Comparison

Anima vs HugTime

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

Head to head
About

Anima

This app offers a simple, scientifically validated breathing technique to reduce stress and anxiety. Practice for just 5 minutes to achieve immediate calm and long-term benefits like improved mood and immune function.

Highlights
  • Cardiac coherence breathing exercises
  • Scientifically validated stress reduction
  • 7 distinct breathing modes
  • Visual and haptic guidance
  • Progress tracking and rewards
  • Customizable sessions
  • Privacy-focused, no data collection
Features
Read full description

Anima guides you through cardiac coherence and guided breathing exercises. Take five minutes to slow down, breathe, and find your calm, at your own pace. Free, with no ads, subscriptions, or in-app purchases. CARDIAC COHERENCE, MADE SIMPLE Cardiac coherence is based on slow, steady breathing, usually around 6 breaths per minute. This rhythm supports the natural interaction between breathing, heart rate, and the autonomic nervous system. The 365 method offers a simple routine: 3 times a day, 6 breaths per minute, for 5 minutes. Slow breathing exercises have been studied for their effects on stress, anxiety, and physiological regulation. Regular practice may also support relaxation, sleep, and concentration. CREATE YOUR OWN BREATHING EXERCISES Box breathing, triangle breathing, 4-7-8, or a custom rhythm without pauses: build the exercise that works for you in the Create tab, save it, and start it with a single tap. AN EXERCISE FOR EVERY MOMENT Balance: the classic cardiac coherence rhythm Energy: a longer inhale to start your day Relax: a longer exhale to help you slow down Express: a one-minute breathing break Focus: box breathing to help you refocus Sleep: the 4-7-8 method with guided relaxation Pre-teens and Kids: breathing rhythms adapted for younger users Free Session: choose your own rhythm and duration Arrange the list however you like: show, hide, or reorder your exercises. GUIDANCE THAT WORKS FOR YOU Follow a voice guide, gentle chimes, or simply breathe in silence. Visual guidance, subtle haptics, and breathing sounds let you practice the way you prefer, even with your eyes closed. YOUR PRACTICE, AT YOUR OWN PACE Unlock nature photography as you practice and use it as a background during your sessions. Keep track of your practice history, statistics, and reminders, without pressure or imposed goals. YOUR DATA STAYS YOURS Anima does not collect personal data related to your breathing practice. FREE. NO ADS. NO SUBSCRIPTION. An independent app created to make cardiac coherence simple, enjoyable, and accessible.

About

HugTime

This app encourages a daily 20-second hug ritual to foster connection and calm. It provides gentle reminders and tracks your progress without pressure, making it easy to build a consistent habit with loved ones and pets.

Highlights
  • Daily 20-second hug reminder
  • Streak tracking with Grace Law
  • Private by default data storage
  • Support for people and pets
  • Calm and non-intrusive design
  • Free tier for one person
Features
Read full description

HugTime turns hugs into a daily ritual. A 20-second hug releases oxytocin — the calm-and-connection hormone. HugTime helps you make that small, powerful moment a daily habit with the people and pets you love. How it works - Add the people and pets in your life - Set a gentle daily reminder - Tap "Start the hug" — a calm 20-second countdown plays - Watch your streak grow Designed to feel calm, not pushy - No streak-loss panic — the Grace Law freezes your streak when you miss a day instead of breaking it - Warm, Apple-quiet design — no notifications spam, no guilt - Built for real life with partners, kids, parents, friends, and pets - Private by default — all your data stays on your device Free forever One person, full ritual, no ads, no time limit. HugTime Premium - Unlimited loved ones and pets - Reminders for everyone in your circle - No ads, ever - Future features as they ship - Annual $29.99/year (7-day free trial) - Monthly $4.99/month - Lifetime $49.99 once (founding price) Cancel anytime. One person is always free. ——— Terms of Use (EULA): https://myhugtime.com/legal/terms Privacy Policy: https://myhugtime.com/legal/privacy HugTime offers an auto-renewing subscription (Yearly / Monthly) and a one-time Lifetime purchase. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings.

Screenshots

Anima4 screens
HugTime4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Anima at none against HugTime's 3. Anima also leads on ratings volume (3 vs 1). HugTime's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 2 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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. HugTime sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Anima asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Anima against 5.0 for HugTime. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Anima ships an update every 2 weeks, HugTime daily. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Anima versus HugTime: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAnimaHugTime
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings3 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size108 MB74 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicolas HaddadGowime

Customer experience

Anima

All ratings3 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

HugTime

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Anima

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

HugTime

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is Anima free?
Anima is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is HugTime free?
HugTime is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Anima or HugTime?
Anima and HugTime are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Anima or HugTime have ads?
Neither Anima nor HugTime shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Anima or HugTime?
Anima ships an update every 2 weeks, and HugTime daily. Most recently, Anima was updated on October 4, 2026 and HugTime on October 8, 2026.

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