The Best Meditation Apps
Life can throw unexpected challenges our way, leaving us feeling stressed and off balance. Finding harmony can feel like a struggle, and staying focused becomes tough. That’s where a reliable meditation app can make all the difference.
Headspace
top meditation app
Headspace offers the widest range of meditation sessions, from beginner-friendly guided sessions to more flexible programs for experienced practitioners. Its extensive library is thoughtfully organized and simple to explore.
Headspace (iOS, Android; $70/year) offers the best variety of meditation options, featuring an engaging interface and an extensive, well-organized library. The courses are clearly labeled and progressively structured, making it easier to find the perfect meditation and stay committed. Some courses focus on enhancing your overall practice, while others target specific issues like anxiety, patience, self-esteem, and grief. For quick relief, you can access short, one-session meditations to help with situations like pre-interview nerves or writer’s block, or simply to enjoy a peaceful moment whenever needed.
Calm
Relaxation and Steadying Through Challenges
Calm provides both guided and unguided meditations designed to help you relax and maintain composure during difficult moments. The app offers a more flexible approach, allowing you to easily personalize your meditation experience to fit your needs.
If you’re an experienced meditator seeking to enhance your practice, Calm (iOS, Android; $70 per year) might be the better choice. Beyond its guided sessions, it offers free-form exercises and customizable meditation timers, giving you more flexibility. The app also features a dedicated music section. Like Headspace, Calm tracks your progress, such as session completion, but it goes a step further by letting you monitor your mood over time with more frequency. Additionally, Calm includes a comprehensive section for kids and offers the ability to gift a free month or specific content to others.
Healthy Minds Program
A simple, free meditation app
Free from distractions, this app provides a clear, structured course sequence. It’s an excellent choice for those wanting to explore meditation and determine if it’s the right fit for them.
Healthy Minds Program (iOS, Android) is a free, straightforward app that focuses on four main principles: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. Its content is more approachable and goal-oriented compared to many other free and paid apps. On your first use, the app guides you through a survey that provides a score for each of the four pillars, establishing a baseline to improve from. You can select from two instructors, adjust course lengths in five-minute increments, and track your progress as you advance.
Smiling Mind
A free app designed for younger audiences
This free app offers well-organized beginner courses in a fun and easy-to-use format. It’s especially great for kids and young adults looking to start their meditation journey.
Smiling Mind (iOS, Android) is designed to help children and teens develop mindfulness skills. With a clean, user-friendly interface, it uses simple animations and clear organization to keep users engaged. The app offers a structured 35-session beginner course, along with a variety of other meditations. Additional features include the ability to choose between two teachers for most sessions, adjust the course length in five-minute increments, and track your progress over time.
