Comparison

Healing Explorer Recovery Path vs Surfacing

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

Head to head
About

Healing Explorer Recovery Path

Features
Read full description

Your Personal Healing Guide When you feel lost after a traumatic experience, Healing Explorer is your personal compass, guiding you back to yourself, one safe step at a time. This is not another static course. It's a dynamic, journey-based companion that walks with you every day. Our trauma-informed app provides the immediate care you deserve, through thoughtful, daily guidance that empowers real resilience and prepares you for deeper healing. YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES: GENTLE, DAILY PATH Receive one simple, powerful lesson each day. Our guided journey helps you build lasting skills and strength in just a few minutes, at a pace that feels safe for you. YOUR HEALING COMPANION Your private journal is a secure space to make sense of your experiences. As you write, our compassionate Healing companion offers thoughtful reflections that act as a compass, pointing you back to your own strength. SUPPORT WHEN YOU NEED IT MOST Feeling overwhelmed? Your personal "Backpack" is one tap away with instant access to guided breathing, grounding tools, and your personal safety plan to help you find your footing in any storm. DISCOVER YOUR OWN GROWTH Your companion remembers your journey. At key moments, it will gently connect your reflections today with where you started, offering powerful, objective proof of how far you've come. POSTCARDS FROM THE PATH At key milestones, read anonymous messages of hope left by fellow explorers. These powerful notes are a constant reminder that you are not alone on your journey. A FOUNDATION OF TRUST: Healing Explorer is a space built on safety. Your journey is 100% anonymous - no names or emails required. Your private journal is secure and for your eyes only. Our curriculum is thoughtfully built on evidence-based practices like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). We will never sell your data. No exceptions. Take your first, safe step to healing today. Your path forward is waiting. ** Healing Explorer is a self-guided digital companion designed to support personal healing and well-being journey through daily, bite-sized lessons and reflections. It is not a replacement for medical advice, diagnosis, or therapy. It is an educational and supportive tool. Users are advised to consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any medical or mental health concerns. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any treatment or health plan, and double-check any critical information. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Start your journey with a free 3-day trial. After the trial, Healing Explorer requires a subscription. Subscription Options: $4.99/month or $49.99/year. Pricing Note: These prices are for United States customers. Pricing in other countries may vary. Payment & Renewal: Payment will be charged to your App Store Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage your subscription and turn off auto-renew in your Account Settings. Read our Terms of Use: https://myhealingexplorer.com/terms-of-use/ Read our Privacy Policy: https://myhealingexplorer.com/privacy-policy

About

Surfacing

This app allows users to privately track mental health symptoms, log episodes, and identify patterns. It generates encrypted reports for sharing with healthcare providers, all while keeping data securely on the device.

Highlights
  • Track 40+ conditions
  • Log intensity and feelings
  • Identify triggers and patterns
  • Track coping skill effectiveness
  • Generate encrypted reports
  • Local-first data storage
Features
Read full description

A pause in the moment. A record for therapy. Surfacing is a private mental health symptom tracker. When something hits, log what happened, how intense it was, what set it off, and what you did about it. Over time your entries show your patterns, and you can share them with your therapist as an encrypted report. No account, no internet connection, and your data stays encrypted on your phone. https://surfacingapp.com LOG IT IN THE MOMENT • What happened, how intense it was (1-10), feelings and physical symptoms • What set it off, any numbing behavior, and the coping skill you used, plus whether it helped • Questions specific to your condition, for PTSD, OCD, anxiety, depression, BFRBs, and more SEE YOUR PATTERNS • Intensity over time, when episodes happen, and your most common triggers and feelings • Which coping skills you rated as helpful • Segments: save date ranges to keep separate periods apart, like a run of episodes or a time of grief • Filter by date, intensity, and time of day, or build your own charts SHARE WITH YOUR THERAPIST • Export an encrypted, password-protected report that opens in any browser, no app required • Interactive charts, filters, and the full entry history, plus CSV and AI-readable JSON • Send everything, or just one segment CONDITIONS SUPPORTED Surfacing organizes 40+ conditions into 10 clinical groups, so tracking matches your actual diagnosis: • Trauma & Anxiety: PTSD, complex PTSD, GAD, panic disorder, social anxiety, phobias, agoraphobia • Mood: major depression, bipolar I and II, dysthymia, cyclothymia, seasonal affective disorder, PMDD • OCD Spectrum: OCD, health anxiety, contamination, harm, symmetry, and relationship OCD • Neurodevelopmental: ADHD, autism, Tourette and tic disorders • Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors: trichotillomania, skin picking, nail biting, body dysmorphia • Eating Disorders: anorexia, bulimia, binge eating, ARFID • Behavioral & Impulse: intermittent explosive disorder, ODD, substance use, gambling • Psychotic Spectrum: schizophrenia, schizoaffective, dissociative disorders • Personality & Relational: borderline personality disorder, rejection sensitive dysphoria • Somatic & Sleep: migraine, insomnia, chronic pain Don't see yours? Add a custom condition. PRIVATE BY DESIGN • No account or email required • Works offline. Nothing leaves your device unless you export it • AES-256 encrypted database • Unlocks with Face ID, fingerprint, or a PIN • HIPAA-aligned security practices • No ads, no analytics, no tracking of any kind • Device loss means data loss, so keep your exports somewhere safe Surfacing is a personal tracking and self-monitoring tool, not a medical device. It does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or clinical advice. Always work with a qualified mental health professional for your care.

Screenshots

Healing Explorer Recovery Path4 screens
Surfacing4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Surfacing at none against Healing Explorer Recovery Path's 3. Surfacing also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 4 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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. Healing Explorer Recovery Path sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Surfacing asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Healing Explorer Recovery Path ships an update every 4 months, Surfacing every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Healing Explorer Recovery Path versus Surfacing: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHealing Explorer Recovery PathSurfacing
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (4 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—4 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size15 MB40 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperHand Clicked LimitedCorrick Knight

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Healing Explorer Recovery Path

Subscriptions3
  • Healing Explorer Pro (Monthly)$4.991 Month
  • Healing Explorer Pro (Yearly)$49.991 Year
  • Healing Explorer Pro (Yearly Trial)3 Days trial$49.991 Year
None

Surfacing

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Healing Explorer Recovery Path free?
Healing Explorer Recovery Path is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Surfacing free?
Surfacing is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Healing Explorer Recovery Path or Surfacing have ads?
Neither Healing Explorer Recovery Path nor Surfacing shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Healing Explorer Recovery Path or Surfacing?
Healing Explorer Recovery Path ships an update every 4 months, and Surfacing every 4 days. Most recently, Healing Explorer Recovery Path was updated on October 28, 2026 and Surfacing on October 31, 2026.

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