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Best Breathing Apps for Mindfulness, Relaxation & Wellness

Want to start a daily practice? We ranked the best breathing exercise apps that offer powerful features without a subscription. Start breathing easier today.

HealthcareDecember 08, 2025

Everyone is always busy talking about fresh starts, better habits, and becoming a calmer version of themselves. And while everyone is trying to figure out how to actually make those changes stick, here’s what most people overlook: breath. Yes, your breath is the simplest and fastest way to reset your mind, yet hardly anyone uses it with intention.

And to help you master this, we have the best breathing apps. These are the easiest ways to cut through stress, boost focus, and sleep better in just a few minutes a day. No workouts. No equipment. No hour-long commitments. Just guided moments that instantly shift how your mind and body feel.

If you’re not using one yet, you’re missing out on one of the highest-impact habits you can take into the new year. So let’s fix this. My team and I have researched the best apps to master breathing for mindfulness and holistic wellness. These breathwork apps help you feel grounded, energized, and already ahead!

An Overview of the Best Breathing Apps

Here’s an overview of the 10 best breathing exercises apps on this list-

App Name Best For Top Feature Pricing Ease of Use
The Breathing App Simple daily breathing Resonance breathing timer Freemium Very Easy
Breathwrk Quick energy + calm boosts Short, goal-based breathing drills Freemium Easy
Headspace Meditation + breathing combo Proven mindfulness programs Subscription Easy
Prana Breath Traditional pranayama practice Custom breathing patterns Freemium Moderate
Calm Sleep + stress relief High-quality guided sessions Subscription Easy
iBreathe Minimal, straightforward practice Fully customizable patterns One-time purchase Very Easy
Othership Deep emotional + somatic work Expert-led guided journeys Subscription Moderate
Paced Breathing Heart-rate–based breath pacing HRV-friendly breathing cycles Freemium Easy
Breathing Zone Slow breathing for anxiety relief Clinically backed pacing Paid Very Easy
Simple Habit Stress relief for busy schedules 5-minute wellness sessions Subscription Easy
Read More

List of the Best Breathing Apps

1.

The Breathing App

Editor's Choice
4.5
Rated 4.8
Rated 4.4
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Simple and very easy to use with a clean, distraction-free interface
    • Completely free to use for all users
    • Great for beginners looking for basic paced breathing

    Cons

    • Limited customization options can feel basic for advanced users
  • Why You'll Love It

    This is the best breathwork app rooted in the powerful science of Resonance Frequency. It effortlessly synchronizes your heart rate, breath, and brainwaves into a coherent wave. This allows you to achieve a profound state of calm and optimal physiological balance.
  • More about product

    The Breathing App lets your body’s innate ability to restore balance by targeting your personal Resonance Frequency. The app uses scientifically-backed ratios to bring deep coherence to your Autonomic Nervous System.

    This effectively shifts you from a state of stress to one of restful alertness. You can access essential free features, including 4 core Resonance Ratios, Kids Ratios, and flexible timers up to 20 minutes. It supports both normal and alternate-nostril breathing, guided by elegant, non-distracting sounds and a clean, simple, and ad-free interface.

    For advanced practice, you can explore the subscription plans meticulously designed for specific needs like Focusing, Energizing, Calming, and Grounding. The paid plans start at $4.99 for a month. This guided breathing app offers pure, effective breathwork—nothing more, nothing less.

2.

Breathwrk

Editor's Choice
4.5
Rated 4.8
Rated 3.7
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Wide range of breathing exercises (sleep, anxiety, energy etc.)
    • Highly polished design and user-friendly interface
    • Science-backed practices curated by experts

    Cons

    • Notifications can feel frequent for some users
    • Can feel feature-heavy for users wanting simplicity
  • Why You'll Love It

    Breathwrk is your all-in-one breathing laboratory, offering an extensive library of 100+ exercises tailored by goals, be it instant calm, explosive energy, or deep sleep, all in just seconds. You can master the same powerful, neuroscience-backed techniques used by Navy SEALs, Olympic athletes, and leading psychotherapists.
  • More about product

    Take control of your mind and body instantly with Breathwrk, now backed by Peloton. Harness the power of your breath to activate your nervous system on demand: use calming protocols to reduce cortisol and blood pressure for better mood and sleep, or choose energizing routines to sharpen focus and enhance performance.

    Experience a full sensory guidance system with customizable sounds, visuals, and haptic vibrations. Track your progress with streaks and custom reminders, measure your lung capacity with the innovative Lung Score and exhale tests, and integrate with Apple Health to monitor mindfulness minutes.

    Whether you need the famed 4-7-8 sleep exercise or advanced practices, Breathwrk adapts to your goals and the time of day, making effective breathwork fun, easy, and accessible anytime, anywhere.

3.

Headspace

Editor's Choice
4.4
Rated 4.8
Rated 4.4
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Premium-quality guided sessions for breathing, meditation, and sleep
    • Very structured programs for stress and anxiety
    • Excellent animations and beginner-friendly lessons

    Cons

    • One of the most expensive subscriptions in the category
    • Can be overwhelming due to the amount of content
    • Breathing exercises are fewer compared to dedicated breathwork apps
  • Why You'll Love It

    Headspace is your comprehensive, everyday guide to holistic mental health, combining expert-led guided meditations with access to therapy and mental health coaching. It's scientifically proven to reduce anxiety in just two weeks and increase happiness in 10 days, making lasting mental wellness a daily practice.
  • More about product

    Headspace goes beyond traditional mindfulness, offering a robust ecosystem for managing emotions, stress, and anxiety. Unlock over 500+ guided sessions, including quick 3-minute mental resets, foundational courses on how to meditate, and specialized practices for dealing with anger, depression, and trauma.

    Optimize your rest with dedicated Sleep Meditations and a library of soothing soundscapes and relaxation music. For immediate stress relief, access powerful breathing exercises and techniques designed for panic attacks.

    Crucially, Headspace provides pathways to professional support, including licensed therapists and mental health coaches (where covered by insurance). This ensures you have a full range of tools, from mindful movement like yoga to clinical care, to build resilience and achieve emotional balance.

    Bonus Read: Free Meditation Apps

4.

Prana Breath

Editor's Choice
4.3
Rated 4.5
Rated 3.8
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Highly customizable breathing patterns
    • Great for advanced users practicing yogic breathing
    • Offline mode available

    Cons

    • UI feels slightly outdated
    • Learning curve for beginners
  • Why You'll Love It

    This is the ultimate breathwork app for a dedicated practitioner, offering over 50 breathing patterns rooted in authentic Pranayama, Sufi, and Tibetan traditions. Beyond generic exercises, it features unique specialty training like Anti-Appetite for emotional overeating and more.
  • More about product

    Profound mental and physical benefits in just 7-15 minutes a day, including enhanced cognitive function, stronger immunity, and natural relief from anxiety and migraines. Prana Breath distinguishes itself with its extensive, constantly updated database of sophisticated methods such as Tummo (Inner Fire), Kapalbhati, and 4-7-8 breathing.

    For the ultimate customization, the app allows you to create your own ratio patterns and use dynamic training programs that smoothly increase in complexity. Focus fully on your practice with the unique option to run sessions with the screen off, guided only by customizable sounds.

    The app rigorously tracks your progress with rich, detailed statistics and health tests, making it a comprehensive and powerful resource for yogis, singers, divers, and anyone committed to optimizing their mind and body.

5.

Calm

Editor's Choice
4.3
Rated 4.8
Rated 4.5
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Beautiful, premium interface and soundscapes
    • Good mix of breathing, meditation, and sleep tools
    • High-quality instructors and celebrity sessions

    Cons

    • Breathing exercises are basic compared to competitors
  • Why You'll Love It

    Calm is the globally recognized, Editors' Choice #1 app built specifically to revolutionize your sleep quality with its exclusive library of hundreds of Sleep Stories, narrated by soothing, well-known celebrity voices like Cillian Murphy and Rosé. It is the definitive sanctuary for tackling insomnia and achieving restful slumber.
  • More about product

    Transform your mental landscape with the world’s leading app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation. Calm offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to self-care, designed to reduce anxiety and stress symptoms within your busy schedule.

    Start your day with the Daily Calm, a 10-minute original program led by seasoned experts like Tamara Levitt, or explore guided sessions on topics from Deep Sleep to Breaking Habits. Beyond meditation, the app features relaxing music, vast soundscapes, and gentle Daily Move stretching exercises to connect the mind and body.

    For better rest, dive into the unique world of Sleep Stories, specifically designed bedtime narratives for adults and children. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, Calm provides 7- and 21-day programs to help you find your peace, manage your mood, and balance your mind.

    Also Read: Best Mental Health and Therapy Apps

6.

iBreathe

Editor's Choice
4.2
Rated 4.9
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Extremely simple and minimalistic
    • Great for quick, custom-paced breathing
    • Easy timer and pattern setup

    Cons

    • Only available on iOS
    • Not ideal for users needing structured routines
  • Why You'll Love It

    iBreathe is celebrated for its extreme simplicity and clutter-free design, providing pure, guided breathwork without the distractions of a bloated wellness platform. Its key differentiating feature is the ability to create and fully customize your own breathing exercises, perfectly aligning the inhale, exhale, and hold times to your exact needs.
  • More about product

    Named one of Healthline’s best breathing exercise apps, iBreathe offers a powerful yet minimalist solution for managing stress, anxiety, and improving sleep. The beautifully designed interface is easy to use and free from extraneous features, allowing you to focus completely on your practice.

    Start instantly with pre-defined, scientifically-backed patterns like 4-7-8 and Box Breathing, or leverage the robust customization tools to build truly unique routines. iBreathe is deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, featuring a dedicated Apple Watch app, quick-access Lock Screen widgets, and synchronization with Apple Health to track Mindful Minutes.

    Plus, you can continue your session with Background Breathing when you leave the app, ensuring your relaxation is never interrupted. It’s the essential, flexible tool for quick, calm, and consistent mindful breathing reminders throughout your day.

7.

Othership

Editor's Choice
4.1
Rated 4.9
Rated 4.6
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Unique, energetic, and emotional breathwork experiences
    • Sessions feel more immersive and fun
    • Strong community vibe and modern design

    Cons

    • Some sessions feel too intense for beginners
    • Not ideal for users wanting purely calming routines
  • Why You'll Love It

    Othership redefines breathwork with its music-driven, genre-bending active sessions, turning your daily practice into a trippy, transformative journey that quickly shifts your mental and emotional state. Guided by world-renowned facilitators, artists, and DJs, it's the app for those who want to feel the power of breathwork, not just think about it.
  • More about product

    Cultivate Big Lung Energy and take control of your nervous system in sessions ranging from 60 seconds to a full hour. Othership offers a dynamic daily ritual with dedicated UP practices to energize and enhance focus, and DOWN sessions for deep rest and anxiety relief.

    Explore a massive library of over 500 sessions that blend ancient traditions with modern science, including Box Breath, Wim Hof, Buteyko, and Kundalini techniques. The app further integrates sound healing, vocal toning, and mindful movement into its Body and Brain categories.

    Whether you need a full emotional release through a weekly journey or a quick shift in your state of mind, Othership provides an engaging, effective, and playful approach to breathwork, supported by detailed progress tracking and a global community.

8.

Paced Breathing

Editor's Choice
4.1
Rated 4.6
Rated 4.4
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Simple tool focused only on paced breathing
    • Fully customizable inhale/exhale ratios
    • Great for daily practice and HRV training

    Cons

    • No guided audio or structured routines
    • UI is functional but not polished
  • Why You'll Love It

    Paced Breathing is the highly praised, purely functional rhythm guide recommended in James Nestor’s best-selling book, Breath. It excels by allowing you to fully customize every aspect—inhale, hold, exhale, and rest times—while providing reliable visual, audio, and haptic (vibration) cues, perfect for maintaining rhythm in silence.
  • More about product

    Paced Breathing offers instant calm and long-term health benefits with this scientifically-backed techniques. It is designed to improve cardiovascular health, reduce stress responses, and strengthen lung capacity.

    Paced Breathing is the ideal companion for various meditative practices, including Kundalini, Hatha, and Pranayama. This mindful breathing app allows you to manually set precise timings or utilize Ramp Mode to gradually change breath durations within a session.

    If you wish to opt for advanced practices, you can purchase the premium version- Paced Breathing+. This paid plan offers heart rate variability (HRV) and coherence monitoring via Bluetooth, turning your practice into actionable biofeedback.

    The app is celebrated for its simple, immediate-use design—no complicated menus or pop-ups—and features background playback, streak tracking, and customizable reminders to ensure your daily practice is consistent, effective, and profoundly calming.

9.

Breathing Zone

Editor's Choice
4.0
Rated 4.8
Rated 4.0
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Clinically oriented breathing tool recommended for relaxation
    • Very effective for slow breathing and lowering heart rate
    • Easy to use with clean controls

    Cons

    • Outdated design and visuals
    • Not many customization options
  • Why You'll Love It

    This breathing app is highly recommended for achieving therapeutic relaxation in just five minutes. You can experience the powerful health benefits of slower, paced breathing with an uncluttered, distraction-free interface built for instant calm.
  • More about product

    Breathing Zone delivers a highly effective, guided breathing exercise designed to lower stress, reduce blood pressure, and promote deep relaxation. Unlike complex wellness apps, it prioritizes pure functionality with a simple interface that is easy to navigate.

    Customize your practice by setting precise timings for inhale, hold, exhale, and rest phases. Use visual guidance or choose from audio cues, with the option for background playback while your screen is locked.

    The app's simplicity ensures you can quickly integrate slower, therapeutic breathing into your daily routine, supported by Wear OS compatibility for easy access on the go.

10.

Simple Habit

Editor's Choice
4.0
Rated 4.8
Rated 4.6
  • Pros & Cons

    Pros

    • Short, effective stress-relief sessions
    • Includes meditation, therapy, and breathing tools
    • Great for busy professionals with limited time

    Cons

    • Less variety in breathing exercises
  • Why You'll Love It

    Simple Habit is the award-winning wellness app designed specifically for your busy lifestyle. Its bite-sized sessions are curated by world-renowned experts to fit seamlessly into your day.
  • More about product

    Simple Habit focuses on making mindfulness immediately accessible and effective. The core of the app is its library of short, five-minute guided sessions designed to tackle life's daily problems, from work anxiety and relationship stress to improved focus and better sleep.

    Access coaching content and motivational talks from experts ranging from mindfulness specialists at Google to former monks.

    The On-the-Go feature provides quick anxiety relief when you need it most. Track your progress with Mindful Minutes and streaks, and utilize the Premium subscription for offline access to ensure you can build your habit anytime, anywhere.

    Also Read: Best Habit Tracker Apps

    Why Do You Need to Download the Best Breathing Apps

    The simple act of consciously changing your breath is one of the fastest, most powerful ways to hack your nervous system and instantly shift your mental state. Breathing apps serve as your personal, always-available guide to master this skill, providing structured training rooted in ancient wisdom and modern science.

    1. Regulate Your Nervous System

    Deep, slow, or paced breathing (like 4-7-8 or Cyclic Sighing) actively stimulates your parasympathetic nervous system (the 'rest-and-digest' system). This rapidly counteracts the 'fight-or-flight' stress response.

    2. Reduce Stress and Anxiety

    Consistent practice using a breathing exercise apps is scientifically proven to lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This helps you manage chronic stress, anxiety, and even symptoms of depression.

    3. Improve Sleep Quality

    Specialized techniques offered by both paid and free breathwork apps focus on elongated exhales to slow your heart rate and prepare your body for rest. It helps you fall asleep faster and achieve deeper, more restorative sleep.

    4. Enhance Focus and Energy

    Certain exercises are designed to activate the sympathetic nervous system (safely). The best breathing apps provide a natural energy boost and improving cognitive functions, attention span, and mental clarity for work or study.

    5. Boost Physical Health

    Regular guided breathwork improves Heart Rate Variability (HRV), a key marker of better cardiovascular health and emotional resilience. It also strengthens lung capacity and increases oxygen uptake.

    6. Provide Instant, Accessible Relief

    Breathing apps offer guided sessions in short, accessible durations (often 5 minutes or less) that can be done anytime, anywhere.

    Wrapping Up!

    You’ve explored the best breathing apps that can transform your mind, from the scientific precision of Resonance Frequency to the guided flow of Sleep Stories.

    Stop letting stress hijack your day or anxiety steal your sleep. The shift begins now. Choose your guide, commit just five minutes, and seize the most powerful remote control you possess, your breath. The only thing left to do is breathe in the change you want to see.

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are breathing apps as effective as traditional meditation?

    Yes, they are highly effective, especially for specific outcomes like stress reduction or instant energy boosts. While meditation cultivates broader awareness, breathing apps offer structured, physiological techniques to rapidly regulate your nervous system.

  • How long does it take to see benefits from using guided breathing apps?

    You can feel immediate effects, such as instant calm or a rush of alertness, after just one short session (5 minutes). For long-term benefits like improved sleep and lower blood pressure, consistent use over 2-4 weeks is recommended.

  • Do I need to pay for a breathing app, or are the free versions enough?

    The free versions of mindful breathing apps often provide essential exercises to get you started and manage basic stress. Paid subscriptions unlock extensive libraries, advanced techniques (like Resonance Frequency or specific Pranayama), and specialized content for sleep or focused coaching.

  • Can I use breathing exercises apps while I'm doing other things, like working or walking?

    Absolutely. Many apps, like Paced Breathing or iBreathe, offer background playback or haptic cues, allowing you to maintain your rhythm without looking at the screen. This makes it easy to integrate mindful breathing into your commute or workday.

  • Which breathing app is the best choice for someone who struggles with falling asleep?

    The best choice is often Calm, renowned for its vast library of Sleep Stories and soothing soundscapes narrated by well-known voices. However, the scientifically precise 4-7-8 method, available in nearly all apps like Prana Breath and Breathwrk, etc. is also highly recommended.

WRITTEN BY
Riya

Riya

Content Writer

Riya turns everyday tech into effortless choices! With a knack for breaking down the latest gadgets, trends, and tips, she brings clarity and confidence to your downloading decisions. Her experience with ShopClues, Great Learning, and IndustryBuying adds depth to her reviews, making them both trustworthy and refreshingly practical.

From social media hacks and lifestyle upgrades to productivity boosts, digital marketing insights, AI trends, and more—Riya’s here to help you stay a step ahead. Always real, always relatable!

Read More by Riya

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