9D Breathwork Facilitator Training Review (2026)
An honest review of 9D Breathwork facilitator training by Brian Kelly. We break down the ~$5,000 upfront cost, $200/month subscription, the 9 audio dimensions, business model concerns, and whether this tech-heavy certification is worth the investment.
Brian Kelly was a burnt-out entrepreneur running a restaurant project when he discovered breathwork combined with music in a spiritual tattoo studio in Bali. He co-founded Breath Masters, then built 9D Breathwork on top of it. The pitch: take conscious connected breathing and layer it with nine dimensions of audio engineering, from binaural beats to subliminal hypnotic scripting, to create an immersive emotional release experience. Facilitators press play on pre-produced journeys and guide participants through the session.
9D Breathwork has grown fast. Over 2,000 certified facilitators across 80+ countries, a polished brand, and a growing presence in the wellness space. But the model raises questions. The pricing is opaque, the ongoing fees are steep, and the facilitator role is more operator than teacher.
9D Breathwork Pros and Cons
What works well
- Production Quality - The multi-layered audio journeys are genuinely impressive. This is the most polished sensory experience in breathwork.
- Low Skill Floor - Pre-produced sessions mean you can facilitate competently without years of training. Good for career changers.
- Emotional Impact - Participants consistently report powerful emotional releases. The combination of breathwork, music, and guided scripting works.
- Business-in-a-Box - Marketing templates, branding assets, and launch guidance included. You get a ready-made business framework.
What doesn't
- Opaque Pricing - The certification cost (~$5,000) isn't listed on their website. You have to book a call. That's a red flag for a $5k decision.
- $200/Month Lock-In - Mandatory monthly subscription to access the journey library, community, and use the 9D name. Miss a payment and you lose access.
- Overstated Science - The website uses "scientifically proven" and "clinically demonstrated" freely, but cites no specific peer-reviewed studies for the combined 9D method.
- Facilitator Dependency - You're pressing play on pre-made content. If you leave 9D, you leave with breathwork skills but none of the audio IP that makes the method distinctive.
What the 9D Breathwork Certification Covers
The “9D” refers to nine layers of audio technology stacked into each session:
- Multi-dimensional soundscapes - Immersive, spatially designed audio
- Binaural brain entrainment - Frequencies that synchronize brain hemispheres
- Solfeggio frequencies - Tones claimed to stimulate emotional and energetic responses
- Isochronic brainwave tones - Pulsing tones to shift brainwave states
- 432Hz harmonic tuning - Audio calibrated to 432Hz instead of standard 440Hz tuning
- Somatic breathwork - Conscious connected breathing as the physical practice
- Subliminal hypnotic therapy - Background voice layers targeting subconscious patterns
- Guided vocal coaching - Live or recorded facilitator guidance using NLP techniques
- Bioacoustic sound effects - Low-frequency audio designed to trigger physiological responses
Here’s the honest breakdown: dimensions 1-5 are audio engineering techniques. They’re production choices, not distinct healing modalities. Dimension 6 is the actual breathwork. Dimensions 7-9 are the coaching and scripting layer. Calling them “nine dimensions” is smart marketing, but what you’re really looking at is breathwork + professional audio production + NLP-informed scripting.
The breathwork itself is conscious connected breathing, a well-established technique used across many modalities from Holotropic Breathwork to various neo-tantra traditions. 9D Breathwork’s innovation is the audio wrapper, not the breathing.
The Science Question
9D Breathwork’s marketing is heavy on scientific language. Their website describes techniques as “scientifically engineered,” “clinically demonstrated,” and “scientifically proven.” Let’s unpack that.
What does have research support:
- Slow breathing improving heart rate variability (published in Frontiers in Psychology)
- Binaural beats reducing anxiety (Psychological Research)
- Combined mindfulness and music therapy improving wellbeing (Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine, 2018)
What doesn’t:
- The specific 9D combination as a unified method. No peer-reviewed study has tested the layered 9-dimension protocol against controls.
- Solfeggio frequencies as healing tools. The claims around specific frequencies (528Hz, 432Hz) having unique healing properties are popular in wellness circles but lack rigorous evidence.
- Subliminal hypnotic therapy delivered via audio during hyperventilation. The ethics and efficacy of subliminal messaging during an altered state deserve scrutiny, and some Trustpilot reviewers have flagged this as concerning.
The individual ingredients have varying degrees of support. The combined recipe is untested. Using “scientifically proven” for the whole system based on studies of individual components is a stretch.
9D Breathwork Facilitator Training: Cost and Structure
The pricing is deliberately opaque. Here’s what we’ve pieced together:
Upfront Certification (~$5,000)
The exact cost isn’t published. You book a sales call to get pricing. Based on facilitator reviews on Trustpilot and Breath Masters reviews, the certification runs approximately $5,000. Some reviewers have called this overpriced, suggesting $2,000-$3,000 would be more appropriate.
Payment plans are available. All fees are non-refundable.
Monthly Subscription ($200/month)
After certification, you pay $200/month for:
- Access to the 9D journey library (the pre-produced sessions)
- Weekly community calls
- Private facilitator community access
- Library updates with new journeys
This is mandatory. Without it, you can’t run 9D sessions. At $2,400/year, this is one of the most expensive ongoing commitments in breathwork.
Equipment
You’re required to purchase “Authorized Equipment” (9D Management headsets) from the company. Pricing for equipment isn’t publicly listed either.
Total first-year cost: roughly $7,400+ before equipment.
Compare that to Oxygen Advantage at $449 with no ongoing fees, or Alchemy of Breath at $5,800-$6,900 with no monthly subscription.
The Business Model Question
9D Breathwork operates closer to a digital franchise than a traditional certification. You’re licensing the brand and content, not just learning a skill.
The franchise comparison:
- You pay upfront for training and ongoing for content access
- You deliver a standardized product (pre-made journeys)
- You use their branding, marketing templates, and systems
- If you stop paying, you lose the product
The affiliate layer: 9D has a built-in commission structure. Refer a new facilitator and earn 16.67% on their kit purchase (capped at $1,250) plus 10% on their monthly subscription ($20/month ongoing). This creates a financial incentive to recruit other facilitators.
Is it an MLM? No. You don’t need to recruit to succeed, and there’s no multi-level structure. But the recruitment incentives combined with opaque pricing and high-pressure sales calls (reported by multiple reviewers) create an ecosystem that feels more commercial than educational.
Some facilitators on Trustpilot have described the basic Breath Masters certification as a “funnel” into the 9D program and its monthly subscription. That’s worth being aware of before your sales call.
Building a Business as a 9D Breathwork Facilitator
The plug-and-play model has a genuine upside: you can start facilitating quickly without deep expertise.
Typical 9D Breathwork facilitator pricing:
- Private sessions: $150-$300
- Group workshops (15 people at $75): ~$1,125 per event
- Corporate sessions: $2,500-$5,000+
The math: At $200/month in ongoing fees, you need 2-3 private sessions per month just to cover your subscription. That’s achievable, but it’s a real baseline cost that never goes away. Compare this to certifications with no recurring fees where every dollar after your initial investment is profit.
The dependency risk: Your business is built on 9D’s content library. If they raise prices, change terms, or shut down, your business model goes with them. You own the breathwork skills but not the audio journeys that differentiate the experience. With SOMA Breath you face a similar ecosystem lock-in, but without the mandatory monthly fee.
9D Breathwork Market Comparisons
9D Breathwork vs. SOMA Breath
The closest comparison. Both are music-driven, both have business-in-a-box models, both face similar commercial criticisms. SOMA Breath uses rhythmic breathing with brainwave entrainment music. 9D layers more audio technology but gives facilitators less creative freedom.
Choose SOMA if you want to develop your own facilitation style within a framework. Choose 9D Breathwork if you want a fully produced, ready-to-deliver experience and don’t mind the monthly subscription. Read our full SOMA Breath teacher training review for the comparison.
9D Breathwork vs. Holotropic Breathwork
Opposite ends of the spectrum. Holotropic Breathwork takes years of training, requires deep psychological understanding, and trusts the breather’s inner healing intelligence. 9D Breathwork takes months, relies on pre-produced content, and guides the experience through scripting.
Choose Holotropic if you want to work with deep psychological process and don’t mind a multi-year training commitment. Choose 9D Breathwork if you want to start facilitating quickly with a structured, repeatable experience.
9D Breathwork vs. Alchemy of Breath
Alchemy of Breath teaches you to hold space for deep emotional work using conscious connected breathing. You learn the skill. With 9D Breathwork, the audio does much of the heavy lifting. Alchemy graduates own their craft. 9D facilitators license a product.
Choose Alchemy of Breath if you want to develop deep facilitation skills you own forever. Choose 9D Breathwork if you want a turnkey system and are comfortable with ongoing licensing. See our Alchemy of Breath facilitator training review for the full picture.
Who This Is For
- Career Changers - You want to enter the breathwork space quickly with a system that doesn't require years of training
- Experience Designers - You're drawn to the intersection of sound, technology, and wellness and want to deliver immersive group experiences
- Operators, Not Creators - You'd rather deliver a polished, pre-built product than develop your own methodology
Who Should Pass
- Independent Practitioners - If you want to own your method and not depend on a monthly subscription, the franchise model will frustrate you
- Science-First Practitioners - If overstated scientific claims bother you, the marketing language will be a constant irritant
- Budget-Conscious Trainers - At $7,400+ in the first year with no end to monthly fees, this is one of the most expensive certifications to maintain
9D Breathwork Certification: Final Verdict
9D Breathwork has built something genuinely new in the breathwork space. The audio production quality is best-in-class, and participants consistently report powerful experiences. If you want to deliver immersive group breathwork sessions without spending years developing your craft, the plug-and-play model gets you there fast.
But the business model deserves serious scrutiny. Opaque upfront pricing, a $200/month subscription that never ends, mandatory proprietary equipment, non-refundable fees, and recruitment incentives all add up to a model designed to maximize lifetime revenue from facilitators, not just train them. The “scientifically proven” marketing language is a stretch that undermines an otherwise compelling product.
The core question: are you buying a skill or licensing a product? With most certifications on this site, you learn something you keep forever. With 9D Breathwork, your ability to deliver the signature experience depends on maintaining your subscription. That’s not inherently wrong, but it’s a fundamentally different value proposition, and you should go in with eyes open.
Bottom line: Impressive product, aggressive business model. Know exactly what you’re paying for, and calculate your breakeven before that sales call.
Still unsure? Take our 2-minute quiz to find the certification that fits your goals and budget.