Comparison

Downshift vs Karuma

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

Head to head
About

Downshift

Features
Read full description

Downshift offers guided breathing exercises for the moments you feel tense or stressed — box breathing, 4-7-8, resonance breathing and the physiological sigh — plus progressive muscle relaxation, a body scan and, with a watch or tracker, a daily nervous-system reading from your Apple Health data. Breathe along. Follow the animated orb through guided patterns: the Physiological Sigh, Resonance breathing, Box, 4-7-8, and more. Gentle haptics mark every inhale and exhale, so you can do it with your eyes closed. Build a daily rhythm. A simple daily checklist of evidence-based habits — morning light, movement, a caffeine cutoff, a steady bedtime — with a streak to keep you going. See your progress. Log your tension morning and evening and watch the trend over time. Let go of physical tension. Guided progressive muscle relaxation walks you head-to-toe. On your wrist and your Home Screen. A standalone Apple Watch app with guided breathing, complications, and your reading at a glance — plus Home and Lock Screen widgets. Yours, and private. Your Apple Health data stays on your device. Your notes sync privately through your own iCloud — no account with us, no servers of ours, no tracking. Ever. Free to download and use. No ads. Downshift supports everyday wellbeing and is not a medical device or a substitute for professional care.

About

Karuma

Features
Read full description

MORE CALM. MORE BODY AWARENESS. MORE KINDNESS TOWARDS YOURSELF. Karuma is a completely free app that helps you pause, notice what you feel, understand your nervous system and gradually experience more calm and connection. Short, accessible exercises support relaxation, self-love, body awareness and resilience. Every week, a new exercise awaits you, with clear guidance and practical tools you can use at your own pace. Karuma was developed by a music therapist and a registered healthcare psychologist. The app draws on Polyvagal Theory, positive psychology and body-based approaches. WHAT YOU’LL FIND IN KARUMA • A new exercise for calm and relaxation every week• Exercises for self-love and treating yourself with greater kindness• Practices that help you notice your body’s signals• Clear explanations of your nervous system and Polyvagal Theory• Exercises inspired by positive psychology• A check-in to pause and notice how you are, without judgement• A first-aid toolkit with short exercises for difficult or ove

Screenshots

Downshift4 screens
Karuma4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Karuma at every 4 days against Downshift's fortnightly. Karuma also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.0). 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Downshift ships an update fortnightly, Karuma every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 4 level
Downshift versus Karuma: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDownshiftKaruma
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, Apple WatchiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS18.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB29 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperIoan-Cristian VezureBrainArts BV

In-app purchases

None

Downshift

No in-app purchases

None

Karuma

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Downshift free?
Downshift is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Karuma free?
Karuma is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Downshift or Karuma have ads?
Neither Downshift nor Karuma shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Downshift or Karuma?
Downshift ships an update fortnightly, and Karuma every 4 days. Most recently, Downshift was updated on October 24, 2026 and Karuma on October 12, 2026.

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