Comparison

Anchor vs Beginner's Mind

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

Head to head
About

Anchor

Features
Read full description

Anchor is a minimal grounding app for when emotions feel overwhelming. It provides gentle, evidence-based phrases to help you stay grounded during moments of panic, anxiety, sadness, or anger. Just open it, tap a mode, and read — one phrase at a time, at your own pace. HOW IT WORKS Each mode follows a three-phase approach based on Self-Instructional Training, a technique developed by psychologist Donald Meichenbaum: 1. Preparation — Understand what's happening. Normalize your response. 2. Confrontation — Active coping statements to help you through the moment. 3. Reinforcement — When you're feeling better, receive encouragement that builds confidence for next time. Tap through phrases at your own pace. When you're ready, tap "I'm feeling better" to transition to reinforcement. FEATURES • Five built-in modes: Panic, Anxiety, Sadness, Anger, and Grounding • Create your own custom modes with personalized names • Add, edit, or hide phrases for any mode • Three languages: English, Spanish, and Portuguese • Five themes: Auto, Black, Dark, Light, and White • Works on iPhone and iPad EVIDENCE-BASED The grounding techniques in Anchor are rooted in established psychological practices. Our content has been reviewed by mental health professionals to ensure it follows evidence-based approaches. PRIVACY BY DESIGN • No accounts — no sign-up, no login • No analytics — we don't track anything • No ads — ever • No internet required — works completely offline • All data stays on your device Your custom phrases and settings are stored only on your device. Nothing is sent anywhere. OPEN SOURCE Anchor is fully open source. You can inspect every line of code at github.com/NicoDeGiacomo/anchor IMPORTANT This app is not a medical tool or therapy replacement. It does not provide diagnosis, treatment, or professional advice. If you are in crisis, please contact local emergency services or a trusted professional.

About

Beginner's Mind

Features
Read full description

Beginner's Mind is a mindfulness app that gently brings you back to the present moment, one reminder at a time. Inspired by the Zen concept of Shoshin, approaching life with openness and curiosity, it's designed for anyone beginning a mindfulness practice or looking to add more awareness to daily life. MINDFUL REMINDERS THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY Receive beautifully crafted mindfulness prompts and Zen questions at randomized times. Each notification is a gentle invitation to pause, breathe, and return to the present moment. Set custom active hours and as many reminders as you like to fit your lifestyle. 100+ AUTHENTIC ZEN KOANS Explore a curated library of over 100 traditional Zen koans from classical texts including The Gateless Gate. "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" These timeless mindfulness prompts spark insight and deepen your awareness throughout the day. MEDITATION TIMER Start a meditation session anytime. Customize the duration, choose calming bell sounds, and track your total meditation minutes over time, perfect for beginners building a daily habit. CALMING NOTIFICATION SOUNDS Choose from handcrafted sounds including Tibetan Singing Bowls, Sacred Ohm Chant, and Temple Gong to accompany each reminder. TRACK YOUR MINDFULNESS JOURNEY Stay motivated with daily mindfulness streaks, total reminders received, and cumulative meditation minutes. 100% PRIVATE. NO ACCOUNTS. NO TRACKING. No sign-up, no cloud, no analytics. All your data stays on your device, always. FREE TO START Begin your mindfulness journey for free. Yearly subscribers enjoy a free trial to explore everything Beginner's Mind has to offer before committing. Download Beginner's Mind and bring a little more presence into every moment. Terms of Service: https://beginnersmind.netlify.app/terms

Screenshots

Anchor3 screens
Beginner's Mind4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Anchor at none against Beginner's Mind's 2. On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. Beginner's Mind sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Anchor asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference Ā· 4 level
Anchor versus Beginner's Mind: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAnchorBeginner's Mind
PriceFreeFree
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.115.1
Further details — not scored
Size33 MB52 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperNicolas De GiacomoFrancesco Alessandro Arancio

In-app purchases

None

Anchor

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Beginner's Mind

Subscriptions2
  • Unlimited Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Unlimited Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Anchor free?
Anchor is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Beginner's Mind free?
Beginner's Mind is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Anchor or Beginner's Mind have ads?
Neither Anchor nor Beginner's Mind shows ads.

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