US National Center for Telehealth & TechnologyFree DoD-built diaphragmatic-breathing app for stress and PTSDEvidence-based assessment
Breathe2Relax review
Updated 2026-10-10
5.9
/ 10
Free breathwork app built by US military telehealth for PTSD and stress; it teaches well-documented diaphragmatic breathing at zero cost, though the app itself has only small pilot studies.Best for users wanting evidence-backed diaphragmatic breathing at zero cost — especially in clinical / PTSD / stress-management contexts.
Breathe2Relax is the US Department of Defense / National Center for Telehealth & Technology free diaphragmatic-breathing app, originally developed for veteran PTSD and combat-stress management. Published research on the app itself is limited to small pilot studies; the diaphragmatic-breathing technique it teaches is well documented. Library is narrow (diaphragmatic / paced breathing focused), UX is dated, but it costs nothing.
How we tested: Evidence-based assessment — scored from Breathe2Relax App Store / Play Store listings, US National Center for Telehealth & Technology documentation, and published pilot studies of the app. Not hands-on tested by ONDA.
Narrow library — focused on diaphragmatic and paced breathing for stress / PTSD context. Not a content platform.
Technique coverage
4.5
Diaphragmatic and paced breathing only. No Wim Hof, holotropic or broader technique coverage.
Evidence grounding
7.0
No randomised trial of the app itself. Published research on the app is limited to small pilot studies: an uncontrolled pilot in 31 service members where Breathe2Relax was used together with trauma-sensitive yoga (Skopp et al. 2024, Military Psychology) and a cost analysis (Luxton et al. 2014). Base score for a product without its own trials; the diaphragmatic breathing it teaches is well documented.
App experience
5.0
Dated UI from original government-build era. Functional but lacks 2026-tier polish.
Biofeedback and integration
4.0
No HRV. Basic session tracking.
Value
9.5
Completely free with no premium tier.
Pros
+Teaches diaphragmatic breathing, a well-documented technique — the app itself has only small pilot studies
+Completely free with no subscription or ads
+Built by US Department of Defense / National Center for Telehealth
Cons
−Dated UI from original government-build era
−Narrow technique scope — diaphragmatic / paced breathing only
−No HRV or modern biofeedback
−No content library or ongoing development
Price: $0 completely free; no premium tier (as of 2026-05-28)
Where it leads
Breathe2Relax is the free breathwork app from a public source — developed by the US Department of Defense’s National Center for Telehealth & Technology for PTSD and combat-stress care. Published research on the app itself is limited to small pilot studies; the diaphragmatic breathing it teaches is well documented.
What are the downsides of Breathe2Relax?
Its main downsides are UX and scope. Breathe2Relax is built for a specific clinical purpose (diaphragmatic breathing for stress and PTSD); the UI is dated, the library is narrow, and the app is no longer actively iterated. It's a free tool with a clinical thesis, not a 2026 content platform.
Who should buy Breathe2Relax?
Choose Breathe2Relax if you want evidence-backed free diaphragmatic breathing — especially in clinical, PTSD or stress-management contexts. For curated library, Breathwrk. For modern free UI, iBreathe. For Android customisation, Prana Breath.
The diaphragmatic breathing it teaches is well documented, but research on the app itself is limited to small pilot studies, such as an uncontrolled pilot in 31 service members that combined it with yoga; there is no randomised trial of the app. It was built by the US National Center for Telehealth & Technology for veteran PTSD and combat-stress management. It scores 7.0/10 on evidence grounding and 5.9/10 overall.
How much does Breathe2Relax cost?
Breathe2Relax is completely free with no premium tier, subscription or ads. It scores 9.5/10 on value in ONDA's assessment, the best possible price. The trade-off is a dated UI and a narrow scope limited to diaphragmatic and paced breathing.
Who is Breathe2Relax best for?
Breathe2Relax is best for users who want evidence-backed diaphragmatic breathing at zero cost, especially in clinical, PTSD or stress-management contexts. It is narrow by design, covering only diaphragmatic and paced breathing with no HRV biofeedback, no content library, and no ongoing development.
