A Meditation App Cheat Sheet
Choosing a meditation app isn’t all wind chimes and calming images. Before committing to what are pretty expensive monthly or annual subscriptions, make sure you do a little research. Here I compiled a little cheat sheet for what these five top-rated apps offer. All apps are available on Android and iOS.
Headspace: With its warm interface, cool colors, and fun, quirky animations, Headspace is a playful yet organized space to meditate. The app suggests starting with its foundation courses and then moving on to “packages” that have themes like patience, kindness, creativity, anxiety and self-esteem.
Special Feature: Their shiny search feature lets you find stuff faster – by topic of emotion. Use the explore tab in the app to search for your favorite courses, techniques, animations and anything else you might be looking for.
Subscription Price: $12.99 monthly / $95 annual / $399 lifetime
Calm: If you’re a fan of inspirational quotes and nature, Calm is for you. Serene, outdoor images are featured on every screen. The “Daily Calm” is a 10-minute meditation that focuses on a specific theme each day. Meditations are broken down into categories: personal growth, anxiety, self-care, sleep and more. A masterclass gives you the opportunity to spend an hour or so delving into more complex subjects, such as how to break social media addiction.
Special Feature: Calm’s “Sleep Stories” aim to help ease you into a deep sleep with a narrated stories and instrumental music.
Subscription price: $12.99 monthly / $59.99 annually / $299 lifetime
Insight Timer: This app states itself as the most popular timer in the world, featuring over 8,000 guided meditations and music tracks. FOR FREE. The option to subscribe to a premium feature unlocks longer courses and talks for a nominal fee. It has huge directory of meditation to choose from that include body scans, introductions to meditations, intention settings and meditations on topics like healing, compassion and forgiveness.
Special Feature: The customizable feature of the “timer” meditation make for a very personal experience. You can customize bell sounds, frequencies and intervals, background noise as well as set an overall time in case you are in a hurry.
Price: Free to download / Insight Premium: $9.99 monthly / $59.99 annually
10% Happier: Developed by journalist Dan Harris, this app aims to be meditation for the “rest of us”- those turned off by the hokey, hippie practice —the skeptics. 10% Happier has a diverse group of teachers, including scientists, traditional meditation teachers, and even a teacher who specializes in mediation for professional athletes. Its guided meditation library has over two dozen courses, each with 10 to 14 videos focusing on topics like self-improvement, anxiety, sleep, or becoming more productive.
Special Feature: Recognizing that self discipline to keep a consistent practice isn’t always enough, subscribers get access to a living, breathing mindfulness coach to help you follow through and keep you in the game.
Subscription Price: $11.99 monthly / $79.99 annually
Simple Habit: Simple Habit is designed for the busy user who might want shorter meditations like this five minutes sessions this app focuses on. Other sessions, which are grouped in themes like “relax,” “focus,” and “well-being,” are longer, but those new to meditating won’t feel intimidated by the length or layout of the courses.
Unique feature: Simple Habit has a list of “featured teachers” and their meditation sessions so users can explore different styles and personalities.
Subscription price: $11.99 monthly / $96 annual / $299 lifetime
So there you have it. There is my unbiased review of some of the top meditation apps. If you are looking for the right mindfulness app, it’s reassuring to know that there are plenty of great options out there. Headspace is my preferred app and by the far the best one for beginners. As most of the apps are free to download, make sure you try before you buy and find one that makes your daily routine easier, not harder.
And if you want to try out a simpler meditation practice, why not join the FREE 7-Day Meditation Challenge provided by yours truly. Each short guided meditation is followed by a mindfulness activity to help you stay present and consistent in your day to day life.
