Comparison

Balanced Mind EMDR vs Bilateral Calm

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

Head to head
About

Balanced Mind EMDR

Features
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Balanced Mind brings evidence-based mental wellness tools to your fingertips. Whether you're working through trauma, managing anxiety, or building emotional resilience, our app gives you a private, secure space to support your well-being. EMDR THERAPY Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Psychological Association (APA) as an effective treatment for trauma and emotional distress. Balanced Mind provides self-guided bilateral visual stimulation sessions based on protocols developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro. β€’ Customizable visual stimulation (speed, color, pattern) β€’ Multiple session modes and durations β€’ Session history with progress tracking β€’ Built-in safety timers and session reminders BINAURAL TONE THERAPY Stereo audio tones designed to support different mental states. Choose from five research-backed frequency presets: β€’ Delta (0.5–4 Hz) β€” Deep relaxation & sleep β€’ Theta (4–8 Hz) β€” Meditation & creativity β€’ Alpha (8–14 Hz) β€” Calm focus & stress relief β€’ Beta (14–30 Hz) β€” Alertness & concentration β€’ Gamma (30–100 Hz) β€” Peak cognitive performance Requires stereo headphones for full effectiveness. ENCRYPTED JOURNALING Process your thoughts with a private, encrypted journal. Your entries are encrypted on your device before they ever leave it β€” not even we can read them. β€’ End-to-end encryption (AES-256) β€’ Mood tracking alongside journal entries β€’ Search and revisit past reflections β€’ Export your data anytime PROGRESS & INSIGHTS Track your wellness journey over time with clear, meaningful analytics. β€’ Session frequency and duration trends β€’ Mood patterns and emotional insights β€’ Weekly and monthly progress summaries β€’ Data export for sharing with your therapist PRIVACY FIRST Your mental health data deserves the highest level of protection. β€’ End-to-end encrypted journals β€” only you can read them β€’ No selling of personal data, ever β€’ GDPR-compliant data export and account deletion β€’ Minimal data collection β€” we track product analytics, not you BUILT WITH RESEARCH Every therapeutic feature in Balanced Mind is grounded in peer-reviewed research. The app includes a full citations page so you can explore the science behind EMDR and binaural therapy. CRISIS SUPPORT If you or someone you know is in crisis, the app provides immediate access to the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and other mental health resources. IMPORTANT: Balanced Mind is a self-guided wellness tool and is NOT a replacement for professional therapy. If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, please contact 988 or your local emergency services. SUBSCRIPTION PLANS β€’ Free β€” 3 EMDR sessions per week, basic tracking β€’ Basic ($9.99/mo) β€” Unlimited EMDR, journaling, progress tracking β€’ Premium ($19.99/mo) β€” Adds binaural therapy, advanced analytics β€’ Pro ($29.99/mo) β€” Full access, personalized insights, priority support All paid plans include a 7-day free trial. Cancel anytime.

About

Bilateral Calm

Features
Read full description

Bilateral Calm is a self-paced, self-help tool that uses bilateral stimulation to help your nervous system process stress, worry, and trauma-like responses. Pairing guided exercises with alternating left-right audio, it empowers you to regulate your emotions and build healthy habits anywhereβ€”no clinic visit required. The Science: What is Bilateral Stimulation? At the core of therapies like EMDR, bilateral stimulation uses rhythmic left-right input (via sound, tapping, or eye movement) to actively engage both brain hemispheres. This alternating input helps the nervous system process worry, stress, and emotional distress responses more effectively. Bilateral Calm delivers these proven therapeutic principles in short, accessible audio sessions. While not a substitute for clinical therapy, it serves as an excellent complement to your broader healing journey. Practices Tailored to Your Life. Our guided tasks are built around the everyday emotional experiences most people face. Each practice pairs bilateral sound with structured guided exercises to support 1. Stress & Emotions: Tension, worry, overwhelm, stress, burnout, grief, sadness, and anger. 2. Sleep & Rest: Anxiety about insomnia and nightmares. 3. Performance & Self: Stage fright, performance pressure, low self-worth, and boundaries. 4. Painful Memories & Healing: Trauma responses (as a self-help complement to therapy) and healing past painful stories. Designed for Your Needs. Work at Your Pace. Follow guided tasks for each practice. Pause whenever you need to, and return exactly when you are ready. Track Your Progress. Monitor your ongoing wellness journey with detailed progress tracking and a complete practice history. Daily Audio Library. A separate library of calming tones is available for continuous use, featuring deep-calm 432 Hz, gamma 40 Hz memory tones, ocean waves, and forest tones. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://bilateralcalm.com/privacy

Screenshots

Balanced Mind EMDR4 screens
Bilateral Calm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bilateral Calm at none against Balanced Mind EMDR's 6. Bilateral Calm also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Balanced Mind EMDR sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Bilateral Calm asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences Β· 4 level
Balanced Mind EMDR versus Bilateral Calm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBalanced Mind EMDRBilateral Calm
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysEvery 3 days
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details β€” not scored
Size59 MB180 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperChristopher Jerome KiklasMood and Sleep Clinic LLC

In-app purchases

6 purchases

Balanced Mind EMDR

Subscriptions6
  • Basic Monthly7 Days trial$9.991 Month
  • Premium Monthly7 Days trial$19.991 Month
  • Pro Monthly7 Days trial$29.991 Month
Show 3 more
  • Basic Annual$69.991 Year
  • Preium Annual$129.991 Year
  • Pro Annual$199.991 Year
None

Bilateral Calm

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Balanced Mind EMDR free?
Balanced Mind EMDR is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Bilateral Calm free?
Bilateral Calm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Balanced Mind EMDR or Bilateral Calm have ads?
Balanced Mind EMDR shows ads; Bilateral Calm does not.
Which is updated more often, Balanced Mind EMDR or Bilateral Calm?
Balanced Mind EMDR ships an update every 3 days, and Bilateral Calm every 3 days. Most recently, Balanced Mind EMDR was updated on September 30, 2026 and Bilateral Calm on October 10, 2026.

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