Comparison

The Sheldon vs The Gateway Project

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

Head to head
About

The Sheldon

Features
Read full description

Welcome to elevated living in the palm of your hand! This new, cutting-edge platform provides The Sheldon residents with high-tech convenience at the touch of their fingertips. Download the app to: • Access the payment portal • Submit maintenance requests 24/7 and receive status updates • Receive important updates & communication from the community manager • Meet your neighbors through resident interest groups • Participate in our hotel style concierge services program • Reserve amenity spaces within the property • Sign up for building events & fitness classes • Get rewards and discounts to local stores & restaurants • Manage your visitors and send virtual keys • Access all of your digital keys from a single device

About

The Gateway Project

This app uses synthesized binaural beats to aid in relaxation, focus, and sleep. It offers free access to basic sessions and ambient sounds, with an optional premium subscription for advanced features and custom soundscapes. Designed for calm and privacy, it requires headphones for binaural sessions.

Highlights
  • Synthesized binaural beats
  • Focus Level system
  • General brainwave sessions
  • Ambient sound mixing
  • Prep Mode with affirmations
  • Daily visualization tools
  • Customizable sound builder
Features
Read full description

The Gateway turns your headphones into a precision binaural beat instrument, built on Robert Monroe's Focus Level system and two declassified U.S. government documents. Every tone is synthesized live on your device from pure sine waves. Nothing is pre-recorded, streamed or compressed. Each session uses the carrier and beat frequencies documented in Monroe's research, with up to eight layers playing at once. FREE FOREVER • Focus 10 (Body Asleep, Mind Awake) and Focus 12 (Expanded Awareness) with no time limits • General brainwave sessions for sleep, focus, stress release, creativity and morning energy • Ambient sounds like brown noise, rain, ocean and singing bowls, mixed with separate volume controls • Prep Mode with resonant breathing, a safety checklist and affirmations • Daily Tools: short visualization techniques for everyday life that need no headphones • Optional voice guidance with your choice of voice and speaking rate • Session history, streaks and a progression roadmap • Learn: plain-language background on binaural beats, Monroe's books, the 1983 U.S. Army assessment, and an honest look at the research, which is promising but mixed • Optional Audible beat mode, which mixes the two ears so the beat can be heard as a pulse PREMIUM • Focus 15 (Into the Past / Into the Future) and Focus 21 • Custom Builder: set the exact left and right frequencies and amplitude for each layer • Companion Modules: Energy Bar Tool, Living Body Map, Emotional Body Map, REBAL and the Focus 12 Clock • Research Mode for structured sessions with a personal record • iCloud sync across your devices Premium is $4.99 per month or $39.99 per year, billed through your Apple ID. It renews automatically unless you cancel at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel it anytime in your App Store account settings. DESIGNED FOR CALM A slow-moving animated backdrop tinted to each Focus level, dark mode throughout, and nothing to distract you. Audio keeps playing in the background and from the Lock Screen. PRIVATE BY DESIGN No ads. No third-party analytics or trackers. No social feeds. You don't need an account. Your sessions stay on your device unless you turn on iCloud sync. HEADPHONES Binaural sessions need stereo headphones, because each ear hears a slightly different tone. Daily Tools and companion exercises work without them. PRIMARY SOURCES • McDonnell, W. (1983). Analysis and Assessment of Gateway Process. U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. • The Monroe Institute (1977). Gateway Experience: Intermediate Workbook. Both are held in the CIA FOIA Reading Room. The Gateway is a wellness and relaxation tool. It is not a medical device and does not diagnose, treat or cure any condition. Do not use it while driving or operating machinery. "The Monroe Institute," "Gateway Experience" and the Focus 10, 12, 15 and 21 names are trademarks of The Monroe Institute and are used descriptively. The Gateway is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by The Monroe Institute. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

The Sheldon4 screens
The Gateway Project4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Sheldon at none against The Gateway Project's 2. The Sheldon also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.6). The Gateway Project's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 11 months). On price, 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. The Gateway Project sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. The Sheldon asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Sheldon ships an update every 11 months, The Gateway Project every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
The Sheldon versus The Gateway Project: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe SheldonThe Gateway Project
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Freemium
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better18.6
Further details — not scored
Size193 MB6 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperElevated Lifestyles IncRick Yost

In-app purchases

None

The Sheldon

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

The Gateway Project

Subscriptions2
  • The Gateway Project$4.991 Month
  • The Gateway Project$39.991 Year

Questions

Is The Sheldon free?
The Sheldon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is The Gateway Project free?
The Gateway Project is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do The Sheldon or The Gateway Project have ads?
Neither The Sheldon nor The Gateway Project shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Sheldon or The Gateway Project?
The Sheldon ships an update every 11 months, and The Gateway Project every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Sheldon was updated on October 30, 2026 and The Gateway Project on November 12, 2026.

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