Comparison

Shadow Self vs Hermes Decode

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

Head to head
About

Shadow Self

Features
Read full description

There's a part of you that runs in the background shaping your choices, your reactions, your relationships without you ever seeing it clearly. Shadow Self helps you find it. Through Sage, an AI companion trained in Jungian psychology, you discover your shadow archetype: the hidden pattern beneath your behavior. Then you learn to work with it. What you get: Your shadow archetype from six Jungian archetypes Deep one-on-one conversations with Sage Journal to track patterns and breakthroughs Shadow work exercises tailored to your archetype Deep Analysis: behavioral patterns, root causes, integration plan Private by design. No account required. No data sold. Your conversations stay on your device.

About

Hermes Decode

Features
Read full description

Hermes is a place to meet yourself. It holds four connected spaces โ€” Dreams, Synchronicities, Psyche, and Astrology โ€” and the magic is in how they speak to each other. A dream rhymes with a chance encounter. A pattern in your chart surfaces in a quiet inner dialogue. Nothing stands alone here; every entry becomes a thread in the same unfolding story. DREAMS Capture a dream the moment you wake โ€” by voice or by hand โ€” and watch its images, symbols, and feeling come into focus. Return to it later and follow the threads deeper. SYNCHRONICITIES Log the meaningful coincidences most people let slip past. Hermes helps you read them โ€” the recurring number, the song, the name that keeps arriving โ€” and notices when they echo your dreams. PSYCHE Explore your inner world through guided reflection, word association, archetypal figures, and quiet conversation. A space to sit with what's stirring beneath the surface. ASTROLOGY Your full natal chart and daily transits, read for meaning rather than prediction. See how the sky you were born under threads through your dreams, your patterns, and your reflections. WOVEN TOGETHER The more you record, the more Hermes connects โ€” surfacing the quiet motifs that run through everything you bring to it. AN INNER CIRCLE Share a dream or a synchronicity with someone you trust, exchange interpretations, and explore how your charts meet. MEMBERSHIP Hermes is free to begin. Adept and Magus unlock deeper readings, longer conversations, and the full inner toolkit. โ€ข Adept โ€” $7.99/month or $59.99/year โ€ข Magus โ€” $19.99/month or $159.99/year, with a 7-day free trial Subscriptions are auto-renewable. Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours of the period's end. Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Service: https://www.hermesdecode.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://www.hermesdecode.com/privacy Hermes is a tool for reflection and self-exploration; it does not provide medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice.

Screenshots

Shadow Self4 screens
Hermes Decode4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shadow Self at none against Hermes Decode's 4. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Hermes Decode sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Shadow Self asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Shadow Self ships an update every 6 days, Hermes Decode every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on September 8, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ยท 5 level
Shadow Self versus Hermes Decode: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShadow SelfHermes Decode
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 days โ€” betterEvery 11 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better15.1
Further details โ€” not scored
Size7 MB69 MB
Age rating17+4+
Developeryehuda breuerDiego Petkoff Azcuna

In-app purchases

None

Shadow Self

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Hermes Decode

Subscriptions4
  • Adept$6.991 Month
  • Magus7 Days trial$17.991 Month
  • Adept (Annual)$49.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Magus (Annual)7 Days trial$149.991 Year

Questions

Is Shadow Self free?
Shadow Self is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Hermes Decode free?
Hermes Decode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Shadow Self or Hermes Decode have ads?
Neither Shadow Self nor Hermes Decode shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shadow Self or Hermes Decode?
Shadow Self ships an update every 6 days, and Hermes Decode every 11 days. Most recently, Shadow Self was updated on September 8, 2026 and Hermes Decode on September 19, 2026.

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