About meditation apps

What it is, why it happens and what helps. Contents:

• What is a meditation app?
• Why use an app?
• What the research says
• Headspace
• Calm
• Insight Timer
• Free and not-for-profit apps
• Waking Up
• Apps for specific needs
• How to choose an app
• Getting started
• Making it a habit
• Apps for sleep
• Apps for children and families
• Apps at work
• Beyond the app
• A simple 4-week plan
• How self-help methods fit in
• FAQs

What is a meditation app?

A meditation app is a smartphone or web app that guides you through meditation, usually with recorded audio sessions led by a teacher. Most include short beginner courses, sessions for specific needs such as stress, focus or sleep, timers for silent practice and ways to track your progress. Some also offer sleep stories, music, movement and live classes. Apps have helped millions of people around the world start meditating, often for the first time. You can explore related topics in our Health hub and our meditation guide.

Why use an app?

Learning to meditate on your own can feel confusing. Where should my attention go? What do I do when my mind wanders? Is this working? A good app answers these questions gently, one session at a time. Apps also make practice convenient: you can meditate anywhere, for as little as a few minutes, and choose from many teachers and styles. Reminders and streaks help build a daily habit, and courses give you a clear path to follow. For many people, an app is the easiest way to begin.

What the research says

Meditation itself has been well studied. A review published in JAMA Internal Medicine by Madhav Goyal and colleagues found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation programmes improve anxiety, depression and pain. [4] Research on apps is newer but encouraging:

• Headspace: in a study by Marcos Economides and colleagues, adults who used Headspace for just 10 days reported less stress and irritability and better mood than a comparison group. [1]
• Calm: a trial led by Jennifer Huberty found that university students who used Calm for eight weeks reported less stress and more mindfulness and self-compassion. [2]
• At work: employees at two UK companies who used Headspace for eight weeks reported better wellbeing and less job strain. [5]
• Comparing apps: a New Zealand study by Jayde Flett and colleagues tested Headspace and Smiling Mind with university students and found short-term improvements in some measures of mental health. [3]
• Across many apps: a meta-analysis by Jake Linardon and colleagues, covering 66 trials, found that app-supported programmes helped with symptoms such as depression, anxiety and stress compared with control conditions. [6]

Headspace

Headspace was co-founded by Andy Puddicombe, a former Buddhist monk from the UK, and Rich Pierson. It is known for its friendly animations, clear explanations and short daily sessions. Beginners often start with the Basics course, which introduces meditation in a few minutes a day. There are courses for stress, focus, sleep, relationships and more, along with movement and sleep content. Headspace is a subscription app with some free content. Puddicombe’s TED talk, “All it takes is 10 mindful minutes”, is in Videos. Headspace also made a series for Netflix, Headspace Guide to Meditation.

Calm

Calm is well known for its Daily Calm sessions, a fresh 10-minute meditation each day, and its sleep stories read by well-known voices. It also includes music, nature sounds, breathing exercises and courses on topics such as anxiety and self-esteem. Calm is a subscription app with some free content. Some Daily Calm sessions are free on YouTube, and one is in Videos.

Insight Timer

Insight Timer is home to a very large free library of guided meditations, talks and music from thousands of teachers worldwide, in many languages. You can find almost any style there: mindfulness, loving-kindness, yoga nidra, body scans, Christian contemplation, mantra and more. It also has a well-loved meditation timer with bells for silent practice. A paid option adds courses and offline listening, but the free library is generous on its own.

Free and not-for-profit apps

You don’t need to spend money to meditate. Several high-quality apps are free:

• Smiling Mind: a not-for-profit app from Australia, with programmes for adults, children, schools and workplaces.
• Medito: a free app run by a not-for-profit foundation, with courses, sleep sessions and a timer.
• UCLA Mindful: free guided meditations from the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center, in English and Spanish.
• Plum Village: free meditations and talks from the community founded by the Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh.
• Insight Timer: its main library is free, as described above.

Waking Up

Waking Up was created by the author and philosopher Sam Harris. It combines daily guided meditations with a theory section of lessons and conversations with teachers from many traditions. It suits people who want to understand the “why” behind meditation as well as the “how”, and who are curious about deeper questions of attention and the self. A nine-minute session from Harris is in Videos.

Apps for specific needs

Anxiety: Unwinding Anxiety, created by psychiatrist Judson Brewer, uses short daily modules to help people work with anxious habits and worry. A short demo is in Videos. Our anxiety guide has more ideas.

Self-compassion: Insight Timer and other apps include many self-compassion practices, such as those based on the work of Kristin Neff and Christopher Germer.

Breathing: many apps include breathing exercises, and our breathing guide has simple techniques too.

Rest: guided yoga nidra and non-sleep deep rest sessions are popular in many apps. See our NSDR guide.

How to choose an app

The best app is the one you’ll actually use. Try asking yourself:

• What do I want help with? Stress, sleep, focus, anxiety or general wellbeing?
• Which voice and style do I like? Try a few free sessions from each app.
• Do I want structure or variety? Headspace and Waking Up offer clear courses; Insight Timer offers huge variety.
• Is it free or paid? Most paid apps offer free trials or free content, so you can explore first.
• Languages: Insight Timer, Headspace and Calm offer content in several languages.

Getting started

1. Download one app and choose its beginner course.
2. Find a quiet spot and sit comfortably on a chair or cushion.
3. Use headphones if you can.
4. Start with 5 to 10 minutes a day.
5. Expect a busy mind. Noticing wandering thoughts and gently coming back is the practice itself.

A short Headspace animation about the “monkey mind” is in Videos and explains this beautifully.

Making it a habit

Consistency matters more than length. Choose a regular time, such as after waking, on your lunch break or before bed, and link your practice to something you already do. Turn on a daily reminder in your app. Don’t worry about breaking a streak; just return the next day. Research on habits suggests that repeating a behaviour in the same context helps it become automatic over time. [7] Our guide to habits has more tips.

Apps for sleep

Many people first try a meditation app to help them sleep. Sleep stories, body scans, calming music and wind-down routines can help you let go of the day. Try using a sleep session at the same time each night, keep your screen dim and put your phone face down once the session starts. Our sleep guide covers many more natural ways to rest well.

Apps for children and families

Several apps include programmes made for young people. Smiling Mind has programmes for different age groups and for schools. Headspace and Calm include content for children and families. Short practices, such as three mindful breaths before school or a body scan at bedtime, can be a lovely shared routine.

Apps at work

Many employers now offer meditation apps as a workplace benefit. Short sessions between meetings, a focus track while working or a breathing exercise before a presentation can help you stay calm and clear. Check whether your workplace offers free access. Our guides to stress management and productivity have more ideas.

Beyond the app

Apps are a wonderful start, and many people also enjoy learning in person. Eight-week courses such as Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), created by Jon Kabat-Zinn, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) are taught in many countries. Local meditation centres, yoga studios and community groups often run classes. Retreats can deepen your practice, and over time some people enjoy meditating in silence with just a timer. A short guided practice from Jon Kabat-Zinn is in Videos.

A simple 4-week plan

Week 1: Download one app and complete its beginner course, 5 to 10 minutes a day.

Week 2: Keep the same time each day. Try one sleep session.

Week 3: Explore a different style, such as loving-kindness or a body scan.

Week 4: Try a longer session, or a few minutes of silent practice with the timer.

How self-help methods fit in

Meditation apps are a doorway to many of the methods on this site. Mindfulness and meditation are at the heart of most apps. Relaxation techniques such as body scans are popular for sleep and stress. Vedic meditation offers a mantra-based approach, and yoga pairs beautifully with sitting practice. Some people also enjoy binaural beats and sound healing tracks, which many apps include. You can see every method we cover in the full list above.

Frequently asked questions

Do meditation apps work?

Studies of apps such as Headspace and Calm have found reduced stress and improved mood after regular use. [1] [2]

What is the best meditation app for beginners?

Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, Smiling Mind and Medito all have good beginner courses. Try a few and pick the one you enjoy.

Are there free meditation apps?

Yes. Insight Timer’s main library, Smiling Mind, Medito, UCLA Mindful and Plum Village are free.

How long should I meditate each day?

Many beginners start with 5 to 10 minutes. Regular practice matters more than length.

Can a meditation app help me sleep?

Many people use sleep stories, body scans and calming music to wind down at night.

Is meditation good for stress and anxiety?

A large review found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation programmes improve anxiety. [4]

Do I need to sit cross-legged?

No. You can sit on a chair, lie down or even walk. Comfort is what matters.

The best videos on meditation apps

Hand-picked and checked one by one: Andy Puddicombe, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Sam Harris, Daily Calm, Smiling Mind and Insight Timer.

Getting started

Try a guided session

More apps and approaches

Books on meditation apps

Free resources

Experts to follow

Get help

If stress, anxiety or low mood feel heavy, your doctor can help alongside your practice.

Find a therapist or counsellor

• US and Canada: Psychology Today (US) and (Canada) directories.
• UK: BACP therapist directory.
• Australia: APS Find a Psychologist, and Relationships Australia for couple and family services.
• Elsewhere, including Europe and India: ask your doctor or local health service for a referral, and check that anyone you see is registered or accredited where you live.

This hub is for information, not a substitute for medical or psychological care.

Sources

1. Economides et al. (2018), Improvements in stress, affect, and irritability following brief use of a mindfulness-based smartphone app: a randomized controlled trial, Mindfulness 9:1584-1593
2. Huberty et al. (2019), Efficacy of the mindfulness meditation mobile app “Calm” to reduce stress among college students: randomized controlled trial, JMIR mHealth and uHealth 7(6):e14273
3. Flett et al. (2019), Mobile mindfulness meditation: a randomised controlled trial of the effect of two popular apps on mental health, Mindfulness 10:863-876
4. Goyal et al. (2014), Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis, JAMA Internal Medicine 174(3):357-368
5. Bostock et al. (2019), Mindfulness on-the-go: effects of a mindfulness meditation app on work stress and well-being, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology 24(1):127-138
6. Linardon et al. (2019), The efficacy of app-supported smartphone interventions for mental health problems: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials, World Psychiatry 18(3):325-336
7. Lally et al. (2010), How are habits formed: modelling habit formation in the real world, European Journal of Social Psychology 40(6):998-1009

Written by Saj Ali. Last updated 31 October 2026. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it.