Comparison

Buteyko Pro vs Optimal HRV

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

Head to head
About

Buteyko Pro

Learn and practice the Buteyko breathing method with guided exercises and progress tracking. This app offers a progressive training system with audio instructions, tips, and timers to improve your breathing and overall health. It integrates with courses and webinars for personalized instruction.

Highlights
  • Progressive Buteyko training system
  • 51 levels with audio instructions
  • Personal breathing charts
  • Breathing exercise history
  • Health indicator tracking
  • Share progress with instructors
Features
Read full description

*** Progressive Buteyko Breathing training system *** 52 levels with audio instructions, tips and timers *** Optimized for our webinars and courses The Buteyko Pro app includes both the basic exercises and a progressive training system to learn a great variety of advanced exercises and techniques, with the option to sign up for instruction by certified instructors to customize the program and exercises to the individual. The levels cover seated exercises, walking, steps, very little breathing, mini-pauses, and recovery and rescue techniques. Buteyko Breathing is a popular breathing exercise program which has been officially recognized in Western countries since the 1990s. The method is named after Konstantin Buteyko, the physician who developed it in the 1950s. The Buteyko Breathing exercises aim to soften your breathing and reduce your breathing volume, gradually making the blood release more oxygen to cells and boosting your general health and fitness over time. Disclaimer: there is no guarantee of specific results and results will vary. The app is optimized for use with the courses, workshops and webinars available at ButeykoBreathing.com. Your instructor will customize the program for you and recommend specific levels and techniques to achieve best possible results. The app contains many additional settings to customize each level. With the Buteyko Pro app: * View your personal breathing charts * View and edit your breathing exercise history * Share your exercise scores and notes with your Buteyko instructor The intro level can be done immediately, without a user account. Sign up for a free account to unlock more levels. Your Buteyko Instructor may make an account for you, or you can make an account from within the app. An activated user account is required to use all features of the app. Participants to the complete workshop, course or webinar receive a fully upgraded user account which opens up all features and levels of the app. More info at ButeykoBreathing.com. The app allows you to save a few essential health indicators (heart rate, SpO2, HRV, body weight) together with your Buteyko exercise results. This allows you to discover how these health indicators go up and down alongside your breathing scores during the Buteyko Breathing program. Download Buteyko Pro and start with the intro level today. No account needed.

About

Optimal HRV

Monitor, analyze, and improve your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) scores. This app offers personalized training, biofeedback, and stress-reducing activities to enhance health, reduce stress, and improve mental clarity.

Highlights
  • Real-time HRV monitoring
  • Personalized training plans
  • Guided meditation and breathing exercises
  • Comprehensive data analysis
  • Stress response insights
  • Biofeedback optimization
Features
Read full description

Are you feeling stressed, burned out, or just not yourself? Optimal HRV is the guided biofeedback app that teaches your body to calm down — for real. Backed by a Harvard Medical School mindfulness expert and trusted by athletes worldwide. Optimal HRV pairs real HRV data with live biofeedback, so every session trains your nervous system to handle stress better — not just tells you that you're stressed. Why HRV and Biofeedback Training Work Your Heart Rate Variability (HRV) is a window into how well your body handles stress, anxiety, and recovery — and biofeedback is how you train it to improve. Together, they show you what's happening inside your body, then guide you to change it in real time. With Optimal HRV, you can: • See how stressed — or relaxed — your body really is, using real HRV data. • Learn what actually helps you recover, from sleep to workouts to busy workdays. • Use live biofeedback to train your body to relax faster, right as it's happening. • Discover your own personal "perfect breathing rhythm" through guided sessions. Features You'll Actually Use • Daily Check-Ins — take a quick reading each morning, or anytime you want to see how you're doing. • Your Perfect Breathing Rhythm — a simple test finds the exact breathing pace that works best for you. • Live Feedback While You Train — a simple on-screen guide shows you when you're doing it just right. • Calming Mindfulness Sessions — guided practices created with a Harvard Medical School mindfulness expert, covering stress, anxiety, pain management, athletic performance, and more, with calming narrations in your choice of voice. • Easy-to-Read Progress — see your trends over days, weeks, and months, no data expertise needed. • Video Tutorials — learn HRV concepts and techniques at your own pace. • Make It Yours — adjust sounds, pacing, and reminders so training fits your life. • Available in 14 Languages — use Optimal HRV in your native language. • Device Testing — quickly verify if your heart rate monitor works with the app. • Great for Teams Too — employers and coaches can track group wellness together (Dashboard access needed). Why Optimal HRV Works with External Sensors (Not Apple Watch) We choose precision over convenience. Apple Watch is great for daily wellness, but Optimal HRV is built for serious HRV training. That's why we connect directly to an HRV monitor via Bluetooth — they deliver millisecond-accurate R‑R intervals that wrist sensors can't match. What that means for you: • More accurate data – better insights, better decisions. • Real-time streaming – no gaps, no guesswork. • Reliable results – trusted by athletes and coaches worldwide. Love Optimal HRV? Leave a review and help others find their calm. Your feedback helps us improve and reaches more people who need stress relief. Try it free for 30 days and feel the difference for yourself. Download now and start training your nervous system today. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Buteyko Pro4 screens
Optimal HRV4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Buteyko Pro at 4.8 against Optimal HRV's 3.0. Buteyko Pro also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and review sentiment (50% vs 17%). Optimal HRV's advantage is iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Optimal HRV sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. Buteyko Pro asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Buteyko Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 45 and 24 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Buteyko Pro's written reviews are positive against 17% of Optimal HRV's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Buteyko Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, Optimal HRV fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Buteyko Pro versus Optimal HRV: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterButeyko ProOptimal HRV
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (45 ratings) — better3.0 (24 ratings)
Positive reviews50.0% of reviews — better16.7% of reviews
Number of ratings45 — better24
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size74 MB52 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperEduard ReuversOptimal, LLC

Customer experience

Buteyko Pro

All ratings44 ratings
Positive93.2%
Neutral4.5%
Negative2.3%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral12.5%
Negative37.5%

Optimal HRV

All ratings24 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%
Written reviews12 reviews
Positive16.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative83.3%

In-app purchases

None

Buteyko Pro

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Optimal HRV

Subscriptions3
  • 1 month1 Month trial$9.991 Month
  • 6 Month1 Month trial$47.996 Months
  • One Year1 Month trial$59.991 Year

Questions

Is Buteyko Pro free?
Buteyko Pro is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Optimal HRV free?
Optimal HRV is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Buteyko Pro or Optimal HRV?
Buteyko Pro is rated higher. Buteyko Pro averages 4.8 out of 5 from 45 ratings, while Optimal HRV averages 3.0 from 24 ratings.
Do Buteyko Pro or Optimal HRV have ads?
Neither Buteyko Pro nor Optimal HRV shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Buteyko Pro or Optimal HRV?
Buteyko Pro ships an update every 3 weeks, and Optimal HRV fortnightly. Most recently, Buteyko Pro was updated on October 21, 2026 and Optimal HRV on October 8, 2026.

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