# Shadow Work vs Bloom

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bloom at none against Shadow Work's 3. Bloom also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.8). Shadow Work's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). On price, monetization model, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shadow Work sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Bloom asks for nothing beyond the download.

Bloom holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shadow Work has 73 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Shadow Work ships an update every 9 days, Bloom every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow Work | Bloom |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-bayun/id6749183398/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloom-your-pixel-journal/id6757811072/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **73** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 88.9% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 177 MB | 22 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | **18.5** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oleg Azbukin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1829141175) | [Kinshuk Sahni](https://appshunter.io/developer/1869074821) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow Work

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-bayun/id6749183398)

Explore your inner self through guided journaling, AI-powered conversations, and dream interpretation. Uncover personal patterns and heal old wounds with daily psychological stories and interactive choices.

**Highlights:** Daily psychological stories, AI-guided self-reflection, Dream journaling and interpretation, Interactive story choices, Collectible tarot cards, Shadow work prompts

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $6.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Unlock Premium | $14.99 | one-time |


### Bloom

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bloom-your-pixel-journal/id6757811072)

Cultivate a personal pixel garden by reflecting daily. Each entry grows a new flower, with no pressure or streaks to maintain. Organize your reflections by mood and discover unique flower varieties.

**Highlights:** Daily pixel journaling, Grow a virtual flower garden, Sort entries by mood, Collect flower varieties, Optional daily reminders, Privacy-focused design

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow Work free?

Shadow Work is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bloom free?

Bloom is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shadow Work or Bloom?

Bloom is rated higher. Shadow Work averages 4.8 out of 5 from 73 ratings, while Bloom averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Shadow Work or Bloom have ads?

Bloom shows ads; Shadow Work does not.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow Work or Bloom?

Shadow Work ships an update every 9 days, and Bloom every 2 months. Most recently, Shadow Work was updated on October 24, 2026 and Bloom on October 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*