Comparison

Fathom vs Lucid

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

Head to head
About

Fathom

Explore great thinkers and philosophies with bite-sized lessons. Understand complex ideas with elegant visuals and build a daily habit of learning. Access over 50 learning paths on diverse philosophical topics.

Highlights
  • Daily philosophy habit building
  • Bite-sized lessons (under 2 minutes)
  • Elegant visual explanations
  • 50+ learning paths
  • Save and review insights
  • Set learning goals
Features
Read full description

Fathom is your guide to the world's most great thinkers and philosophies. - Build your foundational knowledge in one of humanity’s original disciplines. From Socrates to Descartes and from Buddhism to Existentialism take the time to truly understand how some of the world’s wisest people think. - Understand complex concepts quickly, with elegant visuals that clarify key ideas and help you stay focused. - Learn on your schedule. Knock out a lesson in two minutes or less, in bite-sized sessions designed to fit into your week no matter what life throws your way. - Set a learning goal and embark on a multi lesson learning paths into specific philosophies and philosophers - Actually refer back to wisdom when you need it most. Save and review the insights and visuals that matter most to you Explore our rapidly expanding catalog, featuring 50+ learning paths such as: -Buddhist Wisdom for Anxious Minds -Socrates and Plato -Aristotle -Hedonism, Cynicism, Stoicism -Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics -Kant’s Epistemology -Kierkegaard -Feminist Philosophy and Perspectives on Power -Camus ...and much more! -- SUBSCRIPTION PRICING AND TERMS: Fathom offers an auto-renewing yearly subscription and an auto-renewing monthly subscription which allows you full access to all of the content in our catalog for as long as you maintain an active subscription. These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary and actual charges may be converted to your local currency depending on your country. Payment will be charged to the credit card connected to your iTunes account at the time of initial subscription purchase. Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current subscription period. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period end date, and the cost of the renewal will be listed. You can manage your subscription and auto-renewal can be turned off by going to your Account Settings after the purchase. Read more about our Privacy Policy here: https://tinyurl.com/4a5p4z8b Read more about our Terms of Service here: https://tinyurl.com/xnmcrbvp

About

Lucid

This app helps emotionally self-aware individuals untangle their minds and heal patterns. It offers personalized journeys based on CBT and daily guided reflections to foster self-awareness and emotional regulation. It's designed for those feeling overwhelmed or anxious but seeking insight and change.

Highlights
  • Personalized emotional journeys
  • Interactive mini-courses
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) methods
  • Daily guided reflections
  • AI-powered emotional chat companion (coming soon)
  • Evidence-based practices
Features
Read full description

Untangle your mind. Heal your patterns. Reclaim your calm. This is not another meditation app. Our experience is built for emotionally self‑aware Millennials and Gen Zs who feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck—but crave real insight and change. Start with our viral web quiz to uncover emotional patterns like burnout, anxiety, or procrastination. After the quiz, you’ll be invited to subscribe for full access to your personalized journey and all premium features. What You’ll Find Inside: • Personalized Emotional Journeys Interactive mini‑courses rooted in evidence‑based methods like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help you work with: – Overthinking & Anxiety – Burnout & Exhaustion – Procrastination & Avoidance – Attachment & Self‑Worth Challenges Each path is crafted with a poetic voice and guided structure, helping you build self‑awareness, shift mindset, and rewire emotional habits. • Daily Guided Reflections Receive a fresh, science‑backed journaling prompt every day—curated specifically for your emotional profile. • AI‑Powered Emotional Chat Companion (Coming Soon) Ask questions, get CBT‑aligned reframes, or simply reflect with a compassionate guide trained on your journey. Backed by Psychology • Built on CBT and mindfulness research • Uses practices shown to improve stress, motivation, and emotional regulation • Inspired by apps like Liven, Ahead, and Imprint—reimagined with our own creative soul You’re Not Broken. You’re Growing. This app isn’t about fixing you—it’s about understanding your patterns, gently challenging them, and reconnecting with your emotional core. Who It’s For: • People feeling emotionally overwhelmed but not clinically diagnosed • Burned‑out creatives, perfectionists, people‑pleasers • Self‑aware folks who didn’t stick with meditation or therapy apps • Anyone craving a modern, poetic, science‑based companion for inner growth Privacy & Ethics Your journal entries stay private. You’re never tracked for ads. Your emotional safety is our priority. Payment & Subscription After completing the free quiz, a paid subscription is required to continue using the app’s journeys, daily reflections, and upcoming AI chat companion. Cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. Terms This app is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you are in crisis, please seek support from a licensed provider. Apple Standard EULA This application is licensed under Apple’s Standard End User License Agreement, available here: [https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/](https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/)

Screenshots

Fathom4 screens
Lucid4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Fathom at 69% against Lucid's 0%. Fathom also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.6) and ratings volume (503 vs 60). Lucid's advantage is monetization model (freemium vs subscription) and ads (none vs shown). On price, in-app purchases 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. Fathom sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and Lucid sells 8 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fathom holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Fathom has 503 ratings behind it against 60, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Fathom's written reviews are positive against 0% of Lucid's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fathom ships an update weekly, Lucid every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Fathom versus Lucid: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFathomLucid
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (503 ratings) — better4.6 (60 ratings)
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings503 — better60
Update frequencyWeeklyEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationSubscriptionFreemium — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size191 MB63 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperPolywise, Inc.Control. Alt. Delete. LLC

Customer experience

Fathom

All ratings503 ratings
Positive96.2%
Neutral1.8%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral3.4%
Negative27.6%

Lucid

All ratings60 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral3.3%
Negative5.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Fathom

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Unexpected charges during free trial period
  • Potential issues with app functionality and compatibility

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to customize or revisit philosopher selections
  • More information about the app's algorithm and learning progression
  • Ability to explore a wider range of philosophical perspectives

Lucid

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

Fathom

Subscriptions8
  • Monthly Subscription$6.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly Subscription$12.991 Month
  • Yearly Subscription (no trial)$49.991 Year
Show 5 more
  • Yearly Subscription7 Days trial$49.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription (Premium)7 Days trial$59.991 Year
  • Yearly Access Premium No Trial$59.991 Year
  • Yearly Sub Premium No Trial$69.991 Year
  • Yearly Subscription Premium7 Days trial$69.991 Year
8 purchases

Lucid

Subscriptions7
  • Premium$9.991 Year
  • Premium$11.991 Year
  • Yearly Plan$12.993 Months
Show 4 more
  • Premium$25.993 Months
  • Premium2 variants$29.991 Year
  • Premium$39.991 Year
  • Premium$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • Premium$199.99

Questions

Is Fathom free?
Fathom is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Lucid free?
Lucid is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Fathom or Lucid?
Fathom is rated higher. Fathom averages 4.8 out of 5 from 503 ratings, while Lucid averages 4.6 from 60 ratings.
Do Fathom or Lucid have ads?
Fathom shows ads; Lucid does not.
Which is updated more often, Fathom or Lucid?
Fathom ships an update weekly, and Lucid every 3 days. Most recently, Fathom was updated on October 20, 2026 and Lucid on October 4, 2026.

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