If you want to start meditating, you’re in the right place. Some of the best meditation apps out there are designed specifically to show beginners the ropes—and stick with them as they graduate into more advanced meditators. Experts often recommend apps for beginners who have no idea where to start with meditation because they provide guided instruction to show you exactly what to do and help you stay accountable. But it’s not just the experts who love them—the apps on this list have devoted user bases who swear by them, too.
Below, find some of the best meditation apps out there, including both free options and subscription-based models that many people think are totally worth the price. Remember: Like all things mental health, it might take a bit of trial and error to figure out what works for you, so don’t be afraid to try a few apps to see which one is most your style. Don’t worry—many of them have free trials for precisely that reason.
Alright, ready to start reaping the benefits of meditation? Let’s talk apps!
1. Insight Timer
It’s not an exaggeration to say that Insight Timer is beloved by its users, many of whom think it’s way underrated compared to the Headspaces and the Calms of the meditation world. But with over 260,000 reviews and a 4.9 average rating in the Apple app store, it’s gone pretty mainstream and is a top pick for meditation beginners and enthusiasts alike. And it’s not difficult to see why. While other leading meditation apps can get pretty pricy, Insight Timer stands out for its expansive free library. Not “free” as in “try your first three meditations free, then have to sign up for premium,” either. We’re talking 70,000 free meditations and music tracks, with new content every day.
For beginners, Insight Timer has a seven-day free course that will teach you everything you need to know about how to meditate. You can also track your meditation practice and milestones with free charts that sync up to your other devices. Upgrading to Member Plus unlocks more premium features, such as advanced courses, offline listening, and an upgraded audio player. But quite frankly, many, many Insight Timer users report that the free version is more than enough.
Get it: Free, or $10/month or $60/year for premium, iOS and Google Play
2. Headspace
You probably don’t need us to tell you about Headspace—it’s the go-to recommendation for meditation apps, thanks to its full catalog and beginner-friendly interface. Emphasis on the friendly; this meditation app has a cheerful aesthetic with fun animations, so you might just get a mood boost simply from opening the app alone. (But you should definitely actually meditate when you open the app, too, especially because a new Everyday Headspace meditation will greet you on the home page each day.)
On top of plenty of basics, Headspace has guided meditations for just about every mood or goal. Whether you want to meditate for stress relief and mindfulness, or more specific challenges like grief, body image, fear, parenting struggles, political anxiety, or more, Headspace probably has a meditation for it. It also has Move Mode, which pairs exercise with meditation, so you can work out your body and your mind at the same time.
Get it: $13/month or $70/year, iOS and Google Play
3. Shine
Shine was founded by a Black woman and a half-Japanese woman who felt left out of traditional wellness practices. The app has more than just meditation and mindfulness exercises, but those are definitely a highlight. In the free version of the app, you get access to Daily Shine meditations that pair with a motivation message, three “quick hitter” meditations for the morning, afternoon, and evening, and more. Update to premium, and you get access to its full meditation library of more specific themed meditations, as well as other premium self-care features.
Shine is a stellar option if you want more out of an app than just meditation, too. Its other free and premium offerings include gratitude check-ins, bedtime stories, self-care exercises, and access to the Shine Squad, the app’s digital community where you can connect to other users. And if you’re someone who needs a little extra positivity and inspiration in your life, you’ll love the daily motivational texts.
Get it: Free, or $12/month or $54/year for premium, iOS and Google Play
4. Ten Percent Happier
Calling all begrudging meditators-to-be: Ten Percent Happier was designed for you. It started with a book by Dan Harris, a self-described skeptic turned believer, and has since spun off into a podcast and this app—all dedicated to teaching fidgety skeptics how to meditate. If you’re struggling with this whole meditation thing, there’s even a chat feature that connects you to your own meditation coach who will answer all your questions.
That said, the app has a lot of appeal for seasoned meditation fans, too. One of its standout features is its lineup of teachers. Many are considered renowned experts in the field and well-known practitioners, so if you’re not new to this whole meditation thing, you might just geek out over some of the meditation celebrities you’ll find on the app. Given that many of them have unique styles and approaches to meditations, users come to love and follow a favorite (or two or three).
Get it: $15/month or $100/year, iOS and Google Play
5. Calm
Another big name in meditation apps, Calm is frequently recommended alongside Headspace as an all-around solid guided meditation app, for beginners and pros alike. You may have to try both to see which is right for you (they have free trials!), but reviewers love Calm for its hallmark nature sounds, music, and meditation retreat vibe. Seriously, Calm’s name describes it pretty dang well—the aesthetics make for a soothing user experience.
On top of its classic guided meditations and mindfulness tools like timers and ambient music, Calm is well-known for its star-studded Sleep Stories. These adult bedtime stories mix music, sound effects, and narration (including some by celebrities like Harry Styles and Laura Dern) to help you fall asleep.
Get it: $15/month or $70/year, iOS and Google Play
6. MyLife Meditation
MyLife aims to help you create your own ~quiet place~ away from the world with guided, emotion-based meditations. On top of its library of over 400 mindfulness activities (including simple yoga poses and sleep tracking in addition to meditation), reviewers shout out its simplicity and lovely art as highlights.
Its focus on emotional check-ins might also be a draw for you. Before each meditation you choose how you’re feeling—like restless, anxious, depressed—so MyLife can recommend an activity for you. As a bonus, you can also log how you’re feeling after, so you can keep track of how individual meditations impact you, as well as how your practice is working over time. Very useful for anyone who’s ever found themselves asking, “Okay, but how do I know if it’s working?”
Get it: $10/month or $59/year, iOS and Google Play
7. Healthy Minds Program
Created by a nonprofit affiliated with the Center for Healthy Minds at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the totally free Healthy Minds Program app has meditations, exercises, and podcast-style lessons designed to build foundational mindfulness skills. Not only that, but you’ll have the opportunity to learn how and why meditation works, which might just be compelling for skeptics and enthusiasts alike.
If you tend to get overwhelmed by sprawling libraries of meditations, you might appreciate the Healthy Minds Program app for its targeted approach. It’s a step-by-step guide that focuses on what it calls the four pillars of training your brain: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose. Learn to gain focus, reduce stress, maintain positive social connection, and more through its science-backed teachings.
Get it: Free, iOS and Google Play
8. Aura
This simple app will get you meditating with just three minutes a day—an excellent choice for busy people who want an app they can pick up as needed when they have a moment. Its recommendations are personalized based on your mood or experiences, and it curates themed playlists for you in a way that’s almost Spotify-esque. Whether you need a sleep mix or a focus mix or something in-between, Aura has your back.
Beyond its meditation offerings, Aura also boasts a mood tracker, life coaching, a gratitude journal, and an active community of both users and meditation teachers. While it has premium offerings, plenty of reviewers say the free version is more than enough for casual use.
Get it: Free, or $12/month or $60/year for premium, iOS and Google Play
9. Expectful
This unique meditation app is designed specifically for pregnant people, parents, and people trying to conceive or dealing with fertility issues (as well as their partners). It has a wide variety of meditation tracks, from meditations by week and by trimester to postpartum mindfulness and support. On top of its meditation library, it also has a sleep tracker and sleep tools like stories and soundscapes.
All of their content is based on interviews with people who have been there: those trying to conceive and expecting and new parents. Plus, they rely on plenty of input from psychologists and meditation experts. At the time of publication, you can sign up for a special free course tied to self-care and wellness amid the pandemic here. And if you can’t get enough, they have a podcast, too.
Get it: $10/month, iOS and Google Play
10. The Tapping Solution
And now for something a little different. If you’re someone who wants to meditate in theory but haven’t been able to vibe with a practice, you might want to try The Tapping Solution. This app builds meditations around an alternative technique called tapping (also known as Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT), which combines elements of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and acupressure with the aim of reducing stress and anxiety, managing PTSD, and more. Plenty of reviewers mention their initial skepticism followed by surprise at how well the technique works for them. So hey, might be worth a shot.
The Tapping Solution’s library is as wide as many other apps on this list, covering the standard themes like lowering stress about family, finances, politics, or work; sleep support for insomnia or racing thoughts, and; negative emotions like anger, anxiety, grief, shame, and more. It also has meditations focusing on the physical, like chronic pain and specific illnesses like arthritis, endometriosis, fibromyalgia, and cancer.
Get it: $11/month or $47/year, iOS and Google Play
11. H*nest Meditation
Another offbeat option, H*nest Meditation will be right up your alley if you have difficulty with the peaceful or positive vibes typically associated with meditation. Because, well, the meditations are all about helping you deal with the fucked up shit in the world. You might have seen one of the meditations that went viral a few years ago, before the app was created, but if not, its sweary meditations pull no punches, offering plenty of catharsis to anyone who is really going through it right now. All the guided meditations are between two and 10 minutes long.
Admittedly, the jury’s out on whether this kind of meditation has the same mindfulness benefits as some more traditional practices, but users swear by it—at least as a way to blow off steam and take a moment to breathe. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about, anyway?
Get it: $2, iOS and Google Play
12. Sowlmate
This small but mighty LGBTQ+-focused self-care app has a unique library of multiday courses and quick guided meditations you can do on the go, with new content released weekly. Some meditations are for broader mental health purposes, such as relaxation, and others are specific to a variety of LGBTQ+ experiences, like dealing with family rejection or going through a breakup.
Beyond hours of meditations, Sowlmate also has a mood tracker and diary, self-care exercises, and non-meditation educational courses. Plus, the app learns from your mood tracker and adapts accordingly, so the more you use it, the more relevant content will appear on your feed.
Get it: $15/month or $40/year, iOS
13. Smiling Mind
Developed by psychologists and educators, Smiling Mind is an excellent free option if you want to develop a practice with the whole family. It has dedicated programs tailored to adults, kids, and families (as well as some professional options for at work and in the classroom). Within each demographic are more specific options, too, whether you’re looking for guided meditation exercises for stress, sleep, focus, relationships, sport performance, mindful eating, or more. And if you’re a total newbie, don’t worry. It covers the fundamentals to get you started, too.
Get it: Free, iOS and Google Play
14. Balance
Want an app that feels like it was made specifically for you? Balance offers its users a highly personalized experience, thanks to its learning capabilities. Every time you use the app, you answer questions about your meditation experience, your goals, and your challenges so Balance can provide you with recommendations. Then, it learns as you go—over time, your meditations become more personalized. Basically, Balance gives you all the tools you need to develop the most effective practice possible. Almost like having access to your own personal meditation coach.
Get it: $12/month or $50/year, iOS
15. Oak
Oak is nice and simple—just like meditation should be. Users love its minimalist look and feel, as well as its flexibility. It has both guided and unguided meditations, breathing exercises, and a variety of background tracks (as well as an option for silence). For its unguided meditation sessions, Oak provides you with a timer with interval chimes, so you can track your progress in the moment and long-term. There might not be a ton of bells and whistles, but that’s exactly why reviewers enjoy it. Though it doesn’t have any intense programming, Oak does offer a 10-day Mantra Meditation course to help you deepen your practice.
Get it: Free, iOS
Related:
15 Sleep Apps That Will Help You Feel Less Damn Tired All the Time
41 Mental Health Apps That Will Make Life a Little Easier
11 Apps, Websites, and Extensions That Will Help You Focus