Free breathwork apps at a glance
The apps are listed alphabetically. “Yes” means you can keep using a breathing exercise for free, though some features may cost extra.
| App and platform | Free practice? | What you get for free | Paid options and price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Mindfulness Apple Watch | Yes | Built-in Breathe sessions lasting 1–5 minutes, adjustable breath rate, and haptic cues. | No separate app subscription. Requires an Apple Watch. $0 app subscription; Watch hardware required. |
| Breath Ball iPhone, iPad, Android | Yes | Visual pacing and custom breathing patterns. No ads. | All features are free. Donations are optional. $0. |
| Breathe2Relax iPhone, iPad | Yes | Instruction and practice for diaphragmatic (belly) breathing. | No paid feature tier listed in the linked App Store entry. $0. |
| Breathwrk iPhone, Android | No | No free exercises without paid access. | Breathing exercises and classes. Included with eligible paid Peloton memberships. $9/month listed on its US website. |
| Calm iPhone, Android | Yes | The Relax breathing style in its breathing tools. | The wider meditation and sleep library, plus other breathing styles. $79.99/year or $499.99 lifetime (US web plans). |
| Headspace iPhone, Android | Resources / trial | Free public videos, podcasts, and articles; the full app library is available during a trial. | Subscription to continue using the app library after the trial. $12.99/month or $69.99/year (US web plans). |
| Paced Breathing Android | Yes | Adjustable inhale, hold, exhale, and hold timing with visual, audio, and vibration cues. Contains ads. | PB+ adds reminders, tracking, and heart monitoring. PB+ pricing is shown in the Android app. |
| Prana iPhone, Apple Watch | Yes | Short guided iPhone sessions and all current Watch features. No account needed. | Longer guided iPhone sessions and premium soundscapes. $4.99/month; $19.99/year; $49.99 lifetime (US App Store). |
| Prana Breath Android | Yes | 12 Essentials practices, a pattern editor, reminders, and statistics. No ads or account required. | Guru unlocks more practices through a subscription or one-time purchase. Guru pricing is shown in the Android app. |
| The Breathing App iPhone, iPad | Yes | Kids and resonance ratios, sessions up to 20 minutes, and no ads or account requirement. | Advanced ratios, unlimited timers, and more guided options. $4.99/month or $44.99/year (US App Store). |
Prices are in US dollars, from the linked store listings or web plans checked October 10, 2026; Breathwrk’s website and App Store listing were checked again October 12. They can vary by country and where you subscribe. PB+ and Guru do not publish a USD price on their store pages.
We build Prana. For the other apps, we checked official listings and support pages; we have not tested every app ourselves. Our founder has used Breathwrk and encountered its subscription paywall.
Which free breathing app should you try first?
A visual pacer is enough if you already know the exercise. Spoken guidance is more helpful when you want instructions as you breathe. Here is where each app is most useful:
Apple Mindfulness: start with the Watch you already own
If you own an Apple Watch and want a brief breathing break, try Apple Mindfulness before installing anything else. Wrist taps guide each inhale and exhale, so you can follow along without looking at a screen.
It is already on your wrist, so there is little to set up. For named techniques such as box breathing or spoken instruction, you will need another app.
Breath Ball: follow a visual rhythm
Breath Ball uses an expanding and contracting ball to pace breathing. You can follow a preset exercise or set your own rhythm. The developer has made all Pro features free.
This is a good place to start if you just want something to follow on screen. It does not offer the same narrated teaching as a guided-session app.
Breathe2Relax: learn belly breathing
Breathe2Relax, from the Defense Health Agency, focuses on diaphragmatic breathing: a breathing skill often described as belly breathing. It explains the technique before taking you through a practice.
Choose it to learn belly breathing without sorting through a library of exercises. It has a narrower purpose than a pranayama or meditation app.
Paced Breathing: set your own timing on Android
Paced Breathing lets you adjust inhale, hold, exhale, and hold timing, with visual, audio, and vibration cues. That is useful when you know the exact rhythm you want to follow.
The free app contains ads. If you want reminders or progress tracking as well as the timer, those are part of PB+.
Prana: guided breathing on iPhone and Apple Watch
Prana combines named breathing practices with guided sessions on iPhone. To try a guided session for free, pick a technique and select the shortest session length. The length varies by technique. Longer sessions and premium soundscapes are paid, but you do not need an account to use the free features. The free and paid access guide and App Store listing explain the offering.
On Apple Watch, you get four free breathing patterns and meditation timers. The Watch has fewer techniques than the iPhone, but after installing it through a paired iPhone you can leave your phone behind. See the Apple Watch comparison for setup and session options.
Prana Breath: a separate Android app with custom patterns
Prana Breath is a different product from Prana on iPhone and Apple Watch. Its pattern editor lets you build a rhythm instead of following a narrated session.
It is a useful Android option if you want custom patterns without ads. The paid Guru upgrade adds more practices; the free Essentials collection is enough to get started.
The Breathing App: slow, rhythmic breathing
The Breathing App focuses on rhythmic breathing with a minimalist interface and sound to follow. The free resonance mode uses a slow, steady rhythm. Its iPhone and iPad listing also describes a Kids mode, with sessions up to 20 minutes.
Choose it if you want a simple rhythm with sound to follow. You can keep using the free modes without starting its premium trial.
Calm, Headspace, and Breathwrk: what to know before paying
If you also want meditation courses, sleep stories, or a larger class library, these three apps are worth a look. Their free access is more limited.
Calm: a free exercise inside a meditation and sleep app
To find Calm’s free Relax exercise, open Discover, then Mindful Tools, then Breathing Exercises. Its help page explains the controls.
Calm is worth considering if you will use its sleep stories and meditations too. If breathing is all you need, try Relax before paying for the rest.
Headspace: free resources and a trial of its app library
Headspace is a meditation and sleep app with guided breathing content. You can sample the library during a trial. Its free-access help page also links to videos, podcasts, and articles available outside the app.
Choose it if you want a structured introduction to meditation as well as breathing. A subscription is needed to keep using the app library after the trial.
Breathwrk: breathing classes for Peloton members
Breathwrk is a breathing exercise and class app, now part of Peloton's fitness service. Its FAQ says access is included for Peloton All Access, Guide, and App+ members. If you already have one of those memberships, check your access before buying another breathing app.
Its website still advertises limited free exercises, but our founder encountered a paywall before any practice. AppOne and Strength+ members also need a separate subscription.
Before you subscribe
- Finish a free exercise before starting a trial. Is the instruction clear, and is the pace comfortable?
- Try the session length and sounds you will actually use. Those may cost extra even when a shorter session is free.
- Check the renewal period before paying. Annual subscriptions charge for the year; lifetime purchases are one-time payments.
If you want more detail on named techniques, use the pranayama app guide. For custom timing, use the breathwork timer comparison. Keep the first session gentle and stop if it feels uncomfortable.
FAQ
Which breathwork apps can I use without a subscription?
Breath Ball and Breathe2Relax offer free practice. Apple Mindfulness is included with Apple Watch. Prana, Prana Breath, The Breathing App, and Paced Breathing also have free exercises, with paid extras.
Is Breathwrk free?
No, you need paid access to practice. Breathwrk is included with paid Peloton All Access, Guide, and App+ memberships. AppOne and Strength+ members need a separate subscription.
Is Calm free for breathing exercises?
The Relax breathing style is free. Other breathing styles and the wider meditation and sleep library require Premium.
Is Prana free, or just a free trial?
Prana has free guided iPhone sessions and free Apple Watch features that you can keep using without a trial or account. Longer guided iPhone sessions and premium soundscapes are paid.
Are Prana and Prana Breath the same app?
No. Prana is the iPhone and Apple Watch app in this guide. Prana Breath is a separate Android app from a different developer.
Want to try guided breathing on iPhone?
Pick a technique in Prana and try a free session.
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