Comparison

Space Before Thought vs Pure Phase

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

Head to head
About

Space Before Thought

Features
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Space Before Thought is your private, ad-free meditation studio โ€” designed to help you slow down, reset your mind, sleep better, and return to focus without distractions. Instead of opening YouTube, scrolling through videos, sitting through ads, or getting pulled into comments and recommendations, Space Before Thought gives you a calm, focused place to create your own meditation experience in seconds. Build custom sessions using frequencies, tones, affirmations, nature sounds, synth soundscapes, and timers โ€” all in one simple offline-first app. Whether you want to relax, focus, sleep, repeat affirmations, or take a quiet moment during the day, Space Before Thought helps you create a practice that feels personal to you. Create Your Own Meditation Sessions Blend and customize: - Binaural Beats or Isochronic Tones from 0.1โ€“40.0 Hz - Specific frequencies for focus, relaxation, deep rest, or sleep - Nature sounds, noise layers, solfeggio tones, and synth soundscapes - Your own recorded affirmations - Meditation timers for short resets or longer sessions - Affirmation counter to help you stay consistent New: Intention List Set your intentions inside the app and keep them close to your practice. Use the intention list to write down the shifts, thoughts, beliefs, and outcomes you want to focus on. It is a simple way to return to what matters before or after your meditation. New: Zero Point Interval Notifications Set gentle reminders throughout the day to pause, breathe, and return to stillness. Zero Point Intervals are designed to help you break the pattern of distraction and create small moments of awareness during your day. A few seconds of stillness can change the direction of your attention. Make Your Practice Personal Record affirmations in your own voice and loop them into your session. Blend your voice with tones, frequencies, and sound layers to create a meditation that feels unique to you. Save your favourite combinations as presets and return to them anytime. Key Features: - Precision frequency controls - Double-tap to type exact Frequency and Pitch - Binaural Beats and Isochronic Tones - Nature, noise, solfeggio, and synth soundscapes - Record and loop your own affirmations - Intention list for focused inner work - Zero Point Interval meditation reminders - Meditation timer - Affirmation counter - Save and load custom presets - Offline-first experience - No ads - No account required - Private by design: no analytics, no ads, no data collection - Sound library updated regularly A Meditation App Without the Noise Space Before Thought was created for people who want a focused meditation space without social media, ads, endless scrolling, or distractions. Open the app. Choose your sound. Set your intention. Press play. Your practice stays simple, personal, and yours. Subscription: Unlock premium features, advanced controls, and the full sound library with a subscription. You can manage or cancel anytime in your Apple ID settings. Privacy & Support: We take privacy seriously. See our privacy policy and support details in the App Store listing. https://www.spacebefore.com/meditation-app/privacy-policy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Pure Phase

Features
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Pure Phase uses synchronized light, sound, and breath to guide you into focused, calm, or sleep states โ€” without subscriptions, accounts, narration, or bloat. Tap to begin. Hold to tune. That's the whole interface. THREE SCIENCE-GROUNDED STATES FOCUS โ€” 40Hz gamma frequency, synchronized light and isochronic audio. Associated with peak mental clarity. The subject of ongoing clinical research at MIT and elsewhere. CALM โ€” 10Hz alpha frequency. One of the most consistently documented frequencies in relaxation and stress research. Ideal for unwinding, creative work, or transition between tasks. SLEEP โ€” 2Hz delta frequency. Use with eyes closed and torch enabled. The flashlight pulses at the session frequency through your eyelids โ€” no screen required. BREATHE โ€” GUIDED BREATHWORK A fourth mode with no flicker โ€” just a breathing ring that expands and contracts to pace your breath. Choose from Coherence (6 breaths per minute, the HRV resonance frequency), 4-7-8, Box breathing, or Slow Wave. Or build your own pattern in Advanced settings. ISOCHRONIC AUDIO A warm audible carrier tone pulses at the brainwave frequency, synchronized frame-by-frame with the visual flicker. Underneath, a procedurally generated ambient texture โ€” pink noise, brown noise, or sustained drone โ€” provides continuity and masks environmental sound. Everything is generated on-device. No audio files. DRIFT & BLOOM New psychoacoustic modes for headphones. Three synthesis layers create auditory depth and slow movement through pure tones โ€” a breathing carrier, a drifting stereo field, and optional harmonic shimmer. DRIFT pairs them with a pure black canvas. BLOOM pairs them with a slow generative visual field that breathes and shifts color in sync with the audio. Non-stroboscopic โ€” accessible to anyone who can't tolerate the entrainment modes. ADVANCED For users who know what they want: Theta, SMR, PRISM, and Void states, a custom Hz slider from 0.5 to 40Hz, custom breath timing with independent inhale, hold, and exhale controls, and carrier frequency selection. Clearly labeled as exploratory. PURE PHASE IS FREE No subscription. No account. No guided narration. No content library. No streak tracking. No ads. No data collection of any kind. Everything runs on your device. Pure Phase uses rapid rhythmic light pulses. Do not use if you are photosensitive or have a history of epilepsy or seizure disorders. Always use in a safe, seated, stationary environment. Not a medical device.

Screenshots

Space Before Thought3 screens
Pure Phase4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pure Phase at none against Space Before Thought's 3. Pure Phase also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs monthly). Space Before Thought's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, 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. Space Before Thought sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Pure Phase asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Space Before Thought ships an update monthly, Pure Phase every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Space Before Thought versus Pure Phase: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSpace Before ThoughtPure Phase
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size66 MB4 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperDaniel GibsonMark Friedlander

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Space Before Thought

Subscriptions2
  • Space Before Thought Pro โ€” Monthly7 Days trial$4.991 Month
  • Space Before Thought Pro โ€” Yearly7 Days trial$39.991 Year
One-time1
  • Space Before Thought Pro โ€” Lifetime$149.99
None

Pure Phase

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Space Before Thought free?
Space Before Thought is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Pure Phase free?
Pure Phase is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Space Before Thought or Pure Phase have ads?
Neither Space Before Thought nor Pure Phase shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Space Before Thought or Pure Phase?
Space Before Thought ships an update monthly, and Pure Phase every 3 days. Most recently, Space Before Thought was updated on October 18, 2026 and Pure Phase on October 4, 2026.

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