Best Free Breathing Apps

You do not need to pay for great breathwork. These five apps offer genuinely free guided breathing exercises worth your time.

What to Look for in a Free Breathing App

The best free breathing apps offer guided sessions without paywalls, ads, or aggressive upsells. Look for customizable session lengths, voice guidance, and progress tracking. Some apps offer a free tier with limited features, while others are completely free. We prioritized apps that deliver real value without requiring a subscription.

How We Evaluated

We tested each app across multiple sessions over several weeks, evaluating audio quality, session variety, ease of use, and whether the free version was genuinely functional. Apps that gate core features behind paywalls scored lower. We also considered offline availability and battery impact during longer sessions.

1. DeepBreathe: Completely free with no ads. Full Wim Hof guided sessions, retention tracking, and customizable rounds and pace.
2. Insight Timer: Massive free library of meditation content with some guided breathwork sessions and community features.
3. Breathe2Relax: Developed by the U.S. Department of Defense for stress management using diaphragmatic breathing exercises.
4. Prana Breath: Android app with a basic free tier offering timed breathing patterns and simple customization options.
5. Apple Health Breathe: Built into Apple Watch for quick one-minute mindful breathing reminders throughout your day.