NextSense vs Hilo Core
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NextSense
This app works with brain-responsive earbuds to enhance sleep quality. It tracks brain activity to personalize audio, offering insights into sleep patterns and a gentle alarm. Integration with Apple Health provides further personalized data.
- Brainwave tracking for sleep depth
- Personalized audio for better rest
- Detailed sleep reports and trends
- Automatic audio pause when asleep
- Nap mode with timer and soundscapes
- Soothing sound library
- Gentle alarm with calming sounds
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Introducing NextSense Smartbuds, the world’s first brain-responsive earbuds. Designed for everyday use, Smartbuds sense brain activity in real time and respond with audio that helps you rest deeper, center your mind, and stay sharp all day. The NextSense app is your companion to Smartbuds, giving you tools to personalize your audio experience and uncover meaningful insights into your daily and nightly rhythms. Pair your buds with the app to access dynamic soundscapes, launch sessions, and review trends. What you unlock with Smartbuds + the NextSense app Deeper Sleep See when your brain enters slow wave sleep, giving you a superior measure of sleep depth and recovery. Gentle pink noise enhances slow wave activity, leaving you more refreshed in the morning Focus Sessions Boost your focus with audio that gently nudges your brainwaves into a more alert state. Get recommendations on when to schedule deep work for peak performance. Meaningful Meditation Choose from brain-responsive and guided tracks that help you find your calm. Session summaries help you understand and improve your practice. Sleep Sync Your audio automatically pauses once sensors detect you’ve fallen asleep, so you’ll never lose your place in that audiobook. Nap Mode Reset midday with a nap session. Simply set a timer, choose a soundscape, and unwind. If you drift off, your nap is added to the day’s sleep total. Soothing Sound Library Choose from a collection of original soundscapes designed to give your brain exactly what it needs to meet the moment. Gentle alarm Ease into your morning with calming sounds that slowly build, delivered right through your Smartbuds. Personalized Insights Explore daily and long-term trends related total sleep time, wake-ups, sleep efficiency, and more. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service Learn more about how we handle your data and terms of use: Privacy Policy: https://nextsense.io/policies/privacy-policy Terms of Service: https://nextsense.io/policies/terms-of-service *Note: The NextSense app requires NextSense Smartbuds hardware. Apple Health integration - Reads date of birth, sex, heart rate, HRV, respiratory rate, VO2 max, sleep, weight, steps, exercise time, and time in daylight to personalize you insights, and audio experience. - Used only to improve your health and sleep experience, never for advertising or selling your data - Users can opt out or change permissions anytime in the Health app
Hilo Core
This app monitors your cardiovascular wellness by collecting numerous readings throughout the day when paired with a wearable device. It provides personalized insights into your sleep, activity, and heart rate patterns to help you understand and manage your long-term health.
- 24/7 cardiovascular wellness monitoring
- Personalized insights on sleep, activity, and heart rate
- Detailed timeline comparisons
- Medication tracking
- Access to complete blood pressure history
- Add personal notes to measurements
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Hilo Core – Your Everyday Cardiovascular Wellness Companion HARDWARE REQUIRED The Hilo Core app works only with the Hilo Core wearable device, which is sold separately. The app cannot function or provide any insights without the device. Please ensure you have the Hilo Core wearable before installing. ―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――― EFFORTLESS 24/7 CARDIOVASCULAR WELLNESS MONITORING Step into a smarter way to understand your cardiovascular wellness. Paired with your Hilo Core wearable, the app captures approximately 50 readings in 24 hours — lightweight, comfortable, and designed to fit seamlessly into your life. Gone are the days of relying on a single snapshot: Hilo Core gives you a full picture of your wellness trends over time. For us, it's about translating decades of research and billions of data points into clear, meaningful insights. For you, it's about the peace of mind that comes from truly understanding your wellbeing. With Hilo Core on your wrist, you can keep your health in focus. EMPOWERED WELLNESS MANAGEMENT Hilo Core goes beyond simple readings, transforming how you think about your health. Discover how your sleep, activity, and heart rate connect to your patterns day to day. With personalised insights built around your habits, you'll gain a much deeper understanding of how your lifestyle and daily choices affect your wellbeing — and feel empowered to make better decisions for your long-term health. BACKED BY SCIENCE, BUILT FOR YOU Hilo Core is grounded in over 20 years of research and a vast database of 12 billion data points, built around your unique profile and trusted by users around the world. ALWAYS ON, ALWAYS WITH YOU Hilo Core is designed for your life as it actually is. With Hilo Core on your wrist, you get personalised insights across wellness, sleep, steps, and heart rate — helping you understand your patterns, not just record them, so you can make confident, informed decisions about your health every day. ―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――― HILO CORE MEMBERSHIP Hilo Core Membership is an auto-renewable annual subscription that unlocks premium features within the app. The first year of membership is included with every Hilo Core device purchase. Membership includes: • All past readings – Access your complete blood pressure history at any time. • Detailed timeline comparisons – Compare measurements and trends across different time periods. • Notes – Add personal notes to measurements and events to better understand your data. • Medication tracking – Track medications alongside your readings to better understand their impact over time. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION • Hilo Core Membership is billed annually. • The subscription automatically renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current subscription period. • You can manage or cancel your subscription at any time in Settings > Apple ID > Subscriptions. ―――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――― IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER The Hilo Core app and Hilo Core wearable device are intended for general wellness and informational purposes only. They are NOT a medical device and are NOT intended to diagnose, treat, cure, mitigate, or prevent any disease or medical condition, including high blood pressure (hypertension) or any cardiovascular disease. The readings, trends, and insights provided are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional regarding your health, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it because of information provided by this app. Hilo Core is not intended for use by individuals under 18 years of age, by pregnant women, or by people with known cardiovascular conditions without consulting a healthcare professional. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, contact your local emergency services immediately. Terms of Use: https://hilo.com/uk/terms-conditions/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: NextSense at none against Hilo Core's 1. NextSense also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (78 vs 3). 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
Both are free to download. Hilo Core sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $149.99 per year. NextSense asks for nothing beyond the download.
NextSense holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NextSense has 78 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two.
NextSense ships an update every 6 days, Hilo Core weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | NextSense | Hilo Core |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (78 ratings) — better | 4.3 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 78 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.9 GB | 227 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lucid Reality | Aktiia SA |
Customer experience
NextSense
Hilo Core
In-app purchases
NextSense
No in-app purchases
Hilo Core
- Hilo Core Membership$149.991 Year









