Comparison

Vela HRV vs Dusk Journal

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

Head to head
About

Vela HRV

This app analyzes your heart rate variability (HRV) from your Apple Watch to provide a personalized stress score. It establishes your unique baseline and uses it for ongoing stress assessment, offering daily, weekly, and monthly historical data. All processing occurs on your device for enhanced privacy.

Highlights
  • Personalized 0-100 stress score
  • Passive background HRV measurement
  • Daily, weekly, and monthly history
  • On-device processing
  • iCloud data sync
  • No mandatory subscription
Features
Read full description

Stress is invisible. But it can be measured. Vela analyzes your heart rate variability (HRV) from your Apple Watch and turns it into a number that makes sense for you — not for a statistical average. Everyone's HRV is different. That's why Vela builds your personal baseline during the first few days and uses it as a permanent reference. Your stress score is yours, calculated against your own history. The essentials, without the noise - Personalized 0–100 stress score - Passive background measurement - Daily, weekly and monthly history - On-device processing — no external servers Your data, yours alone. Sync happens through your own iCloud. Vela has no servers. No mandatory subscription. Requires Apple Watch with watchOS 26 or later.

About

Dusk Journal

This app provides a private journaling experience with AI-powered reflection questions. It analyzes your writing to identify patterns and offers insights into your mood and stress triggers, all while prioritizing your privacy.

Highlights
  • AI reflection questions
  • On-device pattern insights
  • Mood tracking
  • Journal history
  • Private by design
  • Pro deep insights
Features
Read full description

Dusk is a private journal powered by Apple Intelligence. Write freely each evening — Dusk reads what you wrote and asks you one thoughtful question back. No advice. No judgement. Just the right question at the right moment. On the free plan, everything runs on your iPhone. Your words never leave your device. HOW IT WORKS Write tonight's entry in your own words. After a few sentences, Dusk quietly generates a reflection question — powered by Apple Intelligence, entirely on-device. Respond if you want, or just keep writing. Either way, your entry is saved privately and permanently. Over time, Dusk spots patterns in your writing — what days you feel best, what triggers stress, what you keep coming back to. The kind of insight that only emerges when someone has been paying close attention. PRIVATE BY DESIGN Free plan: every reflection question is generated by Apple Intelligence on your device. No servers. No account. Nothing sent anywhere. Pro deep insights: your last 30 entries are sent securely, analysed, then immediately deleted. Never stored. Never used for training. You see a clear notice before every send. FEATURES - Daily evening journal — one intentional entry per day, editable until midnight - AI reflection questions — appears as you write, powered by Apple Intelligence on-device - Follow-up questions — reply to a reflection and Dusk asks one more (Pro) - Mood tracking — log how you felt, see patterns over time - Streak counter — gentle motivation to keep the habit - Full journal history — browse, search and filter all past entries by mood or month - Read-only past entries — locked at midnight, preserved exactly as written - On-device pattern insights — what your writing reveals about you, generated locally DUSK PRO Upgrade to unlock the full experience: - Unlimited AI reflections — every entry, every night - Follow-up questions — deeper conversation after you reply - Deep insights — AI analysis of your last 30 entries, refreshes every 7 new entries - On-demand refresh — generate new insights when you're ready - Export to PDF — your journal beautifully formatted, yours forever Try Pro free for 7 days. Cancel anytime. REQUIREMENTS AI reflection questions require iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 16 and later (Apple Intelligence). All other features work on any iPhone running iOS 18 or later. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Dusk Journal4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Vela HRV at none against Dusk Journal's 1. Dusk Journal's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. Dusk Journal sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $2.99 per month. Vela HRV asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Vela HRV against 5.0 for Dusk Journal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Vela HRV ships an update every 3 weeks, Dusk Journal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
Vela HRV versus Dusk Journal: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterVela HRVDusk Journal
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings11
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.026.0
Further details — not scored
Size4 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperXavier Camps NoviSri Appala Adatrao

Customer experience

Vela HRV

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Dusk Journal

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Vela HRV

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Dusk Journal

Subscriptions1
  • Dusk Pro7 Days trial$2.991 Month

Questions

Is Vela HRV free?
Vela HRV is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dusk Journal free?
Dusk Journal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Vela HRV or Dusk Journal?
Vela HRV and Dusk Journal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Vela HRV or Dusk Journal have ads?
Neither Vela HRV nor Dusk Journal shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Vela HRV or Dusk Journal?
Vela HRV ships an update every 3 weeks, and Dusk Journal every 2 days. Most recently, Vela HRV was updated on October 7, 2026 and Dusk Journal on October 24, 2026.

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