Comparison

Portals vs osform

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

Head to head
About

Portals

Features
Read full description

Portals is a digital self-regulation tool developed at the intersection of science and art. It combines evidence-informed self-regulation practices across multiple modalities to support psychological wellbeing and, in turn, physical wellbeing. Portals enables users to create personal visual representations of emotions and feelings using simple geometric forms and colour. These evolving visual compositions form dynamic structures designed to provide access to deeper internal processes that are often difficult to engage with consciously. By accessing this creative dimension, users can strengthen their capacity for self-regulation and emotional balance. Portals places creativity at the centre of the experience. Rather than relying on passive observation, users engage actively in a process that encourages self-awareness and access to internal resources that traditional approaches may not always reach. The relationship between creativity and emotional regulation continues to be an important area of contemporary psychological research. Thematic Protocols Portals protocols are designed to support users experiencing common emotional and physical difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, sleep disruption, and physical tension. Some programmes focus on navigating interpersonal relationships and complex emotional experiences, while others support the development of healthier daily habits, including more mindful eating practices. Portals programs are not therapeutic interventions and are not intended to replace professional psychological support. Personal Visual Compositions Portals encourages users to explore their creative potential. Through interaction with the application, users gradually build evolving mandala-based visual compositions. These visual compositions can be saved, revisited, expanded over time, or shared with others, allowing Portals to become part of a regular personal wellbeing practice. Saved mandalas may serve as supportive resources during periods of stress, emotional overload, or mental fatigue. What makes this approach different Many modern wellbeing and mindfulness tools rely primarily on verbal guidance or predefined emotional frameworks. Portals takes a different approach by engaging users' creative cognitive abilities through interaction with music, colour, and simple visual forms. This process supports clarity, resilience, and emotional coherence by encouraging a different relationship with attention and internal awareness. Everyday Mental Hygiene Portals is designed for regular use, much like habits that support physical health and wellbeing. Over time, consistent engagement can help strengthen emotional resilience, focus, and mental clarity through simple and accessible practices. Short visual sessions are designed to support concentration, emotional stability, and psychological wellbeing. Community as a Space for Shared Creativity Alongside individual use, Portals also supports collaborative experiences where multiple users participate in shared creative sessions. These sessions offer an alternative way of connecting that extends beyond verbal communication. Participants may explore emotions, internal conflicts, or experiences that can be difficult to express through language alone, supporting more open and empathetic interaction. Journal and Reflection Portals includes a Journal feature designed to encourage self-reflection and support self-regulation as an ongoing practice. By recording observations following sessions, users can identify recurring patterns, recognise changes in emotional state, and develop greater awareness of their cognitive and emotional processes. Important Portals is not a medical product and does not provide therapy, diagnosis, or treatment. The application is intended for self-regulation purposes only and is not a substitute for professional psychological or medical sup Terms of use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

osform

Features
Read full description

The Meaning Galaxy. A shared galaxy where every star is a word someone wrote. Words come to you one at a time: answer with the first thing that comes to mind, and your answer becomes a star linked to the word you answered. Say a word first and its star is yours. Whenever someone says it again or goes on from it, light comes to you. Once every three hours, breathe for a minute and light a word of your own.

Screenshots

Portals4 screens
osform4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: osform at daily against Portals's every 11 days. Portals's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.0 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Portals ships an update every 11 days, osform daily. The most recent releases landed on November 5, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
Portals versus osform: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPortalsosform
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 11 daysDaily โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.0 โ€” better17.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size330 MB9 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperAPSPAY, TOOOleg Shishkin

In-app purchases

None

Portals

No in-app purchases

None

osform

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Portals free?
Portals is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is osform free?
osform is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Portals or osform have ads?
Neither Portals nor osform shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Portals or osform?
Portals ships an update every 11 days, and osform daily. Most recently, Portals was updated on November 5, 2026 and osform on October 31, 2026.

Other comparisons