Imagine getting paid simply for breathing. Sounds like a fantasy, right? Yet in 2025, a curious new wave of passive income apps has emerged that literally reward users for their breath — or more precisely, for practicing mindful breathing exercises. One such app, BreatheCoin, has taken the idea of “earning money with minimal effort” to a whole new level. I decided to test it for a full week, and the experience was as bizarre as it was fascinating.
In this article, I’ll take you through what this app does, how it pays you to breathe, the real earning potential, and whether this passive income opportunity is a clever money hack or just a breath of fresh air with little substance. Plus, I’ll share a quirky personal anecdote about what happens when you get paid to do the most basic human function — breathe.
How Can an App Pay You Just to Breathe?
At first glance, the concept is almost absurd. Breathing is involuntary, continuous, and essential to life — how could that possibly translate into a money-making app? Here’s the science behind it:
BreatheCoin capitalizes on the booming wellness and mindfulness trend by combining guided breathing exercises with blockchain-powered rewards. The app asks users to perform daily breathing sessions, which it tracks through your phone’s microphone and motion sensors, analyzing breath patterns, duration, and consistency.
Each completed session earns you “BreatheCoins,” a digital token that can be converted into real money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. The app partners with wellness brands, meditation companies, and advertisers who sponsor challenges or content, and shares a cut of that revenue with users who complete breathing “missions.”
My 7-Day BreatheCoin Experiment: From Skeptic to Surprised
Day 1 — Download and First Breaths
Skeptical but curious, I installed BreatheCoin and set up my profile. The app’s interface was sleek — calming blue and white hues with soft animations. It asked me to do a 5-minute guided breathing session.
I pressed “Start,” focused on the screen’s pulsating circle, and breathed in rhythm. The app listened through my phone’s mic, tracking inhalation and exhalation. When the timer ended, I earned 50 BreatheCoins — roughly $0.05.
It felt silly being rewarded for breathing, but strangely satisfying.
Day 2 — Building a Habit
Today’s task was 7 minutes, a bit longer. I noticed the app gave extra coins if I kept a steady breathing pattern without interruptions. I made sure to silence notifications and concentrate.
Completed the session and earned 80 coins. The app also encouraged me to share my progress on social media for bonus rewards.
I began to look forward to these mini “breath breaks” in my day.
Day 3 — Breathing Meets Competition
BreatheCoin introduced a new feature: breath leaderboards. Users ranked by daily coins earned and consistency streaks.
I climbed into the top 50 in my city by completing three sessions. The competitive edge added unexpected motivation.
Day 4 — Sponsored Challenge: “Breathe for Better Sleep”
A wellness brand sponsored a challenge offering 200 bonus coins if users completed a nightly 10-minute breathing routine for three consecutive days.
I tried it. Before bed, I followed the relaxing guided breaths. I slept better, and when I completed the third day, the bonus hit my account.
Now I was not only earning but feeling real benefits.
Day 5 — Tech Glitches and Privacy Concerns
I noticed my mic access was continuous during sessions, which made me wary about privacy.
Also, sometimes the app failed to register my breathing properly, leading to frustration when I didn’t get paid for a “completed” session.
Day 6 — Referral Program and Group Breathing
BreatheCoin introduced a social feature: group breath sessions where friends join a live breathing exercise.
Inviting two friends earned me referral coins, and group sessions gave bonus coins if all participants completed the exercise.
The community vibe made the app feel less lonely.
Day 7 — Cashing Out and Reflection
After seven days, I had earned about 800 BreatheCoins — equivalent to roughly $8.
I requested a PayPal payout. The money arrived in 48 hours.
I realized this app paid me real passive income for something I was already doing naturally — breathing. A perfect blend of mindfulness, gamification, and earning.
The Science Behind Mindful Breathing and Why It Pays
Why are companies willing to pay users to breathe mindfully? Beyond marketing, there’s real science.
Mindful breathing reduces stress, improves focus, and enhances emotional regulation. Wellness brands want more users adopting these habits, so they sponsor apps like BreatheCoin to increase engagement.
The app’s data on user behavior helps brands tailor products and messaging. In exchange, they share revenue with users.
Pros and Cons of Getting Paid to Breathe
Pros
- True passive income: You earn while practicing a healthy habit.
- Low effort: Sessions require little time or skill.
- Mental health benefits: Breathing exercises reduce anxiety and improve wellbeing.
- Community features: Social challenges and referrals add fun.
- Real cash payout: Payments are timely and legit.
Cons
- Slow earnings: You won’t replace a salary.
- Privacy tradeoffs: Mic and data access raise concerns.
- Technical issues: Breath detection glitches.
- Requires discipline: Missing days breaks streaks and bonuses.
- Limited mission variety: Mostly breathing, little else.
Is This App a Scam or a Smart Side Hustle?
In a world flooded with questionable money-making apps, BreatheCoin stands out as surprisingly legitimate. It doesn’t promise riches but delivers a modest, honest income for minimal effort.
The key is realistic expectations: treat it as supplemental income and a wellness tool, not a get-rich-quick scheme.
The Future of Passive Income: Breathing New Life into Earning Apps
BreatheCoin exemplifies the next generation of passive income apps that blend:
- Health and mindfulness
- Gamification and social networking
- Microtasks with low barrier to entry
- Data monetization with user rewards
As technology advances, expect apps to reward you for even more basic human actions: blinking, yawning, stretching — turning everyday life into income streams.
My Personal Take: Breathing Paid Off More Than Money
Besides the $8 earned, the greatest payoff was unexpected — I felt calmer and more centered after daily breathing. The app incentivized me to prioritize mental health with a financial nudge.
It’s a refreshing concept: earning real money while simply being and breathing.
Written by the author, Fatima Al-Hajri 👩🏻💻
Sources
- App Store and Google Play reviews of BreatheCoin and similar wellness earning apps.
- Scientific research on mindfulness and breathing benefits — Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 2023.
- Reddit discussions on passive income apps in r/passiveincome.
- TechCrunch coverage of blockchain and wellness apps, 2025.
- Privacy analysis reports on microphone access in mobile apps.
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