom sleep stories, Mood and progress adaptation, User-friendly interface

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ascend Plus | $19.99 | per month |
| Ascend Plus Annual | $199.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Efficient and intuitive app
- 👍 Customizable and personalized meditations
- 🧠 Helps improve focus, productivity, and mental clarity
- 🌱 Promotes relaxation, stress relief, and overall well-being
- 🎯 Tailored sessions for specific goals and needs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional technical issues or bugs

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional app crashes
- Compatibility issues on older devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- More content for advanced meditators
- Integration with wearable devices


### Candle

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/candle-couples-and-relationship/id6743355635)

**Currently charting:** #173 Top Grossing · Lifestyle (US App Store)

This app helps couples deepen their connection through quick daily rituals. Engage with meaningful questions, share private photos, play games, and discover local date ideas to foster presence and curiosity in your relationship.

**Highlights:** Daily conversation starters, Private photo sharing, Syncing thumb kisses, Local date ideas, Relationship games and challenges, Daily check-in streaks

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

**In-app purchases (24)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Weekly | $3.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Pro Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Weekly | $5.99 | per 7 days |
| Premium Monthly | $9.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $12.99 | per month |
| Premium Monthly | $14.99 | per month |
| Premium Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Candle Pro - Yearly | $29.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $49.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $59.99 | per year |
| Premium Yearly | $89.99 | per year |
| Bag of Sparks (80) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Word Hint | $0.99 | one-time |
| Streak Reignite | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bag of Sparks (500) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Pro Lifetime | $149.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Perfect app for long distance couples
- 👍 Unexpectedly great for reconnecting
- 👍 Low-commitment, high-impact way to encourage connection
- 👍 Doesn't require subscription for full use
- 👍 Fun games and prompts

**Requested features**

- Different decks or categories for prompts to mix things up


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Ascend Meditations free?

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

### Is Candle free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Ascend Meditations or Candle?

Ascend Meditations is rated higher. Ascend Meditations averages 5.0 out of 5 from 53 ratings, while Candle averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do Ascend Meditations or Candle have ads?

Ascend Meditations shows ads; Candle does not.

### Which is updated more often, Ascend Meditations or Candle?

Ascend Meditations ships an update every 3 months, and Candle fortnightly. Most recently, Ascend Meditations was updated on October 19, 2026 and Candle 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.*