Détente vs Box Breathing
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Détente
This app guides you through various breathing techniques with a simple visual cue or auditory feedback. It offers a breath-hold measurement to track progress and can be used with eyes closed for a distraction-free experience.
- Guided breathing techniques
- Breath-hold measurement
- Eyes-closed mode
- Customizable patterns
- Multiple breathing styles
- Progress tracking
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Détente is a breathing app that gets out of the way. One shape on a dark screen, moving at the pace of the breath. No feed, no confetti. Just the technique you need and the time you have. ABOUT SIX BREATHS A MINUTE Coherence, one of the three free techniques, breathes in and out for about five and a half seconds each: close to six breaths a minute, the slow pace breathing research keeps returning to. Start there, or pick the pattern for the moment you are in. TWENTY-ONE TECHNIQUES, EACH FOR SOMETHING • Coherence — equal, unhurried breathing, about six breaths a minute • Box — four equal sides, used in military and emergency-services training • 4-7-8 — a long hold and a longer exhale, for winding down • Extended Exhale — twice as long out as in • Physiological Sigh — two stacked inhales, then a long release • Triangle — box breathing with the empty hold removed • Deep Diaphragmatic — low, slow, into the belly • Energize — quick and even, to wake up • Alternate Nostril — side cues on screen, both directions each round • Resonance Slow — five breaths a minute • Tesla Breath — three, six, nine • Root Two — one to root two • Vortex — Fibonacci, inward • Samadhi — longer by degrees • Sri Yantra — three sides, growing • Aura — hum the way out • Kumbhaka — the pause after • Detox — out, sharply • Tummo — quick, then hold • Buteyko — less, gently • Rebirthing — no pause between Or build your own pattern, phase by phase. MEASURE SOMETHING REAL Détente includes a breath-hold check: exhale, hold, and tap at the first definite urge to breathe. It is not a competition and not a maximum hold. It gives you a number you can retest in a couple of weeks to see whether anything has shifted. BUILT TO BE USED WITH YOUR EYES SHUT A chime or a gentle vibration on every phase change means you can put the phone down and stop watching it. Eyes-closed mode dims the screen and leaves the sound and the rhythm. WHAT THE RESEARCH SUGGESTS Slow breathing around six breaths a minute produces the largest heart-rate variability response in most adults. An exhale longer than the inhale can raise vagal tone, which slows the heart. In a 2023 Stanford trial, five minutes a day of cyclic sighing over a month improved mood more than the same time spent meditating. Détente is not a medical device and does not treat any condition. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, a respiratory condition or epilepsy, tell Détente during setup and it will adjust what it offers you — and skip the breath-hold check entirely. FREE AND PRO Coherence, Box and 4-7-8 are free, unlimited, at any length, including the breath-hold check. Pro opens the other eighteen techniques, the custom pattern builder, the circle shape with chimes, voice, rain and sea, and Insights. No account. Nothing leaves your phone. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://independence.dev/mobile-apps/box-breathing/privacy
Box Breathing
This minimalist app guides you through a four-part breathing pattern with a visual timer. It's designed for simple, distraction-free mindfulness and relaxation routines, helping you focus and slow your breathing.
- Visual box breathing guide
- Four-part breathing pattern
- Customizable phase duration
- Live countdown timer
- Round counter
- Play, pause, and reset controls
- Minimalist design
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Box Breath is a minimalist box breathing app that uses a simple visual guide to help you follow a steady breathing pattern: inhale, hold, exhale, hold. The app opens to a clean interface with a square breathing guide, a countdown timer, and easy controls so you can begin right away. Whether you want a short breathing break during the day or a simple way to slow down and refocus, Box Breath keeps the experience straightforward and distraction-free. Features • Visual box breathing guide that highlights each phase of the cycle • Four-part breathing pattern: inhale, hold, exhale, hold • Custom duration control from 2 to 10 seconds per phase • Live countdown timer for each step • Round counter to track completed breathing cycles • Play, pause, and reset controls for quick use anytime • Minimal design with no clutter, so you can focus on your breath Box Breath is designed for people who want a simple breathing exercise, calm breathing timer, or mindfulness breathing app without unnecessary complexity. Use Box Breath for: • daily breathing practice • quiet focus breaks • moments when you want to slow your breathing • simple mindfulness and relaxation routines Take a moment, follow the rhythm, and breathe one box at a time.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Box Breathing at none against Détente's 1. Box Breathing also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 4 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume 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
Both are free to download. Détente sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $8.99 per year. Box Breathing asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Détente against 5.0 for Box Breathing. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.
Détente ships an update every 4 weeks, Box Breathing every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Détente | Box Breathing |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 60 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | GEOFFREY TEVA BERNICOT | Ankush Sharma |
Customer experience
Détente
Box Breathing
In-app purchases
Détente
- Pro Version$8.991 Year
Box Breathing
No in-app purchases









