Therma vs Headspace
You signed up for Headspace, did three sessions, missed a day, and watched the streak reset to zero. The reset became a second failure on top of the missed day, so you stopped opening the app. Therma has streaks too. Every five check-ins earns a grace day. A missed day does not undo the week.
By Omar Rantisi, Founder of Therma
The 30-second verdict
Headspace asks you to learn a skill. The course is genuinely good if your life lets you finish it. Therma asks you a question. One adaptive prompt that knows what you said yesterday, then a weekly reveal that shows the pattern. The 10% difference: Headspace teaches meditation. Therma surfaces what the week actually looked like, and the streak forgives the day you missed.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Therma | Headspace |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use case | Daily emotional check-in | Meditation curriculum |
| The moment it is built for | The 11pm when you cannot say why | A daily meditation practice |
| Structure | One adaptive prompt | Guided curriculum, levels, courses |
| Session length | 20-60 seconds | 3-20 minutes |
| Streak mechanic | Forgiving (grace day every 5 check-ins) | Resets on miss |
| Pattern visibility | Weekly reveal of your patterns | Session counts and minutes |
| Voice | Your own words back | Andy Puddicombe, animated guides |
| Body data | Apple Health correlation layer | Apple Watch Breathe sync only |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes (Basics course only) |
| Annual price | $59.99/yr ($39.99 founding, locked for life) | $69.99/yr |
| Platforms | iOS | iOS, Android, Web, Apple Watch |
| Built for | People who want to see themselves | People who want to learn meditation |
Where Therma wins
- One 60-second check-in. One adaptive question that knows what you said yesterday.
- Forgiving streaks. A grace day every 5 check-ins so a missed day does not become a second failure.
- No curriculum. No course to finish. No level to reach before the value shows up.
- Apple Health correlation layer shows when the feeling and the heart rate moved together.
- Founding Member is $39.99/yr, locked for life. First 10,000 subscribers only.
Where Headspace wins
- Andy Puddicombe narration is a category-defining voice.
- The curriculum is genuinely good if your schedule lets you finish it.
- Cross-platform: iOS, Android, Web, and Apple Watch.
- Sleepcasts and Sleep Music are useful nightly content.
- Strong enterprise distribution if your employer offers it for free.
When to choose which
Choose Therma
You signed up for Headspace and the streak reset cost you the practice. You want a 60-second daily habit, not a 10-minute one. You want to see the pattern your week is making, not finish a course. You want a private place for the thing you cannot name.
Choose Headspace
You want to learn meditation as a daily skill. You like Andy Puddicombe and the guided format. Your schedule supports a 10-minute session. You already have Headspace through an employer. The curriculum is the thing you want.
Common questions
Is Therma a Headspace alternative?
Therma is built for a different moment. Headspace teaches you to meditate. Therma asks you one question and shows you the pattern. If you lost the Headspace streak and stopped opening the app, the problem was not you. The streak reset was the second failure on top of the missed day. Therma's streak has a grace day every five check-ins. You stay steady when the pressure peaks.
Why does Therma's streak forgive but Headspace's resets?
Different design choices. Gamified resets work for some people. For high-performers who already carry pressure, a reset on a hard day is a second hit on top of the first one. Therma's grace day every five check-ins is deliberate. The point is showing up over weeks, not flawless days.
Is Therma free like Headspace?
Therma has a free tier. Paid plans are $9.99/mo or $59.99/yr. Founding Member is $39.99/yr, locked for life, first 10,000 subscribers only. Headspace is $69.99/yr after the Basics course. The Founding price holds even if Therma raises prices later.
Does Therma replace therapy?
No. Therma sits in the gap between silence and therapy. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace clinical care. It is a private companion for the 11pm when you cannot say why. Feel it to free it.
Can I use both Headspace and Therma?
Yes. They solve different problems and the daily time commitment is small (60-second check-in for Therma, 10-minute session for Headspace). Headspace for the practice. Therma for the pattern. If you log Headspace sessions or Apple Mindfulness time, Therma can show whether the practice correlates with how you actually feel.
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