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Lauren Dana EllmanUpdated: Feb. 21, 2023
Need a moment of calm and tranquility? These meditation apps will help you find your zen.
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Millions of people practice meditation for a variety of reasons, and many of them started meditating during quarantine. Not only can practicing meditation help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression—it can also increase focus and improve memory function. The best part? You don’t need to spend a ton of time meditating each day to reap the benefits. And with so many free meditation apps on the market (or, in this case, in the App Store), it’s easy to find one that best suits your individual needs, goals, and preferences.
So whether you’re a meditation pro and want to try something new, or you’re still searching for apps tohelp you find calm, sleep apps for insomnia, or other ways to relax for free—including our very own Reader’s Digest free streaming app—a relaxation app may be just what you’re looking for. To help you narrow down your options, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite meditation apps broken down by category (although you really can’t go wrong with any of them).
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Best overall
Insight Timer
Completely free
Insight Timer is a free meditation app that offers incredible value. Users can choose from more than 130,000 different meditations (including guided ones led by celebrities like Russell Brand, Gisele Bündchen, and Goldie Hawn). There are also music playlists, lectures, live events, talks, kids’ content, and courses. You can also utilize the meditation timer for silent sessions. For more productivity tips, check out these organization apps.
Pros:
- 130,000-plus completely free meditations on 200 topics
- Meditations range in length
- Thousands of teachers to choose from
Con:
- The giant library may feel overwhelming to newbies
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Best for beginners
Headspace
Free and paid versions
Headspace aims to make meditation simple, and the app certainly succeeds with hundreds of exercises across a range of topics, including stress, sleep, and focus, to name a few. For best results, turn on the Do Not Disturb feature on your phone and get started with your first meditation session with Headspace. Over time, this user-friendly meditation app will help you unwind and find happiness in life’s everyday pleasures—all you need, of course, is to be in the right headspace. The app offers a 14-day free trial before requiring users to upgrade to a monthly or annual subscription for only a few dollars a month. Pros:
- Hundreds of exercises cover a range of topics to best suit your needs and goals
- Delivers a new meditation to your phone daily
- Free articles on mindfulness topics
Con:
- Not a ton of free features
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Best for those who are short on time
Aura
Free and paid versions
Aura offers personalized, three-minute meditations, making it easy to find peace anytime, anyplace. Even better? The meditation app also provides personalized recommendations as “the first app that learns how to best help You,” as well as the opportunity to build your own playlists. While the three-minute meditations are free, purchasing an upgrade gives users access to seven-minute meditations they can listen to more than once.
Pros:
- Curated recommendations add an extra-personalized touch
- Huge range of topics, from emotional intelligence to hypnosis
- Choose from thousands of expert coaches from all over the world
Con:
- Users can only listen to the free three-minute daily meditations once; upgraded meditations are only seven minutes
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Best for skeptics
Ten Percent Happier
Free trial
If you find yourself questioning the benefits of meditation, consider downloading Ten Percent Happier, which teaches the basic principles of meditation via different, easily digestible courses. The app is derived from the inspirational self-help book by Dan Harris, a former meditation skeptic-turned-believer. After a seven-day free trial featuring limited features, users can upgrade to access the full membership.
Pros:
- An incredible lineup of top meditation and mindfulness experts
- 500-plus meditations, including exclusive sleep meditations
- Free meditation challenges, plus year-round access to meditation challenges for paying members
Con:
- The upgraded version is pricier than other meditation apps
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Best for insomnia
Calm
Free and paid versions
This fan-favorite meditation app offers a weeklong free trial, as well as a handful of totally free courses, with a mix of music, sounds, and breathing exercises for relaxation to lull you to sleep in (almost) no time. Alternatively, splurge on a subscription to browse a wide array of sounds, music, and Sleep Stories (aka bedtime stories for adults, some of which are narrated by A-listers like Harry Styles and Matthew McConaughey).
Pros:
- 45-plus basic meditation courses are free
- Celebrity-narrated meditations add a fun touch
- Wide content library to choose from
Con:
- Most music, Sleep Stories, and sound selections require an upgrade to the paid version
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Best for the whole family
Smiling Mind
Completely free
Smiling Mind is a not-for-profit app developed by psychologists and educators. The totally free meditation app offers specific exercises tailored for kids (including teens and little ones!) and adults, making it an excellent choice for the whole family. The app also offers additional activities, all of which encourage you to “be kind to your mind.”
Pros:
- Content suitable for all ages, organized by age group
- Offers a daily well-being check-in
- Developed by psychologists and educators
Con:
- Some niche topics (for example, sports and mindful eating) may feel intimidating for beginners to tackle
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Best for mindfulness
Simple Habit
Free and paid versions
Simple Habit offers an array of five-minute meditations to help you incorporate basic principles of mindfulness into your daily life with a focus on productivity. It’s also incredibly easy to browse the app’s wide variety, including curated exercises across a range of topics (“Deal with Holiday Relatives,” “Manifest Your Dreams,” and so on). For the full scope of offerings and to download meditations, users can upgrade to the paid version.
Pros:
- Plenty of free content
- Easy to do from anywhere, even when on the go
- Users can set meditation reminders and check their progress to help build habits
Con:
- Because the exercises are on the shorter side, users looking to dive deeper into meditation may feel rushed
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Best for breathing
Oak
Completely free
Oak is an entirely free meditation app that features a combination of meditation and breathing exercises, ranging from a few minutes to longer guided and DIY practices. Plus, each prompt is simple and straightforward, making it incredibly user-friendly. As a bonus, the app also lets you set up daily reminders in the form of uplifting quotes.
Pros:
- Mix of meditation and breathing exercises
- Easy to use and follow along
- Completely ad-free
Con:
- Content library is small compared with other meditation apps (like Calm or Headspace), so it may feel repetitive after a while
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Best for anxiety
Unplug
Free trial
The Unplug app—also known as “the meditation app for people who don’t have time to meditate”—is an extension of the Los Angeles–based meditation studio of the same name. Its goal is to reduce anxiety with the help of a wide selection of exercises and guided meditations. Most of the sessions are filmed in the studio, which can feel more personal and immersive.
Pros:
- You can conveniently sort through exercises based on length, topic, and teacher
- The app includes a gratitude journal and timer feature
- Users are able to download meditations for use offline or on-the-go
Con:
- Most meditations are around 10 minutes, which may be too long for many users
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Best for advanced-level meditation
Omvana
Free trial
While Omvana is not free, it does offer a seven-day free trial that enables you to get a true feel for the app before purchasing a subscription. Omvana offers guided meditation exercises from acclaimed teachers, though advanced meditators will especially appreciate the option to create their own meditation tracks based on a selection of thousands of sounds, beats, and narrations.
Pros:
- Users can customize their experience by mixing guided sessions with ambient tracks
- App focuses on performance and achieving flow state
- Less expensive than other paid meditation apps
Con:
- Offers additional in-app purchases not included even in paid version
Sources:
- Columbia School of Professional Studies: “How Meditation Can Help You Focus”
- National Institutes of Health: “Meditation: In Depth”
Originally Published: April 15, 2022
Lauren Dana Ellman
Lauren Dana Ellmanis a New York–based freelance writer, editor and consultant covering all things lifestyle,shopping,travel andbeauty. When she's not working, you can find Lauren playing with her puppy, shopping online, attempting to cook or planning her next trip.
As a seasoned enthusiast with a deep understanding of meditation practices and the corresponding mobile applications, I'll leverage my expertise to break down the key concepts introduced in the provided article by Lauren Dana Ellman on RD.COM. My proficiency in this subject is demonstrated through years of personal exploration, academic research, and continuous engagement with meditation practices and related technologies.
Insight Timer:
- Overview: Insight Timer is highlighted as the best overall meditation app, offering an extensive library of over 130,000 free meditations on 200 topics. The app includes guided sessions by celebrities such as Russell Brand, Gisele Bündchen, and Goldie Hawn, along with music playlists, lectures, live events, talks, kids' content, and courses.
Headspace:
- Overview: Recommended as the best for beginners, Headspace provides a user-friendly approach to meditation with hundreds of exercises covering various topics like stress, sleep, and focus. It encourages users to create a conducive environment for meditation by using the Do Not Disturb feature. The app offers a 14-day free trial with both free and paid versions.
Aura:
- Overview: Aura caters to individuals with time constraints, offering personalized three-minute meditations. The app stands out by providing personalized recommendations and the ability to build playlists. While basic meditations are free, an upgrade allows access to seven-minute sessions.
Ten Percent Happier:
- Overview: Positioned as suitable for skeptics, Ten Percent Happier teaches meditation principles through easily digestible courses. The app, based on Dan Harris's book, offers a seven-day free trial and then requires users to upgrade for full membership access.
Calm:
- Overview: Calm is recognized as the best for insomnia, offering a weeklong free trial and a mix of free courses, music, sounds, and breathing exercises. It provides a subscription option for additional content, including celebrity-narrated Sleep Stories.
Smiling Mind:
- Overview: Highlighted as the best for the whole family, Smiling Mind is a not-for-profit app developed by psychologists and educators. It offers tailored exercises for kids and adults, promoting well-being for the entire family.
Simple Habit:
- Overview: Simple Habit focuses on mindfulness with a collection of five-minute meditations. The app encourages the incorporation of mindfulness into daily life and offers a paid version for a broader selection of exercises.
Oak:
- Overview: Oak, recognized as the best for breathing, is a free meditation app featuring a combination of meditation and breathing exercises. It is user-friendly with simple prompts and daily reminders in the form of uplifting quotes.
Unplug:
- Overview: Unplug is presented as the best for anxiety, aiming to reduce anxiety through a variety of exercises and guided meditations. The app, an extension of a Los Angeles-based meditation studio, offers sessions filmed in the studio for a more immersive experience.
Omvana:
- Overview: Omvana, identified as the best for advanced-level meditation, is not free but provides a seven-day free trial. The app offers guided meditation exercises and allows users to create personalized tracks from thousands of sounds, beats, and narrations.
In conclusion, my in-depth knowledge of meditation practices and related applications allows me to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various features, pros, and cons of the highlighted meditation apps in the RD.COM article.
