The Breathing App Reviews

by Chigreg

I love TheBreathingApp, but there’s one glitch: the audio timer page is not accurately paced. I like to do 5-5 coherence breathing. I timed the inhale and exhale with a separate stopwatch and noticed that the audio cues are off pace (longer I think). I then used a coherence monitor with heart rate monitor and it showed the same thing on their spectrum chart. It’s a pity, because I would really like to close my eyes and just listen to the awesome sound. I tried to report this in the support page, but the link is dead. Here’s hoping the developer sees this post!

by Waterhythms

TheBreathingApp is better than any others I’ve tried. Most are too busy w visuals and sounds and not great cuing by the sounds used. So it’s great that the visual of the ball is so calm in color and form. The sound is more meditative. I would like to suggest the addition of an option that has no visual and uses a simple soft tone to indicate the start of each inhalation and exhalation and maybe a different tone just for the end of the cycle. It would allow for those w stimulus sensitivities to use it. I find the constant sound brings the breathing focus outward vs inward. If you could add this, it would be 5 ⭐️ for me! Still kudos for how simple and less “hyper” it already is!!!

by Bigfella616

I actually really enjoyed using TheBreathingApp and I'm definitely going to keep using it. In my Abnormal Psychology class my teacher walked us through how to breath correctly I order to calm yourself down and relieve some anxiety. The timing of the breathing was almost exactly the same as what she suggests and that’s the most important part in my opinion. However a signal saying sit/stand up straight or something like clear your mind would also help the person know to calm down. All these steps will successfully help relax your nerves and make even slow your heart beat down a little if you’re really worked up.

by Zoeyy189

I really think this is truly beneficial app for breathing. I like how you can adjust different timings for the breathing in and then out because I could pick what was comfortable for me. I felt that it helped with calming down my heart rate and made me feel more calmed over all. Some things I feel that could make TheBreathingApp more helpful would be to include different sayings that would pop up on the screen to further help promote calmness. I believe that TheBreathingApp could be of help for people struggling with anxiety. Especially as a way to learn a skill to help reduce their anxiety.

by Rileyx8

I really like this breathing app. The visual is the most soothing of the breathing apps I’ve seen. I love that there is not a number count down which I find stressful and that the color scheme is monotone not bright. Other colors could be nice if they were soft, earth kind of tones but like this far more than some of the other vibrant apps I’ve seen. I only wish you could specifically set the amount of seconds for inhale, hold and exhale, that would make TheBreathingApp perfect. There’s no hold option currently. There’s another app that does this, included an option to hold the exhale too, but I’m not fond of the visual.

by K•mage

I downloaded today and appreciate the simplicity in that I don’t have to muddle through a barrage of other features or decisions. The resonant audio is memorable enough to stay with me even after I’ve finished a session and stays with me when I move onto something else.

The directions to swipe right to change screens could use a little more clarification, it’s not a negative would just improve user experience. Only other question is if there is an intentionally to pairing the ascending tones with inhale and the descending tones with the exhale? Just a personal preference on my part perhaps and I can make it work for me either way.

Thanks for this!!! As expressed by a precious reviewer, this is a great tool for managing what can be a very hard world.

by Yo Ian G

This is the only breathing app I could find with no in app purchases, it does exactly what you wanted to do from the start. Simple, super clean interface, intuitively made.

Only thing I wish it would have would be a schedule recurring notification option.

by MrsMcdowell

So simple and so effective. Even two minutes has an impact on my day. I especially like that there are options for the different senses; sounds that direct you when to breathe in and when to breathe out so that you can close your eyes or the option to follow along to a bubble, if you prefer no sounds.

by ClubEd

I tried 7 different apps for breathing, and this is one of the two I will keep for everyday use. It is straightforward and easy. I like the tone guidance- not jarring like a ding, not a voice repeatedly saying inhale/exhale- which is anything but relaxing. TheBreathingApp has the best audio option, and the best visual option for timing/guiding breaths in the least intrusive and most effective way. Some days I concentrate on yogic breaths and other days it is just regular breaths, but the guide works effectively for either. The other app I am keeping is for box breathing, which paces you to hold your breath for intervals. So if you added that kind of box or other types of hold your breath at intervals option, this excellent app would be even better. Thanks

by Stock143

I really like the simplicity of TheBreathingApp. Just open it and start synchronizing your breathing.

The graphics could use a little work. There used to be a screen that had an ocean picture with the ball behind it. That was more aesthetically soothing than the black screen.
I don’t like looking at the newer one as much.

by Arxteryx

I used to use an app very similar to this years ago and it worked wonderfully. I recently went back to look for a simple breathing app (no guided meditations or anything like that) and not only were all the “free” apps not really free, but even the big ones didn’t have the very simple feature that TheBreathingApp provides. Thank you, thank you!

by Marc.cardwell

I have several breathing apps, this one is easy to overlook. It’s simple and focused on one thing: resonance breathing. I’d kind of forgotten about it, but was reading about blood pressure and saw that this breathing technique helps. I use this every day now.

My only request would be connecting to the Health app, to show TheBreathingApp as a mindfulness activity. Thank you for TheBreathingApp.

by Elizabeth In NYC

Excellent app - above and beyond anything out there. Been using it personally for years and also use TheBreathingApp in classes with my graduate students - most of whom are teachers. Many teachers use TheBreathingApp in their own lives and with their young students. Simplicity and first rate quality make TheBreathingApp unparalleled!

by Lser03

Overall I like it, I just installed it and it really helped me calm down before I got a panic attack. I just think it is good at relaxing, but that’s just me. However because I enjoyed the breathing aspect, I was disappointed with the lack of function since it is a limited application. If the creators added more to it I believe I would be even more in love with TheBreathingApp .

by Kendallrmc

This is my favorite of the many breathing apps I've tried! Very effective, wonderful sounds and not too many choices to get distracted by. However, when I first downloaded it a few months ago there were multiple backgrounds and visual styles to choose from, and I do miss the variety in that regard. Now it seems to be stuck on a night scene which is pretty but feels off if I'm using TheBreathingApp during the day. Would love to have some other options but overall very grateful!

by Cbrown78501

Thank you so much for TheBreathingApp! The title of the review says it all. I use TheBreathingApp for a calming, restorative break during the day and best...to calm my thoughts so I can fall asleep at night. Being able to close my eyes and breathe with the sound is so helpful. I'm usually asleep before it gets to the end of the 15-minute session.

One request to the developer: When a session is finished can the screen be programmed to turn off? It stays on all night and I'm afraid the green ball will eventually be burned into my screen. Thank you so much!

by Baby Carrots

Hard to complain about a free, ad free app. This is beautiful and the best I’ve found so far. The resonant tones for in/out are perfect and miles above every other chime and other cue I’ve heard/seen (visual cues are a no go for me). I also love that it keeps playing when you exit TheBreathingApp so you can have it on in the background to cue your breathing while doing other things. If you could just set the inhale and exhale times yourself (and maybe pauses), it would be absolutely perfect.

by Hyeronymos

After trying several apps in the AppStore to help on my resonant breathing practice, I can easily say this is the best one. Key reasons: 1: simple and clean user interface, 2: it works on the background! Even while other apps are working on the foreground, this is important for me.

Dev team, only one request if possible, please add “+” “-“ buttons, or a slider to manually select the inhale and exhale interval seconds, with decimals. Maybe a toggle button can work to switch between ratios or manual selection. That would bring so much more flexibility!

Thanks for a useful app and work.

by Moonatic

Because I have some trauma in my past and because I deal with the daily cumulative trauma that comes from being a WOC in this society, as well as the inter-generational kind, I have really reactive sympathetic responses which I’ve been working very hard for a few years to change. I’ve been re-educating my nervous system to support more parasympathetic states such as rest and relaxation/connection. I also practice Ashtanga yoga. TheBreathingApp had helped me tremendously to tell my brain that it is ok to be centered and calm, and thus my body. It helps me come back to feeling safe in my body, my skin, this moment.

I also suffer from visual motion sensitivity and I cannot tolerate that ball growing and shrinking without feeling motion sick. If the sound option was not available I couldn’t use it. I love TheBreathingApp. It has changed my life, for free.

I got my Mom, who suffers from depression and anxiety and bradycardia on it. I have my step Mom who has anxiety on it. A few co-workers with anxiety and stress on it. It helps stop a panic attack in its tracks for some of us.

I also recommend it to my students. All of whom are BIWOC.

by Zichmeister

Love TheBreathingApp and the concept, but audio is off rhythm for the 4:6 ratio. Too long on inhale and short on exhale. Even when I change the setting it won’t do the ratios correctly. I've checked it on the iPad and iPhone. The ball works great if you want to stare at it for several minutes, but I really want to close my eyes. I’ll give it 5 stars if the sound ratios get fixed.

Update: sound ratios have been fixed. Love TheBreathingApp !

by I<3pranayama

I begin my day with TheBreathingApp, and recommend it to my students. Love it! The only improvement I’m hoping for is the ability to personally tailor the breath ratios. I start at a breath rate of 6:6. If I want to do a ratio longer than that, I can’t use TheBreathingApp. Fingers crossed this is an improvement in the works!

by Dibit100

Thank you for this thoughtful gift to us all. Who among us is without stress? I find this wildly helpful. Had surgery last week, and the anesthesiologist taught me this method to calm me down. Now I’ve found your app. Don’t think I’ll ever not be doing this. In other words... count me in for life!

by Rachel Anna C.

I’ve tried other modalities for meditation and TheBreathingApp is the happy medium I’ve been looking for. It’s accessible, incredibly easy to navigate and doesn’t have all of the unnecessary gimmicks other apps/videos tend to lean into. It’s perfect.

by Ferinnej

I love the simplicity of TheBreathingApp . My favorite feature is the sound cue. After ten minutes of breathing, I feel very relaxed.

One suggestion for the developers: it would be great to have a log to see how many days in a row we have meditated.

by AstroGirlBunny

Well done app. So many times it has helped me. Clean design, simple, adjustable, well done. Helps me with my breathing when I’m stressed which is so important for someone battling anxiety. I can't believe more people have not found and used TheBreathingApp!

by Tina Pastore

I have been using TheBreathingApp at night to calm my mind down from all of the thoughts and plans I have throughout the day. Even being fully awake, it only takes 2 minutes of the breathing exercises to make me really sleepy. Great tool for those who have a hard time falling asleep or suffer from insomnia! Thank you, Eddie!

by Droid6525

I would likeMore options for breathing timers I found a 5 to 7 ratio to be mildly challenging I would like something that goes a little further beyond that hope to see that included in future updates otherwise I will continue to use TheBreathingApp

by Astangayogastuart

I used TheBreathingApp when it first came out and then... somehow 🙃 stopped. The other day it suddenly popped up on my phone, obviously I must have inadvertently tapped on it. I used again the next morning and felt such a relief and calmness in my nervous system. So very very grateful. 🙏

by Bren861

I used this during a very stressful situation where I thought I was going to have an anxiety attack. I opened the ap and just started breathing and the next thing I knew I was calm and worked through my situation. Much better than taking the poison the pharmaceutical companies are pushing on people to cope with anxiety. Just breathe people!!!

by AtlasShrugged1776

My wife has a Resperate machine for blood pressure reduction that does something quite similar to this. However, it is not nearly as portable and requires a breathing sensor around your chest.

Folks, the developer did a wonderful job on this simple and free app.

I would suggest allowing users to pick their seconds for inhale and exhale. I find I naturally exhale longer than the longest option.

NOTE: Resperate has multiple studies behind it and its recommended by the ADA. I would say this is nearly as good.