Comparison

Inhale vs Physiological Sigh

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

Head to head
About

Inhale

Features
Read full description

Inhale guides you through short breathing sessions for moments when you want to pause and reset. Choose from 5 guided exercises — Box Breathing used by Navy SEALs, the 4-7-8 method by Dr. Weil, Cyclic Sighing from Stanford research, and more. HOW IT WORKS - Pick a technique and set your number of cycles - Follow the animated breathing circle - Feel gentle haptic vibrations guiding each breath - Close your eyes — your phone guides you BREATHE WITH YOUR EYES CLOSED The haptics carry the rhythm on their own: a tap when to breathe in, a tap when to breathe out, a different pattern for the holds. That means a session works in a meeting room, on a bus or in the dark at three in the morning, with the screen face down and nothing to watch. It is the difference between an app you have to look at and one you can actually use when you need it. THE FIVE TECHNIQUES - Box Breathing — equal 4-4-4-4, sixteen seconds a cycle - 4-7-8 Sleep — a long exhale for winding down - Cyclic Sighing — a double inhale and a long exhale - Coherent Breathing — even five-second breaths, six a minute - Power Breath — fast two-second cycles when you need alertness FEATURES - 5 breathing techniques backed by research - Ambient sounds: rain, ocean, night forest, pink & brown noise - Haptic guidance — breathe without watching the screen - Session tracking with streaks and statistics - Dark, minimal UI — no distractions NO ACCOUNT, NO ADS There is no sign-up, no advertising and no analytics SDK. Your session history stays on your iPhone, and nothing is sent anywhere. LIFETIME UNLOCK Three techniques, all ambient sounds, haptic guidance, and statistics are free. A one-time purchase adds Coherent Breathing and Power Breath. No subscription. Inhale is designed for general wellness and relaxation. It is not a medical device. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://bukhalov.com/inhaleapp/privacy.html

About

Physiological Sigh

This app guides you through a scientifically proven breathing technique to quickly calm your nervous system and reduce stress. It requires no prior meditation experience and offers customizable durations and ambient sounds for a personalized experience.

Highlights
  • Guided breathing exercises
  • Customizable phase durations
  • Ambient sound library
  • Daily reminder notifications
  • Distraction-free interface
  • Haptic feedback
Features
Read full description

Calm your nervous system in seconds. Physiological Sigh is a science-backed breathing app built around the fastest stress-relief technique ever studied. No meditation experience required. No complicated programs. Just three simple phases, and you'll feel the difference in under 30 seconds. WHAT IS THE PHYSIOLOGICAL SIGH? The physiological sigh is a natural reflex your body already performs — spontaneously, during deep sleep — to re-oxygenate your lungs and reset your nervous system. Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman and his team discovered that triggering this reflex voluntarily is the single most effective real-time tool for reducing stress and anxiety. It works in one cycle. It works anywhere. And it works immediately. HOW IT WORKS Each cycle consists of three phases: A short inhale through the nose A second, longer inhale through the nose to fully inflate your lungs A long, slow exhale through the mouth That's it. One cycle takes less than 9 seconds. A full 5-minute session delivers lasting effects on your heart rate, cortisol levels, and overall sense of calm. WHY THIS APP Most breathing apps ask you to follow complex programs or sit through lengthy guided sessions before you feel anything. This app does one thing, and does it exceptionally well. We built it around the physiological sigh specifically because the science is clear: of all real-time stress-reduction techniques studied, this one produces the fastest and most measurable results. No guesswork, no filler. FEATURES Animated breathing disc that guides you through each phase in real time Phase card showing exactly where you are in the cycle Elapsed and remaining time counter Customizable phase durations — adjust each inhale and exhale to your comfort Session length from 1 to 30 minutes Ambient sound library — rain, ocean waves, fireplace, white noise, singing bowls, and more Custom backgrounds — choose the atmosphere that helps you focus Haptic feedback with a distinct pattern for each phase Daily reminder notifications — up to 3 scheduled reminders per day Clean, distraction-free interface designed for daily use BACKED BY SCIENCE The physiological sigh has been studied since the 1930s and brought into mainstream wellness by researchers at Stanford University. A 2023 study published in Cell Reports Medicine found that cyclic sighing practiced for 5 minutes daily produced greater improvements in mood and reductions in stress than other breathing techniques and mindfulness meditation. This app puts that research directly in your hands. PERFECT FOR Moments of acute stress or anxiety Pre-meeting nerves or public speaking Winding down before sleep Resetting after an intense workout Building a daily mindfulness habit without the time commitment SIMPLE BY DESIGN Open the app. Press play. Breathe. That's the entire experience. No account required to get started, no onboarding questionnaire, no streak pressure. Just a tool that works when you need it. Start your first session today. Your nervous system will thank you. Physiological Sigh is not a medical device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical condition. If you experience anxiety disorders or other health conditions, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. - Terms Of Use : https://occirama.com/physiological-sigh/terms-of-use/ - Privacy Policy : https://occirama.com/physiological-sigh/privacy/

Screenshots

Inhale4 screens
Physiological Sigh4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Physiological Sigh at every 3 days against Inhale's fortnightly. Inhale's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Inhale sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Physiological Sigh sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Inhale ships an update fortnightly, Physiological Sigh every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Inhale versus Physiological Sigh: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterInhalePhysiological Sigh
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.2
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB43 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperAleksei Bukhalovemmanuel orvain

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Inhale

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Premium1 Month trial$3.991 Month
  • Yearly Premium7 Days trial$19.991 Year
One-time2
  • Premium Techniques$4.99
  • Lifetime Premium$4.99
2 purchases

Physiological Sigh

Subscriptions2
  • Premium Account / Month$2.991 Month
  • Premium Account / Year$9.991 Year

Questions

Is Inhale free?
Inhale is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Physiological Sigh free?
Physiological Sigh is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Inhale or Physiological Sigh have ads?
Neither Inhale nor Physiological Sigh shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Inhale or Physiological Sigh?
Inhale ships an update fortnightly, and Physiological Sigh every 3 days. Most recently, Inhale was updated on October 25, 2026 and Physiological Sigh on October 22, 2026.

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