best meditation apps

• “Waking up” by Sam Harris is highly recommended
  • “Outstanding”, “brilliant”
• “Insight Timer” is also highly recommended
  • “30K talks”, “guided meditations”
• “Calm” has series, one-off’s and sleep stories
• “Headspace” has short and long sessions and animations for beginners
• “MyLife” and “Let’s Meditate” are good free guided meditation apps on Android
• “Enso” is highly regarded
• “Brightmind” is offering free memberships
• “10% Happier” has an amazing selection of teachers
• “Dharma Seed” is an online resource with guided meditations
• “Audio Dharma” is an archive of Dharma talks given at the Insight Meditation Center
• Tara Brach’s podcast offers meditations and lessons
• A reddit user suggests just counting your breaths to 10 at first

• The Calm app is one of several popular meditation apps.
  • The author of the post has tried Calm, Headspace, Insight Timer, 1 Giant Mind, and Aura.
  • The author prefers Calm because it has a daily calm feature.
    • Daily calm helps frame the author’s day.
    • It also helps the author sleep in a positive frame of mind.
    • Daily reflection is also based on the daily theme.
    • Daily quotes are available for inspiration.
    • Calm has made meditation more enjoyable and less daunting.
    • The incremental goodness of Calm adds up to a good feeling.
  • Calm currently has a lifetime membership offer for 60% off.
    • The author of the post subscribes to the lifetime membership.
    • The author suggests trying the trial before getting the lifetime membership.
    • Lifetime membership is cost-efficient with the 60% off deal.
  • Other users also recommend Calm.
    • One user also recommends the Fabulous app.
  • The Calm app costs money, but it’s an investment in mental health and wellbeing.

• Relevant webpage:
  • URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/s3bz1f/meditation_apps_pros_and_cons/
  • Date: 1 year, 2 months ago
  • Website: Reddit
• Question asked by a Reddit user: How do people find meditation apps? What are your favorites? What are some pros and cons of each?
• Commented by a Reddit user:
  • Recommended free apps: Insight Timer, Oak, Healthy Minds, Smiling Mind, Medito
    • Apps details/links included
  • Created an app called MyMeditation that has timer feature and articles for beginners
    • No voice guidance on app
    • Working on adding more features like sound options, community guided meditations, stopwatch option, etc.
    • Gave invitation to beta test app
• Another Reddit user suggests that meditation apps are useful for an overactive mind but not for a quiet mind, should not become a crutch
• Another Reddit user recommends an app called Brightmind, free download, personal opinion is “ok” but voices may be a factor
• Another Reddit user recommends Balance app for subscription-based services, details/links included.

• Webpage:
  • URL: https://www.reddit.com/r/Meditation/comments/128rpgx/what_are_the_proscons_of_a_meditation_app/
  • Date: 6 days ago
  • Subreddit: r/Meditation
• Cons of Using Meditation Apps:
  • Apps are doing a chunk of the practice for you
  • You would still need to do meditation without guidance in order to get the full basic benefits of meditation
  • Headspace and anything associated with Sam Harris because of ethical issues
    • One of the co-founders of Headspace took vows not to make money off the dharma when he was ordained as a monk. Becoming a multi-millionaire off a teaching you vowed not to make money off of is hard to ignore as a potential expression of greed.
    • Sam Harris is like a never-ending pile of ethical concerns that range from small to large
• Pros of Using Meditation Apps:
  • Timer functions can be useful for those who have used them at some point in their meditation journey
  • Useful for a beginner if the recording is intended to teach you how to meditate on your own eventually

• Insight Timer app
  • First free app with over 40,000 meditation choices
  • Option to pay for extra features but not necessary
  • Timer can be set to go on forever
  • Guided meditations available for specific needs like anxiety
  • Has music tracks for white noise to aid sleep
  • Paid membership option available
  • Quality control issues in some meditations
  • Recommended by users as reliable and flexible
• NowZone app mentioned but no detailed information provided
• Default clock app used by one user to track meditation time

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What features does My Life offer?

• Meditation apps can help beginners start a meditation practice and help advanced meditators progress further.
  • They provide guided instruction and a range of meditation practices.
  • They offer various features like relaxing soundscapes and bedtime stories.
• “Medical News Today” shared their picks for some best meditation apps.
  • Best for guided meditation: Headspace
    • Offers guided meditations and mindfulness exercises for beginners and advanced meditators.
    • Has a user-friendly interface, bright design, animations, and the option of choosing a female voice.
    • Provides a free “Weathering the Storm” collection.
    • Costs around $13/month or $70/year.
  • Best for sleep meditation: Calm
    • Offers a variety of programs and sleep stories read by well-known people.
    • Can customize programs, get Daily Calm, and track progress for the 7-day and 21-day programs.
    • Costs around $40/year or has a lifetime subscription for around $412.
  • Best for personalized, intuitive meditation: Aura
    • Contains a range of meditation tracks, music pieces, stories, and life coaching.
    • Allows syncing to an iPhone’s Health app and scheduling alarms for meditation sessions.
    • Offers some free meditation sessions and costs around $13/month.
  • Best for traditional Vedic approach to meditation: Sattva
    • Takes a traditional Vedic approach to meditation, with Sanskrit scholars narrating the mantras, chants, and meditations.
    • Allows heart rate monitoring and mood tracking.
    • Offers many free meditation sessions and costs around $13/month, $50/year or a one-off payment of $400.
  • Best for meditation on the go: Buddhify
    • Offers specific categories for different situations, such as walking, at work, or going to sleep.
    • Has 60 meditation sessions specifically for children.
    • Offers meditation and mindfulness for those with busy lifestyles.
    • Costs around $5 to download, and annual membership costs around $30.
  • Best for multimedia meditation options: Ten Percent Happier
    • Offers beginners’ guides and allows users to contact experts for any questions.
    • Offers guided meditations, talks, and videos to help improve happiness, relationships, sleep, and well-being.
    • Comes from the founder of “10% Happier,” Dan Harris.
    • Costs around $100 annually or can be downloaded for free.
  • Best for beginner meditation: Breethe
    • Offers guided meditations, music pieces, sleep tracks, and a program to help beginners learn to meditate.
    • Contains some meditations sessions shorter than 3 minutes.
    • Costs around $10/month and is free to download.
  • Best for a shorter meditation practice: Simple Habit
    • Offers more than 2,000 meditation sessions and community support.
    • Addresses those who want to overcome panic attacks and reduce symptoms of stress.
    • Offers shorter meditation sessions and allows downloading the programs to listen offline.
    • Costs around $12/month, $90/year, or a one-time payment of around $300.
  • Best for focus: Unplug
    • Offers various meditation techniques, including breath work, sound baths, and guided imagery.
    • Contains many short videos.
    • Offers a 30-day challenge to help those who are new to meditation engage with the practice.
    • Costs around $13/month or $70/year.
• Meditation apps can be downloaded on ios, android, and desktop computers.
• They offer free trials, limited free meditations, and membership plans.
• Meditation apps can be suitable from people who are starting meditation to those who are more advanced.
• They may save costs compared to classes or seminars and are accessible at any time.
• They may be effective for improving psychological balance, coping with illness, and improving overall health.

• According to a post on Reddit from 1 year, 9 months ago in the androidapps subreddit:
  • A user recommends My Life and Insight Timer.
  • Another user suggests Smiling Mind, which is free.
  • A third user recommends Mindfulness Coach, which is also free.
  • A fourth user mentions using Waking Up by Sam Harris, which is a subscription but can be obtained for free by emailing them if you can’t afford it.
  • A fifth user suggests using Headspace and is happy with it.
  • A list of “The 7 Best Meditation Apps of 2021” is provided:
    • Best Overall: Calm
    • Best Budget: Insight Timer
    • Best for Sleep: Headspace: Meditation & Sleep
    • Best for Beginners: Ten Percent Happier Meditation
    • Best Guided: Buddhify
    • Best For Focus: Unplug
    • Best Selection: Simple Habit
  • One user suggests that Headspace and Calm are better than Buddhify, which they suggest is a good budget app. They also mention missing Smiling Mind & Mindfulness & Waking Up from the list.

• Comments from Reddit users on the best meditation apps:

  • Calm has some free guided meditations
    • Some features are paid
  • Headspace has a free intro series of 10, 10-minute, guided sessions
    • Also has a 30-day free trial for the paid service
  • 10% Happier has some free meditations
  • Stop, Breathe & Think has great free features
    • It now has a subscription service
  • Aware may still be free
  • Insight Timer is a timer app, but had issues with timer not ringing
    • Some users switched to Enso

• Other helpful resources for meditation:

  • Dharma Seed has talks to listen to prior to meditation
  • HMM HAA - Breathe and Relax, Sleep, Remove Stress app on Android

• Calm:
  • Celebrity voice talent from people like LeBron James, Matthew McConaughey and Jerome Flynn.
  • Free meditation options are limited.
  • $70 per year.
  • Quick & Easy, Mental Fitness, Sleep Stories, Meditations, Music, and Recent Daily Calms.
  • Tabs at the bottom allow you to dive deeper into the Sleep, Meditate, and Music sections.
  • Calm Kids, Calm Masterclass, Calm Body, and a Breathing Exercise.
  • Keeps track of your total sessions, meditation minutes, and longest day streak.
• Headspace:
  • White/orange color scheme.
  • $70 per year.
  • A lot of visual content (videos and short, animated series before courses).
  • A lot of different sections to choose from.
  • Personalized plans.
  • Move section which is filled with workouts.
• Insight Timer:
  • 35,000+ free meditations.
  • Adding 10 or more free guided meditations every day.
  • More of a community feel.
  • Discussion groups available.
  • “Learning to Meditate, Coping with Anxiety, Managing Stress, Improve Your Sleep, Mindfulness at Work, Improving Relationships, Boosting Your Self-Esteem and For Your Mornings” categories.
• 1 Giant Mind:
  • The essence of Transcendental Meditation, but 100% free.
• Sattva & Plum Village:
  • Mentioned apps.

• Reddit thread: “What’s the best meditation app, and why?”
  • Insight Timer
    • Free and has different types of meditations
    • Teachers include Tara Brach and Kate James
  • Free trials
    • Use to start and see what you like best
    • Part of the journey - be kind and gentle with yourself
  • Ditch the apps and learn to meditate
    • No need for timers or visualizations
    • Learn the technique and practice it
  • Waking Up app
    • Big difference-maker for high anxiety and ADHD background
    • Includes alternative meditation leaders
  • Jayasara on YouTube and Tara Brach
  • Sadhguru app
    • Includes an array of practices yogis have done for hundreds of years
    • Thorough explanations behind how they work and their benefits
  • Ten Percent Happier
    • Helped user stop merely reacting to things
    • Helping user get through a tough year
  • Balance app
    • Different mindfulness sessions for different problems
    • Great all around
    • Got a year free, but costs a lot for lifetime
  • FAQ for how to begin meditation practice
    • Link provided

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What are the best meditation apps?