Comparison

Stoara vs Shadow Work

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

Head to head
About

Stoara

Features
Read full description

Stoara: Stoic AI Reflection & Mentor Find calm and clarity with your private Stoic AI mentor. Speak or write your thoughts and receive practical wisdom from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus β€” instantly and privately. Whether you have 2 minutes in the morning or need a deeper evening reflection, Stoara helps you turn daily overthinking and stress into grounded clarity. WHAT STOARA DOES Every day, Stoara delivers a hand-curated Stoic quote and invites you to reflect. Share what’s on your mind β€” freely or with guided prompts β€” and your personal AI Stoic mentor responds with thoughtful, personalized wisdom tailored to your situation. KEY FEATURES β€’ Daily Stoic Wisdom β€” Morning, afternoon, and evening check-ins with powerful quotes from the great Stoics. β€’ AI Stoic Mentor β€” Get real, practical responses to your challenges, frustrations, or doubts β€” not generic quotes. β€’ Voice Reflection β€” Speak your thoughts hands-free. Stoara transcribes and sends them to your mentor. β€’ Voice Mentor (Premium) β€” Listen to calm, wise responses in natural voices (Leo or Rex). β€’ Guided Reflections β€” Structured Stoic prompts when you don’t know where to start. β€’ Personal Library β€” All reflections saved privately on your device. Review, bookmark, and track your growth. Now in 7 Languages β€” German, English, Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese & Dutch. FREE & PREMIUM Free tier: 1 reflection: text and voice message + full quote library β€” perfect to start your Stoic practice. Stoara Premium: Unlimited reflections, unlimited voice sessions, and full voice library. YOUR PRIVACY 100% on-device. No accounts. No tracking. Your reflections never leave your phone except for the AI response you actively request. WHO STOARA IS FOR Ideal for anyone 25–45 seeking more serenity, and mental clarity in daily life. Whether you’re new to Stoicism or a longtime reader of the Meditations, Stoara turns philosophy into a daily habit. Philosophy is not just for reading β€” it is for living. Terms of Use: https://stoara.replit.app/terms Privacy Policy: https://stoara.replit.app/privacy

About

Shadow Work

Features
Read full description

Shadow Forge is a structured shadow work journal built on Jungian psychology. Not a mood tracker. Not a gratitude log. A guided descent into the parts of yourself you've been ignoring, judging, or hiding from the world. HOW IT WORKS Shadow Forge divides your inner work into 3 stages and 25 sessions: Stage 1 - Shadow: 7 sessions Meet the parts you cast away. Explore your projections, your triggers, and the qualities you deny in yourself. Ends with your Shadow Archetype reveal - and the Exile it has been protecting. Stage 2 - Integration: 10 sessions Stop fighting what you found. Learn to own the shadow instead of being owned by it. Stage 3 - Self: 8 sessions The work becomes who you are. Live from a more complete version of yourself. WHAT EACH SESSION INCLUDES - A grounding ritual to prepare the container - 3 written prompts designed to surface what hides beneath the surface - A body check-in to locate emotion as sensation - Everything stored privately on your device THE FIRST STAGE IS FREE Complete all 7 sessions of Stage 1 at no cost. Unlock Stage 2 and Stage 3 with a monthly or annual subscription. YOUR JOURNAL. NO ONE READS IT BUT YOU. Every response is stored locally on your device. No account. No cloud. No server ever receives your entries. FEATURES - 25 structured sessions across 3 stages - Shadow Archetype reveal, plus an Exile card - the wound your Archetype has been protecting - Trigger & Glimmer tracker - log what drains you and what lifts you, see the pattern over 14 days - The Mirror - a 5-question reflection that reveals your relationship pattern, synthesized with your Shadow Archetype - Grounding breathwork before each session - Body awareness check-in - Private journal - device only, no cloud - Progress tracking across all sessions - Daily streak - Grounding exercise available anytime - 11 languages supported Privacy Policy: https://enginaytekin.com/privacy Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Stoara4 screens
Shadow Work4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Stoara at every 5 days against Shadow Work's every 3 weeks. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Stoara sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Shadow Work sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Stoara ships an update every 5 days, Shadow Work every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 10, 2026.

Scorecard1 real difference Β· 5 level
Stoara versus Shadow Work: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStoaraShadow Work
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 5 days β€” betterEvery 3 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 β€” better16.4
Further details β€” not scored
Size50 MB55 MB
Age rating4+9+
DeveloperJohannes van HemsbergenEngin Aytekin

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Stoara

Subscriptions2
  • Stoarea Premium Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Stoara Premium$29.991 Year
2 purchases

Shadow Work

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$7.991 Month
  • Annual$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Stoara free?
Stoara is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shadow Work free?
Shadow Work is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Stoara or Shadow Work have ads?
Neither Stoara nor Shadow Work shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Stoara or Shadow Work?
Stoara ships an update every 5 days, and Shadow Work every 3 weeks. Most recently, Stoara was updated on September 10, 2026 and Shadow Work on September 10, 2026.

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