# Cathexis vs Shadow Work

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Cathexis at 4 against Shadow Work's 1. Shadow Work's advantage is iOS requirement (16.4 vs 26.1). On price, rating, update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cathexis sells 6 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Shadow Work sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Cathexis against 5.0 for Shadow Work. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 1 respectively.

Cathexis ships an update every 2 weeks, Shadow Work fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cathexis | Shadow Work |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (4 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathexis/id6756632094/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-shadow-forge/id6772528068/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4** | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Freemium | Freemium |
| Size | 35 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone | **iPhone, iPad** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [JUSTIN JOSEPH DEGARBO](https://appshunter.io/developer/1861951619) | [Engin Aytekin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896277039) |

## What reviewers say

### Cathexis

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cathexis/id6756632094)

This app helps you understand your body's signals and emotions through somatic therapy techniques. It offers guided programs and free practices to build self-awareness and manage stress, anxiety, and other challenges. Data is processed on-device for privacy.

**Highlights:** Body check-ins with sensation mapping, Nine 30-day therapeutic programs, Six learning levels per program, Four free regulation practices, Two free crisis-responsive programs, On-device AI for personalized insights, Integration with Apple Health

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Independence | $4.99 | per month |
| Cathexis Premium | $9.99 | per month |
| Practice | $12.99 | per month |
| Independence | $39.99 | per year |
| Cathexis Premium | $79.99 | per year |
| Lifetime Access | $199.99 | one-time |


### Shadow Work

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-work-shadow-forge/id6772528068)

This app offers a structured journaling experience based on Jungian psychology to explore hidden aspects of yourself. It guides you through stages of self-discovery, integration, and self-actualization with written prompts and body awareness exercises. All your entries are stored privately on your device.

**Highlights:** 25 structured sessions across 3 stages, Shadow Archetype and Exile reveal, Trigger & Glimmer tracker, The Mirror reflection tool, Grounding breathwork and body check-ins, Private, device-only journaling, Progress tracking and daily streaks

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly | $7.99 | per month |
| Annual | $59.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cathexis free?

Cathexis is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shadow Work free?

Shadow Work is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Cathexis or Shadow Work?

Cathexis and Shadow Work are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 4 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do Cathexis or Shadow Work have ads?

Neither Cathexis nor Shadow Work shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cathexis or Shadow Work?

Cathexis ships an update every 2 weeks, and Shadow Work fortnightly. Most recently, Cathexis was updated on September 29, 2026 and Shadow Work on October 13, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*