Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
The verdict on

Balance

85
User verdict / 100 High confidence Loved, with caveats

Balance is a highly-rated meditation app that many users find life-changing and effective for managing stress, anxiety, and sleep, though a significant number of recent reviews highlight issues with unexpected subscription charges and some technical bugs.

4.9★ lifetime (119,870) Free + in-app purchases since 2019 by Elevate Labs, LLC updated 0.9 mo ago recent negative 11% 100 reviews across 2 regions
Effectiveness Subscription & Pricing Personalization & Variety Usability & Guidance Technical Issues
5★83
4★4
3★2
2★3
1★8
recent reviews across 2 regions, vs the 4.9★ lifetime average

Balance is a meditation app praised for its personalized, guided meditations that help users with stress, anxiety, and sleep. While many find it transformative and worth the cost, recent reviews frequently mention problems with unexpected subscription charges and some technical glitches.

What users like

  • Highly effective for stress, anxiety, and mental well-beingR2R8R10R12
  • Personalized and adaptive meditation programsR1R6R37R46
  • Excellent for beginners and building a consistent meditation habitR1R4R11R26
  • Offers a wide variety of meditations, including for sleep and focusR2R9R10R14
  • Users appreciate the soothing voices of the guidesR5R22R32R44
  • Many users received a free one-year trial, which led to paid subscriptionsR5R23R47R66

What users complain about

  • Users report unexpected or unauthorized charges for subscriptions, often after a free trialR33R92R93R64
  • Many features are locked behind a paywall after an initial free period or trialR3R7R15
  • Some users find the content repetitive or not deep enough for advanced meditationR39
  • Technical issues like app crashes or sound compression problems are reportedR30R58
  • Lack of new content for long-term usersR25
  • App is not accessible for visually impaired usersR97

Latest update · v1.204.1

What the developer says changed (the verdict above weighs this against what reviewers report):

We’ve fixed various bugs throughout the app. For more product updates, mental wellness tips, and more, follow us on Instagram @balance, Facebook and X @balanceapp, and TikTok @balancemeditation.

Recurring themes

Effectiveness positive
Many users report significant positive impacts on their mental health, including reduced anxiety, stress, improved sleep, and better emotional regulation. They describe the app as life-changing and a crucial tool for daily well-being.R1R2R8R11
Subscription & Pricing negative
A frequent complaint is about the app not being truly free, with many features behind a paywall. Several users report being charged unexpectedly or without clear consent after a free trial, leading to frustration and accusations of a 'scam'. This contradicts the positive sentiment around the free year trial.R3R7R33R51
Personalization & Variety positive
Users appreciate the app's ability to tailor meditations to their needs and goals, offering different paths, lengths, and choices of guides. This personalization helps them stay consistent and find relevant content for various situations like sleep, focus, or breaking habits.R1R6R14R21
Usability & Guidance positive
The app is praised for making meditation easy and accessible, especially for beginners. Users find the guided instructions clear, the voices soothing, and the breakdown of techniques simple to follow, helping them build a consistent practice.R4R22R35R40
Technical Issues negative
Some users report technical problems such as the app quitting, preventing progress, or sound compression issues where words are missing. The developer's notes mention 'fixed various bugs,' but these recent reviews suggest some issues persist.R30R58

Who it's for

Balance is ideal for individuals seeking to start or maintain a meditation practice, especially those dealing with anxiety, stress, or sleep issues R2R8R10. It's well-suited for beginners due to its personalized and guided approach R1R4R35R40. It may not be for those who prefer completely free apps, as most features are behind a paywall R3R7, or for advanced meditators seeking deeper, less repetitive content R39. Visually impaired users may also find it inaccessible R97.

Evidence note: The recent reviews skew negative, primarily due to subscription billing issues. However, the vast majority of reviews, including many recent ones, are highly positive regarding the app's effectiveness and features. The lifetime rating of 4.88 reflects the strong positive sentiment over time, while the recent negative signal points to current friction points, especially around pricing transparency and billing practices.

Frequently asked

Is Balance app free to use?
Balance offers a free one-year trial for many users, but most features require a paid subscription after the trial period, with some users reporting annual charges around $23-$93 R3R7R15R33.
Does Balance help with anxiety and stress?
Yes, many users report that Balance is highly effective in helping them maintain calm, manage anxiety and stress, regulate their nervous system, and improve their overall mental health R2R8R10R12.
Are there issues with unexpected charges?
Yes, a significant number of recent reviews indicate users have been charged unexpectedly or without clear consent for subscriptions, often after a free trial, with some reporting charges of $70-$100 R33R64R92R93.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 100 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R2] 5/5 · US This app is so helpful: This app helps me maintain a sense of calm when I experience anxiety and stress. There’s so many different meditations and sounds that truly are worth listening to. If you are someone feeling like you need help with your stress, sleep, routine, and mental health please try this app.
  2. [R8] 5/5 · US 10000% Recommend This App: Between going through a gruesome divorce with children and navigating caregiver life for an ailing parent all at the same time, I don’t know where I’d be without my daily reminders to prioritize my brain and body health. This app has saved my life.
  3. [R10] 5/5 · US Wonderful tools for anxiety: I ran across this app during a tough time and began to use it to meditate. It’s not going to solve all your problems but meditation has been very helpful in relaxing my body and mind. I also love the sleep sounds.
  4. [R12] 5/5 · US Central Nervous System Regulation: This is one of my favorite apps to sit with myself, hear my thoughts and regulate my nervous system. Truly a wonderful tool!
  5. [R1] 5/5 · US Begin your journey here!: The absolute best meditation app I have ever seen. It changed my life! The foundations courses are simple, practical, and effective skill based introductions to and development of mindfulness. The guided meditations are tailored to me based on my needs. They have really put together something meaningful here.
  6. [R6] 5/5 · US Personalized to your needs: I like how this app creates meditations for your needs and goals. There’re also specific types of meditations in the app, for breaking bad habits, sleep, attention timers and even pomodoro for productivity, among others.
  7. [R37] 5/5 · US Favorite app: I’ve tried a few different meditation apps, and this one is my favorite. It feels catered to me and they have plans that meet me where I am vs. me having to search through thousands of options in the app. I don’t have time for that. Apps I’ve used in the past have dozens to hundreds of different “teachers” who all have their specific way of teaching and it gets overwhelming to choose
  8. [R46] 4/5 · US Constant grounding: This is a great friend that I can always come back to when I’m feeling off or I need some grounding. I like how it’s personalized as I use it. I’m so glad I purchased the lifetime subscription.
  9. [R4] 5/5 · US Love it: Been using this app for several years! I try to use it daily but sometimes that is not realistic. However the app is always there and I can jump right back in. It’s a great app for someone just getting started with meditation or for the busy person. They are as short or as long as you want. I’m good with about 10 minutes a day. I like the flexibility of being able to decide what length wo
  10. [R11] 5/5 · US Changed forever: I started using Balance over a year and a half ago, and using it has changed my life forever. I love how it keeps track of your streak and your skills. The daily streak counter has challenged me to meditate for nearly 515 days in a row! I have learned how to prioritize myself, manage my emotions in a much more healthy way, calm myself when I am stressed or anxious, and my daily ou
  11. [R26] 5/5 · US Perfect guided meditation: This app keeps me on track with my meditation goals. I love that you can pick different types of meditations, including those with more or less guidance. Even now that my meditation practice is more established, I still enjoy picking out a particular goal for my meditation and having a little bit of guidance and support. Highly recommend!
  12. [R9] 5/5 · US Awesome: It’s really nice when you need to sleep or calm down
  13. [R14] 5/5 · US Really good app with a huge variety of choices from meditation singles, training modules and more: I have been enjoying this app for over two years now. The guided meditations have helped me when I am stressed, angry or anxious. Also the sleep meditations and guides are terrific. They have singles for cleaning, focus, low-fi, etc. They keep adding new content too which keeps making the app e
  14. [R5] 5/5 · US love love love: loved the 1 ye free access deal they had years ago. absolutely LOVE Leah’s voice. instantly calming and relaxing. gr8 meditation app.
  15. [R22] 5/5 · US The best meditation app I have ever used.: It is hard for me to overstate how much I love this app. The meditations are expertly guided with clear, soothing voices. And I genuinely feel and see improvement in my meditations each time I practice. Perhaps most importantly, the meditations in this app and the skills they cultivate have pulled me out of some very sad and difficult moments. Thank you
  16. [R32] 5/5 · US Inclusive Mediation App: I really found the Balance app to stand out from the rest. Meditation and breathwork are not one-size-fits-all, so the fact that you can start at a very beginner level and choose a voice that is actually calming for you is really stellar. What this app understands that others don’t is that one voice or similar voices can sometimes be triggering for the rest of us. We can e
  17. [R44] 5/5 · US Love balance: On my second year of subscription, Ofosu is amazing!
  18. [R23] 5/5 · US Level Up Your Meditation Game: I got this app when it had a free 1 year membership. During that time I use this app every single day at least once a day if not twice and it’s just been an amazing assist for my mental health and has brought me so much more peace and gratitude in my life and I could not say anything bad about this app. From time to time they have a sale where you can get a lifetime
  19. [R47] 5/5 · US So grateful for this app!!!: I started using Balance when I was at a my lowest point in my mental health journey. It has been the most helpful tool for me to staying present, grounding myself, getting out of my thoughts, and paying attention to what my body needs in the present moment. I love the sound of Ofosos voice he really helps calm you down. They give you a free 1 year trial as well unlike
  20. [R66] 5/5 · CA very cool and exciting: This app is awesome! Also it gives you a year free! It's truly a gift
  21. [R33] 1/5 · US Horrible: I never used this app. I seen an ad for it on Snapchat and I just answered some questions and that was it and then it showed me like very little information about me, but that’s all it said I needed to do so from there on forward I will start realizing that I’m getting build like $70 and it’s saying balance app balance app balance app every month and I could never figure it out until jus
  22. [R92] 1/5 · CA Subscription scam: I was charged 90CAD For free year subscription.
  23. [R93] 2/5 · CA READ!!!: Great app, lots of options, but it WILL charge you. I keep getting charged for almost $100. I never signed anything, but that’s their way of getting you. Pay close attention. It offered me a year free, and didn’t properly talk about the future expenses. I’ll be getting charged $92.99 for 2 years more. Up to you.
  24. [R64] 1/5 · CA Awful coloamy to deal with - be careful!!: This is an awful app that has no benefit. They are supposed to be a wellness company but they have caused me a great deal of stress. The customer support is non existent and they will take auto payments and not refund them. Watch out for this crooked company. There are much better free apps. Don’t be conned by this .
  25. [R3] 4/5 · US Great app but the problems: I love this app and it very helpful but really find it unnecessary to put a pay wall on every single feature, because I just finished my first foundation and I had to pay $23 dollars a year just to continue with the foundations, while I am glad you are trying to make money, i think it unnecessarily to put everything else behind a paywall, I love your app but the subscr
  26. [R7] 3/5 · US it is not free: warning, it can't be used for free
  27. [R15] 5/5 · US love it!: there are a few free options without the subscription but a ton if you pay for it!! i dont pay and i use it every morning and night and it is perfect
  28. [R39] 2/5 · US Not Great: I’m sorry. Like I really am. But this app is for sheep. Yea it teaches you some basics about meditation but it really just gets to be repetitive and they really don’t go as deep as you should seek to in actual meditation. The recordings say practically the same things over and over again. It’s basically for people who want to pretend like they’re actually meditating every day. I used it
  29. [R30] 1/5 · US Lifetime Member and Can’t Advance Past Day 8 of Advanced Plan: App quits and prevents skipping defective meditation.
  30. [R58] 1/5 · CA Soumd compression issue: Buggy soins with word random’y missing. This makes the méditation expedience rather counterproductive. Support is aware of it let s see if they put the effort to fix it?
  31. [R25] 5/5 · US High Marks But…: I give balance high marks but I will say that I wish they would continually update meditation programs. I ran through all of the programs except for the parental one because I don't have children. I can't show it as completed or remove it from my list. Once I got through all of the meditation programs offered, there have never been any new ones offered and I want to continue devel
  32. [R97] 2/5 · CA Great app, but not accessible: This app has been a wonderful tool to get back into a daily meditation practice. Unfortunately, it has not been made accessible. I live with sight loss and although I can make do with the current app functionality, I won’t be able to use it as I continue to lose my sight because it is not designed to work with the iOS screen reader, VoiceOver. I have friends who are
  33. [R51] 3/5 · CA Price: Expensive
  34. [R21] 5/5 · US Finally found a good app: This app has a meditation for all situations and I love that it adapts to how I’m feeling or how I respond to the questions. I bought the lifetime membership and so far I have no regrets.
  35. [R35] 5/5 · US Awesome app!: This app is amazing! It takes the intimidation out of meditation by breaking it down into simple, bite-sized skills that actually make sense
  36. [R40] 5/5 · US Made meditation easy: I’ve struggled to understand how to meditate and stay focused. Balance breaks the process down simply with easy to follow instructions, helping me learn meditation techniques and their benefits. I’ve noticed I always feel better after using the app, and I have felt overall calmer when I am continuing to practice.

Synthesized from 100 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store