ELEMENT | 08 vs Holdfast
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
ELEMENT | 08
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ELEMENT | 08 is a training, logging and analysis system for freedivers. TRAIN WITH INTENTION Build custom Static and Breathwork tables with CO2 and O2 progressions, custom rest, hold, and recover blocks, and full audio announcements. Follow structured progressions toward new breath-hold times, or build a full Season Plan with periodized phases for depth and pool competition prep. YOUR DIVE LOG, PROPERLY DONE Sessions save automatically. Log dives by hand or import them from your dive computer (Garmin and Suunto FIT, UDDF, and more), keeping your full training history in one place. INSIGHTS THAT MATTER Long-term trends across breath hold, equalization, and dive data. Depth bands, SpO2 exposure zones, mouthfill factor, and more. Connect a Bluetooth pulse oximeter for live SpO2, heart rate, and detailed post-session analysis. ASK ABOUT YOUR DIVING A built-in AI assistant answers questions about your own logged data in plain language. Ask how your depth is trending, compare two dives, or dig into a single session, and get answers grounded in your real numbers, with charts drawn right on your device. Only your question and the summary figures needed to answer it are sent to generate the response. Your raw dive logs, full profiles, and location never leave your device. SHARE YOUR DIVES Turn a depth dive into a Dive Reel: an animated overlay of your depth, time, and stats, on your own footage or a clean background. Pick a template, line it up with your clip, and export a video made for stories and reels. TRAIN WITH YOUR COACH Coach Mode links you and your coach. Pair with a code, receive training plans that land straight in your Today view, and share your logged dives so your coach can follow your progress. BUILT FOR FREEDIVERS, BY A FREEDIVER Local-first by default: your data lives on your device. Create an optional account to back it up to the cloud and restore it on a new phone. The core app is free, with no subscription required to train seriously. TRAIN SAFELY Breath-hold training carries real risks. Never train in or near water without a trained buddy supervising you directly, and never alone. ELEMENT | 08 supports your training. It does not replace certified instruction or medical advice. More at element08.io Terms of Use: https://element08.io/terms.html
Holdfast
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Holdfast is a calm, focused breath-hold trainer for freedivers, spearos, and anyone learning to sit comfortably with the urge to breathe. Run proven COโ and Oโ tables on your iPhone โ or entirely on your Apple Watch, screen-off and haptic-guided โ so every session feels effortless. WHY HOLDFAST - COโ tables to blunt the urge to breathe; Oโ tables to extend your hold. - Guided sessions with gentle haptic and audio cues โ eyes closed, no screen needed. - Built for Apple Watch: start, run, and finish a full session from your wrist, screen-off, driven by taps. - Progress that motivates: history, streaks, personal bests, and clean charts. - Heart rate during holds via Apple Health (optional). - 100% offline. No account, no sign-up, ever. FREE FOREVER - The full COโ and Oโ table trainer, on iPhone and Apple Watch. - Session history, streaks, and personal bests. HOLDFAST PREMIUM - Custom table builder โ design your own ramps. - Training plans โ structured, progressive programs. - Advanced analytics โ deeper trends and recovery insight. TRAIN SAFELY Holdfast is for dry training only. Never practice breath-holding in or near water alone, and never hyperventilate. Shallow-water blackout gives no warning. Stop immediately if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or tingling, and talk to a doctor before starting breath-hold training if you have heart, lung, blood-pressure, or pregnancy concerns. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Everything runs on your device. No account, no tracking; your health data stays in Apple Health. โ Holdfast Premium is an auto-renewing subscription. - Monthly $3.99 / Annual $29.99, with a 7-day free trial (USD; prices vary by region). - Payment is charged to your Apple ID at confirmation of purchase. - It renews automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; your account is charged within 24 hours prior to renewal. - Manage or cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: [your privacy URL]
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Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: ELEMENT | 08 at weekly against Holdfast's every 2 months. ELEMENT | 08 also leads on device support (4 vs 2) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. ELEMENT | 08 sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month and Holdfast sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ELEMENT | 08 ships an update weekly, Holdfast every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ELEMENT | 08 | Holdfast |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Weekly โ better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch โ better | iPhone, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 70 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Philipp Heinzelmann | Jorge Bustamante |
In-app purchases
ELEMENT | 08
- Monthly Pro$3.991 Month
- AI Assistant Add-on (Monthly)$4.991 Month
- AI Assistant Add-on (Loyalty)$12.991 Year
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- Season Pro$14.991 Year
- ELEMENT 08 Pro (Annual)$22.991 Year
- AI Assistant Add-on (Annual)$49.991 Year
- Lifetime Founder$29.99
- lifetime_early$39.99
- Lifetime Regular$59.99
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- ELEMENT 08 Lifetime$59.99
Holdfast
- Holdfast Premium โ Monthly$3.991 Month
- Holdfast Premium โ Annual7 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Holdfast: Lifetime Subscription$4.99
Questions
Is ELEMENT | 08 free?
Is Holdfast free?
Do ELEMENT | 08 or Holdfast have ads?
Which is updated more often, ELEMENT | 08 or Holdfast?
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