Open App Review: A Digital Studio With a Premium Price

What Open is and how it works

Open combines guided breathing, meditation, and movement rather than treating them as separate products. Subscribers receive unlimited on-demand classes and workshops, and Open says its full on-demand library is available through its web app. The official subscription FAQ also describes synchronous practice with friends. That combination makes it closer to a digital wellness studio than a simple breathing timer.

Its meditation topics include sleep, stress, focus, and happiness. Movement includes yoga, Pilates, and HIIT-oriented practices, according to Open’s content and membership overview. Independent descriptions place sessions anywhere from very short practices to approximately hour-long classes. That range matters if your available time changes from day to day. If sleep and focus are your priorities, our Endel app review covers another app's pricing and intended uses.

A practical starting point is to choose one short breathing session, one meditation, and one movement class during the trial. Notice which format you would repeat without needing to persuade yourself. Also, do not confuse the product name with open awareness meditation, a meditation approach rather than a subscription app.

Standout features: More than a breathing library

Open’s strongest distinction is its three-part structure: Breathe, Move, and Meditate. The Apple App Store listing describes classes designed with input from neurobiology experts and movement programming covering endurance, strength, mobility, recovery, and mindfulness. Expert input describes the development approach; it does not establish clinical effectiveness.

Reviewers give the app credit for instructor-led sessions, sound, and polished studio presentation. The Art of Living breathwork app guide highlights its breadth across breathing, meditation, and movement. This is a meaningful benefit for someone who prefers guided classes to counting breaths alone or switching between several apps.

Friend-based synchronous practice offers another reason to consider Open if shared practice helps you make time for it. However, exact participation requirements are not published in the supplied notes. If you mainly want a specific breathing technique, compare the options in our breathing apps guide before paying for a broader package. For a more focused comparison, our Breathwrk app review covers its pricing, features, and limitations.

Pricing, trial terms, and the value question

The verified U.S. price through Apple is $19.99 per month or $149.99 per year. Open’s website lists rounded figures of $20 and $150. These are consistent price descriptions, not two substantially different plans. Prices may vary by country and purchase channel, so check the actual checkout amount. No lifetime subscription appears in the current Apple listing or official FAQ.

The trial needs closer attention. Open’s podcast page advertises 30 days free with an annual plan. The Guardian’s meditation app guide reports seven days, while the Art of Living guide reports 14. These descriptions do not establish one universal entitlement. Promotions, platforms, or eligibility may explain the difference, but the supplied sources do not resolve every offer.

Treat the checkout screen as the controlling offer. Record the trial end date, renewal amount, billing channel, and cancellation instructions before starting. If you cancel, keep the confirmation and check that the subscription status reflects your request. Value is strongest when you regularly use movement as well as meditation and breathing; it is weaker if most of the package goes unused.

• Choose the annual plan only after deciding that the class format suits you.
• Set a reminder before the trial expires, not on the renewal date.
• Check any advertised Apple family subscription benefit against your actual offer.
• Verify offline access before relying on Open for travel or poor connectivity.

What users and reviewers praise

The U.S. Apple listing shows approximately 4.8 stars from 18K ratings. That is positive aggregate feedback, but Apple abbreviates the count, and a rating cannot tell you whether the instructors, tone, or billing process will suit you. It also should not be treated as evidence that Open improves a particular health condition.

The recurring praise is more specific: polished production, engaging instructors, and a useful mix of breathwork, meditation, yoga, and movement. AppStoreTracker’s breathwork roundup describes the attraction of this studio-style approach. Rather than offering only a tool to pace breathing, Open gives users a class to follow.

A review aggregation page for Open describes users finding sessions helpful for stress, anxiety management, and self-care. Those are reports of perceived usefulness, not controlled clinical findings. If you are considering an app for racing thoughts, pay attention to how manageable the instructions feel, not just how attractive the presentation looks.

Common complaints: Billing, usability, and content fit

Subscription billing is the most serious recurring concern in the available review material. Reports include trials converting into expensive subscriptions, unclear cancellation procedures, unexpected renewal attempts, and unsatisfactory customer-service responses. The MWM review aggregation collects these themes. An individual UK App Store review describes an attempted charge after the reviewer believed cancellation was complete. These reports warrant caution but do not establish how often problems occur.

Other reported issues include sluggishness during longer sessions and interface changes that some users found less usable. Offline access is unresolved: one reviewer complained that downloads were unavailable or difficult to find. That is not sufficient to declare that Open never supports downloads. Current official download conditions are not published in the supplied material, so confirm them directly.

Content fit is another limitation. Nervewindow’s breathwork comparison describes a smaller library than Calm or Headspace and a less narrowly technical approach than dedicated breathing apps. Some users like Open’s philosophical wellness voice; others find it too self-help-oriented. Neither reaction is inherently wrong. Listen to sample instruction before committing. To compare content, platform access, and subscription terms across providers, browse our meditation app reviews before choosing.

Who should choose Open, and who should pause

Open suits adults who want to rotate between sitting practice, guided breathing, and movement without maintaining separate subscriptions for each activity. It is particularly appealing if instructor-led classes and thoughtful presentation motivate you to practise. Its web access also matters for people who prefer a larger screen, although the supplied sources do not establish every browser or device requirement.

Pause if your main priorities are a low price, a very large meditation catalog, confirmed Android support, or reliable offline downloads. Open’s FAQ confirms iOS and web, but does not clearly confirm Android. A Google Play result called “The Open” is not sufficient to establish that it is the same current breathwork product. Do not use that listing’s rating as a definitive Open rating.

For beginners, a broad app can be appealing but still leave too many choices. Our guide to beginner meditation apps discusses choosing around instruction and routine. Start with something comfortable and repeatable. This review does not establish that every breathing practice is appropriate for every person or that Open can replace medical or mental health care. For another perspective on instruction and content fit, our Expectful app review examines that app's price and features.

How Open compares with Headspace, Calm, and MindTastik

Headspace is the more relevant comparison if you want a larger meditation catalog and stronger beginner pathways. The supplied comparative reviews describe it as more meditation-focused and less centered on Open’s integrated studio format. That makes the choice about preferred instruction and content structure, not simply which brand has more features.

Calm is the clearer alternative when sleep stories and a large sleep and meditation library are your main priorities. Open does include sleep meditation, but the research does not establish an equivalent sleep-story catalog. Our Calm review covers that separate decision. Current Headspace and Calm prices and trial terms are not published in the supplied research, so this review does not make a price comparison. If faith is part of your bedtime routine, our Abide app review considers sleep content, pricing, and religious fit.

MindTastik offers guided meditations, sleep stories, breathing exercises, self-hypnosis audio, and soundscapes on iOS and Android. It is free to download, with an optional subscription and a free trial; subscription prices and trial duration are not published in the supplied facts. Open remains the stronger match for someone specifically seeking the documented movement-plus-breathwork studio offering.

Open vs alternatives

Sources

• apps.apple.com/us/app/open-breathwork-meditation/id1482725254
• o-p-e-n.com/faq
• theguardian.com/thefilter-us/2025/nov/03/best-meditation-apps
• o-p-e-n.com/podcasts/
• artofliving.org/us-en/blog/breathwork/beginners-guide/breathwork-apps
• appstoretracker.com/best/breathwork-apps
• nervewindow.com/blog/breathwork-apps-compared/
• apps.apple.com/gb/app/open-breathwork-meditation/id1482725254?see-all=reviews&platform=ipa
• mwm.ai/apps/open-breathwork-meditation/1482725254
• artofliving.org/us-en/blog/breathwork/beginners-guide/breathwork-apps