Centering Prayer vs HeartMath
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Centering Prayer
This app guides users through Centering Prayer, a silent contemplative prayer practice. It offers a customizable timer, opening and closing prayers, and a selection of sounds and backgrounds to create a peaceful environment for deepening one's relationship with God. Includes instructions for learning the method.
- Adjustable prayer timer
- Opening and closing prayer options
- Customizable sounds and backgrounds
- Instructions for learning Centering Prayer
- Support for daily prayer practice
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“God’s first word is silence.” -Thomas Keating Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience God's presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. This method of prayer is both a relationship with God and a discipline to foster that relationship. Centering Prayer is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer; rather it casts a new light and depth of meaning on them. Centering Prayer is an ancient method of Christian prayer adapted for modern times by Fathers Thomas Keating, William Meninger and Basil Pennington. The Centering Prayer application will support your daily prayer practice commitment. Beautiful and peaceful, the app includes an adjustable timer, as well as opening and closing prayer options that you may read before and after your silent prayer time. An assortment of sounds and backgrounds allow you to choose the type of environment you want to create for your prayer time. Brief instructions for learning Centering Prayer are also included. It is recommended you practice being in relationship with God through Centering Prayer twice a day for 20 minutes to begin with.
HeartMath
This app helps you manage stress, improve focus, and achieve optimal performance by aligning your heart, mind, and emotions. It offers guided sessions, immersive journeys, and coherence practices based on over 30 years of research.
- Real-time HRV Coherence Measurement
- Coherence Training
- Scientifically Validated Techniques
- Guided Learning Sessions
- Progress Tracking
- Heart-Brain Coherence Benefits
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Align your heart, mind, and emotions to help you manage stress, improve focus, and perform at your best. Enjoy HeartMath’s free intro experience to access your heart’s natural intelligence and see your heart-brain coherence as real-time feedback. Then start your 7-day free trial to explore a comprehensive collection of guided sessions, immersive journeys, and coherence practices designed to help you experience greater calm, focus, clearer thinking, and a more balanced you. **Inner Balance Coherence Plus sensor owners: Use your sensor to unlock a lifetime subscription.** Built on 30+ years of research on the heart-brain connection and supported by over 500 research studies, HeartMath is used in wellness and resilience programs at organizations including Stanford Healthcare and Kaiser Permanente, as well as in professional sports, the military, law enforcement, leading universities, non-profit organizations, and major corporations. It is used by coaches, trainers, and health professionals for stress education and resilience training. The HeartMath system is more than stress management: it’s a journey to more heart-centered living. This app puts HeartMath’s practical, research-supported tools right at your fingertips. Make mental and emotional well-being an achievable part of your daily life. The HeartMath technology is for stress education and resilience training. It is not a medical device. We encourage you to consult a health professional before making any medical decisions. KEY FEATURES • Real-time HRV coherence feedback: Use your phone’s camera or upgrade to the Inner Balance Coherence Plus sensor for a more precise signal and a free app subscription. • Coherence training: Whether you choose the game or the guided mode, watch your heart-rhythm pattern and coherence change in real time. • Research-Supported: Techniques developed from 30+ years of scientific research to help boost focus, positive feelings, and your ability to manage stress. • Guided learning: Explore guided meditations, courses, and videos led by HeartMath trainers. • Progress tracking: View your progress over time with a variety of chart options. WHAT REGULAR COHERENCE PRACTICE CAN SUPPORT Heart-brain coherence is a balanced, focused state you create yourself through calm breathing and positive focus. Coherence supports the body’s natural ability to shift from tension to calm, helping you manage everyday stress and build inner balance. • SUPPORTS STRESS MANAGEMENT & EMOTIONAL BALANCE • SUPPORTS FOCUS AND MENTAL CLARITY — coherent states are associated with more focus, clarity, and creativity. • SUPPORTS RESILIENCE — regular practice can help you adapt to and recover from challenging situations more quickly. • ENHANCES EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING AND SELF-AWARENESS — practice can support a greater sense of inner calm and a more mindful relationship with your emotions. Subscription terms: • Subscriptions renew automatically at the end of each year. • You can cancel your subscription at any time in your account settings. • You will not be refunded for any unused portion of a subscription. • Price is subject to change. • Subscriptions are not available in all countries. • Full subscription terms: https://my.heartmath.com/terms If you’d like to purchase an Inner Balance Coherence Plus sensor to unlock complimentary lifetime access to the HeartMath app, please visit the HeartMath website.
Screenshots
Verdict
Centering Prayer and HeartMath both sit at 4.9 stars, but that hides the real split: 98% of Centering Prayer's written reviews are positive against 74% of HeartMath's. Centering Prayer also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and ratings volume (18K vs 4.6K). HeartMath's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 3 months). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Centering Prayer sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and HeartMath sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $39.00 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Centering Prayer against 4.9 for HeartMath. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 18K and 4.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 98% of Centering Prayer's written reviews are positive against 74% of HeartMath's.
Centering Prayer ships an update every 3 months, HeartMath every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Centering Prayer | HeartMath |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (18K ratings) | 4.9 (4.6K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 97.6% of reviews — better | 73.8% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 18K — better | 4.6K |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Freemium |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 88 MB | 185 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Contemplative Outreach Ltd. | HeartMath Inc. |
Customer experience
Centering Prayer
HeartMath
User reviews
Centering Prayer
From 18K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🙏 Helpful for spiritual practice
- 📚 Variety of prayers and scriptures
- ⏱️ Easy to use timer
- 🎶 Soothing opening and closing sounds
- 🌄 Pleasing seasonal backgrounds
Room to improve
- 🔇 Ending sounds could be longer
- 🎨 Limited customization options
- 🔋 Drains battery when screen is on
HeartMath
From 4.6K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Huge improvement over previous app
- 👍 Easy to use and highly recommended
- 💡 Loaded with HeartMath techniques and courses
- 👍 Powerful tool for nervous system balance and anxiety reduction
- 👍 Helps achieve a better mental state
Room to improve
- 🐛 Connectivity issues with sensor
- 🐛 Sensor not compatible with older devices
- 🐛 App crashes and freezes on newer devices
- 🐛 Inaccurate heart rate and coherence readings
- 🐛 Disruptive screen sleep behavior during sessions
Bugs and requests
Centering Prayer
Reported bugs
2 issues- Compatibility issues with iOS 13
- Occasional crashes or freezes
Requested features
3 requests- Add ability to save custom prayers
- Include option to track meditation history
- Integrate with health/fitness apps
HeartMath
Reported bugs
4 issues- Sensor connection issues on newer devices
- App crashes and freezes on iPhone 16 Pro
- Inaccurate heart rate and coherence readings
- Screen sleep behavior disrupting sessions
Requested features
5 requests- Add dark mode option
- Allow playing music/sounds during sessions
- Provide audio feedback on coherence levels
- Add session history customization and details
- Improve sensor compatibility with older devices
In-app purchases
Centering Prayer
- Active Prayer: Pray Without Ceasing$9.99
- Attention/Intention, the One Thing Needed$9.99
- Centering Prayer, Prayer of Consent$9.99
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- Practicing the Holy Spirit$9.99
- Discipline of Prayer, Intimacy with God$9.99
- Lectio Divina: The Ancient Practice of Praying the Scriptures$9.99
- Simplicity: Let Your Eye Be Single$9.99
- Spirituality of Money: In God We Trust$9.99
- Welcoming Prayer: Consent on the Go$9.99
- Paschal Mystery, A Journey into Redemption and Grace$9.99
- Contemplative Service, Prayer in Action$9.99
- Faith: An Advent Companion$9.99
- Hospitality: The Dance Between Guest and Host$9.99
- Silence & Solitude: Wherein Wisdom Dwells$9.99
- Forgiveness: A Growth in Love$11.99
- Three Main Practices$23.99
- Life as Practice$54.99
- Complete Contemplative Life Program$109.99
HeartMath
- HeartMath Premium7 Days trial$39.001 Year
- HeartMath Premium7 Days trial$59.001 Year
- HeartMath Premium7 Days trial2 variants$79.001 Year
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- HeartMath Premium7 Days trial$99.991 Year
Questions
Is Centering Prayer free?
Is HeartMath free?
Which has better reviews, Centering Prayer or HeartMath?
Do Centering Prayer or HeartMath have ads?
Which is updated more often, Centering Prayer or HeartMath?
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