Comparison

Box breathing vs Foreglow

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

Head to head
About

Box breathing

This app guides you through structured breathing exercises to promote relaxation and reduce stress. It utilizes the box breathing technique with timed phases and haptic feedback to help you achieve a calmer state in minutes. Ideal for unwinding, resetting, or improving sleep.

Highlights
  • Box breathing technique
  • Guided breathing exercises
  • 3 distinct modes (Calm, Balance, Sleep)
  • Haptic feedback
  • Built-in metronome
  • Apple Health integration
Features
Read full description

Need to calm down fast? breathcode is a simple and powerful app that guides you through deep breathing exercises and breathwork using box breathing (also known as square breathing) - a structured technique designed to help you slow your breathing and feel calmer in about 5 minutes. Breathing and the body work as one system. When you intentionally change your breathing rhythm, your body responds. With breathcode, you enter a steady tempo first, then gradually slow the pace - and as intensity drops, it becomes easier to relax. ** How box breathing works: Each cycle has 4 phases: 1. Inhale 2. Hold 3. Exhale 4. Hold You repeat the cycle for a short session and follow a smooth rhythm that feels grounded and controlled. ** Features: * 3 guided modes: * Calm Down - for moments of overwhelm * Find Balance - to reset and center * Go Deep (Sleep) - for winding down before bed * Guided exercises with haptics * A built-in metronome keeps every phase precise, so you can stop counting and simply follow the beat * Apple Health integration to support your routine and log sessions ** Use breathcode when you want to: * Reduce stress and mental overload * Unwind before sleep or after a long day * Reset between meetings, study blocks, or difficult conversations * Build a consistent daily calming habit in minutes * Reset after workouts and return to a steady rhythm ** Designed for daily practice: No complicated settings. No distractions. Just a clean, focused breathing guide you can rely on anytime. Important: breathcode is a wellness app and is not a medical device. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XRYtPR8NOlMMSDEs9AVCNEg6M7LbydRMk_0whPMEVg4/

About

Foreglow

Features
Read full description

Hear a short voice note from your future self, made from the life you describe. Answer a few questions, pick a voice, and in about 2 minutes you'll hear a note, under a minute long, that says your name, your goal and your own details as if they have already happened. Your first note is free, with no account and no card. HOW IT WORKS • Tell Foreglow your name, the part of life you're working on, and one sentence about your future, said as if it's already true. • Add a morning detail, what's in your way, and how you want to feel. Skip anything you'd rather keep to yourself. • Choose one of five voices. Your note is written and spoken for you, with read-along text. EVERY DAY • Today’s lines, written from your answers and read aloud in the voice you chose. • A reminder at the time you like to listen, if you turn it on. • A widget that shows a new line from your note every day. WIND DOWN, SEE IT, SHARE IT • Tonight: play your saved notes with rain or ambient sound and a sleep timer. • Vision board: add your photos, words and colors, then save it as your wallpaper. • Share card: turn a line you love into an image to share. YOUR NOTES STAY YOURS • Read any note in your own voice and keep that recording with it. • Notes are saved on your phone. Replay them offline or export the audio. • Every note you've saved stays yours, with or without Pro. FOREGLOW PRO • A new note every morning, and more whenever you want. • Fix any line that doesn't sound like you. Only that line is spoken again. Your first fix is free. • An optional AI copy of your own voice, made only after you give clear consent. Delete it anytime in the app. In the US, Pro costs $9.99 a month, $49.99 a year with a 7-day free trial for eligible new subscribers, or $99.99 once for lifetime access. There is no weekly plan. Prices in other countries are shown in the app before you pay. PRIVACY Your notes and vision board stay on your device. To make a note, Foreglow sends the details needed for writing and speech to its service providers. Voice copying sends a consent recording and a voice sample only if you choose it. Foreglow is for reflection and motivation. It does not promise any outcome. Subscriptions renew automatically unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment is charged to your Apple account when you confirm the purchase and at each renewal. Any unused part of a free trial ends when you buy a subscription. Manage or cancel anytime in your Apple account settings. Terms: https://getforeglow.com/terms Privacy: https://getforeglow.com/privacy

Screenshots

Box breathing4 screens
Foreglow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Foreglow at none against Box breathing's 2. Foreglow also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.6). 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. Box breathing sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per 7 days. Foreglow asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Box breathing ships an update every 8 days, Foreglow every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 8, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Box breathing versus Foreglow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBox breathingForeglow
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size94 MB66 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAleh KasarynAbhinav Chauhan

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Box breathing

Subscriptions2
  • Premium weekly$1.997 Days
  • Premium monthly with trial3 Days trial$4.991 Month
None

Foreglow

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Box breathing free?
Box breathing is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Foreglow free?
Foreglow is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Box breathing or Foreglow have ads?
Neither Box breathing nor Foreglow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Box breathing or Foreglow?
Box breathing ships an update every 8 days, and Foreglow every 2 weeks. Most recently, Box breathing was updated on November 8, 2026 and Foreglow on November 6, 2026.

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