# Shadow Work vs Life Designer

Shadow Work and Life Designer both sit at 4.8 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Life Designer's written reviews are positive against 90% of Shadow Work's. Life Designer also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Shadow Work sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and Life Designer sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Shadow Work against 4.8 for Life Designer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 74 and 25 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 90% of Shadow Work's written reviews are positive against 100% of Life Designer's.

Shadow Work ships an update every 9 days, Life Designer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow Work | Life Designer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.8 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-bayun/id6749183398/reviews) | **[4.8 (25 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-designer-plan-the-future/id6757914192/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **74** | 25 |
| Positive reviews | 90.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 194 MB | 44 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **18.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Oleg Azbukin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1829141175) | [Intelligent Change LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1556875886) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow Work

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

Explore your inner self through interactive stories and guided conversations. Uncover hidden strengths and recurring patterns by engaging with archetypal guides and reflecting on daily prompts. Integrate the parts of yourself you've pushed away to foster personal growth.

**Highlights:** Interactive daily stories with choices, Conversations with Jungian archetypal guides, Dream journaling and symbol exploration, Personalized insights archive, Journaling prompts and tarot cards, Spirit Animal personality test

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $5.99 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $29.99 | per year |
| Unlock Premium | $14.99 | one-time |


### Life Designer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-designer-plan-the-future/id6757914192)

This app guides users through a structured five-pillar process to understand themselves and create a clear vision for their future. It offers guided reflections, progress tracking, and personalized insights to help users live more intentionally.

**Highlights:** Five-pillar life-design methodology, Guided reflections and prompts, Daily check-ins, Voice memo capture, Progress tracking, Personalized insights, Letter to future self

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $19.99 | per year |
| 3d_$34.99 | $34.99 | per year |
| Annual Subscription | $39.99 | per year |
| Annual subscription | $39.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow Work free?

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

### Is Life Designer free?

Life Designer is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Shadow Work or Life Designer?

Life Designer is rated higher. Shadow Work averages 4.8 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while Life Designer averages 4.8 from 25 ratings.

### Do Shadow Work or Life Designer have ads?

Neither Shadow Work nor Life Designer shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow Work or Life Designer?

Shadow Work ships an update every 9 days, and Life Designer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Shadow Work was updated on October 30, 2026 and Life Designer on October 24, 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.*