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Meditation is no longer just the stuff of monks and lifelong yogis. People from all walks of life — with all kinds of lifestyles — are turning to meditation to improve their well-being. And they’re using apps to do it.
Of course, meditation is more than just… sitting there. It’s about being still physically and mentally, staying in the present moment, and being mindful of your thoughts and feelings.
The benefits of meditation on both mental and physical health have been extensively studied and the verdict is in: Meditation is really, really, good for you.
A regular meditation practice can result in less depression, a stronger immune system, better relationships, more creativity — you name it, meditation can probably help it.
While you don’t need an app to meditate, meditation apps can certainly make the experience more enjoyable and a little easier. They can keep you on the right track and help you to focus if sitting silently on your own just isn’t cutting it.
There’s no right or wrong way to meditate. Your practice is all about you, so you can tailor it to work with your life and schedule.
Some people like to meditate in the morning to start their day with a clear head and a sense of calm, while others meditate at night to wind down and decompress from a stressful day, allowing them to relax and sleep better. Some do both!
Busy people will be happy to know that you don’t need to commit a lot of time to meditation. Just meditating for a few minutes a day can make a difference.
The most important thing is to find what works for you. When you actually enjoy what you’re doing, you’ll be way more likely to stick with the habit, and trust us, meditation is a habit you want to stick with.
Finding the right meditation app for you will help enrich your meditation practice and your life. We’ve rounded up eight apps that we think are great options for anyone looking to delve deeper into meditation.
While sorting through all the meditation apps out there, we found these fan favorites that are touted by both experts in the field as well as app users themselves. They all have the following in common:
- They have great ratings in both Apple and Android app stores.
- They operate on both Android and iOS devices.
- They’re beginner-friendly, while also being suitable for all levels.
- They have large libraries of content and resources.
Best meditation app for beginners: Headspace
Headspace is great for any experience level, but the courses they offer for newbies are top-notch, making it our choice of best meditation app for beginners.
Meditation expert Andy Puddicombe serves as the main voice for the app. He walks you through the techniques you’re about to practice before each 10-day course. Beginners can start with “Basics” then move on the “Basics 2” and “Basics 3” to deepen their practice.
You can even choose the length of your guided meditation, starting with as little as 3 minutes — perfect for those who want to start slow.
Furthermore, for almost every meditation you can choose whether you’d like to listen to a male voice or female voice, since everyone has different preferences. Try out both when you’re starting out to see which is better for getting you in the zone.
- Apple rating: 4.9 stars
- Google rating: 3.4 stars
- Basic version: Free
- Headspace Plus: $12.99/month (after 1 week free) or $69.99/year (after 2 weeks free)
Best meditation app free option: Insight Timer
Insight Timer is the meditation app with the most options for users in their free version. They have over 45,000 free guided meditations, spanning 200 topics and countless instructors.
You’ll never get bored with so many options, and you can try out many different instructors to see who you vibe with the most. The paid version features exclusive Insight courses and other premium features like offline listening, but you can get by with tons of content using the free version.
Additionally, on the Google Play store, the app has over one million downloads, an Editor’s Choice badge, and a rating of 4.7 stars, which also makes it our choice for the best meditation app for Android.
- Apple rating: 4.9 stars
- Google rating: 4.7 stars
- Basic version: Free
- Insight Timer Plus: $60/year (after 30 days free)
Best meditation app for people who don’t have much time: Simple Habit
Tell Simple Habit what you want to improve in your life and how busy you are, and it will create a meditation practice plan for you. Furthermore, tell the app how many times a week you’d like to meditate and at what time, and they’ll send you push notifications.
If you’re so busy you don’t even know which way is up, the app will help you form — and keep — the habit. Also, there’s a wide variety of guided meditations on the app that are 5 minutes or less, even some 1 or 2 minute meditations! Remember, even a tiny bit of meditation is better than none.
- Apple rating: 4.8 stars
- Google rating: 4.7 stars
- Basic version: Free
- Simple Habit Premium: $11.99/month or $89.99/year (after 1 week free) or $299.99 lifetime access
Best meditation app for sleep: Calm
The Calm app has many resources, but it’s really known for its sleep stories — bedtime stories that will help get you into a meditative, relaxed state and lull you to bed.
You can choose from well over 100 stories, both fiction and nonfiction, told by a variety of narrators, including celebs like Matthew McConaughey. There are new stories added every week, so you’ll never run out. There are even some ASMR-type stories, if that’s your style.
Of course, there are also traditional guided meditations for sleep. Due to all of these features, we think Calm is the best meditation app for getting those Zzz’s.
The app’s not all about sleep, though. You’ll also find guided meditations for other scenarios, whether it’s calming flight anxiety, coping with physical pain, or eating mindfully.
- Apple rating: 4.8 stars
- Google rating: 4.4 stars
- Basic version: Free
- Calm Premium: $14.99/month or $69.99/year (after a 7-day trial) or $399.99 lifetime access
Best meditation app for stressed-out parents: Expectful
Expectful knows that mental health is just as important as physical health during prenatal and postnatal times. They call the app “Prenatal vitamins for your mind.”
No matter the stage of pregnancy, Expectful has the right guided meditation for you. Oh, and it’s not just for mothers! Upon sign up, you choose your journey — motherhood or fatherhood.
Prenatal meditations tailored to each week of pregnancy will help you relax while also educating you about your baby’s growth and development during that specific week.
Postpartum, you’ll find a daily program specifically tailored for the first 40 days. There are also stroller meditations, baby carrying meditations, and nursing meditations.
Since a new baby causes stress for both parents, there are couples meditations that you can do together to find some much needed calm and stay connected. For most of the meditations, you can choose the duration, ranging from 5 to 20 minutes.
- Apple rating: 4.7 stars
- Google rating: 3.7 stars
- Price: 1-week free trial followed by $9.99/month or $59.99/year
Best meditation app for chanting and mantras: Sattva
Want to incorporate chanting or mantras into your meditation practice but not sure how to do it?
While most of the other meditation apps only offer silent meditations, Sattva encourages you to take your practice to another level by following along with guided chants and mantras that are led by Sanskrit scholars such as spiritual teacher Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar who make these ancient practices accessible to the modern meditator.
You can also learn Mudras, which are hand positions you can use while meditating to stimulate energy flow.
If you don’t want any chanting, no worries. The app also has other guided meditations focusing on tranquility, staying present, and more.
Apple rating: 4.8 stars
Google rating: 4.2 stars
Basic version: Free
Paid version: $12.99/month or $49.99/year with 3-day trial or $399.99 lifetime access
Best meditation app for skeptics: 10% Happier
This app, linked to ABC news anchor Dan Harris’s book of the same name, markets itself to those who are “fidgety skeptics.” The meditations are simple and straightforward, led by meditation experts who are leaders in their field.
You’ll start with a “Basics” course and then can move on to courses on specific stressors, or “singles” which are one-off guided meditations pertaining to a particular topic, like stress or happiness. On top of this, you have access to a meditation coach who you can send questions to.
Best meditation app for soundscapes: Inscape
Inscape started out as a trendy group meditation studio on New York City, but the app allows users to be met where they’re at.
While the app does have traditional guided meditations like the other apps, what makes it stand out is its large catalog of high-quality soundscapes that will make you feel like you’re in a sound bath in their studio.
These sounds serve as background music for unguided meditations, and there are also sleep specific guided and non-guided sound baths. You’ll find categories ranging from Uplift to Balance, and a selection of Hz frequencies. Another interesting feature is its section that teaches different types of breathwork.
