You might wonder who has the time to meditate nowadays? But if you’re looking for some inner peace to organize your thoughts, meditation can change your life. Apart from all the spiritual benefits, there are multiple physical and mental health benefits of meditation.
Ten minutes of meditation daily can provide both short-term and long-term health changes. Some benefits of meditation include lower stress levels, better sleep, building self-awareness, and lowered blood pressure.
Even though there are no wrong ways to do it, using a meditation app can be useful.
Here, we have curated a list of the best meditation apps that you can use to learn different techniques and practice mindfulness. From sleep stories to breathing exercises, you’ll find a complete online meditation guide in these apps.
Top 20 Meditation Apps for A Healthy Lifestyle
Calm
Calm is the perfect basic meditation app for beginners. It caters to the people who suffer from a lack of sleep. Once you have created a profile and selected the specific purpose, you can choose reminder notifications for each day. Along with guided meditations, there are music playlists and storytelling features that will calm your mind and body so you can get a night of healthy sleep. The targeted programs address multiple issues surrounding anxiety, stress, and a lack of sleep.
Cost: A seven-day free trial is available, followed by $70 annually.
Sattva – Meditation App
If you enjoy vocal or auditory meditation, Sattva might be the right app for you. It uses a Vedic-style meditation procedure in the sessions. Different kinds of mantras and chants will occupy your mind. Every session lasts from 6 minutes to an hour or more. Along with these, you will find certain in-app playlists and music collections that will make your session exciting.
Cost: $12 monthly e for $49 annually
Portal – Focus, Sleep, Escape
Portal comes with a unique concept of providing guided meditation. The app allows users to visit portals which are collections of 3D soundscapes accompanied with gorgeous visuals. The visuals are locations from all around the world. You can connect the app along with Philips Hue smart lighting to set a mood and relax better. This unique approach towards meditation has made many iPhone users curious about the app.
Cost: Only 4 Portals are free. For the additional 14 Portals, it cost $3.99.
Meditation and Relaxation: Guided Meditation
The Meditation and Relaxation app uses the traditional method of meditation. It provides the users with guided meditation sessions while offering great value for the money. This app is cheaper compared to the other apps, which makes it stand out. It is a mindful app with lengthy meditation programs to build focus, sleep, self-esteem, and satisfaction in life.
Cost: Free with some limited features. $4.99 monthly or $14.99 yearly to access premium features.
Breethe
Breathe offers a vast range of features. It includes hundreds of guided meditations, from short to long ones. Users can enjoy hours of music, nature sounds, and beautiful visualizations to relax. These are perfect for addressing problems that users are dealing with right now. You will also get access to hypnotherapy for better sleep and mental strength. This will make overcoming challenges much easier.
Cost: Free with limited features. Premium features start from $12.95 monthly or $89.95 yearly.
Simple Habit
Simple Habit provides its users with 5-minute meditation sessions. This makes it helpful for people who are busy throughout the day and struggle to complete lengthy meditation programs. The short sessions are filled with helpful tips and techniques to find inner peace and relaxation. With the annual or monthly membership, users can also access the programs in an offline mode.
Cost: Free with limited features. Access premium features starting at $11.99 monthly or $89.99 yearly.
Buddhify
Once you’ve paid for the app, you will gain access to over 200 guided meditations and mindfulness exercises. Apart from these, there are introductory sessions and more. With the annual subscription, users can use the Transmission feature, learn some core meditation techniques, and additional weekly courses.
Cost: $4.99 on IOS and $3.88 on Android
The Mindfulness App
The Mindfulness App has over 250 guided meditation programs that are narrated by inspiring teachers from across the world. The app tailors its programs to your needs. Users can customize every program as well as track their progress very easily. The app is available for both IOS and Android users.
Cost: Free with limited features. Access premium features at $9.99 monthly or $59.99 yearly.
Stop, Breathe & Think
Stop, Breathe & Think keeps track of how you’re feeling before each session. Based on the input that you’ve given, the app will suggest guided meditations. Users can easily track their capabilities and record their emotions, both before and after the Meditation process. You will also find helpful insights on the total meditation time and other statistics.
Cost: Free with limited features. Avail premium features at $9.99 monthly or $58.99 yearly.
Headspace
Headspace is a user-friendly app that is perfect for people who are new to the concept of meditation. Headspace offers download popular meditation services to around 62 million users. Users can access tailored meditation programs for struggles like sleep, happiness, stress, and relaxation.
Cost: Free with limited features. Access premium features with $12.99 monthly or $69.99 yearly.
Ten Percent Happier
If you struggle with getting into the habit of meditation, Ten Happier Happier might be the right app for you. The app offers multiple ways to integrate meditation and mindfulness into your daily schedule. Premium users can easily connect with experts who will answer questions while you use the app. There are over 500 guides designed for particular scenarios or moments of every day.
Cost: $100 for an annual subscription which comes with a seven-day free trial.
Core Meditation by Hyperice
Core Meditation is a very interactive app that incorporates a 3D handheld device that is linked to the app. It has a separate link device that helps the user to stay focused and follow certain breathing techniques. The device has ECG biosensors that monitor the progress of your daily sessions. There are multiple nodes available such as for better sleep for reducing stress-related anxiety.
Cost: Free two-week trial followed by $10 monthly or $70 annually.
Waking Up
This app was developed by Sam Harris, who is a neuroscientist turned philosopher and writer. Waking Up provides more structure to your daily meditation programs. It has a 28-day introductory program that is paired with lessons to help you focus better. It teaches you everything that you should know about meditating on your own.
Cost: Free 7-day trial, Premium access at $99 yearly or $139 for a family plan.
Aura
This app helps you to self-reflect by using guided stories and music playlists. Based on your mood, these playlists or story collections are generated. You can track your meditation progress as well your moods over time. There is an option to set reminders so that users can practice throughout the day and improve their overall mental health.
Cost: Premium membership starts from $12 monthly, $60 annually, and $400 for lifetime use.
Insight Timer
Insight Timer is one of the leading options for users that is entirely free and comes with the rating of a near-perfect 5 star. Users can access over 30000 free recorded guided meditation sessions. These sessions can also be refined according to one’s preferences. Apart from this, you will also find a progress keypad that enables you to track your progress and earn badges for the time spent on the app.
Cost: Free, comes with options for in-app purchases to access premium features.
Exhale – BIWOC Well-Being, Meditation, Rest
Founded and designed in 2020, EXHALE caters to black and indigenous women of color. The users can access certain targeted services that are not available on other platforms. This helps the user to develop more trust in the app and work on issues like microaggressions, grief, and childhood trauma. There are daily affirmations services and guided imagining sessions for the users to focus on.
Cost: Free
Sowlmate
Sowlmate is packed with guided meditations for users who identify as LGBTQIA+. There are options to take part in specific courses based on your experience or goals. Certain topics that are covered in these meditation programs include breakup, gaslighting, and the coming out process. Along with these sessions, users can access the mode tracker and journal present in the app.
Cost: $15 monthly or $40 annually
UnPlug
The app offers around 700 meditation videos available in different lengths. These videos can be of one minute or an hour. Depending on your needs, you can customize your session and the time range. Every session is filmed live in the studio, so you will be able to experience the class setting in the presence of an instructor. Using the in-app progress options, you can track your growth easily.
Cost: One-week free trial, $8 monthly or $60 yearly.
Smiling Mind
Smiling Mind is a great app for to-be mothers. The goal is to help parents, who are expecting, practicing Mindfulness exercises. These exercises help to manage emotions filled with uncertainty that come with pregnancy. The app focuses on all kinds of parents, including single parents and same-sex couples. The meditation programs are no longer than 13 minutes and are customized based on the trimester you are currently in.
Cost: Free App
The Mindful Mamas App
The Mindful Mamas App was created keeping in mind the struggles of postpartum depression. The app acts as an outlet for moms to unwind and connect with themselves. It offers a range of guided meditations, breathing techniques, visualizations, mantras, and mini-pauses. There are programs made for every stage of motherhood.
Cost: $9.99 monthly or annually $69.99
These apps are perfect for people who are trying to build meditation habits. Using the reminders and notifications, you can easily stay on track. Choose an app that suits your lifestyle the best and work on your personal growth.