Comparison

Pure Phase vs Isla

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

Head to head
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.

About

Isla

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Isla is your island of calm โ€” a gentle, private way to settle your nervous system in about three minutes, whenever life feels like too much. No long courses. No streaks to keep. No pressure. Just tell Isla how you feel right now โ€” wired, anxious, frozen, overstimulated, restless, or like you can't sleep โ€” and it matches you to a short, body-based practice for this exact moment. HOW IT WORKS โ€ข Check in with how you feel, right now โ€ข Follow a calm ~3-minute somatic or breathing practice, guided by a soft voice and a breathing orb โ€ข Afterwards, notice how you feel โ€” and let Isla quietly learn what helps you PERSONALIZED, PRIVATELY Isla uses on-device intelligence to choose the right practice and frame it warmly for you โ€” entirely on your iPhone. Nothing you share leaves your device. There are no accounts and no third-party tracking, and your reflections are created privately on your iPhone. You can clear everything anytime. MADE TO FIT YOU Pick a profile that sounds like you โ€” easily overstimulated, a racing mind, running on empty, wired and can't switch off, or simply "show me everything" โ€” and Isla adapts its tone and suggestions. Change it whenever your needs shift. WHAT'S INSIDE โ€ข Short somatic, breathing, and grounding practices โ€ข A guided player with a gentle voice and a calming breathing orb (choose a Default, Woman, or Man voice) โ€ข Browse and start any practice directly โ€ข Gentle weekly reflections that notice patterns in how you've felt โ€ข An optional daily reminder โ€ข Full Dynamic Type, VoiceOver, and Reduce Motion support WORKS OFFLINE The core practices work with no connection and no AI โ€” calm shouldn't depend on a signal. ISLA PREMIUM Unlock the full experience: โ€ข Personalized, AI-matched practices โ€ข The complete practice library โ€ข Private weekly reflections Try Isla Premium free for 7 days, then $4.99/month โ€” or $29.99/year. Prices may vary by region. Isla is for relaxation and general wellbeing. It is not medical advice or a substitute for professional care. If you're struggling, please reach out to a qualified professional. your island of calm. โ€” Subscription details โ€” Isla Premium is an auto-renewable subscription. Monthly ($4.99) includes a 7-day free trial for new subscribers; Yearly is $29.99. Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. The subscription renews automatically unless turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period; manage or cancel anytime in your Apple Account settings. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://www.pigloboutique.com/#/privacy

Screenshots

Pure Phase4 screens
Isla4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pure Phase at none against Isla's 2. Pure Phase also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). 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. Isla sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. Pure Phase asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 4 level
Pure Phase versus Isla: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPure PhaseIsla
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 3 daysโ€”
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size4 MB2 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperMark FriedlanderMarkus Vaha

In-app purchases

None

Pure Phase

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Isla

Subscriptions2
  • Isla Premium โ€” Monthly$4.991 Month
  • Isla Premium โ€” Yearly$29.991 Year

Questions

Is Pure Phase free?
Pure Phase is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Isla free?
Isla is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Pure Phase or Isla have ads?
Neither Pure Phase nor Isla shows ads.

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