The 7 Best Meditation Apps

In a fast-paced world filled with constant stimuli, finding moments of tranquility has become essential for maintaining mental well-being. Meditation apps have emerged as powerful tools to guide individuals on their journey toward mindfulness and inner peace. However, with a plethora of options available, choosing the right meditation app can be overwhelming. Before delving into the best meditation apps, let’s take a look at how to choose the perfect companion for your meditation practice.

1. Define Your Goals: Before diving into the sea of meditation apps, clearly define your meditation goals. Are you seeking stress relief, better sleep, mindfulness, or personal growth? Identifying your objectives will guide you toward apps that align with your specific needs.
2. User-Friendly Interface: Opt for apps with intuitive and user-friendly interfaces. A well-designed app enhances the overall meditation experience, making it easier to navigate through different features and meditation sessions.
3. Variety of Meditations: Look for apps that offer a diverse range of meditation sessions. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, having access to guided, unguided, and specialized meditations ensures flexibility in your practice.
4. Expert Guidance: Consider apps that provide guidance from experienced meditation instructors. Look for apps featuring renowned teachers or mindfulness experts who can offer valuable insights and deepen your practice.
5. Customization Options: Every individual’s meditation journey is unique. Choose an app that allows you to customize your sessions based on duration, focus areas, and meditation techniques. Personalization ensures that your practice aligns with your preferences.
6. Offline Accessibility: Opt for apps that offer offline access to meditation sessions. This feature allows you to continue your practice even without an internet connection, making it convenient for travel or moments of solitude.
7. Progress Tracking: Select apps that offer progress tracking features. Monitoring your meditation journey provides a sense of accomplishment and helps you stay motivated. Look for apps that offer insights into your meditation habits and improvements over time.
8. Community Support: Some meditation apps include community features that enable users to connect, share experiences, and support each other. If a sense of community is important to you, consider apps with social features.
9. Trial Periods and Reviews: Many meditation apps offer trial periods or free versions. Take advantage of these to explore the app’s features and assess whether they resonate with you. Additionally, read user reviews to gain insights into the experiences of others.

The Best Meditation Apps

If you are ready, let’s explore the best meditation apps, offering a diverse array of features to cater to every meditation style and goal.

Headspace

Let’s start with Headspace which is very easy to use and among the best meditation apps for beginners with millions of active users from around the world. It is available on both Google Play Store and App Store. You can also access it on your desktop. 

The free plan of the Headspace app offers the Basics 1 course, Navigating Change course and tens of other meditations that will help you release your stress, improve your focus, maximize your sleep quality, strengthen your body & mind and more. 

You can subscribe to Headspace Premium if you’d like to get access to the full library and more advanced features. It also has a student plan. If you’re a student with a Spotify subscription, you can get Headspace completely for free. 

It’s also worth mentioning that, in August 2021, Headspace and video-based therapy services provider Ginger announced that they have agreed to merge into one digital mental health and wellbeing company.  

Also Read: The Best Motivation Apps

Calm

Next one in our best free meditation apps list is Calm, available on both Android and iOS market used by over 60 million users worldwide to relax, lower and manage stress, calm anxiety, improve concentration, fall asleep more easily, wake up more energized and so much more with guided meditations, bedtime stories, breathing programs and physical exercises that are perfect for both beginners and those who are intermediate and advanced users. 

While using the Calm app, you’ll encounter many famous names including Harry Styles, LeBron James, Kelly Rowland, Lucy Liu and more. 

You can use most of the features Calm offers for free. Just like most of the other best meditation apps in this list, it also offers premium subscription plans which you can get $12.99 per month, $59.99 per year and the lifetime subscription costs $299.99. 

Also read: The Best Yoga Apps for iPhone and Android

Insight Timer 

Our next best meditation app for Android and iPhone users is Insight Timer. It offers the largest free library of over 55.000 guided meditations and music tracks for anxiety, sleep, and stress. 

Chosen as the Apps Of The Year Winner by Time Magazine and Women’s Health, Insight Timer offers everything you need from a meditation app. 

As well as guided meditations, it also offers the ability to go live with famous mindfulness teachers such as Skip Jennings, Russel Brand, Gisele Bündchen, Elizabeth Gilbert, Tara Brach, Mark Williams, Jack Kornfield, Sadhguru and more. 

Insight Timer also allows you to create your playlists, access the ones of your friends and join various community groups to connect with people who share the same interests with you. 

Most of the features Insight Timer provides are free. It has an in app subscription which you can get $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year for insight courses, offline use, advanced player settings and high quality audio.  

Also Read: The Best White Noise Apps for iPhone and Android

Breethe

Breethe, an app preferred by millions of users that helps you reduce your stress, do hypnotherapy and regulate your sleep by meditating, focuses on making meditation a part of your daily life and thus increasing your quality of life.

The app, which initially focuses on presenting you a Life Kit with the questions it asks to get to know you, offers programs for many different personas such as those who complain about their boss, those who have problems with their family, and those who have financial problems.

Offering many different content types such as music, sounds and stories, Breethe also allows you to benefit from the supportive experiences of professionals such as NY Times bestselling authors. The app, which you can download and use for free, also has subscription options starting from $12.99 per month.

Also Read: The Best Free Workout Apps for iOS

Meditopia

Our last meditation app for beginners is Meditopia which is available on both Google Play Store and App Store, offering more than 1000 meditations in many categories, sleep stories and relaxing music that will help you ‘’make meditation a habit in 10 minutes’’, lower your stress and manage anxiety & stress. 

Unlike the other meditation apps in this list, Meditopia is not a free app but you can try it free for 1 week. After the trial ends, it costs $9.99 per month or $59.99 per year. 

Sattva

Sattva is one of the best meditation apps that transcends the conventional boundaries of mindfulness, offering users a holistic and spiritual journey toward inner peace and self-discovery. One of its distinctive features lies in its emphasis on ancient wisdom, as Sattva incorporates guided meditations, chants, and mantras led by seasoned Sanskrit scholars. This unique approach sets it apart, providing users with a profound connection to centuries-old practices that have withstood the test of time. The app serves as a sanctuary for those seeking to elevate their meditation experience, going beyond mere relaxation to foster a deeper understanding of spiritual principles.

In addition to guided meditations, Sattva offers a rich tapestry of features, including thematic meditation courses, insights into Vedic philosophy, and a library of sacred sounds. The app becomes a virtual guide on a spiritual quest, allowing users to explore different dimensions of their consciousness. The tranquil and user-friendly interface creates a serene space for users to immerse themselves in the profound teachings and practices embedded in the app.

Also Read: The Best Free Sleep Sound Apps

Oak

Oak stands as a beacon of tranquility in the bustling landscape of meditation apps, offering iOS users a comprehensive and user-friendly platform to embark on their mindfulness journey. Developed with a minimalist design ethos, Oak focuses on simplicity and effectiveness, making it an ideal companion for both beginners and seasoned practitioners. The app’s clean interface and intuitive navigation create an inviting space for users to explore a variety of meditation techniques, including guided sessions, deep breathing exercises, and unguided meditations.

One of Oak’s notable features is its adaptability to individual preferences, allowing users to tailor their meditation experience based on factors such as session duration, background sounds, and interval chimes. This customization fosters a personalized approach to mindfulness, ensuring that users can seamlessly integrate meditation into their daily lives. The inclusion of ambient sounds, such as nature-inspired audio, enhances the overall experience, transporting users to serene landscapes that facilitate a deeper state of relaxation.

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Embark on your journey toward inner peace and mindfulness with the best meditation app that aligns with your preferences, goals, and lifestyle. Whether you’re a novice exploring the world of meditation or a seasoned practitioner seeking new dimensions in your practice, the diverse offerings of these apps ensure that tranquility is just a tap away. Choose the app that resonates with you and let the transformative power of meditation enhance your well-being.