Comparison

(held) vs Forma

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

Head to head
About

(held)

This app offers a private, supportive space to help you feel calmer and more grounded using evidence-based practices like breathwork and guided reflection. It uses personalized AI to adapt to your emotional patterns, providing timely and relevant support for in-the-moment emotional regulation and self-reflection.

Highlights
  • In-the-moment emotional support
  • Nervous system regulation
  • Reflective exploration
  • Personalized AI insights
  • Guided breathwork and reflection
  • Private and confidential space
Features
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(held) — Intelligent Nervous System Support, When You Need It Most (held) is a private, supportive space designed to help you feel calmer, clearer, and more grounded - right when life feels overwhelming. Using evidence-based practices such as breath work, guided reflection, and somatic awareness, (held) helps you gently regulate your nervous system and shift your emotional state in minutes. Whether you're feeling anxious before a meeting, stuck in racing thoughts at night, or emotionally drained from a long day, (held) meets you where you are and guides you back toward balance. Powered by intelligent, personalized AI, (held) adapts to your emotional patterns over time - learning what works best for you and offering support that feels relevant, timely, and human. What (held) Helps With: NERVOUS SYSTEM REGULATION Approachable guided practices shaped around your goals that help you slow down, reset, and reconnect with your body. Choose the one that feels right, or explore practices on your own. IN-THE-MOMENT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT Grounding conversations designed to help you feel supported, understood, and less alone. REFLECTIVE EXPLORATION A safe space to process thoughts, emotions, and experiences without pressure or judgment. PERSONALIZED EMOTIONAL INSIGHTS Track your emotional patterns and discover what helps you feel more balanced over time. DAILY RITUALS Turn your intention into a regular practice. Set morning, afternoon, or evening sessions for times that work for you, and unlock change over time. HRV TRACKING Make heart rate variability (HRV) measurement part of your daily check-in and explore your readings over time to understand the health of your nervous system. CIRCLES Explore curated experiences around shared themes, specific needs, and expert guidance. Find a sense of community as you move through your own journey. PRIVATE & CONFIDENTIAL Your experience is designed to be secure, private, and respectful of your boundaries. Whether you’re seeking calm during a stressful day, support through a life transition, or a more consistent way to care for your emotional wellbeing, you can begin where you are. Start with how you feel. Find a practice that meets you there. You are held. Who (held) Is For • People feeling stressed, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed • Anyone who wants immediate support in difficult moments • Those seeking a private space to reflect, regulate, and reset • Anyone looking to measure and improve their HRV (heart rate variability) over time • Individuals navigating life transitions, tough days, or emotional fatigue What (held) Is Not (held) is not a replacement for therapy, medical care, or crisis services. It is a supportive wellness tool designed for everyday emotional regulation and self-reflection. What's included with Subscription • Unlimited access to AI support and guided nervous system sessions • Unique breathwork, somatic and grounding practices • Personalized insights and pattern tracking Why (held)? Sometimes you don't need advice. You don't need fixing. You just need to feel safe, feel seen, and feel (held). Terms of Use: https://held.app/terms_of_use Privacy Policy: https://held.app/privacy-policy

About

Forma

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Feeling stressed or restless? Forma is an antistress app that helps you slow down and relax. Touch the screen and watch calm colors, soft smoke, and glowing particles flow under your fingers. Breathe out. Let the day go. Slow, smooth motion is calming to watch, and Forma gives you that motion anytime you need it. There are no goals, no scores, and no timers. You cannot lose. Just swirl, watch, and let your thoughts settle. Take a short break at work, on a busy commute, or before sleep. How it works: Forma is not a video. Everything you see is real physics, calculated live on your phone. Forma splits the screen into thousands of tiny cells. Many times each second, it solves the same equations that scientists use to describe water, smoke, and air. That is why colors curl and mix like ink in water, and smoke rises like real smoke. Some effects move up to 200,000 tiny particles at once. Each one follows the flow and your finger. Together they form swarms, spinning galaxies, and clouds of sparks. Nobody animates these swirls by hand. They grow from simple rules of nature, just like clouds and rivers. So no two moments are ever the same. Still reading? Put your finger on the screen and let the stress flow away. Twitter: https://x.com/VL_Shch Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://vlsch.com/forma/privacy-policy/

Screenshots

(held)4 screens
Forma4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Forma at every 5 days against (held)'s monthly. Forma also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 18.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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. (held) sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $22.00 per month and Forma sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $11.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

(held) ships an update monthly, Forma every 5 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
(held) versus Forma: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
Parameter(held)Forma
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemium—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size95 MB303 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperWellSet, IncVolodymyr Shcherbiuk

In-app purchases

2 purchases

(held)

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$22.001 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$200.001 Year
2 purchases

Forma

Subscriptions1
  • Forma Annually7 Days trial$11.991 Year
One-time1
  • Forma Premium Lifetime$9.99

Questions

Is (held) free?
(held) is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Forma free?
Forma is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do (held) or Forma have ads?
Neither (held) nor Forma shows ads.
Which is updated more often, (held) or Forma?
(held) ships an update monthly, and Forma every 5 days. Most recently, (held) was updated on October 24, 2026 and Forma on October 24, 2026.

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