Comparison

Heart Rate Variability + vs Plena Biofeedback

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

Head to head
About

Heart Rate Variability +

Read full description

Your personal assistant for monitoring heart rate variability (HRV) and managing stress levels provides deep health analytics to help you understand your current state with insights such as Balance and Stress Score. It offers personalized recommendations and highlights how external factors like caffeine may influence your rhythm. With clear trend visualizations, you can track HRV changes, resting heart rate, and view progress over weeks, months, or even years. Guided breathing exercises are available to reduce stress and improve HRV, with flexible session lengths of 2, 5, or 8 minutes. A built-in health journal stores all measurements with color-coded indicators of your state, from Calm to Overload. The free version includes weekly statistics and limited measurements, while the premium plan unlocks unlimited history, reminders, full breathing sessions, and complete data analysis from your smartwatch. This app contains auto-renewable subscriptions. You can cancel your subscription at any time - 1 week $4.99, - 1 month $12.99, - 1 year $39.99, - Lifetime $59.99. Terms of Use Link: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11KMMY_NyKRM2REvj_FtrgnjyqdYbuY-JBDHjpvFXzqk/edit?usp=sharing Disclaimer: This application is not a medical instrument. It is provided solely for informational purposes and must not be relied upon as a replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns about a health condition, consult your physician or another qualified healthcare provider. In the event of a medical emergency, contact your doctor or call emergency services without delay.

About

Plena Biofeedback

Features
Read full description

Plena: The Only Mindfulness App with Stress Zones, Intentions, and Readiness Scores Start mindfulness sessions from your Apple Watch with live sensor streaming to iPhone. Set an intention before each session, see real-time stress zone classification as you practice, then reflect afterward. Track daily readiness with a score showing exactly which metrics help or hinder recovery. What Makes Plena Different - WATCH-FIRST: Start from Apple Watch with live data streaming to iPhone - STRESS ZONES: See Calm/Optimal/Elevated zones update in real-time - INTENTIONS + REFLECTIONS: Set goals before, record insights after - READINESS BREAKDOWN: Daily score with metric contributions explained - MIND-BREATH-BODY: Built on the triangle of HR, HRV, and respiration - PRIVACY-FIRST: Health data stays on your device, never shared The Triangle: Mind, Breath, Body The triangle represents the three core rhythms of human calm: - Heart Rate reflects moment-to-moment activity - HRV shows adaptability and stress balance - Breath regulates the entire system When in harmony, they create balance. That's what Plena measures in real time. Real-Time Stress Zone Classification Color-coded zones during sessions: - Calm Zone - Relaxed, low-stress state - Optimal Zone - Balanced, functioning well - Elevated Zone - Higher stress response Key Features Biometric Tracking - Heart Rate, HRV/SDNN, Respiratory Rate - Body Temperature, VO2 Max Apple Watch Integration - Start sessions directly from Watch - Live sensor sync to iPhone - Zone indicators on wrist - Works independently from iPhone Dashboard and Analytics - Session statistics, streaks, trends - Interactive graphs (Day/Week/Month/Year) - HRV insights and pattern recognition Session Flow - Pre-session intention setting - Post-session reflections - Automatic saving and summaries Readiness Score Daily score (0-100) combining Resting HR, HRV Balance, Temperature, Recovery, and Sleep. View contributor breakdowns and compare to yesterday. Privacy All data stored locally using Apple's HealthKit. No third-party sharing. Requirements - iOS 17.0+, Apple Watch Series 4+ (optional) - HealthKit permissions required Medical Disclaimer Plena is not a medical device and does not provide medical advice. Readings are for wellness purposes only. Consult healthcare professionals for medical advice. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Heart Rate Variability +4 screens
Plena Biofeedback4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Plena Biofeedback at every 6 weeks against Heart Rate Variability +'s every 4 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Heart Rate Variability + sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and Plena Biofeedback sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Heart Rate Variability + ships an update every 4 months, Plena Biofeedback every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 19, 2026 and September 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Heart Rate Variability + versus Plena Biofeedback: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHeart Rate Variability +Plena Biofeedback
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 6 weeks โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch โ€” better
Requires iOS16.0 โ€” better17.6
Further details โ€” not scored
Size54 MB19 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMD SOFTWARE SERVICES LTDKenneth Nygren

In-app purchases

5 purchases

Heart Rate Variability +

Subscriptions4
  • Weekly$4.997 Days
  • Weekly-Trial3 Days trial$4.997 Days
  • Monthly$12.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • Yearly$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime$59.99
2 purchases

Plena Biofeedback

Subscriptions2
  • Plena Premium (Monthly)$9.991 Month
  • Premium Annual$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Heart Rate Variability + free?
Heart Rate Variability + is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Plena Biofeedback free?
Plena Biofeedback is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Heart Rate Variability + or Plena Biofeedback have ads?
Neither Heart Rate Variability + nor Plena Biofeedback shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Heart Rate Variability + or Plena Biofeedback?
Heart Rate Variability + ships an update every 4 months, and Plena Biofeedback every 6 weeks. Most recently, Heart Rate Variability + was updated on September 19, 2026 and Plena Biofeedback on September 12, 2026.

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