Comparison

Sym Breathing vs Zone2 Pulse

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

Head to head
About

Sym Breathing

This app offers guided breathwork to help you achieve a calm and balanced state. It uses a steady 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm to reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance well-being. Features include customizable cues, daily affirmations, and a night mode for sleep.

Highlights
  • Guided 5.5-second inhale/exhale rhythm
  • Customizable audio, visual, and haptic cues
  • Daily affirmations for positive mindset
  • Night mode for reduced blue light
  • Seamless audio integration with other apps
  • Effortless session initiation
Features
Read full description

SYM BREATHING A simple way to slow down, breathe evenly, and find a calmer rhythm. Sym Breathing guides you through a balanced 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale using smooth visual, audio, and haptic cues. This slow, even rhythm is commonly known as coherent breathing or resonant breathing. Choose a session length, tap the breathing sphere, and follow along. No complicated routines. No overwhelming controls. Just a simple breathing practice you can return to whenever you need a few quiet minutes. GUIDED BREATHING, YOUR WAY Follow the expanding and contracting breathing sphere, listen for gentle audio cues, feel subtle haptic feedback, or combine all three. Choose the guidance that works best for you and your surroundings. A SIMPLE, BALANCED RHYTHM Sym Breathing uses a 5.5-second inhale and 5.5-second exhale, approximately 5.5 breaths per minute. The app keeps the rhythm for you, so you can focus on breathing instead of counting seconds or watching a clock. CHOOSE YOUR SESSION Select a breath count for a defined practice or choose an open-ended session and breathe for as long as you like. DAILY AFFIRMATIONS Begin with a daily affirmation that offers a brief moment of positive reflection before your breathing practice. NIGHT MODE Switch to a warm red interface for a softer visual experience in low-light environments or before bed. LISTEN TO YOUR OWN AUDIO Keep listening to music, ambient sounds, podcasts, or other audio while you breathe. Adjust the breathing cue volume independently to create the experience you prefer. COHERENT BREATHING Slow, balanced breathing practices are commonly used for relaxation, mindfulness, stress management, and supporting autonomic regulation. Research has also explored resonant breathing in relation to heart rate variability, or HRV. Sym Breathing makes this practice easy to follow by guiding each inhale and exhale for you. PREMIUM Unlock all premium features with a monthly or annual subscription. The annual subscription includes a 7-day free trial. Unless canceled before the trial ends, the subscription automatically renews at the displayed annual price. Subscriptions can be managed or canceled through your App Store account settings. HEALTH DISCLAIMER Sym Breathing is intended for general wellness, relaxation, and educational purposes only. It is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you experience discomfort or dizziness while practicing breathwork, stop the session. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning a new wellness practice if you have questions or concerns about your health. TERMS OF USE (EULA) https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Breathe slowly. Find your rhythm.

About

Zone2 Pulse

Features
Read full description

Train smarter with real-time heart rate zone tracking focused on Zone 2 training. Zone2 Pulse continuously monitors your heart rate through Apple Watch and displays your current training zone with instant visual feedback. The app is designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who want to maximize fat burning and build aerobic endurance through Zone 2 training. Key Features: • Real-time heart rate zone display with color-coded feedback • Zone 2 focus with daily and weekly progress tracking • Haptic alerts on zone transitions • Dynamic Island support for at-a-glance monitoring • Apple Watch companion app with glanceable zone display • Lock screen widgets for quick progress checks • Hysteresis buffer prevents false zone alerts • Works with any workout on Apple Watch Heart Rate Zones: • Zone 1: Warm Up (50-60% max HR) • Zone 2: Fat Burn (60-70% max HR) • Zone 3: Aerobic (70-80% max HR) • Zone 4: Threshold (80-90% max HR) • Zone 5: Maximum (90-100% max HR) Zone 2 training is proven to improve metabolic efficiency, increase fat oxidation, and build a strong aerobic base. ZonePulse helps you stay in the optimal zone for maximum benefit. No account required. No subscription. Just you and your training.

Screenshots

Sym Breathing4 screens
Zone2 Pulse4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Zone2 Pulse at none against Sym Breathing's 3. Zone2 Pulse also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence, ads 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

Both are free to download. Sym Breathing sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. Zone2 Pulse asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sym Breathing ships an update every 3 weeks, Zone2 Pulse every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Sym Breathing versus Zone2 Pulse: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSym BreathingZone2 Pulse
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.9 (37 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews94.1% of reviews—
Number of ratings37 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 10 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, Apple Watch — better
Requires iOS26.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size35 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDaniel LubbersRAYNMAKR Inc.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Sym Breathing

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$0.991 Month
  • Annually7 Days trial$4.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$24.99
None

Zone2 Pulse

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Sym Breathing free?
Sym Breathing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Zone2 Pulse free?
Zone2 Pulse is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Sym Breathing or Zone2 Pulse have ads?
Neither Sym Breathing nor Zone2 Pulse shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Sym Breathing or Zone2 Pulse?
Sym Breathing ships an update every 3 weeks, and Zone2 Pulse every 10 days. Most recently, Sym Breathing was updated on October 23, 2026 and Zone2 Pulse on October 25, 2026.

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